The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar

The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar is the second special episode of The Lion Guard. It is also the fifth episode of Season 2.

Synopsis
After using the Roar of the Elders in anger, Kion unwittingly summons the Pride Lands’ greatest villain, Scar.

David Oyelowo (“Selma”) guest stars as Scar and Landry Bender (Disney Channel’s “Best Friends Whenever”) guest stars as Makini, Rafiki’s spirited young mandrill apprentice. Christian Slater (Disney XD’s “Milo Murphy’s Law”) recurs as Ushari the snake.

Summary
In the Pride Lands, the dry season has started, after a hard day of saving animals (and inadvertently stepping on Ushari in the process), the Lion Guard are called to fight off Janja's Clan, who are chasing elephants. When they arrive, Bunga urges Kion to Roar at the hyenas, but Kion refuses, not wanting to harm the elephants. He devises another plan, and leads the Guard towards the scene. With the hyenas defeated, Kion orders the hyenas to leave, and they do so. when they leave, they trample over Ushari once again, who reacts angrily. The Guard learn that Ma Tembo is now in charge of finding a water source, which she has been having trouble with. They leave, unable to help her with her quest. Kion decides to speak with his grandfather, but Makini, Rafiki's new apprentice, watches him nearby from a bush. After he finishes speaking with Mufasa, Kion is startled when she reveals and introduces herself to him, and she speaks about Kion's grandfather, catching a passing Ushari's attention and giving him an idea. Ono then calls Kion, with the hyenas back for another shot at the elephants, and this time, the baboons as well. Kion bids farewell to Makini, and takes off with Ono. When he arrives, the Lion Guard conjure up a plan to take out the hyenas using the Roar, by luring them to a dead end where Kion can overlook the other animals. With the other Guard members holding off the hyenas, Kion climbs up to a cliff, and prepares to use the Roar. Before he can, Fuli draws his attention to the darkening storm clouds above them, Kion calms down, and uses the Roar, sending the hyenas flying. He questions the baboons, and Ono explains that the baboons always follow the elephants to new water sources in the dry season. With the elephant understanding her own responsibilities in the Circle of Life, Kion wishes Ma Tembo luck on finding water, and the Guard leaves. Although they wish they could help, they understand that they have other responsibilities of their own. Kion decides to inform his father of the situation. Meanwhile, in Rafiki's Tree, Rafiki tries to calm Makini in order to continue with her training, but to no avail. Unable to settle the hyperactive young mandrill with shwari, he suggests that she finds her own Bakora Staff before she becomes a Royal Mjuzi. He leaves the apprentice to work on her own, directing her to a large pile of sticks just outside his home. Elsewhere in the Pride Lands, Kion speaks with his father. Still a bit upset that he isn't able to help Ma Tembo, Simba assures his son that it's her own responsibility as a new leader. With Kion knowing the feeling of being a new leader, Simba comments that it's something they share in common, and that it's their own Path of Honor, with Kion remembering what it was like to take his first steps into the world, and how his parents were there for him. Elsewhere, the hyenas return to the Outlands. Cheezi notices Ushari and the hyenas decide to eat him, but Ushari shares the information he received from Makini. Although hesitant, Janja starts to warm up to the snake after he mentions Scar. Janja agrees to let him gather information, but they will be following him, just in case. Ushari locates Makini, who is searching for her own staff. He introduces himself as a dear friend of Kion's and the Lion Guard's, and tries to find out more. He asks if they're able to hear the bad lions of the past, and Makini replies that she's uncertain. Just then, she feels drawn to one stick on the ground. As she picks it up, a strong wind blows past her, and she knows that she's found her bakora staff. She turns to find Ushari, who has left. She returns to Rafiki, and the two make their way to Pride Rock to welcome her officially. Along the way, Makini starts to question Rafiki, who plans on answering her questions a bit later.

Ushari returns to Janja hiding nearby, who heard everything. Stunned, he agrees to seek out more information. With Janja still wary of Ushari, the snake brings him some friends of his, a group of skinks. After hearing what is at stake, Shupavu sends out Nyeusi, the stealthiest skink to see where Makini and Rafiki are going. He follows them to the entrance of the Lair of the Lion Guard, and slithers back to tell the others of his findings.

In the Lair, Rafiki introduces Makini to the Guard. She is overjoyed at meeting them, particularly Fuli, for being the first female in the Lion Guard in their history. Rafiki explains how the Great Lions of the Past chose Makini for him to raise as his successor, and asks Kion to get the Royal Family ready. When he leaves, Ushari expresses his thanks to the skinks and slithers into the lair, listening above. Rafiki then tests Makini's staff out, by getting her to animate the paintings. Afterwards, she asks Rafiki about contacting the bad lions of the past as well, and Rafiki explains how they can be summoned using her staff and the Roar, although they will appear in fire. Having heard this, Ushari vanishes. On Pride Rock, Simba's Pride have gathered awaitng to meet Makini. Having heard of Ma Tembo's situation, Kiara wishes to help. Although she probably can't do much, her parents decide that it could be good for her to work with Ma Tembo and gives her their blessing. Makini arrives and expresses her desire to go with her, and introduces herself. Rafiki is a bit agitated at this, and officially introduces her himself. Kiara agrees to let her come along, much to the annoyance of her friends, and they leave together. Back at the Outlands Volcano, Ushari discusses the latest information with Janja's Clan, and they start to consider how they can get Kion to Roar for the procedure. They eventually decide that Kion roars strongest when his loved ones are in danger, and, with their goal in sight, they decide to Bring Back a Legend. Ushari waits in the volcano, while the hyenas get a staff and a loved one to lure Kion in. As they leave, the hyenas trample Ushari. With even more animals depending on Ma Tembo, Kiara and Makini try looking elsewhere for the water source. But when Makini is unable to keep quiet, the hyenas pounce on them, stealing Makini's staff and Kiara away, but leaving Makini behind, knowing that she cannot take all of them by herself. After they leave, Makini quickly races back to the Lair, and explains what happened. Ono flies above and uses his sight to see Kiara being dragged into the Outlands, and the Lion Guard leave. With Nne handing Ushari the staff inside the volcano, the other hyenas throw Kiara amongst a group of geysers. In her escape attempt, Kiara burns her front paws. Ono locates her, and the Guard devises a plan. While Kion grabs the hyenas' attention, the rest of the Guard sneak away to save Kiara. When Janja hears Kion, he orders his clan to entertain Kiara, and they begin to sing to her. Kion approaches Janja, but refuses to Roar, despite Janja's warning. While the rest of the clan is distracted, Bunga and Ono leap over to Kiara, while Fuli tackles all of the hyenas. Beshte knocks down a large boulder on top of some geysers, and Kiara is directed onto Beshte's back, unable to run due to her burn injuries. Ono reports the news that Kiara has been saved, but Janja improvises, taunting Kion by saying that they'll keep coming back again and again to harm Kion's family. In a fit of anger, Kion unleashes the Roar of the Elders, causing the volcano to erupt. As the rest of the Guard escape, Ushari starts trying to summon Scar. When the Guard reach the Pride Lands, Kiara thanks them for their work, and Beshte takes her home. But Kion is distressed that he allowed the hyenas to get to him. Fuli and Bunga assure Kion that it's alright, and Kion eventually cheers up a little, glad that nothing else bad happened.

In the volcano, Ushari is unable to summon Scar by shaking the staff. When Janja returns, he is furious that all of their hard work was for nothing. He angrily grabs the staff away from him and swipes it into the volcano, furious that the scheme was all for nothing. Janja shrinks back as a volcanic entity arises from the pit. When Janja stutters and questions if he truly his who he believes him to be, the entity confirms himself as Scar. Back in the Pride Lands, Ma Tembo is still unable to find a source, and with many animals chanting 'water water water' all around makes it more difficult. Makini then remembers shwari, and asks for everyone to be quiet. With the noise gone, Ma Tembo is able to find the water source. The animals all join together to dig, unleashing a new watering hole. Makini is overjoyed to have found the meaning of silence, but remembers that her staff is missing. Rafiki tells her not to worry, and that they can get her a new one. Kion congratulates Ma Tembo, and as the animals enjoy their new found watering hole, the volcano in the Outlands bubbles in the far distance.

Production & Development
The Rise of Scar went largely unmentioned. Voice actor Kevin Schon stated that Season 2 would begin with a two-part opener on 5th May 2016, which was the first mention of what would eventually be revealed as The Rise of Scar.

To tie in with the episode, toy manufacturer Just Play created a Rise of Scar Playset, which was revealed in February 2017 at the toy fair, confirming Scar's return to the franchise.

DVD Release
The official DVD for The Rise of Scar will be released on January 9th.