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Do you see what I see now, Zito? Every life is precious, not just a life in our herd. I get you don’t like receiving help from the Lion Guard. Yet, don’t you think we should repay the debt to them after all they’ve sacrificed just to protect us? Don’t let everything you know go to waste because of your arrogance.
―Ma Tembo to Zito

Ma Tembo is a female elephant. She is the daughter of Itanya and Aminifu, the mate of Zito, the mother of Zigo and Mtoto, and the leader of her herd.

She is a minor character in Legends of the Lion Guard.

Appearance[]

Ma Tembo's coat is gray while her underbelly is paler in color. Her eyes are blue.

Personality[]

Ma Tembo is much like her father, Aminifu, in the sense that she is always game for a laugh. She is joyous, confident, and also very much willing to help out for a good cause. A determined leader, she is dead set on contribution and upholding tradition; even if things don't go to plan, she will find ways to make everything work. She puts other lives above her own and heavily values teamwork, something which her mate does not entirely share at times. Ma Tembo is wise with her age, capable of standing her own ground and forming peace in the middle of a war. She has little tolerance for misbehavior, snide remarks, and allies around her not being useful and can be very short-tempered when she is tested.

History[]

Legends of the Lion Guard: Protectors of the Pride Lands[]

A Celebration in the Pride Lands[]

Ma Tembo attends the Kupatana celebration.

The Pride Lands Games[]

Ma Tembo attends the Pride Lands Games.

Kion and Nguruma's Birthday[]

Ma Tembo attends Kion and Nguruma's birthday celebration.

Wildfire Emergency[]

When searching for help, Anga notices Ma Tembo's Herd in Kilio Valley. She informs Ono of her findings, and they immediately fly to Kilio Valley, approaching Ma Tembo. Seeing their state, she asks what's going on worriedly, and Ono desperately clarifies that Poromoko Crevasse is on fire and that animals and habitats will be lost should the fires spread any further. Zito huffs that there has been no lightning to cause a fire, much to Anga and Ono's ire. Zito adds that it's the Lion Guard's responsibility to protect them, refusing to help unless it's Royal Family business. Ma Tembo slaps him on the side of his haunch with her tail, telling him that they help all Pride Landers - as her father once said, a threat to the Pride Lands is a threat to the Pride Landers. Feeling sympathy for the avians, Ma Tembo promises to help them, honored to assist. Zito opens his mouth to protest, but she lashes her tail against his side again, affirming that this is an order; either he comes and helps or stays at Kilio Valley by himself. The elephants take off, and reluctantly, Zito follows. Upon arriving at Poromoko Crevasse, Ma Tembo instructs everyone to get moving and waste no time, and swiftly, the elephants, Anga, and Ono diminish the flames. Ma Tembo praises the teamwork, but noticing that Zito isn't helping, she barks at him to help or let the fire destroy everything around him. He mutters that he's only doing this for her, spraying sand onto the wildfires.

Eventually, the Poromoko Crevasse fires are put out, and Ma Tembo gives more praise to everyone. Ono informs her that there's still raging fires in Chakula Plains and Mbali Fields, to which Ma Tembo promises to assist and put them out. She silences Zito from complaining, prohibiting him from arguing any further and asserting that they will help the Pride Landers, who are their family. Soon, Ma Tembo's Herd arrives at Chakula Plains, and Kion shouts for their help. They return to work, dousing the flames with dust and water and extinguishing them. Ma Tembo squirts water onto fires near Kion and Mhina, whispering that everything will be okay; shortly after, the wildfires are fully put out. Kion reminds Ma Tembo that the fire at Mbali Fields is still burning, and soothing him, she reassures him that they'll extinguish it and that he won't be alone. Just then, Kion passes out on top of an already-unconscious Mhina, and Ma Tembo assures Nadif that neither are dead, only exhausted. She lifts them onto her back, ordering everyone to take care of the immobile animals - lives are at stake. Bunga echoes the elephant, and Jasiri smiles gratefully at her, also exhausted. Ma Tembo offers her a ride, which she accepts, and she is lifted onto her back. Instructing everyone to move, she leads the animals to Mbali Fields.

After arriving, Ma Tembo guides the unconscious animals to the den belonging to Fila's Coalition. Fuli rushes up to her, frantically informing her of her injured siblings and lost parents, and Ma Tembo vows that everything will be okay. She turns to the elephants, ordering three to make fire breaks, another three to spray water and sand, and the rest to help additional animals. Everyone begins to combat the fires, pleasing Ma Tembo, but she becomes infuriated when she sees Zito refusing to help once again. She snarls at him to help or go home, and he snorts that no one is in danger and he might as well leave. Whipping him on the head with her trunk, Ma Tembo angrily inquires if he has even been cognizant fighthing these wildfires and seeing the damage, reminding him that animals are in danger and that his behavior is not fit of a Pride Lander. Zito attempts to protest, but she retorts that while he may not agree with her view about the Circle of Life, he did help the Pride Landers fight Scar. He points out that he only did because the entire Pride Lands was in danger, though Ma Tembo asks what he thinks will happen if he doesn't help the other animals. This is different from their last major battle; they are not fighting a threat that could wipe out all of Africa, but still a traumatizing threat to all animals, such as Fuli. She questions why he'd sit around and watch everyone suffer, and slowly, Zito realizes that she is right. He recalls how he contrasted Ma Tembo's personality, thinking of his family and coming to see that he has been awful.

Ma Tembo asks if he sees what she does now, stating that every life is precious, not just lives in their herd. She encourages him to help repay the debt they owe to the Lion Guard, urging him not to waste everything because of his arrogance. Zito surveys the field, seeing the Lion Guard and Fuli's battered family, finally gaining sympathy. He apologizes, vowing to make up for this one day, but choosing to take a small step for the greater good. He joins Johari, extinguishing flames with dirt, and Johari praises him for coming around, to which he tells him not to tease him. Once the fires are put out, Zito awkwardly apologizes for wasting valuable seconds and viewing other animals' lives as inferior, promising to engage in his service as a Pride Lander and become a better elephant. Ma Tembo, curling her trunk around his, affirms him and says that he'll be regarded well someday. After Kion wakes up, Makini informs him that Ma Tembo's Herd put out the wildfires, and Ma Tembo soon approaches him and Mhina, asking if they're alright and finding them adorable. Both confirm that they're fine, and she reports that Rafiki and Mlinzi are almost finished treating injuries. Bunga asks where the stranded animals will stay, making Ma Tembo immediately offer shelter in Kilio Valley. Nadif graciously accepts, as does the rest of his group.

The Likizo ya Mvua Celebration[]

Babysitters of the Day[]

The Ultimate Lion Guard Day[]

Legends of the Lion Guard: Battle for the Pride Lands[]

Ma Tembo asks what the evil is at Pride Rock. A short time after, Ma Tembo, alongside Makuu demonstrate a battle move called the reverse reverse trunk whip at Ukuni Woods; Ma Tembo picks up a tree branch with her trunk and flings it some distance away. Impressed, Makuu and Kion praise her, and she fills with pride. When Ono reports of two attacks, Ma Tembo steps forward, asking Kion where he needs her and the other Pride Landers. He assigns her and Makuu to head with him and Beshte to the watering hole, and when they arrive, find Reth's Pride attemping to drown Frerin and cornering Nguruma and Makini. Slash drags Nguruma into the water, and Ma Tembo steps in, seeing that he is struggling. She grabs the attention of Slash, commenting that she looks parched and spraying water into her eyes. While she is blinded, Ma Tembo picks up Nguruma with her trunk, and takes him back to the shore, setting him down and reassuring him that he's okay now. As Kion and Makini look over Nguruma, Ma Tembo remarks that there is some vilains that must be dealt with, and she and Makuu confront Reth and his pride.

She sucks up dust in her trunk, pointing it at the lions, and they scramble back to the Outlands. Ma Tembo then returns to Nguruma's side, grasping him with her trunk and placing him onto her back. Beshte nudges Makini, and she climbs onto her back as well. They head back to Pride Rock, and Ma Tembo kneels down, allowing Fuli and Makini to settle Nguruma into a mossy nest. When Scar commences his war on the Pride Lands, Ma Tembo is one of the many animals gathered at the base of Pride Rock. She and her herd head to Kilio Valley to help Kion and Mhina, and Kion tells them to spray water and dirt on the flames to extinguish them. During the final battle for the Pride Lands, Ma Tembo smashes into Reirei and sends her bowling into Goigoi, Nduli, and Tamka. When the Lion Guard returns from defeating Scar in the caldera, Ma Tembo proclaims that they're okay.

Legends of the Lion Guard: The Dark Prophecy[]

Ma Tembo is one of the many animals gathered at Pride Rock when the Lion Guard departs for the Tree of Life.

Family[]

Trivia[]

  • After the passing of her father, she attained leadership of his herd.
  • She has a close relationship with Kion.
  • Ma Tembo was voiced by Lynette DuPree until the actress' death in February 2023. Currently, she is voiced by Paula Jai Parker.
    • Oddly enough, a character in Av's series (Mrs. Hawkins) was also voiced by DuPree and subsequently recasted as Parker as well.
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