The Black Widow's Bite

The Black Widow’s Bite the 19th episode of Season 54.

Summary
On his first Kumbuka celebration, Kion is bitten by a black widow spider and now Catboy and his friends must go on a dangerous mission to the Etherlands and to the dark lagoon to grab the curing lagoon water until they come face to face with Zira, who is responsible for sending the spider in the first place.

Plot
The episode begins in the Tree of Life where all the animals from the Pridelands and the Outlands have come for King Kion’s first Kumbuka celebration of helping the Night Pride defend their home from Makucha, Chuluun, Ora Mama Binturong, and their allies as Luna, Greg, Amaya, Dylan, Angel, and Ashton are seen welcoming the animals who have come from different lands and help them feel right at home.

Meanwhile, inside the tree, Makini is seen telling the young animals stories of the Lion Guard and the Pridelanders defeating Scar and his army, the Lion Guard and the Night Pride’s first meet, battle with Makucha’s army, Queen Rani’s coronation, and also King Kion’s coronation while the Night Pride, the PJ Lion Guard (minus Connor), and King Kion and Queen Rani happily watch the scene just as Queen Rani says to Kion that this is a big day for him as Kion agrees and adds he couldn’t believe that all the animals have come a long way to the Tree of Life to see him at his Kumbuka. Rani replies yes and that word seems to spread a lot all over and it's no wonder all animals came as Kion chuckles and replies that he hasn't done it alone as he sends Rani a reminding smile, meaning that he had some help from her and their friends in defending the Tree of Life. Just as Makini is still telling the stories, Kion and Rani decide to go see Connor, and check and see how he's doing with explaining another different story to his class, where it involves sister and brother-in-law, Kiara and Kovu. At the Tree of Life school as Kion and Rani arrive to enter the class, Connor, along with Kiara and Kovu,  explains to his students about how Kovu and Kiara stopped the fight between the lions from the Pridelands and the Outsiders, Vitani and the rest of Zira's pride joining Simba's like Kovu did, and also Zira's death, leaving the students engrossed and astounded as Kiara proclaims that one day, she and Kovu will be the new queen and king of the Pridelands. Just then, the parrot flies in and squawks, meaning that class is dismissed as Connor gives his students, who get up from their mud desks, an assignment on getting ready for Kion's Kumbuka as everyone is excited.

After everyone has left to prepare, Connor takes notice that Kion and Rani have just came in when he, Kovu, and Kiara were explaining their story from the Pridelands and he asks them if they were listening as Rani says that they were and that it was interesting that Kovu and Kiara had made peace between Simba’s pride and Zira’s pride as the five walk out the classroom, and Connor states that he had help telling it as he glances at the future Pridelands king and queen, saying that he had help just as Kiara chuckles and replies that Catboy had the idea to tell it to his students before asking her brother if he's ready for his Kumbuka. Kion responds that he is, but Kovu can tell that he looks a bit nervous about it just as Kion saw the look on his brother-in-law's face and tries successfully to hide his expression by clearing his throat and saying that he'll need his royal advisor's help to get him started as he turned to Connor, who sends him a knowing smile. Just then, Vitani and her Lion Guard appear to join her in-laws, her brother, and her adopted human brother in law as she asks Connor how the lesson went in that school of his. With a smile and a shrug, Connor replies that he, Kiara, and Kovu were just telling everyone the story about them making peace between Simba’s Pride and Zira’s former pride. Vitani then asks if they can imagine if her and Kovu’s mom was still around, and Kovu responds that things would still be a lot rocky between Simba’s pride and Zira’s pride just as Kiara reminds them that it’s all in the past now, and the thing they should focus on now is the present day, which means her brother’s Kumbuka.

Meanwhile, at the Etherlands Lagoon, Zira has gathered her army and announces that today is finally the day to get rid of King Kion and Queen Rani, the Night Pride, the Lion Guard, the PJ Lion Guard, and also Simba’s Pride, which includes her own Pride who has joined Simba’s pride. When Chuluun and Ora ask their leader how they can do that, Zira introduces and summons a friend who can assist them— a black widow spider named Giza. Seeing the black widow spider startled Smun as he hid behind Mama Binturong and then hops onto Fahari. After Zira and Makucha confirms Giza‘s orders, the spider heads out to the Tree of Life as Zira declares that the day will be known as the day of her return, and the defeat of King Kion, the Night Pride, and the PJ Lion Guard.

That evening, back at the Tree of Life while all the animals were about to gather around for the king’s Kubumka, Catboy was getting Kion ready by getting his fur brushed and then he was combing his mane with a wooden carved comb he had made, although Kion felt a painful tug when his royal advisor tried to untangle a tangle in his mane until he (Catboy) was finally done. As Catboy puts the wooden comb down, he holds up a handmade sea glass hand mirror in front of Kion's face so he (Kion) can look at his reflection and he saw how great he looked just as Catboy asks him if he's excited for his first Kumbuka in the Tree of Life. Turning to face Catboy, Kion replies that he is, but says honestly that he's a bit nervous too just as Catboy tells him that he shouldn't be as his dad King Simba had his Kumbuka and he wasn't nervous, so that means that Kion shouldn't be nervous, plus he'll just be standing outside and watching the animals from the Pridelands, the Outlands, and at the Tree of Life singing and praising him, and even better, King Simba, Queen Nala, Kiara, Kovu, Vitani and her Lion Guard, and even the PJ Lion Guard will be with the king of the Tree of Life, watching and listening with him. After listening to what Catboy said, Kion thanks him and adds that he's glad to have him as his royal advisor, and also his brother. Catboy smiles and replies no problem as he's been Kion's friend since they've first met, and adds that he'll do anything to help and advise the king and his queen of the Tree of Life. The two then laugh when a strand of Kion's mane springs up, and they chuckle shortly when Rani appears at the entrance and she asks Catboy if Kion's ready yet as everyone is already gathered and waiting for him. Catboy tells the queen that the king's almost ready as there is one thing left as he licks his palm and runs it over Kion's mane to flatten the red mane hair sticking out. Now Kion is ready as he and Catboy go out with Rani. As soon as Kion, Rani, and Catboy are out of the tree, Makini welcomes all animals from the Pridelands, the Outlands, and the Tree of Life to the Kumbuka celebration, and everyone cheers as the song, "Good King Kion", plays and everyone sings. But while everyone was singing and praising Kion, Giza sneaks up from behind the Tree of Life and as she is on top of Kion’s tail, then she bites him as he reacted to the poison being injected into his body, and he collapses at the end of the song. Gasping in shock, Catboy runs over to the weakened Kion as the royal family, Vitani and her Lion Guard, Rani and the Night Pride, and the PJ Lion Guard came to his aid just as Catboy anxiously asks his brother if he’s okay. With a weak tone, Kion replies "My tail..." before closing his eyes again as Catboy rushes up to his tail and sees a red swollen mark on it. Rafiki and Makini quickly examine it while Catboy asks them if Kion got stung by a scorpion like Simba did, but Rafiki responds with a solemn shake of his head that Kion has been bitten by a spider—a black widow spider. Quickly, Catboy orders Owlette to fly up and find the spider as Fuli tells Anga to do the same and Vitani tells Tazama to find it too. With three of the Keenest of Sight searching, they scanned the area, until Tazama is the first to see the black widow spider while Owlette and Anga see it crawling straight back to the Etherlands. The PJ Lion Guard go after it, but the spider was quick just when Catboy caught up to it and pounced on it, but it disappeared down through a hole, which lead to the Tree of Life as Armadylan tried to dig through furiously, but Owlette can see that it already escaped back to the Etherlands. Luna Girl hears what Owlette said and tells Armadylan to forget about the spider as it is gone and they can deal with it later. Right now, now that the black widow spider is gone, the PJ Lion Guard heads back to the Tree of Life to check on Kion.

When they return to the Tree of Life, Catboy sees Surak, Baliyo, and Queen Rani crying while her brother was trying to soothe her just when Catboy asks them how King Kion is doing and if he’s okay, but Surak replies with a sigh that the black widow spider’s venomous bite has made the king very ill. With wide eyes and anxious expression forming on his face, Catboy rushes inside the tree to see King Simba pacing with worry and Queen Nala, Kiara, and Kovu and the ex-Lion Guard comforting the less conscious Kion while Rafiki, the fully fledged mjuzi Makini, and her apprentice Spectro try to use different and various mixtures in hopes of curing King Kion. Slowly walking up to his adoptive brother, Catboy presses his forehead against his and sheds two or three of his magic tears as he whispers his name in a slightly shaky voice when Spectro comforts Catboy, just when Owlette, Gekko, Armadylan, Aquafish, and Luna Girl, along with Queen Rani, Baliyo, and Surak entered to see how Kion is doing. When Rani asks how bad it is, Queen Nala replies sadly that it’s very bad just as Kiara asks Rafiki if they can cure her brother with the same volcanic ash they used on King Simba, but Rafiki replies that the black widow’s bite is a lot different than the scorpion’s sting. Kovu states that there must be something they can do to help Kion and King Simba agrees with him as he has lost his father Mufasa before, but proclaims that he’ll never lose his son, then declares with a determined expression that he’ll go out and find the cure. But before the Pridelands king could go out, he is stopped by Owlette to tells him that they may know that King Kion has been bitten by the black widow spider, but they can’t just run out to find the cure if they don’t know what it is yet. Rani responds to her father-in-law that Owlette is right and suggests that perhaps the royal mjuzis might know. Luckily, they do as Makini says that the cure for a black widow spider’s bite—dark lagoon water. However, Rafiki adds with warning that they must get it before sunrise. But Catboy notes that the only lagoon with that kind of water they can find is... in the Etherlands. Catboy gulps, but says bravely that he’ll go get the water, just as his friends offered to go with him, and Spectro will come also as he has a metallic blue water bottle to hold the water in.

In the Etherlands, Zira has heard from Smun that the plan went well without a singe, and she knows that King Kion’s human friends, the PJ Lion Guard, are on their way, to the dark lagoon to fetch the curing water they need for the king. Zira then orders Makucha to get the other Etherland villains ready. Just then, a portal opens and Catboy, Owlette, Gekko, Armadylan, Luna Girl, Aquafish, and Spectro jump out and land on the soft and moist grounds. As they were in the Etherlands again, Catboy proclaims that they need to make it quick as they only have a few hours before sunrise, but Gekko tells Catboy that there’s no need to rush and that they just got started. Owlette agrees with Gekko and adds that they’ve got plenty of time so they’ll save Kion in no time, as Catboy hoped they’re right, but little did the PJ Lion Guard know, that some of Zira’s friends are proceeding with their plan to slow down the kids, but the real plan was about to begin.

Song(s)

 * Good King Kion

Characters
Fuli Besthe Ono Anga Azaad Makini Rafiki Hadithi Foxes Mountain Goats Tamaa Badili Ajabu Basi Zazu Rani Baliyo Surak Nirmala Ullu Pinguino Varya Feliks Polina Pasha Thurston Binga Shujaa Majinuni Hafifu King Sokwe King Simba Queen Nala Kiara Kovu Vitani Shabaha Kasi Imara Tazama Janja Jasiri Cheezi Chungu Madoa Jasiri's clan Janja's clan Mzingo Reirei Makuu Makuu’s float Laini Laini’s group Zira Makucha Chuluun Ora Mama Binturong Kuuma Makucha’s leap Ora’s bank Smun Smun’s prickle Dholes Mpishi Vampire bats Giza
 * Connor/Catboy
 * Amaya/Owlette
 * Greg/Gekko
 * Angellica/Aquafish
 * Dylan/Armadylan
 * Luna/Luna Girl
 * Ashton/Spectro
 * Kion
 * Bunga

Trivia

 * This episode is a reference to The Scorpion’s Sting from The Lion Guard.
 * The following is mentioned in this episode.
 * The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride during Connor’s lesson to his students
 * Catboy and the Lion Guard
 * The Scorpion’s Sting from The Lion Guard
 * Giza makes her first appearance in this episode.

Transcript
To see the transcript of this episode, click here