#sheith asks

Hey there Anon!And yeah, I think I’ve seen some amazingly well put arguments on Twitter and such. Besides just: Acxa shares a warrior’s respect and honour and actually enjoying doing some good in the world. Think of it like this:

Yeah.

Hi there Anon!

Thank you for sharing your feelings here! I apologize that I don’t know a ton about The Walking Dead and if “You found me” is super significant. So if there’s anything else in specific you wanted to add to that to relate with Sheith, please feel free to poke me back later.

BUT, I have a lot to add to You Found Me for Sheith!!

First of all, we can compare this line to the devastating loss that began in S02:E13: Blackout, when the team discovered that the Black Lion lay empty after their fight with Zarkon. For many of them, a beloved leader, mentor, and friend had been lost. For Keith, his entire world that he had fought so hard to bring back was once again gone.

Next, we were given a degree of closure in S03:E5: The Journey, when something in the Black Lion led Keith to Kuron in his dying breaths, saving him and reuniting “Shiro” back with the Paladins of Voltron once again.

However, technically Kuron wasn’t Shiro, Which means something incredibly important.

Keith never actually found Shiro

We’ve only just found out that Shiro’s body had died and it was only through his mystical bond with the Black Lion that his spirit was saved. A lot of time passed with Shiro being unable to fully reach the other Paladins to explain what had transpired, giving Haggar the opportunity to set up the ultimate betrayal. During this time, Keith had his own personal cycle of growth as he worked on following a path that he personally believed was important while distancing himself enough to place Shiro back into what Keith believed as his ‘rightful place’ at the head of Voltron.

Years, if not longer, passed with Shiro’s spirit trapped in the Black Lion and Kuron being entirely unaware that he was a clone of the original. It wasn’t until Haggar finally revealed her plan with Kuron that anyone truly understood that something was very, very wrong.

It wasn’t until Keith engaged in what was to be a fight to the death with the one person in the universe that he loved more than life itself that he was both able to reach through Kuron and finally discover his greatest friend and ally.

Once all was said and done, Kuron’s body/memories and Shiro’s spirit were finally reunited into the same entity. For the first time in years, Keith and Shiro were actually reunited. Once again they had beaten all odds and this time even transcended death itself. 

And with “You found me” Shiro acknowledges this all in a single, incredibly potent line. He acknowledges that Keith has persevered again, and again, and again to find him. He acknowledges that their connection runs deep, deeper than the others. That Keith found him where no others truly could, that his lifelong friend’s devotion was absolute. That against all odds, against all hope, and against some of the greatest forces in the universe, Keith tore through each and every obstacle to get to him.

And at the end of it all, when Shiro finally awoke, there was no surprise whose face was the first to greet him and welcome him home.

Keith had always found him, found him here, and would always find him.

As many times as it takes

Honestly, I was committed from the very first episode. The very first time we see Keith find Shiro, his reaction just hit me like a ton of bricks and I fell in love with them instantly.

I remember talking excitedly about this in an article I wrote about a year ago when I talked about how I felt that Keith and Shiro represented the qualities of Faith and Commitment very well. (If you’d like to read the full article, feel free to check it out here)

So let me preface this one with something really quick. First of all, the animation studio, design team, etc, are many of the same people that worked on Avatar the Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. So not only are they known for some beautiful animation, they’re known for a lot of emotion and purpose that they put into their work as well. For one, when you have limited time and must hand draw nearly every part, everything that you put into a shot should have purpose. And with this team, they had proven time and time again to be absolute masters at placing some of the most subtly powerful shots I’d ever seen. It was such a novel concept, to me at the time, to see what was essentially a cartoon turn into this beautiful and emotional epic, coupled with relatable characters, realistic life issues and powerful relationship development and character growth.

So when I saw Keith running in to save Shiro, before I really knew that much about the story or characters, I knew immediately just how important Shiro was to Keith.

The first moments we see of Keith, are him racing against time. While the rest of the future Paladins are watching, Keith is already in motion. Breaking into the tent, he startles the recovering team, his intentions like his movements; a blur. Putting them out of the picture, he leaps over the unconscious bodies and equipment. It is beyond clear that this is no calm rescue.

And the second that Keith arrives at Shiro’s side, his demeanor instantly changes. It’s almost like visual whiplash. When we first see Keith, his eyes are cold and furious, but they soften with emotion as he recognizes Shiro on the table. The same hands that struck down the scientists in his way now gently reach out to turn his friend’s face to better see him. He softly speaks his name, as though he dare not utter it too loud. And then, without a second thought, he cuts Shiro free and lifts him up. Running out of time, Keith prepares to haul off an unconscious adult male as dead weight in his arms, risking imprisonment or even worse by the Garrison in his last desperate effort.

And the moment Lance rushes in, Keith’s head snaps up and his eyes harden. He’s immediately defensive. If they hadn’t been there to help, he may have fought them as well, and his dispassionate words during their escape sum up his frustration and protectiveness for Shiro before he finally has the peace of mind that Shiro is safely in his care and takes the time to get to know them. (Though even that is largely only because Shiro is doing so as well)

And then we have this quiet scene. Just the two of them. Once again Keith’s demeanor is gentle and affectionate. The way he looks and talks to Shiro speak volumes. Even before we learn how long Keith waited for Shiro, and how long he searched for answers. Even before we see how Keith time and time again throws himself into the fray without a moment’s hesitation to be at Shiro’s side, we saw this.

Hi there Anon!Sorry for the late answer, things have been super crazy busy lately but I didn’t forget!

But yeah, I COMPLETELY agree. Honestly the only thing that trumped it is a spoiler from the first episode in season 7 at the very end. Like you mentioned, the “You Found Me” meant so much more than just a quick throwaway line. I actually had a similar comment from another Anon that made a wonderful comparison to The Walking Dead.

If you’d like to read that reply, feel free to check it out here.

But I think it’s really important to point out just how important this is to Shiro and Keith’s relationship. Their entire relationship is built on mutuality. Neither looks down upon the other, nor competes to be ‘the greater force’. Instead, everything is based on mutual compassion, admiration, respect, and support. When one falters, the other one lifts them up. When one struggles, the other one encourages them to keep going. When one is lost....the other finds them. Physically, mentally, again and again, as many times as it takes.

Hey there @staygoldnimoy

Thank you so much for the kind words and thanks also for the fic recommendation you tagged me in awhile back. I really enjoyed it!

I’m so happy that my enthusiasm and positivity are getting out there! It can be really tough some days, especially with all that’s been going on, but I personally believe that celebrating good things together will go a long way. (mind you that doesn’t mean I never get a little salty myself)Take care and thanks again for the message!

Hi there Anon!

Thank you for the ask and sorry for the delay! I was actually asked this fairly recently and my original answer was, and still is:

Right here in the beginning. If you’d like to read that piece, feel free to click here.

However! Since I have this ask again, I’m going to go ahead and talk about some other moments that really sold me.

I think the most interesting and really important part about Shiro and Keith’s relationship isn’t shown in some big romantic explosion somewhere like we get in a lot of stories. I think what makes it so potent and so very relatable is that we are introduced to it in many varying degrees.

Something that I think is super important is that, at the beginning of all things, Shiro and Keith share a deep friendship. And right there, that is valid and really special. Their relationship does not /have/ to be romantic for their bond to be amazing. While I still believe that it is, and while I think that will be special in its own right, true friendship is irreplaceable. Without my close friends, my life would not nearly be as rich as it is today. They have walked with me through the good times and the bad, they’ve supported me, encouraged me, brought new and fresh perspectives to me, and helped me to continue to push my potential.

And that’s how we see Shiro and Keith’s relationship. From every shoulder touch to memorable quote, we see that slow burn friendship that builds the foundation of who they are. And so many of these instances that sold me, are ones I’ve experienced with my close friends as well.

Have you ever sat in a room with your close friend where something comes up that makes you look at each other across the room and share that secret little smile without a word?

How about when your friend heads out from a group and you excitedly jump up to follow them?

How about a little affectionate roughhousing?

Or just genuine affection?

What about sacrificing something to help your friend or keep them from harm? Or even because they were so important, you couldn’t bear the thought of losing them.

Or uplifting your best friend when they are at their weakest. Giving them your unconditional support and helping them see the good in themselves that you see everyday.

Oh man this is a really good question and one that I know a lot of people are asking. With Shiro back and Keith have grown into his own strength, who will pilot the Black Lion in Season 7?

Obviously there will be no way to know until Season 7 is out. (Though maybe we will get a glimpse in the Season preview at SDCC)  But there are also just so many ways this could go and I highly expect it will be an interesting twist no matter what we get.

First of all, I do not think that we will see Shiro and Keith co-piloting the Black Lion. I strongly believe that they would not be in the same lion at the same time, for one. Every single time we have more than one person in a lion, there is a very specific reason for it. And all serious combat missions have been performed with each Paladin in their own Lion. There is also the powerful story-telling tool of colours. Each Paladin has their own colour and their personality has synced up with their lion’s since day one. When all of the characters were shifted around, the colour combination became /wrong/ and everything has really felt sort of off since Season 3.

I’m kind of with Keith though, honestly. I don’t /want/ anyone but Shiro to pilot the Black Lion. It’s not that Keith is in any way, shape, or form a lesser leader. But when Shiro is at the head of the team, everything just feels /right/.

Shiro has such an amazing connection with the Black Lion that it literally SAVED HIS SOUL when he died and stored him away so that he wouldn’t be permanently lost. While Keith has certainly shown his ability to be an excellent leader and has even unlocked a lot of the potential within the Black Lion, it was always with Shiro’s help.

So what are some of the options we have to go with then? Because we now have one extra pilot than lions which will leave someone sitting out no matter what.

Idea 1) - Shiro needs time to recover and Keith continues as the pilot of the Black Lion with Shiro’s support in the background.

I mean shit, Shiro /died/. That sounds pretty freaking traumatic to me. Couple this with the knowledge Kuron will be passing on, and having Shiro fully catching up on everything that has progressed. Plus the fact that he/Kuron tried to kill Keith and threatened the safety and cohesion of the whole team. Shiro is probably pretty freaking overwhelmed. A lot of shit went down. The very steadfast guidance and gentle compassion combined with the nearly frightening ferocity invoked whenever his team was threatened was used to make Shiro an absolutely terrifying opponent to those who loved and respected him so much.

And let’s not forget one of the most impactful moments from the entire Season:

There is a very real chance that Shiro needs some time to recover and process everything that has happened and will spend a lot of time supporting from the background.

Idea 2) The Paladins return to their original Lions and resume their original roles

This is sort of a tough one. This would feel /right/ but there are also a lot of things that would feel /wrong/ with this too. For one, Allura is an excellent pilot and desires strongly to be a more active member of the team. It would seem unfair to push her out without this being her choice.

Putting Lance back in the Blue Lion, doesn’t feel terrible, as he really does connect with that and I feel that Lance’s character growth and progression has been much more on a personal level than trying to mesh with the Red Lion. Keith will always be the more raw and instinctual fighter of the team.

But what about the Black Lion? As I mentioned earlier, Shiro just feels right piloting the Black Lion for multiple reasons. He is still the leader (?) and he still appears to have the closest connection to the Black Lion. But Keith has also gone through so much growth with the Black Lion that it doesn’t feel wrong for him to pilot the Black Lion either.

I just have so many mixed feelings about this one. Like I originally stated, it would both feel very /right/ and also sort of /wrong/ at the same time.

Idea 3) We see the introduction of the White Lion

We’ve seen the White Lion brought up (which was actually an additional lion in the original show long ago) more than once. And oh man have I seen some great fan art with ideas of either Allura or Shiro piloting the White Lion.

This would be a great addition to the team, allowing everyone who has the skill and connection with the Lions to pilot one. I believe that the most suited outcomes would either be:

A) Allura gets the White Lion. As a sort of nod to the Castle of Lions, and her deep connection with her Altean heritage and all she’s learned, this would be really cool! This would also really be /her/ Lion which I feel would be a wonderful thing for Allura. So far she’s done wonderful piloting the Blue Lion. But Blue still feels so much like Lance’s Lion. And seeing Allura finally making her own solid connection with the secret Lion would be SO COOL. In this case we would likely see the rest of the Paladins return to their original Lions.

B) Shiro pilots the White Lion. We’ve got the white hair all over. And this would make a really interesting Yin-Yang sort of dynamic with him and Keith. This would be cool, and I imagine that the current standing with the Lions would be what would result from this, with Keith piloting the Black Lion. However, while this is interesting, I still think the White Lion would be much more suited to Allura. Giving Allura her own Lion that was hers from the start, and with Shiro’s undeniably amazing bond with the Black Lion, this would feel sort of weird.

Idea 4) SOMETHING ELSE

Allura could step away to work on the next Castle of Lions, just as she worked on the ship with Lotor. But honestly, I think that would sort of take things away from Coran. Just as Sokka came into his own strengths outside of the benders in Avatar, I feel that the Castle of Lions ultimately became Coran’s big strength. It’s his baby and his legacy. Allura /wanted/ to fly a Lion and I feel like she fits very well.

It’s possible other things could happen. Shiro and Keith could even co-pilot the Black Lion directly or take turns if Keith still wants to work with the Blade of Marmora.

This is one where we’re just going to have to wait and see XD Though I would personally love:

-Coran becomes in charge of a newly created Castle of Lions created as an amazing mesh of Altean knowledge and skills coupled with Human ingenuity and insight that hasn’t been seen yet in the universe as a whole

-The Voltron Paladins return to their original Lions and their connections have never been stronger

-While searching for what she can do next, Allura discovers the White Lion and brings a whole new dynamic for the team

Hey Anon!

Thanks for the wonderful prompt. I decided to really zero in on the Bonus itself with Lance from his POV. Enjoy!

Something Different

Something was /different/.

The thought had been gnawing at Lance for days, but he just couldn’t place his finger on it. It was like remembering parts of a tune, but no song. Fragmented signals in his brain that were telling him /something/ but he just didn’t speak the right language to understand.

Furrowing his brows, the garrulous Cuban chewed on the inside of his lip in thought. It wasn’t their hair. While Shiro’s new alabaster locks and Keith’s jet curls certainly had a poetic quality to them, Lance still felt nothing more then the urge to find more opportunities to say the word ‘mullet’ like a dirty word.