Yess Queen Rani and Kion!! I think their relationship was handled really well - how their friendship and love grew gradually and, like you wrote on Twitter, Leor, how they never actually
said "I love you", but it was really clear that they meant it <3 And it was a perfect ending for Kion's Guard. The show hinted just enough at them being needed at the Tree of Life throughout the season for that decision to be a really satisfying end. I guess that was the main purpose of the villains, to show that there was a threat, even though I agree that they felt pretty lame otherwise :P
I have to talk about episode 15... Oh man, my favourite episode by a mile <3 I was surprised at the "content warning" at the start, but for a Disney Jr. show I get why it was a good idea to put it there. I thought it was an emotional but very beautiful episode, and
that scene really tugged on my heartstrings. It felt very mature for TLG and I guess that shows how far they've come. Perhaps they've been able to write more mature content as their audience has aged. Also the final shot of Rani is now my desktop background and I'm not even sorry
Now, for my worst gripe... I just can't get over how there was even a contest for who was the "true" Lion Guard. There was never a question of Kion & Co not coming back, was there? They never stopped being the Lion Guard. Having Vitani and her lionesses as stand-ins while Kion was gone is fair enough, but how did
everyone just stand back and accept the competition after they returned? After everything Kion and the others did for the Pridelands? How could Vitani think they'd still be keeping the job after the
actual Lion Guard returned? Vitani is the sister of Kovu, the future prince consort (not king...), but Kion is the son of Simba and Nala, i.e the actual royal family and current monarchs?? I just... what!? That part of the episode really threw me off, especially after I feel like they've taken care to be pretty rational in the rest of the series. I did really like that Vitani became the new leader of the new Lion Guard - it's perfect for her - but I'm not at all happy with the way they went about it... like you guys said, it felt rushed. I also find it amusing that they've completely ignored Vitani's adult design from the film and just aged up her cub appearance xD Goes to show how confusing her design is, haha!
And I agree that Bunga was extra annoying this season. He's not developed or changed at all, though I thought it was cute that he got a "girlfriend" too :P As for Kion, he definitely needed this journey to be interesting as a character again. I agree Kion was just too perfect, and I think I've complained about that somewhere else here too... xD In this season I really felt for him and rooted for him through his struggle. I'm glad they continued to play on the Scar connection, even though there is a ridiculous amount of TLK canon characters with scars over their eyes now xP
Also I don't think the Tree of Life is in Africa - they've met all sorts of Asian animals on their journey (red pandas, snow leopard, snow monkeys, Komodo dragons, binturong, tigers, etc etc), so I guess they moved to a new continent and the Night Pride are Asiatic lions
All in all I'm super happy with this season, they really did a great job <3
Thanks: 
