Board Thread:Episode Discussion/@comment-5488183-20190109025137/@comment-37638337-20190325225914

Both in this and Pride Landers Unite (and for the majority of season 2), I feel like Ma Tembo has been the standout. Between swiping away Reirei, the absolute savage beatdown on that poor crocodile, being the only 'herd' animal not to flee, then staying as Simba's kind of 'Right Hand' in discussing the Scar situation, and outwardly disagreeing with him too, which I thought was interesting. Then even though she clearly wants to stay, she still takes her herd's feelings into consideration, and seems to be ready to leave for them.

She really has come a long way from a nervous, uncertain young (relatively speaking) leader after the death of her supposedly great father who ran from the hyenas and struggled to find water. Outside of his family and the Lion Guard, Kion seems to have the closest relationship to her out of any character, even more than the Lion Guard at times. There's a really interesting and frankly sophisticated parallel relationship set up between them both as struggling new leaders

Her, Makuu, and Makini are the best characters in the entire show for me in that regard