Characters / The Lion Guard - Pride Land Leaders

Makuu

Voiced in English by: Blair Underwood

Voiced in Latin American Spanish by: Salvador Reyes

"We crocodiles keep what we take."

A young, violent Nile crocodile who takes control of the crocodile clan, which causes problems for the Pride Lands.

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• Acknowledged Absolution: Averted. When the idea of Makuu changing his ways is first brought up in "The Savannah Summit", everyone present is extremely resistant to it because of the full extent of his past treachery, and the only one who will even entertain it for most of that episode is Simba. In "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie", at the first sign of trouble and the crocs returning to their old tricks, Simba immediately grows cold and accuses Makuu of betraying him, making it clear that he is no fool and that he too still has his reservations about the animal's trustworthiness. To prove he was serious about this, Makuu had to halt his discussion with Simba to get the situation under control. Makuu and the Lion Guard team up several times in Season 2 and gradually seem to warm up to each other, while the crocodile's relationship with the other Pridelander leaders doesn't really start to improve until the end of "Pridelanders Unite". Makuu knows this and from that, he decides it's only fair Janja be given the same treatment since he too committed serious crimes against the Pridelands.
• Antagonist Title: Of his debut episode, "The Rise of Makuu".
• Arson, Murder, and Admiration: When he finds out Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga attempted to trap him in rotten fruit, he calls them out for it, but praises them because it was so devious, cunning, and despicable that he wouldn't have done it better himself.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: It's the crocodile way of determining their leader, and he wins leadership of the clan after defeating Pua in a mashindano.
• Because You Were Nice to Me: Makuu has a change of attitude towards the Guard after they save him from falling into a Pit Trap, to the point where he spares them of his anger when they accidentally wake him and his float up during the dry season. In general, it's heavily implied having the help and support of the other Pridelanders is gradually making him nicer.
• Betrayal Insurance: Makuu offered himself to take Janja under his custody in "Battle of The Pridelands" after the latter decides he wants to help defeat Scar, to which Makuu thinks is worth hearing. Makuu throws in a condition that if Janja is lying or does betray them, then Janja will have to answer to his crocs for his crimes against the Pridelands.
• Blood Knight: Even amongst crocodiles, he's particularly tough and bloodthirsty. However, he's not petty nor ungrateful, especially not during the dry season. In other words, he won't waste time picking fights with anyone who causes so much as a hiccup to his business. Nowadays, he will use his teeth and claws on animals who are more deserving of it.
• Brutal Honesty: If it sounds idiotic, he will definitely have something to say about it. He sugarcoats nothing when explaining how bad the dry season is, and is very blunt towards Kiburi about why they all have to be pragmatic, even if it means subtly insulting his intelligence (or lack thereof). He also laughs at Hodari's request in joining his float because of him being a tiny gecko, before bluntly telling him it's not their tradition and to leave before he hurts himself.
• The Bully: As shown in "The Morning Report", Makuu was even worse back in the day, terrorized any trespasser who crossed crocodile territory, yet had no choice but to humor them if they thought they were brave enough to challenge him. During his time as an antagonist in Season 1, he thought being a mighty crocodile gave him the right to treat other animals poorly, and would love to try to taunt and provoke the other Pridelanders into fighting him.
• Character Development: In the first season, Makuu is characterized as a bully and a brute who values strength over everything, disrespects the Pridelands' ecosystem and is ruled by his pride. He opportunistically tries several times to undermine the Lion Guard's authority and muscle in on other Pridelanders' territories - generally being quite thuggish and ruthless ("The Rise Of Makuu"). He also makes things very personal between his float and the Lion Guard by targeting their family members ("Never Roar Again", "Beshte And The Hippo Lanes"). In the second season, Makuu has to deal with the consequences of his actions - namely that he's now the most loathed and distrusted of the Pridelander leaders - and while he remains prideful, he chooses to learn from his failures:
  • He focuses on his float's needs first and foremost, tries to learn diplomacy so he can work with others, and while he always prefers to do things on his own, he does express gratitude when it comes to one of the benefits of being a good float leader - having the support of the other Pridelanders ("The Savannah Summit", "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie", "The Little Guy", "Pridelanders Unite"). All of this generally has the effect of making him less hotheaded and more patient, and in "The Little Guy", the strength-obsessed crocodile later comes to appreciate that someone having courage and brains can mean a lot, regardless of their size.
  • Another subtle development is that in the first season, one of Makuu's key traits was that he could be petty and vindictive, holding grudges and seeking Disproportionate Retribution towards anyone who annoyed him or humiliated him or got in his way, like his increasingly personal feud with Kion or his random attempt to kill Basi. By the second season, a more humble and mature Makuu has become a more forgiving croc, even towards people who have legitimately wronged him by trying to humiliate him (Twiga) or putting his life in danger (Ono, Hodari), much to their surprise.
• Chew-Out Fake-Out: He really seems to like doing this post-Heel–Face Turn.
• The Comically Serious: He has a no-nonsense personality, which becomes especially evident in Season 2. When Hodari jumps onto his snout and uses it for a stage during his "I Want" Song, Makuu's eyes briefly widen in surprise before immediately going into his usual salty expression, and becomes surprised again when he finds he's unable to shake off the gecko.
• Deadpan Snarker: He frequently has moments of sarcastic remarks, more often in Season 2 where he becomes more of a grumpy crocodile.
• Diplomatic Impunity: In "The Savannah Summit", he was on official business on behalf of his float due to Simba inviting him, so as such he and all the other animal leaders have diplomatic immunity and cannot be touched. Of course, Kion thinks he's going to abuse it, but it ends up being subverted. Makuu really was there just for official business and wasn't planning on doing anything wrong.
• Dirty Coward: In "Never Roar Again," he only makes a grab for the flood plains when he learns Kion is no longer using the Roar of the Elders, and even resorts to using Nala as a hostage/shield when confronted by him. In "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he makes a second attempt to take over the flood plains only when finding out Basi is injured, and even tries to get rid of him. He grows out of this after his Heel–Face Turn, becoming willing to risk his life to save one of his crocodiles. Unsurprisingly, Kiburi caught on to this trick, and has attempted to use it against Makuu in one occasion.
• Distressed Dude: After his Heel–Face Turn in Season 2 makes him a more sympathetic character, the audience finally sees a more vulnerable side of him. The Lion Guard rescues him from falling into a pit trap, Hodari prevents him from being killed by Kiburi, and the Prideland leaders, along with the Lion Guard, help him to thwart another attempt by the Outlanders to steal the crocs' watering hole.
• The Dreaded: The other Pridelanders consider him to be a threat. So much that Tamaa imitates his voice to scare off small animals to take their food. He eventually earns their trust in "The Savannah Summit" after much negotiation and admitting he wants to help the Pride Lands.
• Drill Sergeant Nasty: As seen in "The Little Guy" and "Pridelanders Unite", Makuu is this trope to the animals he trains, pushing them hard to meet his standards of fighting. And he will not take any excuses, no matter if it's understandable.
• Early-Bird Cameo: In "Return of the Roar" when Bunga jumps on his head, irritating him.
• Everyone Has Standards: Makuu may admire something as despicable as what Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga did to him, but in "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie", his ruthlessness can only go so far; he is deeply disturbed that Kiburi would resort to attacking if not outright assassinating the king to gain power over the Pride Lands. In fact, Kiburi's deed was so heinous, that Makuu doesn't give him as much as a parting acknowledgement as part of their exile from his float, unlike Pua.
• Evil Sounds Deep: He sports a deep voice, though not quite as deep as Pua's.
• Evil Virtues: He may be a jerk, but he knows to treat the other animals with peace and respect during the Kupatana Celebration, in stark contrast to the jackals. By "The Savannah Summit", he has gained a sense of pragmatism and displays gratitude when saved.
• Fascist, but Inefficient: With heavy emphasis on inefficient in Season 2. As a consequence of taking leadership of the crocodile float from Pua, he kept pushing his crocodiles into becoming more ruthless, at the cost of common sense. By the time of the Dry Season, Makuu's domination through strength mindset can only secure so much loyalty, and yet has the result of feeding the ambitions of one of his own crocodiles, who turns out to be far more brutal than he is. And that's only half the problem; since Makuu stuck with only what worked best for him before, he saw no reason to change the way he does things, resulting in his float not understanding the concept of strategy. Once Hodari came in, Makuu understands the value of he and his float learning new skills, which improved their efficiency in both surviving the dry season and defending against the Outlanders.
• Foil: As the series progresses, he goes on to contrast Pua heavily. Makuu fervently believes in the Crocodile Way as much as Pua does, but Pua was Affably Evil in his prime, while Makuu was hostile and a bully to other animals, a behavior that has continued into Season 1. Pua at best became a Retired Monster after becoming nicer to the Pridelanders, as he still believed in the original, violent interpretation of the Crocodile Way but made sure to respect the Circle Of Life. Makuu on the other hand, had a genuine Heel–Face Turn because not only did he start taking a shine on the Pridelanders, he wanted to prove he can be a part of the Circle Of Life, such that he makes it a point to adopt a nuanced view of the Crocodile Way, accounting for Dry Season economics.
• Good Is Not Nice: Even after his Heel–Face Turn, he's still the grumpiest animal in the Pride Lands. Especially when woken up at a bad time for crocs. Plus, he doesn't like being disturbed in general.
• Green and Mean: He is a green crocodile starting off as an antagonist. Although he has a Heel–Face Turn, he maintains a grumpy, condescending attitude. The "mean" part, however, is mostly gone in the Season 3 premiere.
• Had to Be Sharp: The dry season is cruel and unforgiving, the outlanders are bloodthirsty and ruthless, it's made him and his crocodiles meaner, tougher, but efficient. Makuu tells the other pridelanders in "Pridelanders Unite" that if they don't learn to keep up, they will not survive like his float has.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: As we see in "The Savannah Summit" and "Pridelanders Unite!", Makuu will sometimes lose his temper. His temper issues can get really bad to the point that he will explode if another animal argues with him too much.
• Heel–Face Revolving Door: He learns to respect the Lion Guard and after his debut episode he continues as the leader of the crocodiles, but his leadership doesn't seem to be causing any more problems, supporting Pua's assessment that he was simply young and hot-headed and can learn to be a better leader. Alas, this doesn't last, as in "Never Roar Again" and "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he plays an even more antagonistic role in both episodes. He finally has a Heel–Face Turn in "The Savannah Summit" that continues into "Let Sleeping Crocodiles Lie".
• Heel–Face Turn: In "The Savannah Summit", after the Guard save him from falling into a pit and finally give him a chance to prove himself, he decides the other Pride Land leaders are worthy of a crocodile.
• Honor Before Reason: Despite crippling his leg from a rockslide, and aside from having been inconvenienced twice by some of Kion's friends, Makuu insists on protecting his float's watering hole from Kiburi's float without any help from the Lion Guard. This becomes subverted when Kiburi came close to killing him as a result, forcing the Guard and Hodari to come to the rescue.
• Hypocrite:
  • When Kion tries to talk Makuu into having his clan leave Big Springs, Makuu refuses, telling Kion that a real leader never backs down. But when Kion demonstrates the power of the Roar of the Elders, Makuu immediately gathers up his clan and leaves the Springs, doing the very thing he claimed a "real leader" never does.
  • In "Never Roar Again," he calls Kion a coward, despite the fact that he only had the courage to take over the flood plains after overhearing that Kion had sworn off using the Roar, and (as noted above) has no problem using Nala as a shield against Kion's wrath. This is shown again in "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes" where he gains the courage to attack Basi only when he's injured and after bringing in more crocs to help him, which also conflicts with him belittling Pua for fearing Basi way back in "The Rise of Makuu".
  • Makuu, without a hint of irony, makes this remark in "The Little Guy":
  Makuu: Kiburi. Only brave enough to challenge me when I'm hurt?
• I Owe You My Life: Makuu more or less tells Kion and the Pridelanders this in "Pridelanders Unite!", realizing that they came for his float when Janja and the outlanders ambushed him despite how nasty he was to the pridelanders. For that, he will return the favor when Kion asks.
• I Work Alone: Deconstructed. He believes crocodiles work alone without outside help, but that way of thinking made his float the easiest target, which leads him to have second thoughts.
• Jerkass Has a Point: While him laughing at Hodari's initial attempt in joining his float was rather harsh, he is right about the gecko being too small which would risk getting crushed by the much larger crocodiles. In "Pridelanders Unite!", he knows he's a jerk, and doesn't quite understand that the other animals are not crocodiles, but he does remind them that it's nothing compared to the threat of the outlanders, so they do have to stay sharp and pull their weight.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: What he evolves into in Season 2. While still being rough and tough, somewhat prideful and quite cold at worst, he becomes a more responsible and reasonable leader for both his float and the Pridelands, and has also forgiven those who have wronged him (as long they prove themselves worthy, or take responsibility for their actions). Goes up a level in the Season 3 premiere, where he is the one who suggests to Simba that they should give Janja a chance (but not without threatening to eat the hyena if he is indeed lying) and finally joins the other Pridelanders in bidding the Lion Guard a heartfelt goodbye.
• Karma Houdini: Despite getting hit by the Roar of the Elders, he does not suffer any real consequences despite attacking Nala, who is the Queen of the Pride Lands, and his action should have technically been treason. He gets completely off and conveniently, despite Kion citing that incident as a reason he should not be trusted, it quickly gets forgotten after his Heel–Face Turn. Justified in that crocodiles play an important role in the Pride Lands, and banishing them would cause damage to the ecosystem. However, it's implied during the Season 3 premiere he did have to pay his debt to the Pride Lands to earn Simba's forgiveness, which was why he advocated that Janja needs to be held accountable or suffer the consequences.
• Kick the Dog: Wastes no time in mocking Pua as he steps down as leader and is exiled from the river, and later taunts Kion for refusing to fight him. In "Never Roar Again", he takes Nala hostage to taunt Kion even further. And then in "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he tries to take out Basi while he's injured. And in general, he will ruthlessly judge other animals simply because he can, reformed or not.
• Knight of Cerebus: Unlike the rest of the show's recurring antagonists, Makuu has practically no comedic elements, and he and his float are depicted as serious threats, even coming close to overwhelming the Lion Guard on two occasions. By "The Savannah Summit", however, his threat level seems to be diminishing and he starts to develop a sense of humor.
• Know-Nothing Know-It-All: As far as survival goes, he doesn’t see what more a crocodile would possibly need to know. As such he acts like he knows better, asserting it’s as quick and straightforward as crushing the enemy, then winning. But everything he and his crocodiles know only apply to hunting, not fighting enemies equal in strength.
• Laser-Guided Karma: Post Heel–Face Turn, several of Makuu's misdeeds from the first season rebound against him in the second season, like another hotheaded croc trying to usurp his position as float leader ("Let Sleeping Crocs Lie") and nearly being killed by said croc while he's injured and vulnerable over territory ("The Little Guy").
• Meaningful Name: Makuu means "greater" in Swahili.
• More Despicable Minion: As we see a flashback, Pua took pride in the ruthlessness of his species as you'd expect from a crocodile, but he was a Noble Demon at best even before he mellowed out. Makuu on the other hand, cruelly enforced Pua's rule and gave no quarter to animals who trespass on their territory.
• Never Smile at a Crocodile: He's the only example of this trope so far among the crocodiles. Until "The Savannah Summit", after which in "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie" we are introduced to a much more antagonistic croc in Kiburi. However, as with any crocodile, it's a bad idea to wake him up during brumation in the dry season.
• No Challenge Equals No Satisfaction: As shown in a flashback, Makuu wouldn't enjoy prey that encourages him to eat them. If anything, he found it rather unexpected that Zazu offered himself willingly to his mouth.
• No Social Skills: Makuu is all business especially during the dry season, and yet, he doesn't really interact with other animal species on a level beyond that, be it casual conversation, gossip, or even small talk. He'll usually shoo them or tell them he's busy unless they have something that's worth his attention.
• No Sympathy: During "Let the Sleeping Crocs Lie", Makuu acknowledges that Kiburi is not happy with their accommodations, but he has zero patience for his complaining and is rather blunt when he reminds Kiburi how bad things are during the dry season for all of them.
• Not So Above It All: Believe it or not, he does joke around a little on occasion, wherein he makes a threat, then he follows up with a compliment, which he did in "The Savannah Summit", and again in "Let the Sleeping Crocs Lie". Croc's got a strange sense of humor.
• Oh, Crap!:
  • In "Never Roar Again", when he realizes Kion is no longer afraid to use the Roar.
  • And then in "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he frantically tells his float to dive for cover when he sees Bupu's herd heading straight for them.
  • He has a brief one in "The Little Guy" when Kiburi declares he'll displace him as crocodile leader, realizing that Kiburi is going to kill him to do so.
  • Witnessing Pride Rock burn and seeing Scar emerge from the fire? No words for him to describe it. Telling Simba and Kion that he's not sure if Scar can be defeated doesn't exactly cover the full extent of his sentiment.
• Only Sane Man: Amongst the rest of his crocodiles for that matter. The dawning of the Dry Season has given him a greater level of sensibility that he never had before, and he is quite judicious even when he has to survive the Dry Season the hard way.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business:
  • When Kion tells him he's not going to let especially him ruin the summit, Makuu seems genuinely stung by his words and walks off without as much as a protest.
  • He actually becomes taken aback upon discovering Kiburi and his lackeys tried to murder Simba while using the mashindano as a distraction. The way he banishes them from his float he does it disgracefully.
  • Even he is not sure if Scar can be defeated, after witnessing him burn Pride Rock, and balks at the thought of facing him.
• Punch-Clock Villain: The only times he's off the hunting clock are during important events, like Kupatana Celebration or during The Savannah Summit.
• Put on a Bus: Subverted. The whole point of the Savannah Summit was so he and his entire float can make preparations before they would sleep through the dry season as it's required by his species, which would've led to him being absent for the rest of the season, but getting disturbed by their antelope neighbors cuts his brumation short and forces him to be out and about. Luckily, his development back in the Savannah Summit has stayed, although they all end up having to deal with a much worse crocodile.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy: As befitting the leader of the crocodiles, who are portrayed this way. Makuu takes the crocodile way to it's fullest - that fighting is the only way to survive, and anyone who isn't much of a fighter is nothing more than dead weight to him. "The Little Guy" demonstrates how problematic this is; Makuu's idea of improving his crocodiles is merely trial and error sparring. Later on, he came to realize that having some brains can go a long way in their survival. Hodari's intelligence helped Makuu improvise while injured.
• Reformed Bully: With the dry season approaching, Makuu has realized he's not going anywhere with his bullying ways and chooses to mature into a responsible leader.
• Reformed, but Not Tamed: At the start of Season 2, Makuu made the decision to mature and at least try to be a responsible adult rather than double down on his bullying ways, which was the first step in his Heel–Face Turn. However, his personality did not flip overnight because of it. Makuu's harsh and brutish attitude is actually largely the same between Seasons 1 and 2, with the biggest difference being how far he will take it and the gratitude he feels towards his allies, and if he snaps, it's usually nothing personal. Season 2 shows him not being particularly patient and he especially makes a big deal of others not respecting his precious time. As a result, the other Pridelanders still consider him to be a stubborn and unpleasant croc, albeit one who is not unreasonable when push comes to shove. In "The Little Guy", Makuu giving Hodari the cold shoulder for wasting his time by looking foolish helps to kick off the crisis of the week. And in "Pridelanders Unite", his attempt to train the other Pridelanders with crocodile fighting moves only lasts less than a hour, again because he felt their antics just wasted his time. However, he does continue to learn from his mistakes after each of these experiences.
• Reformed, but Rejected: He comes to the Savannah Summit to prove he's a good leader and he can help the Pride Lands, but because of his prior acts of villainy he is distrusted by everyone (except for maybe Simba and Zazu). The Guard soon realizes Makuu wants to change and saves him from falling victim to a plot by Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga, which results in the crocodile's Heel–Face Turn.
• Smug Smiler: Rarely seen without an arrogant smirk on his face. This still holds true even after his Heel–Face Turn.
• Smug Snake: The only things that humble him are a demonstration of the devastating damage The Roar can inflict and when he and his float get physically beaten. Ultimately, it's the news of the approaching dry season that caused him to mature and become cooperative with the other Pridelanders (including the Guard). He also now has to deal with rogue crocs who are out to take him and his float down. In general, going through the hardships of a leader seems to be toning down his ego.
• Social Darwinist: Makuu makes it clear his float is not a place for the weak and puny, so he castigates Hodari and tells the gecko to scram if he knows what's good for him. He has a change of a heart by the end of the episode, but he does expect Hodari to pull his weight nonetheless.
• Somewhere, a Herpetologist Is Crying: He has an overbite, despite being a crocodile and not an alligator.
• The Starscream: It's implied he's been trying to undermine Pua for some time, and he finally succeeds in overthrowing him in "The Rise of Makuu".
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: In "The Savannah Summit", Makuu discovers that frequently antagonizing people, trying to steal their territory and even attacking the local monarchs generally has a way of making your neighbors hate you, not trust you, and want absolutely nothing to do with you when you actually need their help.
• Surrounded by Idiots: He never says it outright, but none of his crocodiles tend to be very smart when he has marginally better judgement, and it greatly exasperates him. Kiburi by far was the worst offender, who clearly has no common sense whatsoever. This is another reason he let Hodari join his float in the end; Hodari is not only very brave but also has enough smarts to help him and his crocodiles adapt better. He has this moment again in "Pridelanders Unite", when Kion asks him to train dysfunctional Pridelander animals, and he thinks they're too idiotic to follow simple instructions...except he's teaching them moves that can only be handled by crocodiles, so he ends up being the fool for not understanding other animals apart from his own species.
• There Is No Try: In "Pridelanders Unite" Makuu strongly believes that one does not get by just by trying. Excuses and hesitation will get one killed.
• Took a Level in Cheerfulness: In the final episode, he is seen cheering with the other animals after Vitani receives the Roar of the Elders.
• Took a Level in Kindness: A downplayed example. While Makuu can still be harsh and rude to his fellow Pridelanders, he does gradually become a nicer crocodile after his Heel–Face Turn. From Season 2 onwards, he's more willing to show gratitude to those who have gone out of their way to help him and his float, and he's more willing to show forgiveness to those who have slighted him if they're willing to make amends themselves.
• Treachery Is a Special Kind of Evil: A Mashindano isn't considered treachery to him, but using this sacred rite with the intent to cheat, deceive, and utilize underhanded measures against the Lion King himself is something he will not tolerate. Any crocodile found guilty of this will be swiftly banished from his float in disgrace.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: Of the crocodiles, though subverted since his followers seem to be perfectly happy with this Jerkass at their helm. To the rest of the Pride Lands, however, his new regime causes a lot of problems. From "The Savannah Summit" onwards, he's been taking his role as leader more seriously, especially given the dry season is coming.
• Villain with Good Publicity: At least amongst the crocodiles, who happily accept him as leader and seem to think he's all that. The rest of the Pride Lands disagree. Pua takes something of a middle ground, and rationalizes that Makuu is simply young and hotheaded. As of "The Savannah Summit" and "Let Sleeping Crocodiles Lie", Pua turned out to have been correct.
• Villains Out Shopping: In "Kupatana Celebration", he's shown attending the titular event without causing any trouble for the other animals.
• Villainous Glutton: He challenges Pua to a duel for dominance because the latter won't let him and the rest of the float eat the fish at Big Springs (because there wasn't enough), which is the first thing he does as leader. He also frequently tries to eat the other animals throughout the show, including when he's not allowed to hunt (like in the Flood Plains after a rainy season, which is supposed to be a safe zone at that time). This is downplayed, however, as he's willing to co-operate peacefully with the other animals when during important events such as Kupatana or the Savannah Summit. By season 2, he seems to be growing out of this. Because of the unforgiving nature of the dry season, his priorities are his float's survival, and is willing to settle for an acceptable minimum.
• Worf Had the Flu: In "The Little Guy", he hurts his leg in a rockslide which allows Kiburi to overpower him in battle when he was unable to during their mashindano.
• Worthy Opponent: He admits that Twiga and Vuruga Vuruga's devious attempt on trapping him was rather despicable and impressive at the same time.

Pua

Voiced by: Gerald C. Rivers

The former leader of the Nile crocodile float.

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• Affably Evil: If the flashback in "The Morning Report" was if any indication, Pua was quite vicious, and would have Makuu and the other crocs eat any unlucky trespasser that dares challenge him. Even then, he at least made it a point to warn said trespasser to leave if they valued their lives.
• Beware the Nice Ones: He may not be very aggressive, but he won't back down if you challenge him to a battle. He is a crocodile, after all.
• Big Good: Was formerly this of the crocodiles.
• Carnivores Are Mean: Averted, unlike his successor Makuu. However, a flashback shows he was rather vicious, and wasn't welcoming to trespassers. It's possible he mellowed out as he grew older.
• Cool Old Guy: He's a friendly, respected leader in the Pride Lands and dispenses sage advice to Kion.
• Dented Iron: Age has caught up to him, and he loses his fight with the younger Makuu.
• The Exile: Crocodile tradition dictates that the loser of a mashindano must be exiled from the crocodile clan.
• The Good King: He was this to the crocodiles, and Simba thanks him for being this during his reign.
• Graceful Loser: Though he's clearly stung by losing to Makuu, he leaves the river without a fight and later seems to be comfortable in his new retirement.
• Martial Pacifist: As a crocodile, he can certainly fight, but he prefers diplomacy and later advises Kion to simply back down.
• Never Smile at a Crocodile: Completely averted. He's one of the most pleasant characters introduced in the franchise. More accurately though, he used to be quite ferocious, albeit still reasonable.
• Nice Guy: A grandfatherly, affable crocodile. However, he wasn't so kind towards Kion when they first met, but he became nicer with time. That being said, it's quite telling how Makuu thought Pua lost his touch.
• Retired Monster: Pua was quite a worthy adversary as we see in the flashback, yet was an Affably Evil Noble Demon crocodile. While he has gotten more pleasant towards Pridelanders between then and Season 1, he's still a fervent believer in his species' ruthless ways, and honors Makuu's victory, even if he's causing trouble and terrorizing other Pridelanders. Unlike Makuu, he didn't necessarily atone for any wrongdoings he may have committed against unlucky Pridelanders. As he said, Simba respected his ways, and there's no indication he has regretted them since.
• Somewhere, a Herpetologist Is Crying: Averted. Unlike most of the other crocodiles, his lower teeth are visible when his mouth is closed.

Basi

Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson

The beach master of the Pride Lands' hippopotamus pod, and Beshte's father.

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• Angry, Angry Hippos: Downplayed, but he can be an intimidating figure to anyone who threatens his son.
• Big Good: To the hippos.
• Good Parents: He's a wise, caring, supportive father to Beshte.
• Honor Before Reason: In "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he insists on finishing the hippo lanes despite hurting his leg, as the hippo lanes are crucial for the animals after a rainstorm.
• Huggy, Huggy Hippos: Basi is a highly civil hippopotamus and a cool dad to Beshte.
• Nice Guy: Like his son, he's very friendly and amicable.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: He's clearly upset when he finds out Kion didn't tell them about Scar's return under Simba's orders.
• Out of Focus: He and his pod are not seen at all in the Season 3 premiere, even when the Pridelanders come to say goodbye to the Guard. It can be assumed he and his son bid farewell offscreen.
• Papa Wolf: As Beshte tells off Makuu for invading the flood plains after a rainstorm (it's supposed to be a safe zone at that time), Basi wastes no time backing his son up.
• What the Hell, Hero?: He is livid with Kion and Simba when the king reveals he kept Scar's return a secret.
• Worf Had the Flu: In "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes", he gets his leg accidentally hurt by the young rhino he and his son saved, forcing them to outsmart Makuu's float instead of confronting them.

Thurston

Voiced by: Kevin Schon

The lead stallion of one of two notable bands of Grant's zebras. Speaks in a pronounced Harvard Lockjaw.

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• All There in the Manual: According to the show script and the subtitles on Google Play, his name is Thurston, after his VA's character in Gilligan's Island.
• Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?: A non-sexual example. In "The Imaginary Okapi" he gets offended when Makucha refuses to kill and eat him, due to being more focused on Ajabu.
  "Someone tastier than me." I mean, really!
• Blatant Lies: In "Rescue in the Outlands", he claims to have fought a leopard in his past, in spite of the fact that he had never met one before "The Imaginary Okapi".
• Catchphrase: "Panic and run, panic and run!"
• Chick Magnet: A plains zebra stallion's herd is also his harem. That sizable herd of zebras he's leading, complete with foals? Yup.
• The Ditz: Not very bright for an equid. In "Paintings and Predictions," he had no idea what thunder was.
• Hey, You!: While he does have a name, he was never addressed by it. In "The Zebra Mastermind", Ono doesn't seem to know what his name is and just identifies him by his Catchphrase. Subverted at the end of "Battle For the Pride Lands", where Kion finally refers to Thurston by name.
• Irony: Despite his propensity to panic at the slightest hint of danger, he's well aware that the Zimwi is just a story, and so is completely unafraid of it.
• Know-Nothing Know-It-All: He acts like he's smart, but he's not.
• The Load: He is often a liability for the Lion Guard, and they have to make sure he doesn't go any farther than his herd.
• Miles Gloriosus: In "Rescue in the Outlands" he told the Lion Guard that he once fought a leopard and won, and claimed that zebras have the best sense of direction in the Pride Lands, even though he gets himself lost on a regular basis.
• Motor Mouth: He has a hard time staying quiet.
  Fuli: Ever think you talk too much?
• No Sense of Direction: He has a habit of losing his bearings, and even forgetting where his herd's own grazing grounds are.
• Small Name, Big Ego: He believes himself to be smarter, braver, and more capable than he actually is.
• Somewhere, an Equestrian Is Crying: He and the other zebras are portrayed as being much more like horses than actual zebras, particularly with the sounds they make. This is a glaring bit of discontinuity as well, as the films have zebras making their natural sounds.
• Stubborn Mule: He's been known to flat-out ignore warnings from members of the Guard if they interfere with his grazing or movements. In "Janja's New Crew," he refused to listen when Bunga and Beshte tried to turn him away from an overly muddy area, and ended up getting stuck.
• Unwitting Pawn: Subverted in "The Zebra Mastermind"; a few members of Scar's army try to interrogate Thurston for information on the Lion Guard's weaknesses, after overhearing him (wrongfully) brag that he's the brains behind them. All of the "information" he mentions turn out to be regarding him rather than the Guard, and said members of Scar's army are known to be idiots.

Muhimu

Voiced in English by: Kari Wahlgren

A Grant's zebra mare who leads the other notable herd in the Pride Lands.

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• What Happened to the Mouse?: Features prominently in "The Mbali Fields Migration" and "Babysitter Bunga", but is then relegated to silent cameos, before disappearing entirely by Season 3.

Mbeya

Voiced in English by: Howy Parkins

Voiced in Japanese by: Hiroyuki Sase

An old eastern black rhinoceros who is the leader of the Pride Lands' rhinos.

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• Cool Old Guy: Friendly, conversational, and knowledgeable about the Pride Lands.
• Distressed Dude: He gets stuck in mud in "The Kupatana Celebration", and trapped upside-down in a ditch while being attacked by tsetse flies in "Rescue in the Outlands". Both times the Guard has to save him.
• I Am Not Weasel: He does not take well to Big Baboon calling him a hippo.
• Meaningful Name: Mbeya means "gossip" in Swahili.
• Rhino Rampage: Averted. He's quite pleasant to be around, although "The Savannah Summit" shows that he has his limits. And then "Pride Landers Unite!" demonstrates how dangerous he can be when push comes to shove.

Ma Tembo

Voiced by: Lynette DuPree

The matriarch of a family of elephants, residing primarily in Kilio Valley (until Scar's lackeys burned it to the ground). She's the daughter of the recently-deceased bull Amanifu, an old friend of Simba's pride who helped repair the Pride Lands after Scar's downfall.

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• Beware the Nice Ones: Being a fully-grown African bush elephant, it is advisable not to set her off.
• Big Good: To the elephants.
• A Dog Named "Dog": Ma Tembo means "mother elephant" in Swahili.
• Deadpan Snarker: While she doesn't do it very often, she can be quite sarcastic when she needs to be.
• Honorable Elephant: She's a kind, wise, and understanding leader of her family.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: One of the very few figures in the Pride Lands to acknowledge that Simba's decision to keep Scar's return secret, while not liking it, was reasonable.
• Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Like all elephants, she's scared of bees.

Vuruga Vuruga

Voiced by: Virginia Watson

The matriarch of a herd of Cape buffalo living in the Pride Lands.

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• Brutish Bulls: Averted. In Real Life, Cape buffalo are among the most dangerous large animals in Africa; Vuruga Vuruga, however, is a very agreeable sort.

Big Baboon

Voiced by: Ford Riley ("Return of the Roar"), Dee Bradley Baker (currently)

The leader of a troop of baboons that live in Nyani Grove.

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• Borrowed Catchphrase: Irritably mutters "Baboons", commonly said by Fuli, when his troop doesn't want to pick up the baobab fruit they threw.
• The Ditz: Not the brightest of baboons. Borders with Too Dumb to Live in "Bunga the Wise" when he and the other baboons refuse to leave their tree because there's a storm and they're trying to get dry, despite said tree being broken down by a storm.
• Mischief-Making Monkey: He and his troop love to throw fruit around and at other Pridelanders, much to the chagrin of Fuli.
• No Name Given: Unlike most of the other characters, his name is unknown.
• Oblivious to His Own Description: Got offended when Mbeya called him a baboon in response to being called a "hippo with a horn" by him. Bunga flatly reminds him he is a baboon.
• Verbal Tic: He has a habit of punctuating his sentences with a simian chattering sound.

Bupu

Voiced by: Michael Dorn

The stubborn leader of the Pride Lands' sable antelope herd.

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• The Comically Serious: Bupu has a very dry, serious and ocassionally snobbish personality which the show sometimes takes jabs at. Particularly in "Pridelanders Unite!", when he holds a grudge towards Laini and her herd of galagos.
• Deadpan Snarker: He's one sarcastic antelope, and he engaged some Snark-to-Snark Combat with Fuli in "Beshte and the Hippo Lanes".
• Honor Before Reason: He considers politeness to be a top priority, and he will ask for it, even in a tight spot.
• Hypocrite: For all his talk about politeness, he isn't exactly polite himself as all he does is rudely ignore the Lion Guard when they try to help him and complain about a rather short walk.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He's stubborn and cynical, but a reasonable leader. Especially if you're polite to him.
• Meaningful Name: Bupu means "empty husk" in Swahili.
• Stubborn Mule: He and his herd dislike being bossed around and refuse to do anything unless if they ask politely, regardless of the situation.

Muhangus

Voiced by: Khary Payton

The leader of the aardvarks who live in the Pride Lands.

• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He may be grouchy, but he will help out when he needs to.
• Beware the Nice Ones: Don't try to bother him or wake him up when he is trying to sleep.
• Berserk Button: He does not take this too well when jackals steal his food, as well as Shujaa throwing a rock at the entrance of his den.
• Meaningful Name: His name means "Aardvark" in Swahili, which fits perfectly for his species.
• Dirty Coward: He makes a run for it by digging underground to escape Thurston's panicking meltdown.
• Oh, Crap!: He shows this expression when Scar shows himself to the Pride Landers for the first time in "The Fall of Mizimu Grove."

Laini

Voiced by: Meghan Strange

The leader of a troop of galagos living in Ndefu Grove.

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• Because You Were Nice to Me: After initially sending them away, Laini and her troop allow Ma Tembo's herd to stay with them in Ndefu Grove when the elephants save them from a wildfire.
• Diurnal Nocturnal Animal: Galagos in real life are nocturnal, but Laini and her troop are mainly active at broad daylight.
• Lovable Coward: Until late season 2, Laini and her troop try to avoid conflict as much as possible, and they make it no secret how fearful they are of bigger animals.
• Nervous Wreck: She and her troop tend to get frantic.
• Odd Friendship: Bunga, the exceptionally loud honey badger who loves roughhousing, is the member of the Lion Guard Laini and her herd are the closest to, because of how gentle and affectionate he is with them.
• On Second Thought: In "The Trouble With Galagos", Laini keeps insisting to the Guard that they get Badili out of their tree, even though he doesn't mean any harm. At the end when Bunga comes to their tree and gives her a hug, she comments that they may have been better off with the leopard.
• Ridiculously Cute Critter: Which is on par of galagos in real life. Bunga and Badili even comment how adorable they are.