[SPOILER ALERT] lion guard return of the roar!!!

[Squeely]

[quote="KentuckyWildcat"]-snip-[/quote]
Nuka states "the hyenas ran off" when Kiara is maybe around age 17 (in lion years of course, or however LK lions age). TLG takes place roughly around when Kiara is 12-14. It's entirely possible that the hyenas ran off between when Kiara was a cub, and when she was an adult. Zira may not have wanted to align with hyenas, since they turned on Scar (though she blames Simba for Scar's death, she likely knows that hyenas played a part in it). Conversely, hyenas may not have wanted to align themselves with Zira and her pride after Scar failed them.

We don't know what will happen with the Guard in the future. It's entirely possible that Kion and friends went on some great journey and weren't there for the latter half of SP.

It's possible that news of Kion didn't reach Zira, or at the very least, not until he used the Roar. He's likely a good couple lion years younger than Kiara (he wasn't out playing with Kiara in the beginning of SP because he was too young), so it's possible that his birth was kept hush-hush, especially since Simba feared the Outsiders. Since Zira had to go out herself to spy on the Pridelanders, it would seem that she didn't have a reconnaissance bird unlike the hyenas. So during "My Lullaby", she didn't know about him, as he hadn't used the roar yet. As for the latter half of the film, like I said, perhaps something happened to take the Guard far away from the Pridelands.

Those are my theories, though. You're not wrong for believing it to take place in an alternate universe, I just like trying to tie it into canon

[Carl]

[quote="KentuckyWildcat"]It seems likely the Zira would want to align with such a group, but even if she didn't, I have a hard time believing that the two groups weren't even aware of each other since these hyenas are apparently inhabiting the Outlands.[/quote]
The Elephant Graveyard is part of the Outlands, as is everything that isn't the Pride Lands. As Squeely pointed out as well, it's very likely Zira and the hyenas wouldn't want to be allies, especially since Janja's crew are obviously young and not well organized (they're all male and are led by a male, even). These hyenas are basically a teenaged gang. And, it's also possible that they are completely gone by the time Nuka delivers that line but not before.

In fact, who's to say Kion and the Guard aren't away chasing them down when the latter part of SP happens?

As for Zira not including him in her plan, well, if that were before the roar as Squeely theorized that she sang "My Lullaby," it might work, he could be not included in her plan in the latter half of the film on account of him being gone chasing the hyenas, and perhaps he hasn't been heard from in such a long time she doubts he'll come back, or figures that by the time he does, the Pride Lands will be hers.

I will give you that it's very difficult to fit TLG into SP's timeline, no doubt, but it is possible. Obviously you don't have to believe this, or consider them to be in the same timeline, just a few thoughts I had on the matter.

[KentuckyWildcat]

Both of you might very well be right about the hyenas. Since TLG would presumably be a minimum of a couple years before the fire setting scene, there's certainly enough time for Kion to drive them away now that you mention it.

As for Kion's complete absence in SP, I still struggle from an in-universe perspective to see how he wouldn't even warrant a mention even if he was off an a journey at all the critical moments. Of course the obvious literal answer is that the character was years away from being created when SP was written, so your theories aren't horrible as attempts to get past that problem either.

The real element of guesswork in all of this discussion are the exact ages of Kiara and Kion in TLG, which haven't been officially stated as far as I know. Kiara is supposed to be older, but they look to be about the same size. If anything, Kion actually looks to be the larger of the two when they're side by side in The Rise of Makuu. If they're really that close in age, it makes the theories of him being too young or not even yet born in the beginning stages of SP more difficult for me to go with.

Of course, something tells me that Disney probably didn't consider these things to such an extreme level of detail when creating the show, so maybe I should stop trying to analyze it in such a way.

[SimbasGuard]

I am positive that Kiara and Kion are littermates. If that is the case it makes an in universe explanation of where Kion was in the first part of Lion King 2 imposible There is no way that I can see to make The Lion Guard fit with Lion King 2 without at least slight acknowledgement that Kion's existence is in fact a retcon.

[quote="KentuckyWildcat"]Of course, something tells me that Disney probably didn't consider these things to such an extreme level of detail when creating the show, so maybe I should stop trying to analyze it in such a way. [/quote]

I think overgeneralizing things like this is part of being Obsessive Lion King fan. why else would sites like this exist if we all just regarded Lion King as just another movie.

[Amadi_the_Guard]

Well, to be completely honest, I have started to doubt that animals in TLK age the same way as the ones in real life do, because they sure don't function the same way. From my perspective, Kion is a year or two younger then Kiara, but since they are close to being adolescents, he is physically roughly around her size. Something like, maybe he is 12, and she 14... something.

I'm positive that Disney will try to make sense of Kion's absence in the first middle of TLK2, especially once Kovu appears. They will have to mention how Kovu and Kiara first met, and with that, they will have a hard time avoiding the question where Kion was then himself. Why Zira doesn't acknowledge Kion in her lullaby - she may not think that he's important, similarly to how she treats Nuka. As for why Kion wasn't present after Kiara grew up in SP, I believe we will have to wait until the end of the series to see if Disney will give us something. If not, we will simply have to speculate?

There is something that excites me about the series. Since we know Kovu and his siblings appear, chances are Zira will too, with a new voice actor. If not, I'm sure she will be mentioned.

[SimbasGuard]

[quote="Amadi_the_Guard"]There is something that excites me about the series. Since we know Kovu and his siblings appear, chances are Zira will too, with a new voice actor. If not, I'm sure she will be mentioned.[/quote]

I am also positive that Zira will at least get a mention, although they may just refer to her as Mother.

[Captain Cupcake]

[quote="Amadi_the_Guard"]Well, to be completely honest, I have started to doubt that animals in TLK age the same way as the ones in real life do, because they sure don't function the same way.[/quote]

Nothing really suggests they're significantly different on a biological level, though. Nature-wise, they seem more or less faithful to the typical lion lifestyle, only it's all romanticized and shows less of the grit and harshness of reality. There's also the fact they were originally going to put "2 Years Later, Kenya" onscreen at one point (most likely back when Simba's design was closer to a late adolescent's stage and less like the final, older-looking one with the Mufasa-esque mane). It may not mean a whole much, given that it's cut in favor of a more immersive experience and keeping the setting's location vague, but it does indicate their thought process behind how the TLK lions age.

[PridelandsPhantom]

I am very tardy to the party so I apologize for that I saw TLGROTR when it first came out and I have to say I'm pretty impressed and like most of the episodes I've seen of TLG since. ROTR had a lot of similarities to TLK especially in the music at the beginning and the sunset as well as Simba and Kiara siting side-by-side much like Mufasa and Simba in TLK. I do feel Nala had more of her TLK attitude and personality. Kion is a character I love because he wants to be mature, cares about his friends, but is also playful and has a bit of mischief in him like Simba and Nala and even his grandfather. I like that Kion went with his gut to chose non-lions for the guard even though it went against tradition. I honestly will say "Tonight We Strike" and "Kion's Lament" were the best two songs in ROTR. I liked Tonight We Strike because the visuals were different but reminds me of Be Prepared in that way. I like Fuli A LOT because she shows its okay to like being alone without needing to always be alone and has confidence in herself. It also shows that lions are not the only animals in TLK universe with cool abibilities. I do wish they had kept the teardrops under her eyes and did fix her nose as much as I love Fuli.

Why did James Earl Jones's voice sound so...off? It is because of his age? I don't mind that Kion can talk with Mufasa, I believe it had something to do with having the roar ability being a type of spiritual ability. I do wish it was used more sparringly as others have stated as it makes it seem weird when Mufasa shows up as if saying, "You rang?" I do not like Rob Lowe's voice for Simba. I understand that Matthew Broderick is not going to be Simba's voice, but they could have found a voice actor more suitable to Simba's voice. It is way too deep and just not right for Simba. As to Kiara's personality, I think they should have made her older and not look the same age as Kion probably pre-teen age and I think at that age it's normal to swing between "Hey I'm going to be queen how cool am I?" then to "I hate being queen it's going to be no fun and I can't do what I want." I do not like that they changed Kiara's design so radically. Yes, I know it's not the same team that worked on SP, but they needed to use a similar color pallet as SP for Kiara's coloring. She is a mix of Simba and Nala and it really throws you off when they say it's Kiara and she doesn't look anything like her. The Kion and Kiara dynamic seems like it fluctuates between getting along and lovey to annoyed and that she is the big sister so she knows more. I think that the dynamic between Kiara and Kion is fine and pretty accurate to what most siblings have especially since Kiara SHOULD BE older. I know TLK universe doesn't do so well with ages, but I think Kion would be born later than Kiara rather than them being littermates, but that's my opinion.

Rafiki seemed to be his usual mixture of wise, odd, and funny which I enjoyed seeing. I liked that Rifiki's voice seemed spot on. I like choices for the Lion Guard. Besides Kion, Fuli is my favorite and then Ono, Beshte, and finally Bunga. I do not like the use of toilet humor and thought it was really not necessary. Yes, I understand honey badgers are crazy and have no fear and have an odor but it was overused much like Bunga I do not like how he's always like "Use the roar!" to Kion. I don't hate Bunga outright but think he is annoying especially ROTR.

So, I would give it a strong 9 out of 10.