New Angles

Episode Nineteen: Return To the Pridelands

Hey guys! Before I get right into this episode, I wanna point out, that the way the writers handled this final episode.. was kind of a disappointment for a few reasons.

Am I saying it ruins the whole season? Absolutely not!

I believe this was the best season of the show yet, and I loved what they did with it.

Do I believe that the end result shouldn't have happened, of course not!!

All I'm pointing out here is that how they got to that end result was unnecessary and shouldn't have happened that way(in my opinion of course).

And when I say this, it isn't a demotion to Vitani and her lion(ess) guard.. I for one am extremely proud of how she stepped up and turned her life around for the better with this. And how.. her lion guard.. demonstrates that same comradery amongst one another was great! And how they still attested their personal attributes together in order to succeed as a team.

Not only that.. but they are exceptional at what they do, that fight with Kion's Lion Guard shows that they have an effective way of defending the Pridelands. As Kion mentions in the episode I believe.. the Pridelands are in capable hands without them.. because of Vitani and her Lioness Guard, I should say,.. and that they wouldn't have to worry about them not having a good defense when Kion and the Guard leave to go back to the Tree of Life.

My problem with the episode came.. with the decision they made on how to do all that. That being said.. this episode structure will look a little different than all the previous ones.. Instead of doing just snippets in addition to what's already there,.. I will be doing AU versions of the parts I wasn't satisfied with.. Granted, that means some of the events will look different.. but the overall concept throughout the episode will stay relatively the same.

I'll still keep with the similar pattern in order to keep the parts of the episode that were good, the same.. but the rest will be alternated to a more believable and, in my opinion, more satisfying journey to the end that we all saw. And I will also include scenes throughout that we didn't necessarily see on screen to the best of my abilities like before.. only with the new plot changes I'll have made.

So... without further adieu.. here is my alternate Return to the Pridelands.

~Episode twenty: Return To The Pridelands~

~Part One~

(Kovu and Kiara on Pride Rock)

"Kovu?" The young lion's eyes diverted from the distant edge of the Pridelands to turn back and find his beloved coming up to join him. "What's wrong?"

"Haoh.. Vitani's off to the edge of the Pridelands.." Kovu sighed. "Said something about Tazama catching sight of a group of outlanders approaching."

"Outlanders? Huh.. I haven't heard anything from Jasiri in a while.." She recalled now. "You think something's wrong?"

"I don't know.. that's just it.." Kovu mused, as if pondering something profusely. "Vitani said Tazama mentioned something about.. a lion leading a group of various animals,.. uh.. hyenas, cheetahs,.. a couple birds,.. and I think.. a hippo?"

"A lion? Leading those kinds of animals?" Kiara repeated curiously.

"Yeah.. 'said they looked like an army ready to attack.." Her mate continued. "'Guess they went to go stop 'em."

"Wait.. various animals.." she said again, more thoughtfully. "Led by a lion?.." And then it clicked.

"Oh no!" She gasped. "We gotta stop them!"