Voltron Force Character Expansion - Keith Kogane
Keith was born to fifth generation Japanese descent Akira Kogane and an unknown foreign woman in Alameda County, CA. His mother disappeared shortly before he was a year old, and in spite of his persistent questioning, Akira insisted that her identity was not as important as who Keith chose to become as an adult.
Though a first responder, Akira was an exceptionally well trained martial artist in both armed and unarmed combat. He imparted this on to Keith between his duties and his son's studies, Keith taking to the lessons like a duck to water. However, his training at his father's knee came to an end at the age of twelve when Akira perished during one call, leaving him in the care of eighteen year old, recent Navy graduate and close friend Sven Holgersson.
For the next six years Sven and Keith became like brothers, training together even as Keith's skills exceeded Sven's own knowledge. This prompted Sven to pay for Keith getting more advanced classes until, inspired by his older brother, Keith enrolled in the United States Marine Corps. Sven joked that they would see each other on carriers henceforth, though they actually ended up parting ways more often than not.
Keith's keen survival instincts, in addition to his martial arts abilities and stealth, made him the Marines' greatest reconnaissance specialist. This suited Keith well, for outside of his father and Sven, he had very little in the way of social skills. This made his meeting with the brunette Beverly Hagel at twenty-four all the more astounding to his fellow Marines, though Sven actively encouraged his interest in the woman.
While known by Akira and Sven to find it difficult to speak with over women and particularly vulnerable emotions, Keith had found those weaknesses starting to abate as he courted Beverly, who's playful, flirty behavior benefited his introverted nature. After a scant few months, Keith nervously proposed to Beverly, who promptly jumped into his arms in happiness and assuaged his lingering doubts about the seriousness of their romance.
Once more though, tragedy struck Keith's life. While Keith was on a mission with Sven, Beverly had taken a plane to visit family in Germany seven weeks before their wedding date. Upon returning afterwards, Keith was devastated to get a call from his would-be father-in-law that Beverly had died when the plane's engines malfunctioned. Sven was the only comfort he had, and in order to cope with this, Keith threw himself into his work until Galaxy Alliance Colonel Hawkins approached Keith with a proposition two years later: Join the "space military" and search for an ancient robot of immense power on the recently discovered planet Arus, or remain with the Marines. Keith didn't hesitate to leave behind the planet that held nothing but painful memories for him, though he kept in contact with Beverly's parents to make certain they were alright.
Forming the Voltron Force alongside Sven, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Allura brought Keith out of his shell in ways he didn't think was possible, while he found himself slowly falling in love again with the alien princess. He warmed up to his teammates' jokes and became a leader, though still easily capable of running solo missions. Unfortunately, in the years following Lotor's death and the Drule's defeat, he would find himself unintentionally falling back into old habits as he became "public enemy number one."
Keith entered into a relationship with Allura, and Lance, one of his closest friends following Sven's initial loss in the past, likes to make an in-joke only he can get away with: flirting with Allura. Keith is fully aware there is no intent of actually "taking" Allura, and so he doesn't even bat an eye at the faux passes of his second-in-command while, most days, Allura rolls her eyes with a smile and gently pushes Lance's head away as he grins playfully.
The Black Lion is female and regal, often adopting a maternal attitude towards Keith between missions. She's most cooperative with him and, at times, Keith could swear she not only understands him like his father did, but that he feels a primeval bond with her that goes beyond natural understanding...
