Bunga the Wise

Bunga the Wise is the third episode of The Lion Guard.

Synopsis

After floodwaters threaten the Pride Lands and Bunga comes up with a quick fix, Kion and the other members of the Lion Guard learn that the quick and easy solution to a problem is not always the best.^[1]

Plot

The Lion Guard are out in a storm, trying to save some baboons in a tree that is gradually breaking. They don't wish to come down since they're dry in the tree, but Beshte is struggling to keep the tree from tumbling down the nearby cliff edge. Kion has an idea, and Bunga leaps onto the tree and farts in their general direction. Most of the baboons then retreat back down, and Bunga drags the final baboon down to the ground, just as the tree falls over the cliff.

With the storm subsided, the Lion Guard decide to rest nearby. Kion leaves the group briefly to seek advice from his grandfather, saving a butterfly along the way. When Mufasa appears, he tells Kion that often a quick fix is not the best solution. When Kion returns to the guard, he sees a large stream of water heading straight for them. He wakes them up, and asks Ono to check out what's going on. He informs him that Lake Kiziwa is too full, causing a leak which is getting worse. Kion realises that they need to do something, and Bunga has the idea of blocking the water with rocks.

Thurston and Shingo arrive to compliment Bunga on his good idea. Kion, however, is not so sure that the quick fix is a good idea. A small amount of water leaks out, and Bunga is quick to stick a stick in it. The animals once again are impressed, though Fuli has doubts. Rafiki overhears this nearby, and mentions that honey badgers are the smartest animals, before his baobabs fall from his hands. Bunga becomes excited, and runs off to tell his uncles, with the Lion Guard chasing after him. Rafiki gathers his fruit back, and finishes his sentence with 'when they think before they act'. With no one left to hear his words of wisdom, he decides to leave, missing the stick breaking free and once again causing a leak.

The rest of the Lion Guard chase after Bunga, but halt when they realise that they forgot the turtles. They turn them the right way up. Fuli asks if there's anything else they forgot, and Kion remembers something. He orders Ono to find Bunga, and then he, Fuli and Beshte rush off to help the Porcupine Brothers. They push their log over to release the water contained within, then set off to help Ushari and the other cobras. Unfortunately, only Bunga is small enough to get in the hole. Just then, Ono flies over, telling the gang to get to Hakuna Matata Falls.

When they arrive, many animals have gathered together. Timon and Pumbaa explain that Bunga is giving out advice. Some animals start asking for help, and Bunga proceeds to give them terrible advice. Timon and Pumbaa quickly tell everyone to get back in line, refusing anymore freebies. An animal gives Timon a bug, and he's ready to let him in, until the Lion Guard tell him that they need to speak with Bunga. Annoyed, Timon allows them access, although Beshte is too big to fit through and instead waits outside.

The three enter the hollow tree and speak with Bunga, who reminds them of Rafiki's words. He informs them that he is now the smartest and bravest animal in the Pride Lands. He continues to explain how he plans on giving all the animals advice. Timon then ushers the Lion Guard out, since other animals are waiting for Bunga's advice. Bunga waves goodbye to his friends, but not before hitting his face against some hanging coconut shells.

The Lion Guard sans Bunga are roaming the Pride Lands, with Fuli voicing her concern of Bunga's advice. They see Mbuni the ostrich with her head stuck in the ground, and help her out. They ask what she's doing, and she informs them that she's following Bunga's advice. Ono then sees some bushbucks eating some pink flowers, and Beshte rushes over to destroy them. Once again, it turns out that they were following advice from Bunga. They then hear a distress call, and find an oryx trapped near a cliff. After rescuing him, it again turns out to be Bunga's bad advice, having told him the quickest way to the other side was to jump down.

Just as Fuli announces that she was right, a herd of animals singing Make Way for Bunga the Wise grabs their attention. They run over, to find out that Bunga is taking his advice all over the Pride Lands. As they're talking, the temporary dam bursts and the animals run. Kion tells the Lion Guard to follow him, as he rushes to save some nearby animals. Although Timon and Pumbaa want Bunga to run, he remembers his responsibilities, and instead follows them. Mtoto follows Bunga.

Kion orders the buffaloes and zebras to follow him, with Fuli picking up a hedgehog along the way as they race away from the water and into a canyon. Seeing him run behind, Bunga ushers Mtoto into the canyon with the other animals. At a junction point, Kion asks Ono which way to go. As Ono sees one route leading outside where the water can follow, he tells them left, though soon realises that he has sent them to a dead end.The other animals look to Bunga for advice, but he confesses that Kion knows best. Kion tells everyone to get behind him, and performs the Roar of the Elders, which pushes the water back and out the other way, with rocks falling down to secure their safety.

The animals and the Lion Guard are finally able to relax, near a waterfall that was created when Kion used his Roar. Bunga finds the perfect spot to relax, though Rafiki warns him not to. After Bunga reminds him of what he said, Rafiki finishes his phrase from earlier, though not before Bunga is mid-way of a leap into the flowers. He lands in a mud pile hidden by the flowers, though doesn't mind not being the smartest animal after all.

Appearances

Characters (in order of appearance)

Kion	Bunga	Fuli	Beshte	Ono	Big Baboon	Gumba's Mother (debut)
Gumba (silent debut)	Mufasa	♂Oryx (debut)	Thurston	Shingo	Rafiki	Turtle (debut)
Porcupine Bros (debut)	Ushari (mention)	Mbuni (debut)	♂Mongoose (debut)	Timon	Pumbaa	Zito (silent cameo)
	♂Crocodile (silent cameo)	Muhanga (silent debut)	♂Bushbuck (debut)	Mtoto (debut)	Young Hedgehog (debut)

Locations

Pride Lands
Lake Kiziwa	Hakuna Matata Falls	Ushari's Hole

Groups

The Lion Guard	Simba's Pride	Basi's Pod	Big Baboon's Troop
Thurston's Herd	Twiga's Herd	Ma Tembo's Herd

Animals

Lions	Honey Badgers	Cheetahs	Hippos	Egrets	Crocodiles	Warthogs
Meerkats	Mandrills	Hyenas (mention)	Cobras (mention)	Ostriches	Mongooses  (debut)	Elephants
Buffaloes	Zebras	Giraffes	Oryxes	Baboons	Aardvarks (debut)	Bushbucks (debut)
Hedgehogs  (debut)	Turtles	Porcupines (debut)	Butterflies	Fishes (mention)	Wildebeests

References

1. ↑ Press Release

The Lion Guard Episodes
Special Episodes
Return of the Roar • The Rise of Scar
Season One
Never Judge a Hyena by Its Spots • The Rise of Makuu • Bunga the Wise • Can't Wait to be Queen • Eye of the Beholder • The Kupatana Celebration • Fuli's New Family • The Search for Utamu • Follow That Hippo! • The Call of the Drongo • Paintings and Predictions • The Mbali Fields Migration • Bunga and the King • The Imaginary Okapi • Too Many Termites • The Trouble With Galagos • Janja's New Crew • Baboons! • Beware the Zimwi • Lions of the Outlands • Never Roar Again • The Lost Gorillas • The Trail to Udugu • Ono's Idol • Beshte and the Hippo Lanes • Ono the Tickbird
Season Two
Babysitter Bunga • The Savannah Summit • The Traveling Baboon Show • Ono and the Egg • Let Sleeping Crocs Lie • Swept Away • Rafiki's New Neighbors • Rescue in the Outlands • The Ukumbusho Tradition • The Bite of Kenge • Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas • The Morning Report • The Golden Zebra • The Little Guy • Divide and Conquer • The Scorpion's Sting • The Wisdom of Kongwe • The Kilio Valley Fire • Undercover Kinyonga • Cave of Secrets • The Zebra Mastermind • The Hyena Resistance • The Underground Adventure • Beshte and the Beast • Pride Landers Unite! • The Queen's Visit • The Fall Of Mizimu Grove • Fire from the Sky
Season Three