The Harmattan

The Harmattan is the is the fifty-seventh episode of The Lion Guard and the third episode of Season 3.

Synopsis
A powerful dust storm called the harmattan traps the Guard and Makucha's leopards; Ono uses his knowledge of the harmattan to send Makucha and his cronies into a whirlwind.

Plot
Some time after leaving the Pride Lands, Kion asks Anga how much farther it is to get to the waterfall. Using her eyesight, Anga informs the group that the waterfall is just up ahead along with the moja kwa moja stone, with Makini excitedly believing that they must be on the right path to the Tree of Life. Ono, agreeing with  Makini, remembers Rafiki's map, pointing out that the Back Lands Waterfall is the first landmark after Pride Rock.

Once arriving at the waterfall, Makini uses her Bakora Staff to activate the stone, confirming it as a moja kwa moja stone. Recalling that the next landmark involves a tree, Makini suggests searching nearby trees before Ono specifies that they need to find an iroko tree, a distinctive type of tree. Ono tries to look for the tree himself, but his hazy vision reminds him that he is no longer the Keenest of Sight, leading him to ask Anga for help. After scanning the area, Anga spots the Iroko tree at a considerable distance away, promting the group to move forward. Though Ono is left downhearted by his failure, the Lion Guard assures him of his worth to the team as the Smartest.

While on their way to the tree, the group stumbles across Makucha and his Leap, who attack the Guard for crossing their territory. During the fight, Makini drags Ono to the top of a tree for his safety, despite Ono insisting on wanting to help. Soon after, Ono hears a high-frequency ringing befora a dust storm descends across both parties. When Anga is unable to find a way out of the storm, Ono remembers a cave at the waterfall the Guard could use for shelter. Despite being blown away many times, they manage to enter the shelter only to find Makucha and his Leap also inside hiding from the storm. Both leaders angrily order the other to get out of the shelter. Before a fight can break out, Makini tries to calm down Kion with Tuliza, though Kion angrily snaps at her to back off. Shocked, Bunga and Fuli remind Kion that Makini is one of them, causing a remorseful Kion to calm down and accept the Tuliza.

Now calm, Kion plans on going back outside, though the Guard is doubtful of their chances in the storm, with Fuli suggesting waiting for the storm to pass. Hearing this, Makucha scoffs at the possibility of waiting out a Harmattan, causing Ono to remember Harmattans as powerful and unpredictable dust storms capable of lasting weeks. Knowing that they can't wait out the storm, and with Makucha unwilling to hide out with the guard, both groups come close to fighting before Kion stops them, saying that although no one wants to be stuck together, both groups are better off staying inside the shelter than outside in the storm. Makucha then suggests that he and his Leap lead the group lead the Guard outside, using his knowledge of the Back Lands to help them find a safe path even through the Harmattan. However, he points out that he is doing this not out of concern for the Guard, but only to get them out of his territrory.

Distrustful of Makcuha, Fuli takes Kion aside to voice her concerns with him, believing that Makucha might be leading them to a trap. Although Kion agrees with Fuli, as his scar begins to pain him, he also believes that Makucha might be their best chance to get to the Tree of Life. Before Fuli can continue, Kion abruptly silences her, believing that the guard is capable of defending itself in the case of a trap, with Fuli hesitantly agreeing with him. Makucha then tells them that the winds are dying down, giving them a chance to leave the shelter. Before leaving, Makini tells Ono that she will get him to safety if anything happens, causing Ono to tell her of his feelings of helplessness, believing that as he should be helping animals instead of the other way around. Makini reassures him, pointing out his help in finding the shelter when the Harmattan is coming, though Ono is still left unconvinced before going to the others.

As both groups cross the storm, Ono and realizes that the winds of the Harmattan are picking up. In a panic, both groups head into a nearby canyon for shelter as the winds reach them, with Kion and Makucha ending on one side and the rest in the other. Soon after, the impact of the winds dislodges a rock above the canyon, causing it to fall. Seeing this, Makcuha jumps out of the way, pushing out Kion before the rock crushes them. This action shocks both groups, with the Guard believing that Makucha might truly want to help them, though Makucha insists that he was actually trying to save himself and that Kion only got in the way. With the winds dying down, Anga scans the nearby area, spotting the moja kwa moja stone still far away, prompting both groups to leave the canyon and continue on their journey. Once outside, Makucha overhears Makini excitedly talking to Anga about the Tree of Life, i mentioning all the rare animals that come to live there as well as the fact that it can only be found by someone who knows the way like her. His interest piqued, Makucha takes his leap aside and, falling back from the Lion Guard, informs them of the Tree of Life. He explains his plan to ambush the Guard at a nearby cliff during the storm, allowing them to kidnap Makini and get her to take them to the Tree of Life. Meanwhile, the Guard notices Makucha's disappearance before the leopard returns, claiming to have scouted ahead for a safe route. Though Ono worries about the rising winds from the storm and insists on waiting them out, Makucha convinces the group to continue. Following Makucha, the group presses on despite the strong winds, though Ono notices that the wind is now strangely blowing in their faces despite not having done so before. Soon after, Ono is blown off Beshte's back and, unnoticed by Guard, is left behind. Remembering that Harmattan winds always blow in the same direction, Ono realizes that Makcuha is leading them the wrong way and, fighting against the currents and his own blindness, tries to catch up and warn the others. Farther ahead, Makucha leads the rest of the Guard to the canyon with the cliff at the end, claiming it to be the way out of his territory. Believing him, Kion thanks Makucha for his help as the leopards fade into the storm. In a hurry to get out of the desert, the Guard rushes through the canyon, with Bunga ahead of the others. On the way out, Beshte notices Ono's absence and tells the others. Outside the canyon, a struggling Ono manages to enter the canyon as Makucha prepares his ambush, planning to grab Makini while his friends rush the Guard off the cliff. Inside the canyon, Ono finds the the group and informs them of Makucha's trick. Suddenly, the Guard hears Bunga's screams from further ahead and rush toward him, finding him hanging from a branch after having fallen off the cliff. With the guard distracted, Makucha kidnaps Makini and leaves his friends to attack the Guard near the cliff as Kion tries to save her. During the fight, Bunga falls of his tree branch after it breaks, but he is rescued by Anga before joining the fight. After being saved by Anga, Ono realizes that the Harmattan winds are picking up once again. After fighting off the leopards, Ono warns the Guard to get behind the rocks and brace themselves, leaving the leopards behind to be blown off by the currents. Once the storm dies down, Makucha telss his group of his plan to follow the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life, hoping to get rid of the Guard and feast on all the rare animals there. Believing the guard to be too powerful, Fahari and Jiona refuse the offer and leave behind Makucha, who decides to head off on his own.

After leaving the desert, the Lion Guard, finally arrives at the Iroko tree. Makini then activates the nearby moja kwa moja stone, which appears to be warning the group of a wind storm, with Fuli noticing the irony of the message after having gone through the storm. The Guard thanks Ono for getting through the Harmattan, assuring him that he can still help the guard even if he can no longer see. Though Ono admits that he is still trying to get used to his new role of the Smartest, Kion reassures him that the Lion Guard wouldn't be the same without him before asking him for their next destination. Remembering the map, Ono reveals their next stop to be a mountain with two peaks that Anga quickly spots, allowing the Guard to continue to the Tree of Life.