Why Kion Isn’t In Simba’s Pride

           Kion is Kiara’s younger brother and the main character of Disney Junior’s new TV spin-off series The Lion Guard (TLG). He’s not in the second Lion King movie, Simba’s Pride (SP), and I’m going to be looking at some fan theories about why. While most people agree that Kion wouldn’t be in the beginning of the movie because he is younger than Kiara and likely hadn’t been born yet, there are many different possible explanations for why he isn’t in the end of the movie.

Kion Was Kicked Out of the Pridelands

            One fan theory that surfaced after “Never Judge A Hyena By Its Spots,” an episode of TLG in which Kion meets a good hyena named Jasiri, is that Kion and Jasiri fell in love and Simba banished him from the Pridelands. While there is no canon evidence of any cross-species romantic relationships within the Lion King (TLK) universe (unless you count Timon’s marriage proposal to Shenzi in Lion King 1 1/2) nothing explicitly prohibits them either. There is also an undeniable chemistry between Kion and Jasiri. Like Kion, Jasiri is concerned with maintaining the circle of life and she thinks about the effects that her actions have on all of the other animals in the area. They even sing a song about how they’re the same. Jasiri and Kion both put themselves in danger coming to each other’s rescue and they have a clear bond by the end of the episode.

At their current ages they would likely remain friends but if their feelings became more romantic during their adolescence it is entirely possible that they could have a romantic relationship. Given the canon evidence (both in TLK and TLG) of Simba’s negative views of hyenas and his general prejudice against Outlanders in SP, he wouldn’t be likely to accept his son being romantically involved with a hyena who lives in the Outlands. He would probably be about as trusting with Jasiri as he is with Kovu in SP. Being with Jasiri, in and of itself, most likely wouldn’t be enough for Kion to be banished but if, for instance, he defied Simba’s orders to stay away from Jasiri or even ran away with her then Simba might see that as a betrayal and kick Kion out in a fit of rage.

The Lion Guard Was On A Diplomatic Journey

            Given that Kion and his friends would adolescents/young adults during the later parts of SP, it is plausible that they would be allowed to journey outside the Pridelands. It is canon that the hyenas have left the Outlands before Kiara’s first hunt. What if the Lion Guard finally chased off all of the bad hyenas and brought balance to the Pridelands? There would be a lot less for them to do there, especially considering the fact that they would have been helping the Pridelanders out long enough at that point for most of the animals to learn what not to do.

Peace in the Pridelands might encourage Kion to lead the Guard to other parts of the savanna to help maintain the circle of life there. They probably wouldn’t leave forever but if they went on missions or diplomatic excursions outside the Pridelands then they would be gone for several weeks at a time (especially if they were going to see other lion prides, because prides tend to keep lots of distance between them). The time between Kiara’s first hunt and the end of the movie is a matter of days, a few weeks at most. In this case, it would be not only possible but plausible for Kion and his friends to be gone that whole time on a mission.

TLG Takes Place In An Alternate Universe

Another possible explanation that some TLK fans have proposed is that TLG is an AU spin-off, meaning that it isn’t bound by the rules of the existing canon. This would negate both of the arguments I presented earlier because SP is part of the canon and an AU can be anything, even if it contradicts the canon. While this theory has some merit, especially given the introduction of new elements like the Roar of the Elders to the Lion King universe, it seems that the creators of TLG tried awfully hard to fit it into the existing canon. Both the fact that Scar’s story is intertwined with that of the Guard and the fact that Kiara is still a character suggest to me that they are going to try to integrate it into what already exists in the Lion King universe. That said, I would caution my readers not to dismiss TLG as an AU (at least not yet).

What do you think? Let me know in the comments!