Makini is a female mandrill who appears in The Lion Guard. She is Rafiki's young apprentice, set to succeed him as Royal Mjuzi of the Pride Lands once Kiara becomes queen.
Beginning in Season 3, Makini serves as a helper to Kion to give him Tuliza to help Kion control the Roar of the Elders due to the venom caused by Ushari during the final battle when Scar was being defeated until when the Lion Guard arrives at the Tree of Life to be helped by Queen Janna until her death.
Background[]
Physical appearance[]
Makini is a young, dainty mandrill with grey fur covering her body with a pale gray underbelly. Toward her hands and feet are bands of dark brown fur, which are longer near her hands. This same brown fur collars her neck. Atop her head is a slightly lighter yet still dark brown fur. Her hands, feet, and muzzle are pink. Her face is grey which rims around the eyes, with blue stripes settling just underneath. On her nose and reaching toward her forehead is a large magenta 'stripe', which ends just before her eyebrows. Her eyes are olive green. Her teeth, whilst petite, are sharp.
She possesses a staff just like her mentor, but hers is adorned with various flowers of different colors, a leaf and two yellow gourds, one large and one small. She loses it after Ushari takes it and throws it on the volcano in Janja's lair.
Role in the series[]
The Lion Guard: The Rise of Scar[]
She was hiding in a bush, secretly watching Kion talking to his grandfather Mufasa; then she makes herself known to the lion cub, amazed at his ability. She also tells him that she is in training to be the next Royal Mjuzi under her mentor Rafiki.
"Rafiki's New Neighbors"[]
When Chama, Mzaha, and Furaha move into Rafiki's tree, Makini says that they seem friendly and wants them to live there. Makini is also preparing for her painting ceremony for the Royal family.
"The Ukumbusho Tradition"[]
Makini is asked to paint the elephant's sunburst on their heads, Ma Tembo soon finds out that the Lion Guard doesn't look like lions so Makini decides to paint them yellow. Soon while painting Zito's sunburst, Makini runs out of yellow paint and moves bee's from flowers so she can get more paint. During the celebration, the bees come to attack the elephants and the elephants act all crazy. When the bees are gone, Makini apologizes and the elephants start a new tradition for the show.
"The Bite of Kenge"[]
Kenge bites Kion, Beshte and Fuli's leg Makini comes to help them.
"Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas"[]
Rafiki tells Makini the story on how Timon and Pumbaa brought Christmas in the Pride Lands.
"The Scorpion's Sting"[]
After a vicious scorpion named "Sumu" stings Simba nearly resulting in his death, the Guard must go to the Outlands to get volcanic ash. The ash will get help Simba to feel better when they get the ash they meet Scar and his army. The army attacks them but Kion uses his roar to defeat them.
"The Wisdom of Kongwe"[]
Makini and Fuli go find Kongwe the oldest and wisest animal in the Pride Lands. On their journey, they run into Makucha, to which Fuli was able to defeat the leopard by following Kongwe's advice.
"The Fall of Mizimu Grove"[]
Makini plants her Mpando Mpaya in Mizimu Grove but the Army of Scar crashes the party.
"Battle for the Pride Lands"[]
Makini is one of the Pride Animals who participates in the battle against Scar to which the battle was successful. After the battle, Rafiki lets Makini go with the Lion Guard to the Tree of Life as there is no cure for his scar in the Pride Lands.
"Marsh of Mystery"[]
Makini and Ono work together to find the rest of the Lion Guard after getting lost in a cavern to which they are able to find their ways out by emerging above ground where they meet up with the Guard.
"Dragon Island"[]
Makini, Ono, and Anga work together to find Tuliza for Kion and the Moja Kwa Moja Stone on the island while fending off Ora and the Komodo dragons and bringing a dolphin named Lumba-Lumba back to the ocean.
"Journey of Memories"[]
Makini remembers what her mother Fikiri says, "As you move forward, don't forget to look back" during the Guard's trip to the Tree of Life.
The Race to Tuliza[]
Makini and the rest of the Guard relax at sea while dealing with noisy flamingos disturbing Kion to which Fuli and Azaad were able to find Tuliza for him so that he doesn't scare away the flamingos to which Kion was able to leave the flamingos alone.
"Mama Binturong"[]
After her staff was stolen by Mama Binturong and her porcupines, Bunga decides to retrieve it back to Makini to which he was able to do so.
The River of Patience[]
The Lion Guard finally makes their way to the Tree of Life where they meet Rani's grandmother Queen Janna. Kion tells Janna that he and Ono have come to be healed. Seeing that they have the Mark of the Guard Janna knows that they're from the Pride Lands and Rafiki sends them. Janna soon asks Nirmala to take a look at Kion and Ono. Janna explains that while healing Ono will be simple, with his remedy being ready in a few days, Kion's ailments will take both time and patience. Wanting to start right away, Kion is led away by Nirmala to begin his healing. While the rest of the guard goes on a tour with Rani Janna asks Makini to stay. surprised that the Queen recognized her, Makini begins talking about her last visit to the Tree of Life. Remembering the Tree as the place where Rafiki started her training. Janna tells Makini they would like to continue her training here, Janna shows Makini a painting depicting Askari discovering the Roar of the Elders for the first time. Remarking it's been a while since she's had a Royal Mjuzi with her, and Makini gets a replacement of her missing staff from Queen Janna (minus the gourd carrying Tuliza).
Long Live the Queen[]
Makini feels worried that Queen Janna has passed away and attends her funeral at the Willows as a tradition. Later, at sunset, she declares Rani the new Queen of the Tree of Life.
"Journey to the Pride Lands"[]
When Janja and Jasiri come to tell the Lion Guard that Zira is back, the Guard decides to go back home. However, Makini decides to stay at the Tree of Life with Rani as her Royal Mjuzi. They all say goodbye and Rani hopes for the Roar to return someday.
"Return to the Pride Lands"[]
Makini presents Kion at his coronation when he becomes king of the Tree of Life as the new king marries Rani.
Relationships[]
Family[]
Fikiri and Kitendo[]
Makini has had a very close relationship with her parents ever since she was born. They play together a lot on Makini's first trip to the Tree of Life. When Kion becomes king of the Tree of Life, Fikiri and Kitendo are proud of Makini because she is now a Royal Mjuzi, and she hugs her parents.
Friends[]
Rafiki[]
They have first met at the Tree of Life because the Great Lions of the Past tell him that Makini would be the next Royal Mjuzi for the Pride Lands (though in Season 3 she becomes Royal Mjuzi of the Tree of Life instead of the Pride Lands). Rafiki acts as a teacher for Makini. He teaches her how to be a good Royal Mjuzi. As Makini learns more and more about the Royal Mjuzi's responsibilities, Rafiki grows more proud of her. Rafiki lets Makini go to the Tree of Life with the Lion Guard and is proud to see her as a Royal Mjuzi when Kion becomes king of the Tree of Life.
Kion[]
Kion and Makini first met after Kion was talking to Mufasa at the beginning of the dry season. They later work together on many missions, such as getting the volcanic ash needed to cure Simba from a scorpion sting. The mandrill even comes with him to the Tree of Life. Unfortunately, because Kion was scarred by Ushari, he has been hostile toward her on their way to the Tree of Life. Despite this they are still very close friends. In fact, Makini even becomes Kion's Royal Mjuzi when he marries Rani and becomes king of the Tree of Life.
Fuli[]
Of all of the members of Kion's Lion Guard, Makini admires Fuli the most because she is the first female to ever join the Lion Guard. Even though Fuli gets annoyed with Makini at times, she still values her as a close friend. One day, when they take a tour to the Back Lands with Kongwe, Fuli stands up for her when Makucha attacks her.
Kiara[]
Makini admires Kiara a lot. She was originally going to be Kiara's Royal Mjuzi (if Makini still lived in the Pride Lands, she would have become Kiara and Kovu's Royal Mjuzi). Makini and Kiara look for water in the middle of the Pride Lands. Makini tries to help Kiara when they are attacked by hyenas, but could not.
Ono[]
Makini and Ono's relationship really develops for the better in Marsh of Mystery when both of them get lost because Makini chased some marsh lights. Ono is initially upset with Makini because she got them lost, but once they learn to work together, they get out of the underground caves of the Marsh. Also, on the way to the Tree of Life, Makini protects Ono whenever he is in dangers, such as when Makucha attacked their friends.
Timon and Pumbaa[]
Makini was interested for Rafiki to tell her about how Timon and Pumbaa brought Christmas to the Pride Lands. Makini also watches the Ukumbusho performance with Timon and Pumbaa. She later asks them to put on a show for her Mpando Mpaya to cheer all of the Pride landers up and they agree to do so. Makini then presumably watches Timon and Pumbaa perform Tujiinue in Mizimu Grove.
Rani[]
When Makini comes to the Tree of Life she continues her Royal Mjuzi training. After Queen Janna completes her journey through the Circle of Life, Makini becomes Rani's Royal Mjuzi. In "Journey to the Pride Lands" she tells Kion that she needs to stay with Rani.
Acquaintances[]
Baliyo, Surak and Nirmala[]
Makini is on good terms with the rest of the Night Pride.
Janna[]
When Makini was little she comes to the Tree of Life to meet Rafiki. Janna is their in the background and watches her. When she comes to the Tree of Life in "The River of Patience" Janna says that she remembers Makini. She even continues her Royal Mjuzi training.
Kongwe
Makini and Kongwe are on good terms. Makini helps bring Kongwe to Pride Rock.
Enemies[]
Ushari[]
Ushari asks Makini if there is a way to talk to Scar. This tricks Makini into asking Rafiki about the bad lions of the past, such as Scar. When Ushari listens to Makini and Rafiki's conversation about a way to talk to the villainous lions of the past, such as Scar, Ushari overhears that a bakora staff and a scheme to make Kion use the Roar of the Elders in anger would revive Scar. Ushari later attempts to kill Makini and her friends before they can cure Simba from the scorpion sting.
Scar[]
Makini is scared of Scar because of all the bad things he has done, such as killing Mufasa and destroying the Pride Lands. When Scar orders his army to kill her and her friends before they can cure Simba from the scorpion sting, Makini comments that Scar has a lot of friends (in this case, they would be his minions, not his friends). Makini sees Scar again in a fire at Mizimu Grove.
Makucha[]
In "The Wisdom of Kongwe", Makucha attacks her and Kongwe when they first met. Fuli stands up for them and Makucha runs away. Makucha attempts to attack her again when she and the Lion Guard are passing through his territory in the Back Lands.
In "The Harmattan", Makucha later kidnaps Makini to attempts to get her to guide him to the Tree of Life during the Harmattan, so that he can eat rare animals. Makucha then swears vengeance on the mandrill and her friends.
In "The Triumph of the Roar", Makucha and Ora later trap her, Nirmala, Surak, and Baliyo in the Tree of Life until Kion frees them with the Roar of the Elders.
Trivia[]
- Makini was first seen in early January 2017, on a French sticker album due for release in March 2017. The image of Makini was removed before release, but several months later, the same image was used on a bucket in Poland. On June 27th 2017, a plush toy of Makini was released, despite her lack of appearances in the show itself. This makes Makini the first character in the series to have merchandise available ahead of her official debut.
- Makini means "calm", "quietly," or "careful" in Swahili, though ironically she is the exact opposite and is rather energetic and talkative.
- She is one of the few guest characters with a major role in The Lion Guard (she is a major character in Season 2, Scar is the main antagonist of that season). The others Jasiri, Makuu, Scar, and Ushari (Makuu was a major antagonist of Season 1 and Ushari is a major villain in Season 2).
- A running gag in the series is that Makini repeatedly loses her bakora staff: either broken, or in fire.
- Unlike Rafiki, Makini’s appearance is close to resembling a mandrill in real life; her tail, especially, is an actual mandrill’s tail design.
- In Season 3, she becomes the Royal Mjuzi to King Kion and Queen Rani.
Gallery[]
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