Shaka Ilembe

Elangeni princess Nandi and Senzangakhona, King Jama’s son, cross paths. They are instantly smitten.😍

He saves her and her friend when they are threatened by Ndwandwes and it sparks a catalyst for a war.  

King Jama falls ill. When he regains consciousness, he prophesises a great lion will come, a powerful future king. 🦁

The Zulu, long-time allies with the Mthethwa, go there for assistance in the upcoming war against the Ndwandwes.

King Jama wants Senzangakhona to take the women and the children to safety rather than fight in the war. 

The Mthethwa support the Zulu fight against the Ndwandwe. Ndwandwe’s King Zwide is taken as a prisoner of war by the Mthethwa.

The Queen Mother, Queen Ntombazi visits the Mthethwa. Using magic, she tricks a Mthethwa prince, Mawewe.

The Mthethwa king, King Jobe, orders all his sons to be killed suspecting treason, but it is only his deteriorating mind tricking him.

King Jobe’s son Godongwana survives his father’s ambush and escapes with a spear wedged in his torso. Baleka nurses him, and together escape to his sister, Zenzile, who is married into the Qwabe royal house. Zwide returns home with his mother, Queen Ntombazi.

Nandi is pregnant with Senzangakhona’s child. 🤰

Godongwana and Baleka are found and cornered. Baleka is stabbed and Godongwana falls down a massive waterfall into a river.

Drought plagues the Ndwandwe. Zwide hears that his mother, Queen Ntombazi, is a witch. She does go to a sangoma to ask for rain. He asks her for an offering.

Goloza and Zwide, brothers, come face-to-face for the first time and Goloza tells him they share the same blood.

Senzangakhona and Nandi get married. 👰🤵

Hlubi hunters find Godongwana.

The skies open and rain soaks the Ndwandwe. 🌧

Godongwana takes refuge with the Hlubi king, Bhungane, where he goes by the moniker Dingiswayo “The Exiled One”.

As Shaka grows up and learns the way of royalty, his mother and father (who has three other wives) have a daughter, Princess Nomcoba; and Shaka gets a half-brother, Dingane. Senzangakhona takes on many more wives, including Bhibhi, who poisons his mind towards Shaka and Nandi.

Nandi goes back to Elangeni for her father’s funeral and Senzangakhona is the only king who doesn’t pay his respects, focusing rather on a festival where he wants to host all the kings. 👑 He banishes Shaka and Nandi after increasing concern that Shaka will become a threat to him. 

Nandi and Shaka travel back to her childhood home, Elangeni but her brother, Mgabhi, now king, doesn't welcome her with open arms. He calls her a disgrace. The villagers treat her and Shaka with the same scorn. Makhedama, Mgabhi's son, bullies Shaka. 🤨

Dingiswayo and Ngomane are captured and taken to the coast to be sold to the Portuguese as slaves. Nandi's mother, from the Qwabe kingdom, sends a general called Gendeyana to see if Nandi and Shaka are okay. 

Ngomane and Dingiswayo are taken to King Makhasana. There Dingiswayo sees Baleka alive and well. Ngomane and Dingiswayo sort out their differences.

Eight years passes, and Shaka has grown up. He still refuses to accept Qwabe as his home, and Gendeyana as a father-figure.

King Jobe of the Mthethwas passes away. Hearing of that, Dingiswayo travels back home under the advice of King Makhasana to claim back his throne and forging an alliance. Mawewe, however, has claimed the throne. 

Shaka also travels back to the Zulu because he wants his father's acceptance, but he doesn't get it. In fact, King Senzangakhona is cruel and calls Nandi a whore. Shaka goes back to Nandi at Qwabe where goes into training with Gendeyana and other soldiers.

Dingiswayo tries to avoid a battle with Mawewe but it doesn't work. Mawewe goes to the Qwabe for assistance because Dingiswayo has two armies supporting him. In a fierce battle, Gendeyana is killed and Dingiswayo is victorious.As punishment, Dingiswayo exiles Mawewe and has his tongue cut out so he can never speak lies again.

Dingiswayo notices Shaka's fighting style on the battle ground. When Shaka returns home, Nandi has strong words for him.

Baleka tells Dingiswayo their relationship comes to an end when he becomes the Mthethwa king. 👑

Nandi, Shaka, and his siblings leave Qwabe for Mthethwa. Nandi does this in hopes of Dingiswayo mentoring Shaka, which he does.

Shaka hears of the iLembe, an outcast warrior stealing cattle. He requests permission from Dingiswayo and Ngomane to fight him. They agree and he wins. He gains respect and is put in charge of a regiment. He trains fiercely. 🛡

The Ndwandwes plot against the Mthethwa using King Makhedama, Shaka’s cousin who used to bully him. 
 

King Makhedama goes to the Ndwandwes for help to overthrow the Mthethwa. Shaka shows interest in a young lady, Vundlazi. 😘 Dingiswayo's son, Somveli grows jealous of the closeness between his dad and Shaka. He also pursues Vundlazi. 

Shaka takes a small regiment to trap King Makhedama and the Ndwandwes. Shaka is victorious and kills many soldiers, even after they surrendered. He and his regiment return to Mthethwa as heroes but Somveli doesn't seem as joyous as everyone else. 

Shaka pays tribute to his mother in making him the man that he is, giving her a bit of her dignity and honour back.

The Zulu are invited to the Mthethwa. King Senzangakhona insists the entire family attend to show them who the Zulu are. Shaka dances in front of him but he still rejects him. Senzangakhona  chooses Shaka's half-brother, Sigujana, as heir. 

The Zulu leave the Mthethwa in haste. King Senzangakhona falls ills and dies. 

Sigujana is advised to kill Shaka himself to claim power. Makabayi, King Senzangakhona's sister insists that Shaka is the true heir. She warns Shaka of the trap when he is invited to visit the Zulu. Ngwadi kills Sigujana as per Shaka's orders. 

Shaka and the Mthethwa go back to the Zulu so Shaka can claim his throne.