Summary: When Bunga and Simba are trapped underground, they discover a shared family background - they were both raised by Timon and Pumbaa.
This episode contains examples of:
- Continuity Nod:
- Simba falling into the sinkhole is reminiscent of his father's death.
- Kion fetches Timon to help as meerkats are supposed to be good with tunnels, but Timon proves to be pretty useless in that regard; as in Lion King 1/2, tunneling was never his strong suit.
- Dance Party Ending: The episode ends as Simba, Bunga, the Lion Guard, and the animals all dance and sing to "Hakuna Matata".
- Did Not Think This Through: Simba seems to question letting kids be the ones designated to get him out of the sinkhole. Not helped by the fact that Bunga makes the journey initially a nightmare.
- Simba accuses Bunga of this repeatedly. Bunga never gets it.
- Dude, Where's My Respect?: Simba eventually has to forcefully remind Bunga that he is the king of the Pridelands and can't be spoken to like he's Kion, especially when Bunga throws in a "Duh" at the end of a suggestion. Given how disrespectful Bunga has been the whole time, this is a more justified case.
- Fate Worse than Death: Played for Laughs. Simba seems to regard being trapped in a sinkhole with Bunga as this.
- Gilligan Cut: Bunga says that Timon and Pumbaa are always happy. Then the camera cuts to them crying hysterically over Simba and Bunga's "fate." Similarly, Timon and Pumbaa wonder what horrors Simba and Bunga are enduring, but the camera cuts to the two of them finally getting along and more or less having a good time.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: Bunga's in fine form this episode. He's full of ideas on how to solve his and Simba's predicament (one of which nearly gets them killed), dismissive of anything Simba says, and generally refuses to act like they're in any kind of real danger. It's not until he throws in a "duh" that Simba loses his patience and reminds him just who he's talking to.
- Musical World Hypotheses: This episode confirms the "Hakuna Matata" song is diegetic, despite coming out of nowhere in the first film.
- Snark-to-Snark Combat: Simba and Bunga engage in a lot of this with eachother
- What the Hell, Hero?: Simba and Bunga consistently give this to each other, primarily Simba.
