American missionary doctors Phillip and Betsy Ames (Michael Shannon and Betsey Paul) travel with their young daughter, Janet (Kirsty Lindsey), to the African kingdom of Tigora to investigate the healing properties of the soil around the Zambouli tribal region, but are killed when a cave inside Gudjara Mountain collapses. The Zamboulis' female Shaman (Elizabeth of Toro) takes in the orphaned Janet and announces that the prophecy about a "golden god-child" emerging from the sacred mountain to protect the tribe has come true. The Zamboulis cheer as Shaman calls the girl, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Shaman introduces Sheena to the wild animals of the region and teaches her how to speak to them telepathically by touching her forehead. Over the next several years, as the young blonde white girl becomes a woman (now played by Tanya Roberts), she learns to ride a zebra named Marika and becomes skilled at archery, a Zambouli tradition. Meanwhile, Prince Otwani (Trevor Thomas) has returned to his home country of Tigora after playing professional football in the U.S.A. In the capital city of Azan, Otwani learns that Gudjara Mountain is full of the valuable mineral titanium, and he is greedy ready to exploit it. To take control of the country, Otwani plans to assassinate his brother, King Jabalani (Clifton Jones), who has always protected the rural Zambouli territory from mining. Shaman senses the king is in danger and goes to warn him. At the royal residence, the king's deceitful fiancée, Countess Zanda (France Zobda), schemes with Prince Otwani, with whom she is having an affair. After being informed that the Zambouli Shaman was in town, Zanda has her arrested and plans to frame her for the king's murder. From her cell, Shaman telepathically summons Sheena. Meanwhile, American television sports reporter, Vic Casey (Ted Wass), arrives in Tigora with cameraman Fletcher (Donovan Scott) to film a story about Prince Otwani. During a formal dinner at the royal palace, King Jabalani is struck down with an arrow, and Fletcher catches the chaos on camera, as Otwani pretends to grieve over his brother's body. After examining their footage closely, Vic and Fletcher discover the king was not killed with a Zambouli bow as Countess Zanda claimed, but with a steel crossbow hidden in a tree. Anxious to investigate the conspiracy, Vic goes to the prison to interview Shaman. He and Fletcher arrive in time to witness Sheena rescuing the Zambouli woman, with the help of her zebra, elephant, and chimpanzees. Astonished, the two men follow Sheena and Shaman into the jungle. The next day, Otwani orders his henchman, Colonel Jorgenson, to find and kill the escaped prisoner, along with the two nosy reporters, but prefers Sheena be captured alive. Surrounded by her pride of lions, Sheena confronts Vic and Fletcher driving through the jungle, and orders them to go back. However, as she and Vic look at each other with curiosity, she realizes he is not an enemy and creates a protected area for the reporters to wait. Sheena briefly leaves them to look after her mentor Shaman, who soon dies from injuries she received in prison. Colonel Jorgenson and his mercenary soldiers find the reporters and attack, but Fletcher escapes and returns to Azan to ship the film footage, while Vic hides with Sheena in the treetops. The next day, Sheena and Vic travel towards Zambouli territory on her zebra, Marika, and must outwit their pursuers along the way. During the journey, the two fall in love. Meanwhile, Fletcher is unable to ship the film or leave the country after Otwani shuts down communications and the airport. When Sheena and Vic reach Z'kuru, the first Zambouli village, they are horrified to see Jorgenson's soldiers destroying the place. Further along the road, the two assemble a flaming arrow to ignite the convoy's gasoline tanks. However, a fighter helicopter arrives in time to fan out the flames, and Otwani orders the pilot to shoot at Sheena and Vic as they flee. When the helicopter begins to gun down a herd of gazelle and threats to kill Sheena's beloved zebra, she and Vic emerge from the camouflage of trees and surrender. While being held prisoner, Vic indicates to Otwani that he has incriminating footage of King Jabalani's assassination. In exchange for Zambouli independence, Vic will hand over the film negative. Otwani wants to view the film first and sends Vic back to the capital Azan, guarded by two of Jorgenson's thugs. Meanwhile, against Otwani's wishes, Countess Zanda prepares to throw Sheena over the waterfall from the helicopter. Zanda first orders the pilot to circle the nearby village, so that the Zamboulis will come out to witness their so-called protector die. Using her telepathic abilities, Sheena summons flamingos that surround the helicopter and attack the pilot, while Zanda falls to her death. As the helicopter descends, Sheena jumps into the treetops before it crashes and explodes. Still in chains, she appears before the Zamboulis and orders them to collect their weapons for the battle. Meanwhile, Vic evades his captors and returns to help Sheena. After discussing a plan with Chief Haromba, Sheena summons her wild animals. In anticipation of mining the rich titanium, Otwani orders Jorgenson and his soldiers to secure Gudjara Mountain, but along a dense forest road, the convoy becomes stuck. From hiding places in the hillside trees, Sheena and the Zamboulis attack with arrows, spears, and boulders, while the soldiers fire back with their automatic rifles. Realizing they are cornered, Jorgenson orders his men to retreat as elephants, chimpanzees, lions, and a rhinoceros charge the convoy. Sheena jumps on her zebra to follow Otwani, who has escaped in a Jeep, while Chief Haromba spears Colonel Jorgenson in revenge for the death of the Z'kuru villagers. Although thrown from her zebra during a fast-paced pursuit, Sheena is able to kill Otwani with her bow and arrow. At the same time, Vic speeds across the desert to try and stop Otwani and crashes his Jeep. He is thrown from the vehicle and is badly burned, but is still alive. Vic recovers after Sheena and the Zamboulis submerge him in the healing soil. Initially, Vic wants to take Sheena back to New York City with him, but changes his mind after realizing the exploitation she would suffer. Before going their separate ways, the two declare their love and Vic promises to return.
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