New episode 'Baboons!'

[Elton John]

My guess is that Kiara doesn't care about being overly feminine. I mean, cub Nala from the first movie was somewhat feminine in design, a few of her mannerisms but well...she was adventurous, she wasn't easily offended by gross things, also as an adult she fights on the front lines with 0 complaints.

I dont have much in the way of tlk headcanon but the way I see it, Kiara and Nala know they are pretty kitties. No need to flaunt it. They know they have feminine beauty, no need for them to obsess over it.

Tiifu and zuri seem...a lot less confident in themselves.

[Gaze]

I'm not saying that Kiara needs to be overly feminine or that it's a bad thing for her to not have those sorts of interests - rather just that it's irritating she's portrayed as being more sensible and intelligent as a result of not being particularly 'feminine.' it is certainly true that Tiifu and Zuri are shown as being less confident! and that's the issue.....traditionally feminine interests are conflated with having low confidence, and having low confidence is seen as a character flaw rather than a side effect of a culture that pressures women to be perfect. obviously at this point I'm talking about the outside human world, not a universe of cartoon lion characters, but obviously we're dealing w/ anthropomorphic characters here whose traits & actions are sending messages, however subtle, to children.

I like Zuri and Tiifu a lot and just think it's sad they barely even get to be characters. they're more like jokes, and the joke is that we're supposed to be laughing at them for.....being girls.

[Elton John]

I guess the writers just see Zuri and Tiifu as c-list side characters, they don't feel the need to flesh them out as characters, which is unfortunate as they are the only new lioness characters on the show.

There is no merch for them. Even Kiara doesn't have much merch but she is slowly getting more of it. There's a new plush of her at toys r us and it's not super expensive and it looks nice.

[Panpardus]

As far as I'm concerned about Tiifu and Zuri, I just want to find out where they come from and who their parents are. It doesn't have to be anything big, just give us a point of reference.

[Elton John]

It would be nice, they did reveal that Nala had a father and it wasn't mufasa or scar.

[Squeely]

[quote="Sarger"]Fuli still hasn't got an episode to herself.[/quote]
To be fair though, have any members of the Guard really gotten an episode to themselves? It's usually centered on one person, but with lots of other characters and a few other things going on.

I agree with everything Sadiki said. Tiifu and Zuri are sexist stereotypes. So disappointed in those two. They were pretty bad but minor enough to overlook in the pilot, but here, it's so much worse. It sends the message that things that are considered feminine are bad, that women will care about these things over their friends or their safety. I was really hoping the writers would improve on these two after the pilot, as they seemed promising. Now it almost feels like the writers are lashing out against feminine activities they find annoying. Which does not send a good message.

Despite this, I didn't dislike this episode. It gave great examples of why both Fuli and Kiara are shaping up to be good leaders. I felt so bad for Fuli, too, when it turned out she had to spend way more time with the baboon than she had anticipated, but it ended with some good morals and heartwarming moments. Not an amazing episode, but not terrible.

Still holding onto hope that we get a Tiifu and Zuri centered episode that paints them in a much better light.

[SimbasGuard]

[quote="Elton John"]I guess the writers just see Zuri and Tiifu as c-list side characters, they don't feel the need to flesh them out as characters, which is unfortunate as they are the only new lioness characters on the show.[/quote]

I agree as Kiara's best friends they should be be worthy of more characterization. Adding to what Gaze said, I often ask myself Why does Kiara like these two. I honestly think that Kiara and Fuli could be closer friends if they were to hang out. Tiifu and Zuri don't seem to act like Kiara's friends. They seem more like her Ladies In Waiting.

[quote="Squeely"]Still holding onto hope that we get a Tiifu and Zuri centered episode that paints them in a much better light.[/quote]

That would be a very good idea, one episode could fix a lot things for these two.