The Lion King: Return of the Guard
It had been years since Kion, Prince of the Pride Lands, Kiara's younger brother and the current leader of the Lion Guard, a group that protected the Pride Lands and the circle of life, had left the Pride Lands to travel to the other side of Africa. Rafiki had warned him that a great darkness was approaching the Pridelands, one that only the Guard could stop.
While he knew that leaving meant the Pride Lands meant leaving it unprotected, King Simba assured him that everything would be well protected in the Lion Guard's absence. Joining Kion on this odyssey were Fuli the cheetah, Bunga the honey badger, Beshte the Hippo and Ono the Egret, the rest of the Lion Guard.
After saying their goodbyes to their families, the Guard headed out beyond the borders of their home and toward the direction of the unknown enemy slowly approaching it knowing that there was a possibility that they might never return.
Years past and many things changed in the Pride Lands while they were away; while things remained relatively peaceful, a rogue pride of lions called the Outsiders sought to take over the kingdom. During the whole thing, Kion's sister Kiara and Kovu, son of the Outsider's leader; Zira, fell in love.
Soon enough, tensions between the prides came to a boil and a fierce battle broke out between the two, one that was stopped by Kovu and Kiara, who manage to convince the Prides to end their pointless fighting and join together once more. However, Zira was too consumed with hate to listen and upon threatening her daughter, Vitani, who was the first to be swayed, the rest of the Outsiders followed, further infuriating the lioness.
Simba, now fully believing what his daughter was trying to tell him, turned to Zira. "Let it go, Zira," he urged her. "It's time to put the past behind us."
"I'll never let it go!" Zira snarled, her anger and hate all but consuming whatever reason she had left. "This is for you, Scar!"
With a hateful roar, Zira leapt toward Simba with the intent to kill…
But before she could even get close to him, while she was in mid-flight, a small sonic blast created by a loud and powerful roar nearby, sent Zira flying back, much to everyone's shock. Zira rolled and bounced across the battlefield for long while before she finally stopped. While she was still alive from such a powerful attack, she groaned as she tried to stand back up, clearly in pain.
"What was…?" Nala began, stunned.
Simba recognized that roar, his eyes widened in realization. "Can it be…" he started to say before someone leaps over and lands on the other side of the large group, facing Zira.
The evil lioness also saw who it was ahead of her and her eyes narrowed. "You…" she growled.
Four more figures quickly rush over and surround the lioness from all sides. Zira's eyes darted around at all of them and she seemed to panic upon seeing that they had her completely boxed in.
Now Kiara's eyes widened as she froze up and let out a small gasp, realizing the same thing as her father and Zira. "No way…"
The sunlight breaking through the clouds above, shined on the new arrival; a full grown male lion with a large red mane flowing over his shoulders and down his chest. The top of his mane seemed to be slicked back somewhat and the most distinguishing thing about him was a mark shaped like a roaring lion's head on his left shoulder.
"Kion!" Zira snarled.
The now adult Kion narrowed his eyes at Zira as they stared each other down.
"Till the Pride Lands end…" he began while more light shined down and revealed the figures surrounding Zira; it was Fuli, Bunga, Ono and Beshte, all fully grown just like Kion was.
"Lion Guard…" All of them continued.
"Defend!" The five finished, wrapping up their team catchphrase with smirks on their faces.
Simba, Nala and Kiara all stepped forward a little in shock, they hadn't seen Kion in so long and to see him again as an adult was almost too much for them. None of them though they'd ever see him again, thus none of them expected him to appear so suddenly. A rush of emotions soon followed after the massive surprise they all felt.
"Kion!" Kiara cried.
"Is it… really you…?" Nala asked in a hopeful and emotional tone.
"I can't believe it… you came back!" Simba said with a happy smile on his face. He now had the strong urge to tackle his son with a hug because of how much happiness he felt.
Kion looked back toward his family with a smile, he was just as happy to see them as they were to see him. "Father, Mother, it's been a while," he said while also turning to Kiara as well. "Hey, sis."
Kiara's eyes started to fill with tears as she stared and smiled at her 'little' brother. "Kion… you're really here…"
"Sure am. Sorry it took us so long, I sent Ono on ahead to look for you all and he spotted this happening but it looks like the fight's all but over. Nice job." Kion nodded to her in respect.
"Thanks…" Kiara nodded and smiled back.
The honey badger waved to the Princess. "Hey Kiara! Did you miss us?"
"Bunga!" Kiara responded. She never thought she'd be so happy to see the stinky honey badger again and she wasn't the only one. Timon and Pumbaa quickly zipped over with tears freely flowing down their faces.
"Bunga!" They both exclaimed while crying.
"Uncle Timon! Uncle Pumbaa! Hey!" Bunga waved to them as well.
"Focus Bunga, we got a job to do." Fuli reminded him. She also turned to Simba. "Also, I thought you said things would be ok while were away. I mean… we leave for what? A couple of years and things turn out like this? Seriously?"
"And it looks like Kovu and the other Outsiders are on our side now." Beshte added as he noticed Scar's former heir, Vitani and the others all standing with the Pride Landers.
"Boy, a lot of things sure can change while you're away." Ono remarked.
"Sure can." Kion agreed before turning to his family again. "You can fill me in later, right now there's one more thing that needs to be done."
Kion turned his attention back towards Zira and started to walk closer while everyone else watched on.
"Kion!" Simba started to say before he felt a sharp pain as he tried to make a sudden move and groaned.
"Simba!" Nala said, concerned as she moved closer to keep her mate from falling.
Kion calmly continued his approach as he kept his eyes locked on Zira. "Father, you're obviously too injured to fight right now. Don't worry, the Lion Guard will deal with Zira."
"Kion, wait! You don't understand! We…" Kiara began to explain but Kion kept on moving regardless.
"I may not know the full details, but I can tell that you managed to convince both sides to stand down and join together." Kion said. "However, I also know one thing that you don't and that's about Zira. You cannot reason with her, her heart is too full of hatred, just like Scar was. I gave her a chance to stop her vendetta and leave the Pride Lands in peace long ago, but now… it's time for her to pay the price."
"But Kion…" Kiara started to say.
"Wait Kiara." Kovu cut in. "Let's see how he plays this."
"Oh… ok…" Kiara relented.
"Besides… I fear that Kion might be right about mother…" Kovu confessed.
His older sister stepped forward as well. "Yeah… not even Nuka would follow her… not the way she is now…" she admitted.
Kiara was surprised by the words from her true love and his sister and continued to watch as her brother confronted Zira with the rest of the Guard.
"So, the prodigal son returns." Zira remarked with a sneer. "I was beginning to think I'd never see your face again."
"Likewise, Zira." Kion stated, glaring back at her. "Now, I suggest you go home if you don't want to get hurt. You don't have your army anymore and you can't fight all five of us at the same time."
"Oh I can't?" Zira questioned with an evil smirk.
"Don't delude yourself into thinking you can win this. I'm not a little cub anymore, I've learned some things while I was away." Kion revealed.
"And you think that will be enough to defeat me?" Zira inquired, still trying hard not to show any fear or sign of weakness.
"You bet! But hey, if you really miss Scar so badly…" Bunga said as he cracked his knuckles. "We'd be happy to let you join him."
"And compared to what we fought out beyond while we were away… you're nothing but a crazy fangirl of Scar's with a grudge." Fuli stated, bluntly.
"What!?" Zira responded in shock and anger.
"It's kinda sad, really." Beshte remarked.
Ono nodded. "Affirmative."
Zira's snarled while her body shook with seemingly uncontrollable anger. "How dare you… How dare you talk to me that way! I do not need your pity or your mercy!" she snapped. "I will kill every last one of you in order to get revenge for Scar! And there's nothing you can do to stop…"
"Twende kiboko!" Someone cried.
Beshte suddenly and quickly slide over and knocked Zira away with the side of his large body towards Fuli.
The cheetah quickly kicked her away with one of her hind legs. "Huwezi!" Fuli declared before she super speeded over to where Zira was coming and kicked her again.
Upon hitting the ground, Bunga quickly jumps and lands on top of her while grabbing her ears and pulling them, causing her pain. "Hey Big B! I got her! Go for it!" he called out.
"Coming, Little B!" Beshte said as he started to rush over.
Zira growled as she looked up at Bunga, but as she slowly stood up before she can do anything, the honey badger quickly hopped off of her.
"Zuka Zama!" he cried before the Hippo came over and scooped up Zira with his snout before launching her into the air, screaming.
The egret was next as he flew up and quickly started to fly around the lioness in circles over and over again, till she was soon spinning in mid-air and descending fast.
"Now Kion!" Ono yelled.
"On it." Kion said before he raised his head and roared. As he did so, a spirit of a lion appeared beside him and flew towards Zira. Everyone watched this happen in awe.
"That's new…" Kiara remarked.
The lion spirit appeared near Zira and stopped her spinning by grabbing her by the tail with it's teeth. "Impossible!" she exclaimed before the lion spirit flung her down towards the gorge before vanishing.
Kiara watches Zira down into the gorge in shock and a little bit of horror. "Zira!" she cried.
"No. Mother doesn't fall that easily." Kovu told her.
As he said this, Zira managed to grab onto the side of a rocky tower with her claws, creating long claw marks in it as she continued to move down in order to deaccelerate before finally stopping.
The Lion Guard gathered together at the edge of the cliff and looked down toward Zira.
"Hevi kabisa." Kion breathed as he glared at Zira.
Zira snarled again as she turned to the five Pride Land protectors. "You think this is over!? You think you've won!? Never!"
"I told you not to delude yourself, this is over." Kion told her.
"Plus, you're kind of in a sticky situation you know." Bunga pointed out as he gestured to the rock tower she was clinging to and moved a little further down too.
"Now listen Zira, you can't get out of this without help and the Lion Guard is willing to help you but only if you let us." Kion said.
Zira looked down toward her and saw how far the bottom was before turning to the guard and then back to the bottom again. She was clearly torn over what to do and it was starting to make her grip loosen a little bit.
Everyone else gathered along the edge as well and watched as this unfolded. They all anxiously awaited Zira's answer, especially Kiara.
"Please Zira… let us help you," she pleaded.
Zira looked down below her once more before suddenly looking toward everyone with an extremely disturbing smile that spooked almost everyone.
"No. Never," she hissed while shaking her head. "I would rather die then accept help from the likes of you!"
"As you wish." Kion said, solemnly before turning to the large build up of logs on the other side of the gorge and unleashing the Roar of the Elders, at which point the spirits of the previous kings roared alongside him in the clouds above.
The force of the roar manages to break apart all the logs gathered together and cause a large amount of water to rush out that quickly starts to fill the gorge.
Zira turns toward the incoming waters of the massive river coming toward her and let's out a scream as they collide with her rock tower and knock her away from it. Her paw is briefly seen coming out of the water before she is swept away by the tides and hit by all the logs floating in it. The water flows down the gorge rapidly until it finally settles.
Kovu let's out a sad sigh as he watches this happen while Kiara leans against him to comfort him. He nuzzles her in response and with gratitude.
Kion sighed as well. "Poor deluded fool," he remarked.
"Yeah… can't believe she chose dying over letting her little grudge go." Bunga commented.
"Well, when someone is broken… sometimes they just can't be put back together… or won't." Fuli said.
"Yeah…" Beshte nodded along with Ono.
Together, they all turned toward the approaching King and Queen, along with Kiara and Kovu.
"I'm sorry Father, there was no other way." Kion shook his head with regret in his voice.
"I understand." Simba nodded. "I don't think any of us could have changed her mind…"
Kiara looked away sadly, she knew both her brother and father were right but deep down she wished things were different. Kion saw this and approached her before lifting her chin up with his paw.
"Hey, cheer up, everyone else is ok… thanks to you." Kion assured her.
Kiara turned and saw the smiling faces of Kovu, Vitani and the rest of the former Outsiders before smiling herself. "Thanks…" she told Kion gratefully before nuzzling him. "I missed you…"
"I missed you too, sis." Kion sighed, happily before they pulled away, giving Kiara a chance to really get a look at her now grown up brother.
"Wow… look at you! What happened to that annoying little cub I used to fight with?" she commented, amazed.
Kion shrugged. "I got bigger I guess."
"You sure did." Kiara nodded, smiling as their Father came closer as well.
"I take it you managed to stop whatever dark force was coming to the Pride Lands?" he asked.
"Yes. It was long, hard battle and there were losses but everything is fine now." Kion assured him.
"Yep! And we're back to stay!" Bunga declared, excitedly.
"That's for sure." Fuli agreed.
"Yeah!" Beshte added.
Nala smiled. "Glad to hear it," she nodded before turning to Kion. "And Kion… I'm so proud of you. All of you."
"Yes, you all did well today. I'm impressed by how much your teamwork has improved while you were away." Simba said.
"Thank you Father, Mother." Kion responded gratefully before nuzzling with both of them.
"Now, I'm sure you have much to tell us about your travels, just as we have much to tell you. But that can wait until we've returned to Pride Rock." Simba stated.
"Agreed. Plus… I think you owe him something." Kion told his father as he glanced over to Kovu.
Simba turned to him and quickly understood what his son meant as he approached Kovu. "Kovu... I was wrong. You belong here."
Both Kovu and Kiara smile gratefully as Kiara leaned against Kovu which the Lion Guard, as well as everyone else smile as well.
"Let's go home." The King said before turning to the former Outsiders. "All of us."
The Outsiders all smile upon hearing this before they, along with the rest of the Pride Landers turn and start heading in the direction of Pride Rock. As they headed home together, Kion and Kiara started to walk side by side in order to chat a little more.
"So, you and Kovu huh?" Kion asked with a raised brow and a smirk.
"Oh stop." Kiara giggled.
"Well, I'm happy for you. Kovu always seemed like a good guy, ever since me and the Guard met him back when we were kids." Kion said.
"Thank you Kion and I'm sure Zuri's happy to see you too." Kiara teased.
"Zuri? As in your old friend Zuri?" Kion asked in surprise.
"Yeah, take a look." Kiara told him as she glanced ahead.
Kion looked and spotted a certain, blue eyed lioness with a small tuff on her head and markings on her ears and under her eyes. She glanced back toward Kion and gave him a flirty smile.
"Wow… she's grown up too." Kion remarked.
"Sure is. Think you might be interested?" Kiara inquired, still with a teasing tone in her voice.
Kion couldn't help but laugh a little. "Come on. She is a nice girl though," he admitted. "Also, you sure have changed a lot since I last saw you."
"Just a little… but at least I know who I am now… and who I want to be with." Kiara said, gazing fondly at Kovu just ahead of her. He smiled as he looked back toward her, which she returned.
"Well, when you finally do become Queen me and Guard will be right there by your side to protect you and the Pride Lands, that is the duty of the second born after all." Kion declared.
"Thank you Kion, I wouldn't have it any other way." Kiara said, gratefully. "Oh, and Kion?"
"Yeah?" he responded.
"Welcome home, little brother." His older sister smiled sweetly while the rest of the Guard caught up to the two and started to walk, or fly in Ono's case, side by side with them.
Kion looked ahead toward Pride Rock in the distance and smiled as well. "Good to be home."