Zuri

"Remember, it never hurts to look your best."

- Zuri to Kiara, Baboons! Zuri is a young lioness cub who resides in the Pride Lands. She is a member of Simba's Pride.

She is a supporting character in The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and a recurring character in The Lion Guard.

Appearance
Zuri is a tawny-orange cub with paler orange chest fur. She has a small tuft of fur on her head, light brown ear rims, and softly-rimmed inner ears. On each ear is a pale marking in the shape of an oval. Her eyes are a distinct blue, and just underneath each of her eyes is a small pale brown marking. Her nose is maroon, and her claws are gray and shiny.

Personality
Madison Pettis describes Zuri as a sassy, fashionable lioness who is always grooming herself. She is easily upset, melodramatic, and sensitive. Kiara is shown to be rather skeptical of Zuri's obsessive claw sharpening, while Tiifu is shown to care for and reassure Zuri when she is upset. Zuri is sensitive, with a low pain tolerance; she also won't hesitate to voice her complaints. However, Zuri is shown to be supportive of Kiara when Kiara becomes the queen of the Pride Lands during Simba and Nala's absence. She is particularly fond of royalty, and loves nothing more than to be in their presence.

Zuri has a distaste for insects and mud and, despite being a predator, she doesn't like to hunt, preferring others to hunt for her. She has a considerably poor memory. Zuri also grows bored easily, as seen in both Fuli's New Family and Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas.

Zuri has also displayed a complimentary and appreciative side after being saved by Kion in a comic. However, she also was snobby and ungrateful when, in an alternate ending, Kion saved her but got mud all over her fur. She is comforting and caring when Tiifu was scared of the dark in The Underground Adventure.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Zuri is set to go tracking gazelles along with Kiara and Tiifu. However, after getting her paw stuck in a log, (which came as a direct result of her sharpening her claws on every other tree that they had passed), Timon and Pumbaa attempt to help her. However, she falls off the log and wounds her paw. Although Timon and Pumbaa are appreciative of her breaking the log open to reveal bugs, Zuri is repulsed, especially when Timon pulls a grub from behind her ear. After Bunga comes along and explains about Kion's new job as leader of the Lion Guard and explains what Zuka Zama is, Kiara sends Zuri back to Pride Rock to rest up.

The Rise of Makuu
Zuri witnesses Makuu defeat Pua in the Mashindano, alongside her friends Kiara and Tiifu.

Can't Wait to be Queen
Zuri is very enthusiastic about Kiara becoming temporary queen of the Pride Lands. She and Tiifu dramatically announce Kiara's approach, and both she and Tiifu approve of Bunga's respectful behavior towards their friend.

After Ono gives Kiara the morning report, Kiara says that the bees that are building hives along the path of the eland herd might sting the eland and cause chaos. When Kion says that he didn't think of that, Tiifu makes a snarky remark, causing Zuri to giggle, and both she and Tiifu bump paws in front of Kiara. Upon hearing that Kiara asked Kion to have the Lion Guard stop the eland herd from moving along their current path, Zuri expresses great excitement, saying that it is Queen Kiara's first official decree.

Zuri is later seen in Pride Rock after the Lion Guard is attacked by bees. She declares herself and Tiifu advisors to the queen. When Kiara leaves the Pride Lands to meet Janja for a supposed peace meeting, Kion tries to stop her, knowing Janja can't be trusted. However, when Kion enters Pride Rock, he finds only Tiifu and Zuri. Zuri explains that Kiara went somewhere, saying it was important. Kion replies angrily and charges away, intent on saving his sister. Tiifu wonders aloud what's wrong with him, and Zuri scornfully replies "Who cares?" and points out that he isn't the queen.

Fuli's New Family
Zuri is part of the royal 'hunt'. Unlike Tiifu, she shows no interest in hunting and doesn't care that Fuli shows more promise than herself and Tiifu. When her friend complains to her, she barely listens and is happy when the tracking event is finally over. She leaves with the rest of them with a smile on her face.

Baboons!
Zuri and Tiifu lead Kiara to Urembo Meadows, surprising her as they reveal that they plan to get her ready for the Royal Buffalo Wallow there. Zuri explains that she needs to be looking her best for the duty and, whilst Kiara is confused, wondering what is wrong with her current appearance, Zuri assures her that it's nothing they can't fix. She walks ahead and Kiara decides that she has enough time to join her and Tiifu. A short while later, a rainstorm breaks out. The three young lionesses take shelter under a tree to avoid the rain, but the storm passes quickly. Zuri and Tiifu rush into the flowerbed and roll around in them, gathering the scent. They call for Kiara to join them, but the princess notices an incoming flood. The water surrounds the hill and blocks off their path back to the mainland. Zuri and Tiifu are oblivious to this and don't even notice Ono ahead. The Lion Guard arrive by luck and notice the three friends on the island. The Guard agrees to help her as Fuli returns a Baby Baboon to its troop, and Zuri begins to relax, calling for Kiara to relax with her whilst the Guard save them. A short while later, Zuri and Tiifu begin playing with the mud. This annoys Kiara, who reminds them that they need to get home. They plaster her face with mud, telling her to let the mud dry. Kiara attempts to speak, but neither Tiifu nor Zuri can understand her muffled voice beneath the mud. Kiara angrily removes it from her face, stating that she doesn't want to keep the buffaloes waiting. Zuri then questions why she would want to attend not looking her best. Ignoring Kiara's irritation, Zuri offers more mud. Soon, Zuri and Tiifu return to relaxing in the sun, covering their eyes with fruit slices. Kiara disturbs them and reveals that she has a plan. Zuri questions her since she and Tiifu thought that the Lion Guard was going to save them. Kiara explains that they don't have time to wait, and informs them that they need a stone to use as a stepping stone. When Tiifu's stone is too small, Zuri calls over having found a bigger one that is so shiny she can see herself in it. Tiifu gazes in and worries that her nose is too big, but Zuri comments that it's beautiful. They're then called over by Kiara, who has found a big enough rock. Zuri is particularly hesitant, worrying that she may break a claw. Seeing Kiara's austere face prompts her to join in, and, after more complaining midway, they push the boulder with all their strength. But the boulder rolls backward instead and falls into the deep water behind them. Tiifu and Zuri are excited, but Kiara is disappointed and starts to think of other ideas. Not too long after, Kion has suggested that they combine ideas, and Kiara agrees. But Zuri and Tiifu step in front of her, with Tiifu reminding her that they haven't got her ready for the Buffalo Wallow yet. Just as she finishes talking, a chunk of the island underneath their feet collapses, and the two fall into the water. Kiara swiftly rushes to the edge and grabs them with her teeth, pulling them to shore. Zuri and Tiifu are grateful to Kiara for saving them. Kiara then turns to Kion to confirm that he's ready, and he and the rest of the Guard push the boulder into the water. He calls for Kiara, who in turn checks that Zuri and Tiifu are in position. Upon their confirmation, she joins them and the trio pushes the tree over and onto the rock, with more of the island breaking apart as they do so. Zuri is first to move across the log, safely making it to the mainland, where she waits for Tiifu and Kiara. Zuri is disappointed as Tiifu apologizes for not being able to help Kiara, but she refutes her remark. She states that looking good isn't everything, which shocks Zuri and Tiifu. Then Kiara marches over to Vuruga Vuruga and the pair bow as they mention each other. Vuruga Vuruga is impressed with how messy Kiara is since the royal family is usually stuffy about the event. Kiara gives some of the credit to her friends, and Vuruga Vuruga smiles sweetly towards Zuri and Tiifu. Although initially surprised, they smile kindly back.

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar
Zuri is seen drinking with Kiara, Tiifu and other Pride Landers until Kion and the guard come by with a group of exhausted hyraxes and Kiara gently pushes them aside to let them drink. Then, she meets with the rest of the pride and when Zuri hears that Ma Tembo is still searching for water she asks what the importance of it. Kiara reminds her that searching for water will matter especially if Pride Landers are thirsty, then she meets the next Royal Mjuzi and Rafiki's apprentice Makini. As Makini and Kiara leave to help in Ma Tembo's search, Zuri and Tiifu try to follow them, claiming to be Kiara's true advisers instead, but they are stopped by Nala as she wants Makini and Kiara to have the chance to get to know each other. So Nala offers to let Zuri and Tiifu spend the day at Pride Rock with her and the two agree.

The Ukumbusho Tradition
Zuri attends the Ukumbusho with the rest of her pride. When bees attack she becomes frightened, though remains in her place. When the elephants return, she continues to watch the celebration.

Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas
Along with the other members of the pride, Zuri takes part in the Christmas celebration for Timon and Pumbaa, and eventually becomes restless, along with Tiifu.

The Underground Adventure
Tiifu and Zuri call the guard for help about their fur. Kiara and Nala say that the guard is for emergencies only. Beshte suggests for the girls to go to hot mud pots. The girls go with Kiara, Bunga, and Kion. While the girls try to relax Kion, Bunga and sometimes Kiara splash around in the mud. Soon Mzingo appears and drops fire down from above. Kion tells the girls to take cover but it's too late. Kion tells everyone to go into Muhangus's den. Tiifu doesn't like being down there so she tries to escape but it makes a cave in. They soon figure out that Tiifu is afraid of the dark. The gang starts to go through tunnels and here's someone screaming. It turns out to be a golden mole named Kuchimba who Zuri finds him adorable. And yet the golden mole thinks that they're stealing his tunnels but Tiifu explains that they just wanna get home. He apologies and starts show them out telling Tiifu that there's Nothin’ to Fear Down Here,  and the gang continues on their journey. Kuchimba heads home but they have a problem. They don't know what tunnel to go in until they hear footsteps and Thurston appears from one of the tunnels. Kion asks him if he knows the way but he claims he doesn't. The gang soon walks through the tunnel that the zebra went in. Kion suggests finding Muhangus for help he and Kiara track him down. Once they find him he leads the way and when Tiifu sees daylight she starts to run towards it. Thurston wonders why she's running Bunga explains how she was scared of being trapped in the dark. After hearing that Thurston starts to panic and run but Tiifu comes back to calm him down. Everyone gets out of the tunnels and the rest of the Lion Guard meet up with them.

The Day of the Crocodiles
The Pride Lands have a storm which causes a flood. Unfortunately, Zuri is trapped on a rock, with Makuu's Float lurking just beneath her, waiting to pounce. After Kion hears of this, he is torn on what to do next. Fuli suggests saving her directly. Beshte suggests removing the crocodiles.

When Kion chooses Fuli's idea, he locates several tree branches and chooses the one that leans over to her. He climbs up and manages to reach Zuri, and encourages her to follow him. Together they bound away, using the tree branch to reach shore as Zuri comments that she was worried that she'd be stuck there forever. With Zuri by his side, Kion uses the Roar of the Elders to get rid of the crocodiles and subsequently blocks up the broken dam. Later, Zuri approaches Kion. Much to his surprise, she compliments and nuzzles him, telling him that someday he'll be a brave, strong lion. Despite her enthusiasm, Kion is somewhat disgusted by it, saying that he preferred it when he went unnoticed.

When Kion chooses Beshte's idea, he unblocks the river, which sweeps the crocodiles away. Zuri is also swept away by the current. She emerges from the water covered in mud and leaves, but safe nonetheless. Later, she approaches Kion and expresses her disgust in his handling of the situation, since her fur was ruined by the mud. She further states that they can tell Kiara that her clumsy brother did a terrible job. Kion announces that even though he can be a hero, Zuri will never change.

Trivia

 * In the comic The Day of the Crocodiles, Zuri is incorrectly colored like Kiara.
 * A master size chart reveals that she is in-between the sizes of the three lioness cubs.
 * Zuri has returned for Season 2.