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| “ | Oulanders, all rise and follow me! The Pridelands will never know what bit em'! | „ |
| ~ Janja to his followers. |
Janja is the main antagonist of 2015 Disney Channel TV film, The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, and its 2016 follow-up series of the same name, both of which are based on the 1994 film The Lion King. He is the head of a teenage clan of Hyenas in the Outlands, who are descendants of the hyena clan who served Scar. Janja is also the arch-nemesis of Kion, the protagonist of the series.
He is voiced by the Japanese rapper, Andrew Kishino, who also played Doug MacFarland.
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Janja orders his clan members named Cheezi and Chungu to capture a honey badger named Bunga (who had entered the Outlands to get his Baobab fruit back) so he may have him for lunch, but luckily, Prince of the Pride Lands Kion is able to save his friend by unknowingly using The Roar of the Elders (which when used, causes the lions of the Pride Lands past to roar with him) which gives Bunga time to escape Cheezi and Chungu.
Later, Janja is informed by his major-domo Mzingo that Kion is setting up a Lion Guard to protect The Pride Lands. After hearing this, Janja tells his clan that the Lion Guard were legendary and were the most powerful team of lions in the Pride Lands until the previous leader Scar destroyed them (after they refused to help him overthrow his older brother Mufasa). Janja then tells his clan that they will strike the Pride Lands that night before the new Lion Guard is formed by singing "Tonight We Strike".
Janja, Mzingo and the rest of the clan attack the Pride Lands and cause an antelope stampede, scoring several antelope that would've been plenty for them to eat, but aims to kill the rest of the herd. During the chaos, Kion's older sister Kiara gets trapped in the stampede. Luckily, Kion and the Lion Guard are able to lead the antelope away from Kiara and get her to safety.
Kion then uses the Roar of the Elders to drive the hyenas out of the Pride Lands back to the Outlands, but not before Janja swears vengeance.
The Lion Guard
Never Judge a Hyena by Its Spots
Janja along with Cheezi and Chungu are seen attacking a oryx herd, before The Lion Guard arrive. Kion orders the rest of The Lion Guard to calm the herd while he deals with the hyenas. However during the pursuit, Kion falls into a river and is swept into The Outlands when a log snaps under his feet.
Later near the end of the episode, Janja and his clan confront a female hyena named Jasiri (who according to their interactions, has encountered the clan before) who had entered Janja's territory to help Kion get out of The Outlands. Though Jasiri is able to easily fight off Cheezi and Chungu, Janja is able to pin her to the ground. But before he could to kill her, Kion returns and saves her by using The Roar of the Elders to scare Janja and his clan away.
Can't Wait to be Queen
Janja is informed by Mzingo that Kiara has been left in charge of The Pride Lands by Simba and is squabbling with Kion. This gives Janja an idea, so he tells Mzingo to give a message to Kiara.
The message Janja has Mzingo tell Kiara is that he wants a peace offering and asks her to meet Janja at Broken Rock, which is neutral territory between. The Pride Lands and The Outlands.
Kiara decides to meet Janja and goes to Broken Rock, but senses that something is wrong. Just then, Janja, Chungu, Cheezi and the rest of the clan approach her where Janja declares that with Kiara in his grasp, Simba will have no choice but to hand The Pride Lands over to him. The clan circle around Kiara and a couple leap at her. Kiara's agility secures her victory, but this is short lived when Janja pins her down. But before he can attack, Kion arrives, but this doesn't bother Janja as his clan is up 6-2. Just then, the rest of The Lion Guard arrive and join Kion and Kiara, marking the numbers as equal, which causes Janja and his clan to flee.
Eye of the Beholder
Janja and his minions start a stampede in a wildebeest herd, but are chased back into the Outlands by Kion and The Lion Guard, but during the process, Ono gets sand in his eye, temporary losing sight in that eye.
Later, Janja overhears Mzingo and his flock talk about Ono's poor vision and plans with Cheezi and Chungu via singing "Outta the Way", that they will trick The Lion Guard while Ono is out of commission.
After spotting Janja overlooking a zebra herd, The Lion Guard (sans Ono) go out to investigate. They go into a canyon, where they are trapped by Janja, Cheezi and Chungu, who then go to attack the zebras.
Luckily, Ono, despite his injury, arrives and is ordered by Kion to move the zebras while he uses The Roar of the Elders to blast the rocks trapping them. With The Lion Guard back in action, Janja and his minions flee.
The Kupatana Celebration
Janja and his clan make a small appearance in this episode when they chase after a jackal pup named Dogo. But when Kion and The Lion Guard come to Dogo's rescue, Janja learns that The Pride Lands is celebrating Kupatana and allows them to take Dogo, before leaving with his clan.
Fuli's New Family
Janja is being groomed by Chungu just before Cheezi arrives and informs him about Bunga being in the Outlands. Janja and his clan surround Bunga and prepare to attack him, but are stopped by Fuli. Using a piece of broken rock, Bunga and Fuli float downstream in lava whilst being pursued by the hyenas.
Luckily, Kion, Beshte and Ono arrive and stop the hyenas, leaving Janja, Cheezi and Chungu trapped on a burning log with no food.
Follow That Hippo!
Janja sneaks into the Pride Lands with Cheezi and Chungu. Upon seeing Ono flying above, the trio hide in a until he is gone. Chungu loudly compliments Cheezi, but Janja warns them that Ono may hear them.
Later, the trio hear a young elephant named Mtoto and his friends Shauku, Kwato, Kambuni and Gumba chase hyraxes and shout Janja's name. The trio follow the group with Chungu wondering if they are actually chasing the kids, with Janja telling him that they're playing pretend but it's about to get real. Janja, Cheezi and Chungu reveal themselves to the young animals and pursue them. Janja chases Mtoto, who evades him by causing Janja to crash into a boulder. Cheezi and Chungu (having failed to catch the others) approach Janja who decides to go after Mtoto as he is the slowest.
Janja, Cheezi and Chungu corner Mtoto near a river, but Beshte jumps out of the water and gives Mtoto (who can't swim) a ride on his back down the river, with the hyenas in pursuit. Janja and Cheezi wait for the two to pass beneath them, but Mtoto Ducks, causing the two hyenas to knock into each other. After Kion and the rest of the Guard arrive, Janja, Cheezi and Chungu are knocked into the river and are chased away by crocodiles.
The Call of the Drongo
Janja, Cheezi and Chungu are first seen pursing a herd of impalas with Janja calling out they only want to invite them to dinner with the impalas as main course. The Lion Guard arrive with Beshte standing in front of the hyenas, causing them to crash. Janja silences Chungu when he attempts to tell the Guard the joke Janja said. Kion then orders the trio to leave.
The trio then hear Janja telling someone they look tasty and he is going to eat them. Cheezi and Chungu think that Janja said it, but Janja says that he didn't say anything. He discovers a drongo bird named Tamaa impersonating him to scare a mouse. Cheezi manages to grab Tamaa and Janja says that they may not eat him if he helps in his new plan.
Janja instructs Tamaa to impersonate Kion, but Tamaa at first protests (as he had met Kion earlier and was warned not to use his voice for his own benefit), but agrees after Janja threatens him. After Tamaa uses Kion's voice to lure the impalas to the Outlands, the hyenas give chase and Janja declares that dinner is being delivered. Tamaa asks if he can go now, but Janja refuses, as Tamaa may still be useful to him. After he, Cheezi and Chungu lead the impalas to a dead end, Janja is pleased at how easy his plan worked and says that the hyenas are never going to let Tamaa go and beings to stalk the impalas.
However, Janja hears the voices of the Guard, saying that they are surrounded and that they should leave and let the impalas go. At first, Janja is terrified, but notices that Cheezi doesn't have Tamaa. He finds Tamaa and says that the Guard isn't there, before being pinned down by Kion. Janja tries to convince Kion that he, Cheezi and Chungu were trying to help the impalas, but this fails and he, Cheezi and Chungu flee.
Paintings and Predictions
Janja's clan has once again snuck into the Pride Lands, this time to take down a herd of zebras. Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu watch from a hidden location as Ono leads the zebra herd to a safe grazing spot in the Pride Lands. Cheezi and Chungu ask Janja what they are going to do, and Janja replies that after Ono leaves, they will spook the zebras and then they will be theirs for the taking. They then proceed to the song Panic and Run.
After trailing Ono to the grazing ground, Cheezi and Chungu begin to grow impatient. Janja tells them to wait until he says go, but after much confusion, Chungu eventually darts out from behind the rock to chase the zebras and Cheezi follows him. Not wanting to be left by himself, Janja follows after them. Ono spots the hyenas and rushes back to tell the Guard.
When the Lion Guard arrives, Kion tells the members to go after Cheezi and Chungu and leave Janja to him. Kion pursues Janja as he chases a zebra. Kion climbs up on a tree to get a better view on how to best defeat Janja, when suddenly Bunga tackles him, making him fall off the tree directly on top of Janja. Meanwhile, the rest of the Guard has managed to stop Cheezi and Chungu who are now ready to retreat. Janja agrees, and the hyenas scamper away.
The Mbali Fields Migration
Janja, Cheezi and Chungu heard the braying of a newborn zebra (who was born to the zebras's leader Muhimu) and see a small herd of them with Muhimu's gazelle friend Swala (as they along with the other zebras and gazelles were being led through the Outlands to Mbali Fields by The Lion Guard) being guarded by Kion and Bunga.
When Cheezi points out Kion and Bunga's presence, Janja replies that the two will protect the baby, leaving the others unprotected. Whilst Kion and Bunga deal with Cheezi and Chungu, Janja goes for the zebras, but is kicked in the face by Muhimu's son. After this, Janja flees with Cheezi and Chungu, telling Kion that he doesn't like zebras anyway.
Never Roar Again
When Janja and his clan invade the Pride Lands, the Lion Guard drives them back into the Outlands. However, once the Lion Guard departs, Janja leads his clan back into the kingdom, and the Lion Guard rushes back to stop them. Before the team can reach the hyenas, the clan runs into Kion's mother, Queen Nala, who orders Janja to return to his territory.
Instead of heeding Nala's warning, Janja surrounds her with his cronies and orders an attack. Just then, Kion arrives and, seeing his mother in danger, uses the Roar of the Elders in a rage. The blast is so powerful that it knocks the hyenas back into the Outlands.
Janja's New Crew
As the Lion Guard patrols the Pride Lands, Janja watches from afar, waiting for them to leave so that he can attack a herd of wildebeests with Cheezi, Chungu and fellow clan members Nne and Tano. Once the Lion Guard is gone, Janja attempts an attack, but he ends up slipping on mud and landing straight in the Lion Guard's paws. Though Janja tries to cover up his plot, Cheezi and Chungu reveal that they had been planning to attack the wildebeests, and Kion banishes the hyenas with the Roar of the Elders.
Once back home in the Outlands, Janja blames all his failed plans on Cheezi and Chungu. In a fury, he fires them and hires Nne and Tano in their place. He then orders his new henchmen to drive Cheezi and Chungu out of the Outlands, which they proceed to do without delay.
With his new seconds-in-commands listening, Janja attempts to explain that he makes all the plans for the clan, but Nne and Tano interrupt, declaring that they already have a plan. Janja listens in confusion as the two explain their plot: they will bait the Lion Guard with a herd of stampeding antelope and then switch direction to attack a herd of oryxes. Surprised with the ingeniousness of the plan, Janja agrees.
The plan goes underway, and the Lion Guard takes the bait. Janja nearly gives the hyenas away until Nne and Tano pull him into hiding. Once the Guard is gone, the hyenas begin to chase a herd of oryxes, but in the midst of the chase, Nne and Tano betray Janja, forcing him off the edge of a cliff. Janja lands safely on a ledge, but he finds himself trapped against the side of the cliff.
As Nne and Tano run off without him, Janja cries out for them, attracting the attention of the Lion Guard and his former minions, Cheezi and Chungu. The Lion Guard questions Janja on Nne and Tano's plan, and Janja explains what they had been intending to do. While the Lion Guard races off in pursuit of Nne and Tano, Cheezi and Chungu leap down the cliff to give Janja company.
Meanwhile, the Lion Guard defeats Nne and Tano, with Kion using the Roar of the Elders to keep them from harming the oryxes. From his place on the cliff, Janja comments that this is the first time he has ever liked hearing the sound of Kion's Roar. No sooner has he spoken when the Roar causes the ledge to break, taking Janja and his minions with it.
The three land safely on the ground, and Janja sets off to the Outlands. Cheezi and Chungu stare after him wistfully until he demands to know if they are coming with him or not. Delighted, the two tear after him, and the three return to the Outlands, once more a united crew.
Abilities
Alpha: Janja is revealed to have leadership prowess that rivals Kion.
Strength and Combat: Janja is also see more strong as Kion as he was able to hold down his enemies that his size such as Kion, Kiara, and Jasiri.
Intelligent: Compare to his closest friends he is the smartest of the clan as he knew the story of the Lion Guard as he was able to come up with many plans how to take over the Pride Land such as attacking at night before the Lion Guard was official, getting Kiara as prisoner to make deal with Simba, using herd of animals to make Lion Guard unable to see and trapping the Lion Guard by using boulders to block the path when Ono was not able to see. Also knowing that vultures have come information when having meetings that he can use against the Lion Guard proven by Ono unable to see.
Endurance and Stamina: His stamina is high as he able to hunt down with his pack to take out many prey as he could, able to endure the attack of the Beshte brute strength and Kion roar as still run off.
Quotes
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
- What do you take me for, a vegetarian? (Janja to Cheezi and Chungu when they suggest the hyenas eat a baobab fruit).
- Stuff it fur-brains' '
- Mzingo, What are you doing this far into the Outlands?. Looking for leftovers?. (Janja to Mzingo).
- Simba's cub Kion managed to cancel our lunch plans.
- Don't you know the stories, The Lion Guard was legendary. The most powerful team of lions in the Pride Lands. (Janja about The Lion Guard).
- Outlanders, arise and follow me. The Pride Lands will never know what bit them!. (Janja to his clan).
- You win today, Kion. Next time won't be so easy. (Janja after his clan are defeated by The Lion Guard).
Lion Guard
- "Well if it isn't Jasiri. Thought I told you to stay off our turf". (Janja to Jasiri).
- "Dunno why you're in the Outlands helpin a hyena Kion, but it's the last thing you're gonna do".
- "Be a shame if their family squabbles led to chaos in the Pride Lands."
- "Too bad you're out here all on your own."
- Gotcha now, lion cub!"
- "I've had enough!"
- Oh, you jackals are so annoying!"
- "We just chased ya out of our den yesterday. And now you're back? Guess I need to make an example of ya!"
- "What're you doing in the Outlands, anyway?"
- "Okay, Kion, you want the jackal? He's all yours."
- "Merry Kupatana!"
- "There ain't no new plan! You're not in the crew anymore! Get out of the Outlands! You two, I'm giving you a promotion."
- "All right, you twos, listen up. Now that you're my seconds-in-command, you gotta learn the rules. Rule number one, I am the smartest hyena around! Rule number three..."
- "Uh-huh. Uh, well, good plan. Yeah! Finally. Hyenas who got smarts like me. Those other fur-brains never knew what they were doing."
Songs sung by Janja
- "Tonight We Strike"
- "Outta the Way"
- "Panic and Run"
Trivia
- Janja is male and leader of his clan, but in real life, hyenas are led by females.
- Janja and his clan are descendants of Shenzi, Banzai & Ed's clan.
- It is possible that Janja was inspired by Banagi, a hyena who was an antagonist in the early drafts of The Lion King, who like Janja was male and led his clan.
- Judging by personality, Janja can be asumed to be The Lion Guard's equivalent of Shenzi.
- Both are the leaders of their clans
- Both are accompanied by two other members of their species (Cheezi and Chungu for Janja and Banzai and Ed for Shenzi).