Summary: When Nala takes Kion and Kiara on a journey, Simba takes charge of the Lion Guard.
This episode contains examples of:
- Damsel in Distress: Nala deilberatly invokes this trope to test Kiara and Kion's bond, feigning as though she is in danger.
- Foreshadowing: Simba mentions that he never went on the Udugu trial himself when he was a cub. While that could be construed as him being forced out of the Pride Lands before he was old enough, it's made clear at the end of the episode that the task is meant for siblings, and since Simba was an only child, he wasn't eligible for it.
- It's the Journey That Counts: Emphasized by the fact that there isn't a destination in a physical sense. "Udugu" isn't a place; it's a strong bond between siblings.
- Leader Wannabe: Simba comes off as this during his time leading the Guard. He simply instructs the Guard to "Stick together and follow [his] lead", and expects them to do as he does, without considering their own individual skills.
- Leeroy Jenkins: Whenever there's an emergency, Simba rushes off into the thick of it. This backfires when he ends up scaring the easily-spooked gazelles.
- Major Injury Underreaction: Cats' tails are pretty sensitive, but Simba merely treats his tail being crushed under a boulder with mild annoyance.
- Meaningful Name: "Udugu" means "brotherhood" or "kinship" in Swahili. Sure enough, Kion and Kiara strengthen their sibling bond by working together to find their mother (which was the point of the journey all along).
- Mythology Gag: During Bunga's song, "When You're Running With The King", he is seen riding an ostrich, just as Simba himself did in "Can't Wait To Be King".
- During the song, Simba is also seen relaxing in a hot tub powered by elephants. This is reminiscent of a scene in Lion King 1 1/2, except the bath was powered by Pumbaa's gas.
- Right Behind Me: The camera reveals Simba is standing right behind Bunga just after he finishes his song about his naïve ideas for the kingship.
- Rite of Passage: Siblings of the royal family embark on the journey to Udugu, which involves a trial that tests their strength as siblings.
- Secret Test of Character: Nala makes herself disappear as part of the cubs' journey to Udugu, and they have to find out what happened to her.
- Sibling Rivalry: Kion and Kiara enter into this again, though it is more lighthearted, with the two play-fighting over who is better. It gets a little more mean-spirited when they argue over who can reach Udugu first, but they put that aside to "save" Nala.
