Summary: Beshte tries to help Hodari, a tiny gecko who wants to be a crocodile.
This episode contains examples of:
- Actually Pretty Funny: While the other crocodiles in Makuu's float don't exactly agree with Hodari being in their float either, they do get drawn into his song.
- An Aesop:
- Always know who your true friends are. Just because someone act like your friends doesn't mean they are friends.
- Do not judge by size or appearance. Personality matters.
- Strength may be great to have, but it doesn't mean much if you don't have the intelligence to execute it wisely.
- But for Me, It Was Tuesday: When it was mentioned to Makuu that Hodari was with Kiburi, he doesn't recall him even though he laughed at him just a while ago. When he's reminded who he is, Makuu nonchalantly exclaims that Hodari is very much a goner if he's with crocodiles.
- Chekhov's Gun: Hodari annoys Makuu by hopping onto his snout, and he later distracts Kiburi by jumping onto the croc's snout and hanging on for dear life. Kiburi also tries to dismiss Hodari by tail-slapping him, but Hodari turns that same move against him when intervenes in the Outlander's fight with Makuu.
- Chekhov's Skill: Hodari's ability to stick onto surfaces and larger animals. He jumps and hangs onto Kiburi's snout, making it hard for the croc to shake him off, which distracts him as Makuu defeats him.
- Contrived Coincidence: After getting into a really awkward situation with Makuu, The Lion Guard manages to narrowly escape this with the arrival of a Buffalo stampede a minute later. Had that stampede not happened, their interaction would've been really different otherwise.
- Darker and Edgier: The final battle is even more brutal than previous ones. During which Kion knocks out Tamka by slashing him with his claws (there are no marks, though, but that maybe because Tamka has armored skin).
- David Versus Goliath: What's a tiny lizard like Hodari to do against a large, ruthless crocodile? Why using his wits, of course.
- Determinator: Not even a bungled-up limb is going to ruin Makuu's day.
- The Dog Bites Back: Kiburi rather painfully tail slaps away Hodari just for scolding him for attacking Makuu. Hodari repays that by distracting Kiburi and directing Makuu to defeat the Outlander with a tail slap of his own.
- Easily Forgiven: Hodari is quite surprised Beshte still considers him as his friend, even though he turned on him and the Guard for Kiburi's float earlier. Makuu doesn't seem too upset that Hodari sold him out to Kiburi, because any animal who joins a crocodile float would've met the same fate.
- Expecting Someone Taller: While the audience already knows what Hodari looks like, Kiburi automatically assumed the recruit Njano spoke of was a crocodile, but was he wrong as ever.
- Failed a Spot Check: While Hodari was singing and walking upside down on a fairly narrow branch, he failed to notice Shupavu and Njano spying on him.
- False Friend: Kiburi's float takes advantage of Hodari after he is rejected by Makuu.
- Faux Affably Evil: Shupavu and Njano are at it again, this time by acting nicely towards Hodari so they can lead him to Kiburi's float. Likewise, Kiburi's float act like friends to Hodari so they can get revenge against Makuu.
- Heroic Second Wind: When Kiburi has Makuu at his mercy, Hodari leaps onto Kiburi's snout to distract him, allowing Makuu to throw the evil Outlander croc off of him and Tail Slap him away.
- History Repeats:
- Like in "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie", one of Makuu's antagonistic deeds from the first season echoes back against him in this episode; in this case, it's trying to attack Basi when he's injured and vulnerable in "Beshte And The Hippo Lanes". Kiburi tries to use Makuu's wounded leg against him to kill him and take control of his float's watering hole, and nearly succeeds if not for Hodari's interference.
- Similarly, Makuu ends up commending a much smaller animal for his bravery, just like how Pua did long ago as shown in "The Morning Report".
- I'm Okay!: Despite a serious leg injury, Makuu still insists on defending his watering hole from Kiburi.
- It's All My Fault: Hodari says this after Kiburi double-crosses him and beats up Makuu.
- "I Want" Song: "Give a Little Guy a Chance", sung by Hodari.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While Makuu laughing at Hodari's initial attempt in joining his float was rather harsh, he is right about the gecko being too small which would risk getting crushed by the much larger crocodiles. If anything, he was warning Hodari.
- Kick the Dog: Makuu response to Hodari's request in joining his float is to laugh at him and bluntly point out how ridiculous the idea would be, though that is more of a lack of tact combined with a warning attempt—something Hodari didn't take. That said, even he doesn't approve of Kiburi batting Hodari away just for explaining to him the "crocodile way", which leads to Hodari finally realizing that Beshte was right about Kiburi and his float being evil.
- Malicious Misnaming: Tamka tauntingly calls Kion "Lion Cub" after ramming into him to stop him from saving Makuu, to mock both the Lion Guard's title and Kion for his young age.
- Musicalis Interruptus: Unlike Makuu, Kiburi doesn't take the time to listen to Hodari's "I Want" Song and cuts him off when he starts.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Hodari when he discovers Kiburi's true colors and realizes he gave away information on defeating Makuu's float, not to mention he broke his friendship with Beshte for Kiburi's float.
- Never Trust a Trailer: The summary says Beshte meets and befriends Hodari, when the episode shows they already know each other and have been friends for some time.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: When Beshte warns Hodari not to join Kiburi's float, Hodari assumes Beshte is telling him he is wrong for trying to achieve his dream and leaves him. Their friendship is restored during the final battle when Beshte checks up on Hodari to see if he's hurt and still calls him his buddy, to Hodari's surprise.
- Proud Warrior Race Guy: Makuu takes the crocodile way to it's fullest, that fighting is the only way to survive, and anyone who isn't much of a fighter is nothing more than dead weight to him. This episode demonstrates how problematic it is; Makuu's idea of improving his crocodiles is merely trial and error sparring. Later on, he came to realize that having some brains can go a long way in their survival. Hodari's intelligence helped Makuu improvise while injured.
- Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Kiburi and his float are back, and they're as nasty and ornery as ever. The skinks, allies with Kiburi's float, also remain being sneaky and manipulative. Hodari on the other hand? Not even close.
- The Reveal: This episode reveals the yellow skink's name to be Njano (Swahili for "yellow").
- Social Darwinist: Makuu makes it clear his float is not a place for the weak and puny, so he castigates Hodari and tells him to scram if he knows what's good for him. While Kiburi also sneers at Hodari because he was Expecting Someone Taller, he was more willing to humor him because the skinks tell him he has the means to defeat Makuu and invade the Pride Lands.
- Tail Slap: Kiburi gives Hodari a painful-looking one after betraying him. Hodari repays him in full minutes later by distracting him and telling Makuu how he can end the croc fight with another powerful tail-whip.
- Unskilled, but Strong: While Makuu's float is always trying to improve themselves through sparring, Kiburi's float is all about crushing enemies with sheer force, with little in the way of strategy. Of course, it took the brains of Hodari to compensate for that.
- Unwitting Pawn: Hodari's extensive knowledge of new fighting techniques used by Makuu's float gives Kiburi and his float an advantage when they challenge the former group.
- Worf Had the Flu: Makuu barely had trouble defeating Kiburi during their mashindano. Here, he gets a hurt leg from a rockslide which allows Kiburi to nearly kill him had it not been for Hodari's interference.
- Wounded Hero, Weaker Helper: Makuu wasn't in top shape with one wounded limb. Hodari, who was smart but tiny and inexperienced, steps in and teaches Makuu to be a little clever in this situation.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: According to Makuu, any animal who joins a crocodile float would meet this fate anyways, no matter how loyal they think they are. Hodari certainly found this out the hard way when Kiburi turns on him.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: This is Makuu and his crocodiles' reaction to Hodari wanting to join them. In their defense, Hodari was wasting their precious time.
