Let’s Talk About Voltron: Defender of the Universe
I started watching Voltron after finishing the latest released episode of Miraculous Ladybug, and because I had seen a lot of memes/edits/mentions of the characters. Apparently they were supposed to be pretty strong personality-wise, and have many traits that I as a viewer would be able to identify with. Also, many of my favourite artists had been drawing Voltron, and a couple of certain characters in particular. Speaking of couples, I was very eager to wrap my mind about Klance (or Laith as the writers themselves prefer), the ship name for the romantic relationship between two of the lead characters - Keith and Lance. I love those bean boys.
The series has a total of seven season, with the next and assumed final season airing this year - 2018 - in November. I very much like the idea of it as a whole. Four teens (and then Shiro) finding super advanced technology, becoming the paladins of the great lions, forming Voltron, and defending the universe from the tyranny of the Galra empire and King Zarkon. The idea in itself promises many awesome moments. First of all, they are in space! However, as the plot actually proceeds there are quite many things you could question. I am aware of that this is a kid’s show, but that fact should not affect the way the show has been written. But I will return to this later on. Moving on to characters!
The characters are beautiful. Perhaps a little stereotypical, Keith embodying the “brooding bad boy”, Lance being a charming womaniser, and Pidge intelligence itself. However, these stereotypes are not, contrary to belief, a hindrance in the actual characters development. The relationships that are formed are reasonable and are presented naturally and smoothly. After watching some episodes you realise that the amount of character development you get is enormous, and does not at all feel forced. And for that I applaud the writers.
The plot is at times a little confusing (especially the time gap when Keith and Krolia live on the space whale (?) during two whole years, making him 21 years old in S6) One can wonder why that certain information was so badly conveyed, or perhaps it was only me that did not realise it. However, there has been examples of when time gaps such as this one was ingeniously performed, such as after the battle between Voltron and Lotor.Â
Speaking of Lotor, who was acting as the second main antagonist in the series (Zarkon being the first), I always found him very interesting. However, as an antagonist very weak in characters. His motives did not seem to have any kind of reasonable basis, and in the end he destroyed himself because he was overwhelmed by his own greed for power. The fight in itself was stretched out way too long than necessary and was quite anticlimactic and unsatisfying.Â
Zarkon was the first main villain in the series. Lotor was the second, and Sendak the third. Haggar was supposedly acting from the shadows all this time pulling strings. First of all, we were led to believe that the whole point of the series would be defeating Zarkon, which they did but immediately a new threat sprung up. A much weaker threat with no real motive to do evil except gaining power in the form of energy. Enter Lotor. But then exit Lotor because he - Oh hail Voltron - was defeated. Now has the villains finally come to an end? Not at all, for here his Sendak, a completely second-rate villain, introduced in Season 1 as Zarkon’s right hand man, and during the Lotor arc as a competitor for the vacant throne. All in all, hopelessly forgotten, constructing a seemingly random attack on the paladin’s home planet with the hope of gaining the lions that he can’t even maneuver. I believe you all can guess how that went. The most surprising thing was how tiny Earth managed to fight off I don’t know how many Galra fleets and fighters with just one never-tested-before battleship, and the lions (who did not even participate from the very beginning of the war). That the planet would have survived as well as it did (and the Garrison in particular) is ridiculous. They had in total one single particle barrier. Sendak could have easily shot it down, but no. The Garrison, the only Earth force having a single chance at having any kind of impact on the many fleets hovering above them, remained where it was. And that is one giant plot-hole. Also, the random evil giant robot appearing in the last episode with seemingly no reason whatsoever, and on top of that revealing an Alteian as its power source? I am sad to say it but the finale of Season 7 was a let-down to me.
To mention one more thing that was a complete let-down was the relationship between Shiro and Adam. I had expected more, but what I got - death! - was not very pleasant. I have read some statements posted by the writers off the script to better understand their reasoning for killing off Adam after making such a huge deal of introducing Shiro’s boyfriend, and have come to terms with it. it does not, however, change my opinion that that revelation was trash. But what I do love about it is that Shiro’s sexuality was introduced in by-passing. They did not make a huge deal out of it, because why would they? Shiro being gay and having a (had a) boyfriend fundamentally doesn’t change anything. The story remains the same. Apart from that it was a huge disappointment. But there is still hope, I suppose. Season 8 still remains, and it is a fact that dead characters occasionally come back to life. We’ll just have to wait and see.
But entering something else entirely. What this series, in my opinion, lacks in plot, it makes up for in characters. The main cast are Shiro, Lance, Keith, Hunk, Pidge, and Allura (one could also count in Coran here but I will refrain from doing so). As stated before the relationship between the characters are developed smoothly and very naturally. Keith and Lance goes from being rivals (one-sided as it may be on Lance’s part) to close friends. Pidge and Hunk gets to show off their bright minds, and Shiro, being the leader that he is, acts as a father figure, or a brother, to the whole team. Allura acts as a symbol for overcoming differences between people, she being a different race (alien race; Alteian) but still forming close bonds of friendship with the members. The characters are diverse and relatable. They are from all over the place, with different mind-sets, opinions and sexualities. They are what makes the show as great as it is, and of course this kind of amazing characters make some lovely pairings. There is one pairing in particular that I have grown very fond of; Klance. Lance and Keith are the ones that have had the most development. From rivals, to team member, to close friends. They are each others opposites in many ways, but also complement each other. And they’re both cute as hell. They basically have everything that makes for a great ship.Â
To be clear, I am not trying to force my opinion on anyone else, simply stating my own thoughts. I do not wish for any ship-.wars, claims about “forcing obviously straight characters into being gay”, or any such things. This is a show that I have grown to really appreciate for their characters, and I will not tolerate anyone spoiling that for me.
Well, this has been some of my thoughts about Voltron: Defender of the Universe. I will eagerly await the final season, and hope for more sweet moments between my beloved cast.Â
