Summary: The dry season has started and Kion and the Lion Guard have to help Ma Tembo and her herd to find a new water source. Meanwhile, Janja and the hyenas plot to use Kion's Roar to summon the Pride Lands' greatest villain, Scar.
This episode contains examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: This special is more of a Villain Episode for Janja, Ushari, The Hyenas and most importantly...Scar!
- Advertised Extra: Scar, who doesn't show up until the very end to say one line, although he goes on to become the Big Bad of Season Two.
- Aesop Amnesia: In Never Roar Again, Kion learned that he must control his anger in order to avoid unleashing the Roar's raw power. Not only does he let his anger get to him again, he also summons Scar this time around. To be fair, he had it under control until Janja threatened his family.
- An Aesop: Being a leader is mostly about making tough decisions.
- The Apprentice: Makini is this to Rafiki.
- The Bad Guys Win: The entire special is about Janja and Ushari plotting to summon Scar's spirit.
- Bittersweet Ending: Kiara has been saved, Kion apologizes for letting his anger get the better of him, and Ma Tembo's herd has discovered a water source for the Pride Lands, but Janja and Ushari have succeeded in bringing back Scar.
- Blackmail: When Ushari learns that Kion can speak with Mufasa, he initially considers using the information as leverage to force the Lion Guard (and by extension, the rest of the Pride lands) to treat him with more respect.
- Bullying a Dragon: Janja's clan attacking an elephant herd, which is lampshaded by Fuli. Justified as the Outlands is running out of food due to the dry season (though their gluttony might have also contributed to their misfortune).
- The Bus Came Back:
- While Scar has made cameo appearances in the sequel films and alluded to in cave paintings throughout the series, this is the first time since the original movie where he plays a major role as the antagonist.
- Nne and Tano also make their return since "Janja's New Crew". And they're back on Janja's side.
- Ushari makes his return since "The Lost Gorillas". And he joins forces with Janja and his clan.
- By the Eyes of the Blind: Only Kion can see and hear Mufasa's spirit and interact with him. When Makini watches, all she sees is pulsing and blowing clouds.
- Call-Back:
- Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his staff, as he did in The Lion King (1994).
- Janja says that he and his clan would get rid of those closest to Kion, which happens to reference The Lion Guard Return Of The Roar 2015, where Chungu and Cheezi try to deliver Bunga to Janja and "Never Roar Again", where Janja and his clan attempted to attack Nala after Kion and the rest of the guard saved a herd of gazelles from Janja and his clan.
- Cerebus Syndrome: This episode marks the shift from a hero comedy to a serialized action-adventure, as the start of the overarching plotline featuring Scar's plot.
- Cliffhanger: The episode concludes with the Lion Guard and the rest of the Pride Lands left unaware that Ushari and the hyenas have managed to summon Scar. They don't even know that Ushari has turned on them.
- Comically Missing the Point: So the Guard has just rescued Kiara and Kion is facing down Janja. What do the remaining hyenas do? Take Kiara's place in their makeshift prison and resume singing.
- Continuity Nod:
- Chungu mentions the first time he and Cheezi witnessed the Roar when they tried to eat Bunga in "Return of the Roar". And then Cheezi mentions that Kion previously used the Roar in anger when he and the other hyenas attacked Nala in "Never Roar Again".
- Tiifu and Zuri protest against the idea of Makini going with Kiara to help the elephants find water, claiming that they are Kiara's "royal advisors", a position they gave themselves during Kiara's temporary stint as ruler of the Pride Lands in "Can't Wait to be Queen".
- This isn't the first time Ushari was mistaken for a stick by a primate.
- Development Gag: Ushari making a Face–Heel Turn and seemingly cooperating with Scar may be a reference to early drafts for the original movie, where Scar would have had a snake sidekick (this character was replaced with the hyenas in the final film).
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: Janja's clan, thinking they want him to amuse Kiara, sing "Here Comes The Lion Guard".
- Disproportionate Retribution: Ushari sides with Janja and plots the Lion Guard's downfall, all because bad things usually happen to him whenever they're near.
- Dreadful Musician: Cheezi and Chungu.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Kiburi and two of his float members make a brief appearance during the song "Fujo", before their proper introduction in "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie".
- Easily Forgiven: Despite leaving him for dead in "Janja's New Crew", Janja allowed Nne and Tano back into his clan as they're still working with him, and they're just as much Butt Monkeys as Cheezi and Chungu are.
- Evil Laugh: Scar lets out a truly magnificent one upon being resurrected.
- Exact Words: Janja orders the rest of his clan to guard Kiara and "keep her entertained." Cheezi and Chungu take it literally and begin singing...horribly.
- Face–Heel Turn: Ushari does one and assists the hyenas in communicating with Scar.
- Foreshadowing: When Rafiki is explaining how to talk to the evil lions of the past, one of the cave paintings shows a replica of his staff being thrown into the volcano.
- Freudian Excuse: Ushari's reason for his Face–Heel Turn is that he's tired of bad things happening to him whenever he's near the Guard and he wants the Pride Lands to respect him.
- Friendship Song: "The Path of Honor" is one for Kion and Simba and their bond with each other.
- From a Certain Point of View: Janja believes that Scar died in a fire at Pride Rock. No one knows that Scar was killed by the Hyenas, and assumes he fell to his Disney Death into flames.
- Hope Spot: For a moment, it looks like Janja and Ushari's plan to bring back Scar has failed. Then a frustrated Janja kicks Makini's staff into the lava, which turns out to be the final step needed to complete the ritual.
- Hostage Situation: The hyenas kidnap Kiara to bait Kion into using the Roar of Elders in anger.
- Locked Out of the Loop: Both Ushari and Janja seem to be missing some key information regarding Scar, such as how his rule almost led the Pride Lands to ruin, and that he was an extremely Bad Boss to the hyenas he'd allied himself with.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": The Lion Guard and Janja have this reaction when Kion uses the Roar in anger and accidentally causes the volcano to erupt.
- Motor Mouth: Makini.
- Musicalis Interruptus: Makini's song is interrupted twice during the episode. She does get to finish it during the finale.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Kion is absolutely shocked when he realizes his roar caused the volcano to erupt.
- Non-Standard Character Design: Makini looks more like a real mandrill than Rafiki.
- Power Incontinence: Never Roar Again established that the power of the Roar is not to be taken lightly, as it can cause massive destruction if used out of anger. It's Kion's use of the Roar in a fit of rage that allows Scar to return.
- The Power of Hate: The Roar of the Elders is used in anger once again, with Kion losing control and the doorway to Scar's spirit being opened for return.
- Rage Breaking Point: Janja threatening Kion's family and friends is enough for him to use the Roar out of anger, causing a volcano to erupt lava which opened the door for Scar's return.
- Resurrect the Villain: Janja and Ushari actually manage to do this!
- Rule of Symbolism: Mufasa manifests in the clouds as a heavenly presence, so where does Scar manifest from? A volcano as a demonic shade of fire and lava.
- Saying Too Much: Makini's Motor Mouth tendencies are what allows an eavesdropping Ushari to learn that it is possible to talk to the lions of the past.
- Serious Business: Kiara assumes the singing from the hyenas is meant to torture her. Bunga takes the news as that the Guard has to rescue her immediately.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: The comical Timon and Pumbaa are completely absent from the special, to make the buildup to Scar's appearance more foreboding.
- The Song Before the Storm: "Path of Honor", sung by Kion and Simba just before the hyenas begin their plan to summon Scar.
- Snakes Are Sinister: Ushari allies with Janja's clan and clues them in on how to communicate with Scar.
- So Proud of You: The song "Path of Honor" has this line:Kion: I try to do my best.
Simba: And I'm proud that you're my son! - Special Edition Title: Like “Return Of The Roar”, the theme song does not play and the episode simply begins with the title displayed on screen to an orchestral score. In addition, the titles are not read out loud.
- Spoiler Title: Scar's spirit is summoned. It's right there in the title.
- Stalker Shot: Makini is first introduced spying on Kion from the bushes as he converses with Mufasa's ghost in the clouds.
- Start of Darkness: One for Ushari as he becomes allies with Janja's clan to bring back Scar and overthrow the Lion Guard.
- Tempting Fate: When Kion apologizes to the Guard for using the Roar in anger, he feels better and adds at least nothing bad happened. Guess what happens next...
- Trailers Always Spoil: All trailers and the episode's cable synopsis spoil Kion using the Roar in anger and Scar being risen before the episode aired proper.
- Villain Song: "Bring Back a Legend", sung by the hyenas and Ushari as they plan to resurrect Scar.
- Wham Episode: Ushari has a Face–Heel Turn and is now allied with the hyenas. What's more, Kion using the Roar in a fit of rage causes a volcano to erupt, and that volcano brought Scar back from the dead once Janja threw Makini's stick into it. And the heroes are unaware an old enemy is lurking around the corner.
