We see Merlin on the Jungle Cruise in a Skipper's hat steering the boat. An off-screen minion zaps him. He ducks.
"Glad you could join us, young sorcerers," Merlin told them. "Hades set an ambush for me you see. So I'm afraid I won't be able to help you."
"It's okay, we're used to it by now," Akito replied. "Who's helping us this time?"
"Rafiki, will guide you in my stead," Merlin informed. "Good luck!"
"He-Hey, it's the monkeyman!" Fishy Joe exclaimed. "What's up, big guy?"
"There you are!" Rafiki smiled as he came out from the tree to see them and soon explained to them what was going on. "Let me show you, young ones." he then said as he took apart a fruit and smears its juices to show them pictures.
We see the Circle of Life below Scar and two hyenas in the form of one of Rafiki's drawings.
"Scar has returned in spite of his big fall," Rafiki continued. "This is a very dark trick. It breaks the Circle of Life. Only one who is also broken could do this! You see?"
We then see Hades and Scar together in what was known in the Pridelands as the Elephant Graveyard.
"Here's the proposition, my furry friend," Hades told Scar. "Help me take over this place and find me Merlin's Crystal of the Magic Kingdom and I will let you live forever."
"Again?" LJ asked. "Let's hope we got back-up..."
"So Scar returned..." Rafiki told them.
"And this time nothing can harm me. So if you wish to escape my wrath you will obey me. Stampede the elephants and crush all who would stand in my way!" Scar beamed to himself. "When I find the Crystal, I shall be King ...Forever!"
"You, must stop Scar," Rafiki warned as he wiped away the drawing. "Fix this broken circle. I'm sending a little special group to help you."
"I bet I know who it is!" LJ gushed.
"I think I do too!" Akito added.
A group of animals soon appeared: a bird, a honey badger, a hippo, a cheetah, and a lion cub.
"Ono, Bunga, Behste, Fuli, and Kion!" Akito beamed.
"Otherwise known as..." The lion cub began.
"THE LION GUARD!" The group proclaimed together.
"Aw, YEAH!" LJ exclaimed. "Akito and Estelle told me about you guys, but the stories don't do you justice!"
"Friend of yours?" Kion asked the Fudo twins.
"Cousins, actually," Estelle said. "LJ and Zofia, and a new friend named Creepie."
"And Ethan!" Ethan added.
"Well, it's good to meet you all," Kion said. "We've been told about a return from my Great-Uncle Scar, but I was hoping it wouldn't come true."
"Well, let's send him back!" LJ remarked.
"Yeah! Come on then!" Kion said. "You know what we always say... Until the Pridelands end..."
"The Lion Guard defend!" The group soon concluded together.
"Let's go then, guys!" Akito smiled to the Lion Guard in excitement.
"What he said!" Fishy Joe agreed.
"You must go to another portal to confront Scar and his dark magic," Merlin told them. "This is where you'll find it. Get there and use the Sorcerer's Key."
They soon went that way with the Lion Guard following them.
"Rafiki also tells me someone's been using the Roar of the Elders in what he was told was called a 'spell card'." Kion said.
"Right here, dude," LJ replied. "Apologies!"
"Hm... You trying to take my job?" Kion smirked playfully.
"Course not!" LJ remarked.
"Well, that's good 'cuz I hope to do this for a long time while Kiara and Kopa take over the throne to Pride Rock." Kion smiled.
"Good for you." LJ replied.
Ono soon flew high to the sky and looked around. "Hmm... We should be there soon..." he then said before gasping. "Guys, one of the hyenas is coming up ahead!"
"Then let's kick some tail!" Fishy Joe remarked.
The portal soon opened up to show a rock formation.
"Scar is getting closer, but the lion, he tricked the hyenas," Rafiki told the group. "They are not so smart. You must show them the truth."
Ono soon came back to the Lion Guard as they snuck over to see Scar talking with the hyenas.
"Starting an elephant stampede. Such a small task. Yet somehow beyond you fools. I seem to be the only one around here capable of doing anything right?!" Scar said to the pack of hyenas.
"Those dudes are mondo ugly..." LJ remarked.
"Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed actually helped Mom, Dad, and Aunt Cherry once though before they disappeared with the other hyenas, so maybe they won't get involved." Estelle commented.
"Really? Wow..." LJ replied. "Wasn't Dad in the 1/2 version?"
"Apparently." Akito and Estelle replied.
"A story we know anyway." Zofia said to them.
"The hyenas think Scar cannot be beaten," Rafiki told the group. "Show them!"
"Use the Sorcerer's Crest!" Merlin told the group. "The symbol on the back of your spell cards. It contains powerful magic. Uh, that's it... Hurry, hurry!"
"SORCERER'S CREST!" The kids shouted.
Scar yelped as he got hit by some magic and fell on the ground in front of the hyenas.
"Hey! You're not invincible!" One of the hyenas mocked Scar as he fell just like that. "Why, you lying, mangy, no good, wannabe king of the Savannah! We are out of here!"
"Good work! Scar will disappear here. But you can follow him to another place and face the lion," Rafiki told them. "This is where you must go. Go there and confront the evil to put the Circle of Life right again!"
"You got it, dude!" Zofia nodded.
"So, that's the magic stuff we've been hearing about." Kion said.
"That's right, Kion." Akito nodded to the lion cub.
"And that's only a little bit." Estelle replied.
"Not bad," Kion said. "Kinda makes me think of when you guys have your friends over you call The Wild Kratts."
"Aw, WHAT? You guys met the Wild Kratts, too?!" LJ exclaimed. "Crikey..."
"I'm sorry, LJ..." Akito said, feeling a little bad.
"Hey, dude, it's fine," LJ replied. "This is pretty cool too."
"You really look like you're having a lot of fun." Estelle smiled to her cousin.
"I sure am." LJ replied.
"Me too." Zofia added.
"I was a little unsure about all this magic stuff myself, but it's pretty interesting for what it's worth." Creepie gave a small smile.
Everyone agreed to that.
The kids were soon in the Elephant Graveyard lair.
"Surely you can appreciate if I am to rule this Land, I must be more powerful than my brother. Mufasa." Scar demanded to Hades.
"What I can't appreciate is you keeping your part of the bargain," Hades replied sharply. "So, get those elephants moving and bring me that Crystal or our deal is off!" he then disappeared with orange flames.
"Ah, there you are," Scar smirked as he noticed the group. "You certainly proved your skill against that tree branch. Unfortunately, this time you have to contend with ME!" he then clawed right at them.
"Bring it on, slither snout!" LJ retorted.
"I'm sorry, Great-Uncle Scar, but you can't take over the Pridelands as long as The Lion Guard is around!" Kion glared at his paternal granduncle.
"What he said!" LJ added.
"Ah... Kion... I have heard of you from Janja and the other hyenas who brought me back." Scar glared to his grandnephew.
"And most of those hyenas are pretty dumb, too!" LJ added. "Like you!"
"I wouldn't say such words if I were you, child," Scar glared, sheathing his claws. "They may be your last."
"I cast... The Sword of Harmony!" Akito called out, using his card which resembled his father's old sword.
The sword soon slashed at Scar as he tried to swat his paw at it.
"Whoa..." LJ exclaimed in astonishment.
Scar seemed to fall from that and held his head with his paw.
"Sorry, Uncle Scar, but I DID try to warn you." Kion smirked.
"Yup," LJ nodded. "Don't mess with the best!"
"Late night stealing the Crystal of the Magic Kingdom I hope...?" Hades remarked as he appeared by the lion. "Because you better not be raining on my parade here."
Scar let out a groan in response.
"Hmm... Time for a little Underworld pick-me-up again." Hades said before snapping his fingers which evaporated Scar.
"That's probably not good..." Zofia noticed.
"You bested him, my friends!" Rafiki chuckled before warning them. "But, what goes away sometimes comes around again. Be watchful."
"Rafiki's right, guys," Makini added. "You're not through just yet!"
The group nodded in response.
"Well, that sure was a close one." Fuli said.
"Yeah, almost too close." Bunga added.
"Well, then let's get too it before things get even closer!" LJ replied.
"You must go this way, and hurry now!" Makini said.
"Who are you?" Creepie asked. "Rafiki's niece or something?"
"Actually, I'm his apprentice," Makini smiled. "I usually help out Princess Kiara."
"Oh. Nice to meet'cha!" Ethan waved.
"Hi, there!" Makini smiled. "Oh, it's so nice meeting new friends!"
"Likewise!" Ethan nodded.
"Careful, she's a bit of a chatterbox." Kion whispered to Ethan and Creepie about Makini.
"Good to know." LJ replied.
"Come on, guys," Behste said. "There's not much time! Scar is becoming more powerful!"
"Oh, what if Hades isn't trying to destroy us?" Bunga replied. "What could happen?"
"Uh, Hades could replace Mickey Mouse?" Estelle suggested.
"Something WAY WORSE!" LJ added. "He could take over the entire Disney World!"
"Hmm... I guess that IS pretty bad now that I think about it." Bunga said.
"All the more reason to stop him!" Akito nodded.
They soon came to a field where Hades was waiting for Scar.
"There is no time to lose!" Rafiki told them. "A dark power has made Scar a mighty storm. Only a good power can stop him. Like you!"
Hades raises the evaporated Scar into the sky and laughs evilly. Scar is now a cloud.
"I have only one bit of advice for you. RUN!" The evil lion snarled before zapping the group with lightning.
"No way! We don't do running from evil. Not anymore!" LJ called out. "I play: DRAGON CANNON!"
Scar was attacked by that before growling at them, flashing his evil emerald eyes. "Back away or my lightning will stampede the elephants below."
"You can't stampede the elephants!" Bunga cried out. "You'll hit Simba, Nala, Uncle Timon, Uncle Pumbaa, and anyone else!"
"I doubt that he cares!" LJ called over.
"I don't," Scar smirked. "You can either back down or the Pridelands will be squashed by marching elephants."
"Ah. That Scar is a tricky one," Rafiki told the group. "But old Rafiki already sent the elephants home. Now. Blow that storm away!"
"Use any of your spell cards, Sorcerers, and finish Scar!" Merlin called out.
Scar soon glared and zapped the group again.
"Stand tall, team!" LJ advised. "I cast: ROAR OF THE ELDERS! A fitting finisher!"
"You can do the Roar of the Elders?" Kion asked in surprise.
"Eh, only using this spell card," LJ explained. "It's scaled back a little, so it's not as powerful as the real McCoy. Care to do the honors?"
"Hmm... Well, all right..." Kion replied. "Everybody stand back!"
Everyone took a few steps back in preparation. Kion soon got himself ready and soon let out his trademark roar against his evil great-uncle which he had acquired since he first met Akito and Estelle in Pride Rock, thus becoming the new leader for The Lion Guard. The resulting roar let out an Earth-shaking wave of energy, sending up wave after wave of dust and debris.
Scar was pushed back, trying to keep his claws on the ground, but soon blew away from the strong roar. "NOOOOOO!" He soon called out before he soon faded away into nothingness.
"Great! But did he listen? No," Hades face-palmed. "He wants to be a cloud. Who's afraid of a cloud?!"
LJ and the others chuckled at that.
"No time to put out that fire just yet!" Rafiki laughed. "But you beat Scar! You did it!"
We cut back to Merlin whose Jungle Cruise boat is wrecked.
"Very well done!" Merlin smiled to the group. "Congratulations, my friends!"
"Sorry about your boat!" LJ replied.
"Oh, that's quite alright," Merlin replied. "Thank you so much for helping the Pridelands."
"Yeah, thanks, guys," Fuli smiled. "Maybe you could become honorary members of the Lion Guard too!"
"That...would be pretty awesome." Ethan replied.
"Just remember... 'Til the Pridelands end..." Kion began.
"The Lion Guard defend!" The others concluded together.
"I'm just glad we stopped the elephants from stampeding." Creepie said.
"Oh, Rafiki took care of that." Makini smiled to her.
"Kudos!" LJ added.
"Unfortunately Hades still has other villains afoot," Merlin said to them. "You know, I could always use your help again if you can spare the time."
"Sure, why not?" LJ shrugged with a smirk.
"We might as well," Zofia said. "Nice seeing you, Lion Guard."
"Just remember what my uncles always say," Bunga smiled. "Hakuna Matata!"
"Yup-yup-yup!" LJ replied. "No worries!"
They soon walked off after meeting the Lion Guard.
"Well, that was cool." Akito smiled.
"Sure was." Fishy Joe nodded.
"I think I'm gonna need a nap after this," Fiona said. "So much adventure, so little time."
"Hey, as long as I'm with ya, any time's an adventure~" Fishy Joe replied smoothly.
"Quite..." Fiona replied.
"Hey, this kinda sounds relaxing... The Enchanted Tiki Room." Creepie glanced to the sign.
"Sounds like fun!" Ethan replied.
They soon came that way to go and see Merlin once more.