The Kilio Valley Fire

[JackStover]

The episode is out in the usual places. I really liked this one, as it did something that was long overdue: it let the villains win. The problem that was introduced in the episode wasn't immediately resolved. The Lion Guard didn't just rush in and beat everybody up and save the day. The elephants lost their territory and Scar has an outpost in the pride lands. Even the way the episode started was pretty tense for a preschool cartoon; it's nice that the show is finally putting its big boy pants on.

And Tamka's line about not singing was probably the funniest thing in the show to date.

[zerodix]

i just saw it, it was a good episode! same as above on the story development, it's goin down Scar vs Pridelands, but it is a huge miss to delete the outlander lions out of this. Kovu Zira & pride would have added up to the story. I really felt for the elephants because i know how it feels to lose a home and having to leave because it isnt safe anymore. nice episode and the song reminds me of Dutch politics xD

[SwagaliciousXXX]

This is what happens when Simba cuts the Fire Department's budget.

In all seriousness, the episode was probably one of the best. Full of twists and turns, it actually felt tense. It raised the stakes by showing what would happen if the Lion Guard loses, a loss can really damage the Pridelands. Scar taking this war seriously is great, and he's not just doing the cliche thing of building a big army and storming the front gate like most 'wars'. He's slowly weakening the bonds between the Pridelanders.

Couldn't Kion just roar at a cloud to make it rain though...?

Anyone else think Kion ties his performance to his self-worth? If he was a high school student, the moment he didn't get straight A's, he would start thinking he's useless and pathetic... He seems to take failures really badly.

The bar has been set. I hope the rest of the season is down to Earth like this one.

[Aelwen]

I find it completely unbelievable that a whole herd of elephants was scared of jackals and hyenas...

[AnonLion]

Really good episode. There was a lot of tension and suspense of how things would turn out, that for a moment I thought the elephants would actually leave and it would fall perfectly for Scar's plan since losing a herd such as that of the elephants can be a strong hit to the Pridelands. Also very interesting to see Scar's plan of slowly taking the Pridelands, I'm looking forward to what else he has planned.

[Panpardus]

Well, it took a while but it finally happened... Kion took an L, and he didn't seem to take it very well. He definitely ties his self-worth to his effectiveness as Guard leader; he's been quite successful since he took up the position and he's living in a monarchial birthright system where a second-born cub might not feel like he has any real purpose in life outside of guard leader. (Although you have to wonder what the third or fourth-born cubs might be thinking.)

I sense we might actually get a few more of these types of episodes (just one or two, realistically) by the time the Scar conflict comes to a head. I greatly appreciate Scar's executing a piece-wise land grab; it's a better way to stretch out the conflict over several episodes and really creates a sense of overarching tension that the show needs. Various plotholes aside (why doesn't Kion just go blow Scar's army out of Kilio Valley with a roar?) this is definitely one of the best episodes so far this season, and probably in the whole show's run.

The song was the only weak point, and I'm not a fan of this petty one-upmanship rivalry going on between Janja and Reirei; it's a plot thread that's already gotten two bad songs devoted to it, and it'll probably keep going as long as they're together. (I'm surprised that Kiburi didn't rap a part given that he's voiced by Common; his "I don't sing" was funny though.)

[quote="Aelwen"]I find it completely unbelievable that a whole herd of elephants was scared of jackals and hyenas...[/quote]
True, although in the context of being in the middle of a raging fire and having multiple young calves with them that the predators could've picked off had they managed to isolate the younglings (which was explicitly why they took a defensive ring position; it's not like they weren't fighting them off once they were in formation) it does make for a more reasonable situation for the entire herd to be more easily spooked.

[Elton John]

i’m guessing it’s because the elephants aren’t fighters, in this series and in other tlk media they’re shown to be more passive.

plus the smaller animals are much faster and can do more damage than an elephant in spite of their size and strength.

as the saying goes It’s not about the size of the dog in a fight but the size of the ‘fight’ in a dog.

[KionScar]

One thing though. Kion after throws croc into canyon/off an edge. That seems something more Scar-like... Hmm...

At least, that's how I feel about that moment. Kion just growls after.

[SimbasGuard]

[quote="SwagaliciousXXX"]Couldn't Kion just roar at a cloud to make it rain though...?[/quote]

The last time Kion did that it caused a flood because the dry ground could not absorb the water fast enough. Trading one disaster for another would have done no good.

[quote="Panpardus"]why doesn't Kion just go blow Scar's army out of Kilio Valley with a roar?[/quote]

With Kilio Valley burned out The Roar might have done more damage to the valley and set it's recovery process back...maybe

Kion was devastated at loosing The Elephants home, but he made absolutely the right call saving The Elephants was far more important. I wish Kion could have seen that for himself.

It was a very good episode I am just wondering (and I believe this was stated in another thread) how long it will take Scar's army to realize that if Scar torches The Pride Lands their will be no reward in victory for them?

[PridelandsPhantom]

It was a pretty good episode and it was nice to see the guard lose for a change. Yes, I love the guard but they can't win them all. All heroes have their losses and to me it makes them better for it. I didn't like the elephant blaming the guard for not putting out the fire. The guard can only do so much and fires are a common in the Pridelands, as TLK showed in the final battle. If I recall, isn't there oasis outside the Pridelands as shown when they showed the episode with the giraffe leader (sorry can't recall her name) I do agree with Kion that saving the herd was more important as lives cannot be replaced, but plants can.

Someone mentioned the roar, and I think it would probably spread the fire rather than exterminate it similar to wildfires in CA. The dryness of the Pridelands doesn't help either. I'm curious, expect for the baby elephants coldn't the adults literally crush is the hyenas, jackals, and crocs? I mean an elephant's trunk alone can inflict some major damage. Where is Zazu been? He's supposed to inform Simba of everything, right? Why isn't Simba having the rest of the pride help out?