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, Makucha, Fahari and Jiona; Ono uses his knowledge of the harmattan to send Makucha and his cronies into a whirlwind.

Plot
Sometime 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 taking it as a sign that they must be on the right path to the Tree of Life. Ono, agreeing with Makini, remembers Rafiki's map in his mind, pointing out that the Back Lands Waterfall is the first landmark after Pride Rock. Arriving at the waterfall, Makini uses her Bakora Staff to activate the stone, which shows the Tree of Life.

Recalling that the next landmark involves a tree, Makini suggests looking around nearby trees for it before Ono specifies it to be an Iroko tree, a particularly distinctive type of tree. Ono attempts to look for the tree himself, but his hazy eyesight reminds him that he is no longer the Keenest of Sight, leading him to ask Anga for help. Anga spots the Iroko tree far away, prompting the group forward. Though the Guard assures Ono of his worth to the team as the Smartest, he is left saddened by his failure.

While on their way, the group stumbles across Makucha and his Leap, who attack the Guard for crossing their territory. During the fight, Makini drags a reluctant Ono to the top of a tree for his safety. Soon after, he hears a high-frequency ringing before a dust storm descends upon both parties. When Anga is unable to find a way out, Ono remembers a cave at the waterfall the Guard could use for shelter. Fighting against the storm, they manage to enter the shelter only to find Makucha and his Leap also inside, causing both leaders to angrily growl at each other whilst ordering the other to leave.

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 him that Makini is one of them, causing a remorseful Kion to come to his senses and accept the Tuliza. Now calm, Kion plans on going back outside, though the Guard is doubtful of their chances, with Fuli suggesting waiting for the storm to pass. Hearing this, Makucha scoffs at the idea 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 them, both groups come close to the fighting. Kion stops them, however, pointing out that although they don't want to be stuck together, they are better off staying inside the shelter than outside in the storm. Makucha then proposes leading the Guard outside, using his knowledge of the Back Lands to help them find a safe route even through the storm. However, he points out that he is only doing this not because he wants to help them, but because he wants to get them all out of his territory.

Fuli takes Kion aside to talk to him, believing that Makucha might lead them to a trap. Although Kion agrees with Fuli as his scar pains him, he also believes that Makucha might be their best chance to get to the Tree of Life. Before Fuli can protest, Kion irritably silences her, believing they can defend themselves in case of a trap, to which Fuli hesitantly agrees. Makucha tells them the winds are dying down, allowing them to leave. Outside, Makini's attempt to assure Ono of his safety causes him to doubt his worth if he can't help others, despite Makini assuring him of his help finding the shelter.

While crossing the storm, Ono realizes that the winds are picking up, causing both groups to head into a nearby canyon. Soon after, the winds dislodge a rock above them, causing Makcuha to jump out and push Kion before the rock crushes them. This action shocks both groups, with the Guard believing that Makucha might want to help them, though Makucha insists that he was actually trying to save himself and that Kion only got in the way. When the winds die down, Anga scans the area, spotting the moja kwa moja stone still far away, prompting them to continue.

Outside, Makucha overhears Makini talking to Anga about the The Tree of Life, going on about all the rare animals that live there as well as how it can only be found by someone who knows the way like her. His interest piqued, Makucha takes his leap aside and informs them of his new plan to ambush the Guard at a nearby cliff, allowing them to kidnap Makini and force her to take them to the Tree of Life. The Guard soon notices Makucha's absence before the leopard returns, claiming to have scouted ahead for another route. Though Ono worries about the winds, Makucha advises them to go on.

Following Makucha, the group presses on despite the strong winds. Soon after, Ono is blown off of Beshte's back and, unnoticed 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 the currents, tries to catch up to the others. Farther ahead, Makucha leads the rest of the Guard to a canyon with a cliff at the end, claiming it to be the way out. Believing him, Kion thanks Makucha as the Guard rushes through the canyon in a hurry to get out of the storm, with Bunga leading ahead of the others.

On their way out, Beshte suddenly notices Ono's absence and tells the others. Outside the canyon, a struggling Ono manages to enter the canyon as Makucha prepares his ambush. Finding the group, Ono informs them of Makucha's plan before they suddenly hearing Bunga screaming from further ahead and rush toward him, finding him hanging from a branch below the cliff after having fallen off. With the guard distracted, Makucha kidnaps Makini, leaving his leap to attack the rest of the Guard while Kion tries to save Makini by fighting Makucha himself.

Bunga soon falls off his tree branch, but Anga manages to save him. During the fight, Ono realizes that the winds are picking up once again. After fighting off the leopards, Ono warns the Guard to get behind rocks and brace themselves, leaving the leopards to be blown off by the winds. Once the storm dies down, Makucha tells his group of his plan to follow the Guard to the Tree of Life, hoping to get rid of them and feast on all the rare animals there. Believing the guard to be too powerful, Fahari and Jiona refuse and leave Makucha, who decides to continue on his own.

After leaving the desert, the Guard finally arrives at the Iroko tree. Makini then activates the moja kwa moja stone which, ironically, warns the group of a coming wind storm. The Guard thanks Ono for getting them through, pointing out that he can still help even if he can't see. When Ono admits to still getting used to his new role, Kion reassures him that the Lion Guard wouldn't be the same without him before asking Ono for their next stop. Remembering the map, Ono reveals their next stop to be a mountain with two peaks, allowing them to continue on their journey.