#voltron analysis

I finally got to the legendary "I cradled you in my arms" scene.

And it is SO MUCH more interesting and impactful now that I have the full context.

I'd seen this scene before in countless "klance scenes" compilations on YouTube, floating around fandom spaces for years. The fandom has been lovingly making fun of this scene for a decade.

And whenever I saw it along with the sheer intensity of the fandom's reaction to it my response was basically "haha okay but is this REALLY the peak of what this show gives you in terms of klance? THIS is what created the obsession?"

And now I can honestly say that this scene becomes so much bigger, stronger and more interesting once you actually know the context.

Because it matters.

This scene is arguably a turning point in their relationship.

But the thing is: the context is what makes it work.

So let's take this apart piece by piece because EVERYTHING here matters.

And I want to emphasize something first: I don't even consider this subtext. This is text. Directly. Explicitly. I think it's pretty safe to assume that this is exactly what the writers intended us to take away from it.

(sorry but I have an obsession with not convincing myself something is there when it actually isn't. i refuse to become the person analyzing sock colors for hidden meanings. sherlock broke me)

I'd already been watching these two closely before this.

I've been paying attention to how they react to different situations and to each other.

This all starts when the team finds Lance unconscious.

The first person to run over and check on him is Shiro.

Keith doesn't seem particularly concerned.

and please let's not analyze the position of every single one of keith's limbs here. It is not that deep

Why would he be especially concerned at this point?

Then we get the rescue sequence.

Lance briefly regains consciousness long enough to shoot Sendak, buying enough time for Keith, Pidge, and Allura to jump into action and save both him and Shiro.

And now here's the interesting part.

Keith is the one who reaches out his hand, helps Lance stand up AND even asks if he's okay.

And Lance accepts the help without making a sarcastic comment.

He tells Keith they make a good team.

And then he SMILES at him.

A genuinely warm smile.

And Keith could have responded in any number of ways.

make a sarcastic remark.

throw out a joke.

go back to teasing him

roll his eyes

instead he does this:

And if you've been watching the show up to this point you KNOW Keith isn't exactly known for this.

He's distant, reserved, he keeps people at arm's length.

He doesn't hand out emotional support to everyone.

But that's not even the important part.

The important part is that at this stage of the story these two practically HATE each other.

Their entire dynamic consists of annoying each other.

So in that context, this moment genuinely means something.

And honestly I think it also means something to Keith that Lance didn't mock him, Lance responded positively.

But now let's get to THE scene.

When Lance wakes up from his coma and gets his first meal, the team is gathered around him talking.

Lance thanks everyone for saving him but then starts suggesting that Keith didn't really do much.

To Lance, this feels like another opportunity for their usual rivalry.

Another opportunity to poke at Keith a little a chance to downplay him.

But for Keith?

I don't think that's what this is at all.

At least that's my interpretation.

Lance is focused on who did more, who deserves more credit, who is better.

He's basically arguing that he saved himself and absolutely refusing to admit that he might've been in serious trouble without Keith's help.

Because of course he's not going to tell the RIVAL he's been fighting with for weeks that said rival saved his life.

but Keith doesn't seem to care about the competition at all.

Keith hears this and looks absolutely DEVASTATED!!!!!!

And sounds devastated too.

(I LOVE THE VOICE ACTING HERE.)

Because Keith immediately tells what the actual issue is.

IT WAS A BONDING MOMENT.

A BONDING MOMENT.

Keith doesn't care about being praised for the rescue.

He doesn't care about getting credit.

THAT is what Lance cares about.

it makes perfect sense!!!!!!!!

Recognition, validation, feeling special - that's been Lance's motivation from the beginning.

So naturally he projects that onto Keith.

And naturally he assumes that's what Keith wants too.

But Keith doesn't care about the achievement.

Keith cares that they had a bonding moment!!!!!!!!!!!!

God, it is so obvious.

So direct.

So clearly stated.

And yet it's woven so naturally into everything that's been built up since the start of the series that it's kind of insane.

The earlier scenes exist specifically so that this tiny, seemingly insignificant moment can hit this hard.

And you know what?

It's actually kind of SAD.

Not funny.

Because it reveals just how important that moment was to Keith.

Keith isolates himself constantly.

And for one brief moment he opened up, reached toward Lance.

And now Lance is minimizing the entire thing.

jesus, these two are so good at hurting each other.

And another thing

I think this is the first time Lance genuinely triggers Keith.

Up until now it's always been the other way around.

Lance is the one getting triggered, the one reacting, getting hurt.

But now?

Now Keith is the one who's hurt.

The fact that Lance failed to recognize their bonding moment is SUCH a massive trigger for him.

Which is even more fascinating because Keith is usually so composed, controlled, emotionally contained.

And THIS is what completely throws him off balance.

THIS.

keith is basically like "how dare you not appreciate that I actually opened up to you a little?!"

And then Lance has the audacity to act like he doesn't even remember it????????

Keith is devastated and Lance doesn't understand that this isn't about credit at all.

god.

stubborn idiots.

I get it klance shippers.

I understand.

This is too powerful.

But beyond shipping this is just really good emotional writing.

What surprises me most is that their dynamic (and i don't even mean it in a romantic way, i don't see any romance here) isn't built around flirtatious dialogue or obvious chemistry moments.

It's built on this entire psychological architecture underneath the surface.

That's what makes their clashes feel so explosive and satisfying.

Now the real question for me is how intentional is all of this.

And how much of it are the writers actually going to use later?

Is this going somewhere?

Will there be progression?

BUT WAIT I'M NOT DONE YET.

Because then Keith spends the ENTIRE EPISODE waiting for revenge.

He really sat on that grudge the whole time.

Which means it genuinely hurt him.

And then later Lance refers to their "bonding moment."

and Keith is like "oh NOW we bonded?! screw yourself"

SIR.

YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING ALL DAY TO SAY THAT.

So yeah.

Without context this is just a scene.

A mildly funny scene whatever.

But with context?

It becomes incredibly interesting.

Now I'm very curious whether any of this will have lasting consequences and whether their relationship actually progresses from here.

I've seen aspects of "not-belonging" in analyses of Lance and Keith's characters and I'd like to shed light on how it's a sentiment that's very well nestled in every member of Voltron.

Starting off with the alienation (ha, get it) that is most flesh out in canon, we have Keith. From the very beginning the show, Voltron is divided into three factions: the Alteans, the Garrison trio, and Keith and Shiro. Keith has trouble mingling with the trio due to Lance's harsh front towards him, and has slight trouble mingling with the alteans due to cultural divisions and difference in views. Then he finds out he's half-Galran and Shiro is removed from the equation, which removes him further from the team. He gains a sense of disconnect from the team due to his heritage, his lack of bonds, and his belief that he's a failure of a leader.

Lance's disassociation from the team is more subtle. It comes from his views of inferiority and the idea that he doesn't contribute to Voltron. Unlike Keith, his sense of alienation comes more from what he does rather than who he is. He doesn't believe himself to be skilled enough, and when he throws himself into gaining skill, he finds that he's not achieving enough. He finds himself becoming more and more irrelevant as time passes, as if he is blending into the background.

The divide between Allura and the team is a storyline that we were robbed of. It's so plainly laid out for the writers to pursue- the cultural differences between Alteans and humans, the unity the humans feel towards each other that they extend to her in friendship to no avail, as she doesn't understand it. The other paladins will not know the part of the war that she knows. They will not know the loss she knows.

Perhaps she finds comfort in Coran. But even the split between her and Coran may grow as she becomes a paladin and he remains support for Voltron. They're still close and they still care for each other, but the way you fight in a war, the things you see, they can define and shape you. War looks different from different angles. Coran has never been in a pilots seat. Hes never been in the mind meld. And he doesn't need to do these things to have a bond with the people he cares about, but he still may feel the distance in his mind.

Hunk's sense of isolation from the team was also something we were robbed of, but were were also robbed of everything when it comes to Hunk. There is a huge difference in drive and fight when it comes to Hunk versus the rest of the paladins. He is unable to throw himself so deeply into the fight it just- it scares him! And I'm sure it scares everyone else too, but can Hunk see that? He sees the way everyone else stands tall and fights and goes into battle and training every single day, and he doesn't feel made for that. He doesn't want to do that. And it makes him feel guilty for not having the "passion" everyone else does even though his heart is in his actions, but at the same time he constantly feels sick.

Shiro is someone who has been both physically and emotionally distanced from Voltron. His kidnappings have shaped and transformed him- but it's not only that he's changed, Voltron has changed while he's gone too. Shiro has left and come back to an entirely different team filled with people who have changed so much because that's what war does, it changes you. There are months of Pidge, Hunk, Lance, Allura, and Coran that he's missed and years of Keith that he's missed. And they'll welcome him with open arms, but it doesn't change the fact that he doesn't feel like he knows them as well as they know each other.

Lastly, there's Pidge. Pidge is a fundamental anchor of Voltron as she produces so much technology to aid the war effort. She throws herself into her work so much that it consumes her, and this ends up eating away at her connections a little bit. There's also the fact that the technological battle she's fighting to combat Galran interfaces and invention rates is a fight that the rest of the team aren't exactly a part of. They can support her, but ultimately it is only she that can do the work she does. This puts a lot of pressure on her and compels her to do even more. She spends so much time working that she misses so much with the others.

For reference, here is the full poster, as collected from a fan on Reddit a few years ago. I believe it is actually an official poster, not an image recomposed by fans, because it has the Voltron/Netflix logos on the bottom - which are missing in the individual releases throughout the seasons:

The proof hides in small details, so bear with me while I explain why the S7-8 part of the poster was enlarged…

As I accidentally discovered recently, the poster distributed at NYCC 2018 was even more truncated. Allura wasn’t in it either at the end. Here’s a post from Voltron’s twitter, back in 2018, releasing the digital image—which is the so-called ‘full’ S7-8 poster, that includes Allura.

But if you read the comments, there are several people who complain that all the posters given out at NYCC were… misprinted:

Also:

And this:

And again:

On e-Bay, there are still some original NYCC 2018 posters for sale (yes, in 2025) which, as expected, are missing Allura from the end of the print:

An important aspect is that the dimensions of the NYCC posters I found on e-Bay (including earlier seasons, such as the S1-2) are all 17” length, 9.5” height. So no matter what, they had to confine the image into that ratio. That was the poster’s paper size.

Now the juicy part:

—Look at the NYCC physical poster (where Allura is also missing) : Dakin’s head (the big Coran-innkeeper) is cut from the nose up, so you can’t see the eyes.

—Meanwhile, in the digital poster later released by Voltron and in the full recomposed poster, a little bit more of Dakin fits into the image—the eyes are included, but the top of the head is still chopped. (btw, the ratio of the digital image fits the 17x9.5 proportion too):

Which only means one thing:

That the S7-8 poster was neither chopped physically ✂️ (remember, it’s still 17x9.5, just like the previous posters) nor misprinted nor cropped digitally at the very end. The file image was resized. ENLARGED. This way, Lotor wouldn’t fit into the 17” length (and in the initial print run, Allura didn’t fit either, and that’s why Dakin’s head was snipped a smidge more).

My other proof is that when you look at the section where the S7-8 illustration combines with the previous section (S5-6), the photomerge is not perfectly seamless.

A Discord friend noticed some time ago that the S7-8 part of the fully reconstructed poster is a bit more blurry than the rest. Well, that’s because it was enlarged, so the resolution is different. Thing is, it wasn’t enlarged by much. Just a little bit to cut out that one last character. If you play with the resize tool, you can see that by bringing the image a notch down, Dakin’s head would fully fit in, and it would add that little space needed for Lotor to be there.

The problem is… by sizing up the last portion of the poster, it won’t properly stitch together with the previous section. But Photoshop is smart. When photomerging, the algorithm will automatically adjust the image to try to seamlessly merge the images while also maintaining the ratio. Which means that the image will get slightly distorted, but it’s imperceptible, due to its large size. Only when you zoom in, you see the artifacts at the seams, as described above. Also, the process of ‘distorting’ the image will add to the blur effect.

Looking at the overall poster, no other character is partially cropped out of the page. There are some creatures that have wings/fins sticking out. Lions do not fully fit in. But no sentient characters are chopped. Except big-head Dakin. Oh, and Allura’s right foot.

The entire poster is built in four wave-like compositions, to mirror the four poster releases. Each wave has a beginning, a middle and an end. Except the last section, which ends abruptly, with Allura’s hair floating into La-La land, and the green guy above waving goodbye, like a seal of doom.

Also, I do not believe there is more to the poster, beyond Lotor. The big Coranic dragon probably ends with the tail looping down and under its body. The end of the fourth wave.

Some may argue that we also need to see the rest of what’s on top (because some of the creatures’ top parts are cropped out; same with the Lions). But this would mean that the full poster image must be sized down significantly more—creating even more space at the very end (and a reason to believe there was more stuff missing from the poster). I don’t think that was the illustrators’ intention. The creation of these posters, as explained on twitter by an artist who worked on Voltron, was inspired by Kinu Nishimura. Here’s how Nishimura sets the compositions:

Notice how the big elements are not fully included. They are the background for the characters. (Ha, that actually might steer into a more advanced conversation about why the characters are more important than the mechas, but I shall leave that for another time.)

Lastly, if anyone has doubts about Lotor being the last character in the poster, try to come up with another tall guy that Allura may be gazing so fondly at; a character who isn’t repeated at all in the last quarter of the poster.

LOL, Sendak? 😂 (heh, actually Sendak is present in this section). Adult-Lotor is not present at all in the S7-8 poster, although we did see him/his ghost in S8. In fact, he is present only once in the entire S1-8 poster.

like. it's same thing w/ the voltron paladins too. Pidge, actually, is like 15 when they first find the Blue Lion. like. yes ofc they're anxious and nervous and panicked and want to play video games. I would too.

man these poor kids are so traumatized

HELLO!

This is still an active project, don't worry!

We apologise for the delays. 🙇‍♀️ 2025 was a doozy of a year for everyone so now that we've reformed, we are actively working on it.

This was 2025 for us, lol.

To be honest, we also got some hate mail for even wanting to do this meta (which... come on now) but we also don't want to acknowledge it or let that drag down our efforts in the long term.

Our team needed the break, reality got in the way and it was a very hard year.

We have reformed the team after a longer haitus, and thus are now in the middle of getting the work done.

Our new years resolution is to get this meta posted and underway!

💛💚🖤❤️💙💜🩷

Yall im rewatching voltron again(cuz im a masochist) and-

Istg the show was such a beautiful concept that could've been so much better.

Honestly tho some of my biggest grievances can just be summarized with:

The Galra Empire should've been given more world building

___________________

The story is about Voltron saving the universe from an evil dictator, but we rarely ever learn stuff about the dictator's kingdom and the strange thing is, i know they mustve had some ideas for the empire because:

The Galra Empire has SO MANY fire/light metaphors

FOR EXAMPLE:

1. The Kral Zera

The kral zera is probably the most obvious.

You're telling me the way you decide ur ruler is by them lighting a torch? If that's not a fire metaphor, then i dunno what is.

2. Palen Bol

Palen Bol is the lesson Hunk learns from Dayak(Lotor's nanny).

It means enlightening pain.

Dayak also mentioned how the Galra believed combat to be "the searing light that burns away inperfections"

AGAIN fire metaphors

3. Luxite

Luxite is the mineral the Blade of Marmora's weapons are made of.

And woah

Luxite. Lux neans light(mindblown am i right?)

___________________

So what point could i possibly be making?

Simple.

Considering these little details already existed, it's kinda sad that we didn't get more stuff on the Galra.

Why do they have so many refrences to fire?

Do they worship fire?

Is it sacred?

If yes, why?

___________________

So, being the obsessed lil gremlin i am, i came up with my own headcanon as to why they have so many fire metaphors.

Yall remember how Daibazal looked?

Well u may notice a lil important detail....

It doesn't have a sun

BUT when u actually see the planet's surface, there is a sunset

AND later when Zarkon starts going a lil nuts yrs later the sky is much darker.

SOOOOOO

What if, Daibazal had a fake sun or eternal flame

Maybe its made of magic or tech.

Either way, for a planet that doesn't have its own natural sun, it's existence is a blessing.

Considering that, it would make sense if the ppl started worshiping the light.

ANDDDD

Considering later on when the sky gets more ashy after Zarkon decides to keep the rift open, maybe keeping the rift open messed with their fake sun and its dying(another consequence to Zarkon keeping the rift open)

AAANNDD that along with the fact that the empire has been in a state of war for 10000 years, led to the galran ppl forgetting that aspect of their culture.

Just imagine it.

My father introduced me to Voltron: Defender of the Universe when I was four years old, around 2010, because he grew up with it in the 80s. Voltron became my first real obsession. When I was about ten, DreamWorks announced that they would be partnering with Netflix to remake my favourite show. Naturally, I was excited. But when I finally watched Voltron: Legendary Defender (LD), I was confused.

At the time, I didn’t know about Beast King GoLion, so I was full of questions: Who’s Shiro? Where’s Sven? Why did they change Arus to Altea? Why isn’t Keith in the Black Lion? I cannot tell you how furious ten-year-old me was when I discovered they had given the Voltron Force the “wrong” Lions (Lance in Blue? Preposterous). After Season One, I actually quit watching because it felt so far removed from what I knew (they made Pidge a girl? How dare they!). It wasn’t until Season Eight had already been released for quite some time that I went back to give it another go. It was… alright.

I’m not new to Voltron, but I am new to fandom, and Tumblr—only recently realising that you can talk to people about your interests over the internet instead of just in the schoolyard (my friends got so bored of me talking about Voltron). So what I’m about to discuss may already be old news, but these are my thoughts on Legendary Defender and how it compares to Voltron’s legacy.

The Role of the Black Lion and Leadership

Whilst scouring the tags, I’ve seen a recurring debate within the Voltron fandom regarding whether Keith should have been in the Black Lion or gone back to Red. Some argue that he was unfit for the position, but this perspective overlooks the franchise’s long-standing tradition. Since Defender of the Universe in the 1980s, Keith has been the Black Lion’s pilot and the leader of the team. The Black Lion has always been the heart of Voltron, piloted by the one who holds the team together and leads them into battle.

To claim Keith isn’t fit for the Black Lion is to disregard not only his character arc but also the very structure of Voltron as a franchise. From the very beginning, Keith has been the pilot of the Black Lion, just as Optimus Prime has always been the bearer of the Matrix of Leadership in Transformers. The Black Lion choosing Keith in Legendary Defender is a natural continuation of a forty-year tradition, not a sudden or undeserved shift.

However, LD wrote itself into a corner by bringing Shiro back and sidelining Keith for almost two seasons. While this allowed for Krolia’s introduction and the addition of the space wolf, which I enjoyed, it disrupted Keith’s development as a leader. Instead of organically growing into his role, Keith’s transition to leadership felt abrupt and underdeveloped. Previous versions of Voltron, such as Defender of the Universe and Voltron Force, dedicated time to showcasing Keith’s leadership qualities, making his role as the Black Lion’s pilot feel more natural. By contrast, LD’s decision to remove him from the team for an extended period created an inconsistent leadership structure that ultimately weakened his arc.

The Absence of Voltron in Voltron

One of my biggest issues with Voltron: Legendary Defender is how little the titular ‘character’ actually appears in the show. There are entire story arcs where the audience goes multiple episodes without seeing Voltron at all. This is a stark contrast to the previous Voltron series, where the lion mechs formed Voltron at least once per episode, making the giant robot a central and consistent presence.

After reading Bob Koplar’s opinions on LD, I find myself agreeing with him. Even though I was quite young when Legendary Defender first came out, I had already seen all the previous Voltron series thanks to my father. Even then, something about LD felt off to me. It wasn’t until I read Koplar’s insights that I fully understood why—it simply didn’t feel like Voltron.

And to be clear, I’m not saying Legendary Defender is a bad show. It’s a well-produced series with high-quality animation, a solid voice cast, and some genuinely good storytelling. It also brought more awareness to a brand I love, introducing a new generation of fans to Voltron. But despite its strengths, it often felt disconnected from the essence of what made Voltron special.

In every previous iteration, forming Voltron wasn’t just a moment of spectacle—it was a core part of the show’s identity. The lions coming together, the transformation sequence, the blazing sword—these weren’t just iconic visuals; they were essential to the Voltron experience. In LD, however, Voltron often felt secondary to character-driven subplots and political intrigue, which, while interesting (most of the time), took focus away from the giant robot action that defined the franchise.

The Absence of Vehicle Voltron

Voltron: Legendary Defender was marketed as a love letter to everything that came before it—a grand tribute to the Voltron legacy. But in reality, it wasn’t.

Of course, Lion Force Voltron (adapted from Beast King GoLion) is the most well-known and beloved version of the franchise, so it makes sense that LD focused on it. But if the goal was truly to unite all Voltron ideas under one roof, then why was Vehicle Voltron (Armored Fleet Dairugger XV) completely ignored?

I understand that Vehicle Voltron is more obscure, but it was still an essential part of Voltron's history. The original plan for Voltron as a franchise was that there would be three Voltrons:

Defender of the Far Universe (Lion Force),

Defender of the Middle Universe (Vehicle Voltron),

Defender of the Near Universe (Gladiator Voltron, based on Lightspeed Electroid Albegas).

However, after Vehicle Voltron proved less popular, instead of introducing Gladiator Voltron as planned, World Events Productions doubled down on Lion Force Voltron with a second season and a TV movie, Fleet of Doom. That movie featured both Lion and Vehicle Voltron teaming up, and it remains one of the most awesome moments in Voltron's history.

If LD had truly been a love letter to Voltron, it would have acknowledged all of Voltron, not just Lion Force. It would have recognised the legacy of Vehicle Voltron and drawn from its rich history instead of awkwardly repurposing its best elements. Instead, the show attempted to reinvent Voltron while sidelining key parts of its past, losing much of what made Voltron special in the first place.

Lotor’s Redefinition: A Flawed but Ambitious Adaptation

Lotor’s characterisation in Legendary Defender marks a significant departure from his portrayal in Defender of the Universe. In DotU, Prince Lotor is a sadistic, irredeemable villain. He was a brutal conqueror, a mass murderer and a serial rapist. He saw Allura as a prize rather than a person. His cruelty extended even to his own subordinates, reinforcing his role as an unambiguous antagonist.

LD, however, attempted a more complex interpretation of Lotor, depicting him as a strategic manipulator with seemingly noble intentions. He positioned himself as a reformer of the Galra Empire, standing in opposition to Zarkon’s tyranny. This reimagining was ambitious, but the execution faltered. His eventual descent into villainy in Season 6 felt rushed, as though the writers were unsure whether to portray him as a tragic anti-hero or a monstrous antagonist.

This brings me to another major problem with Legendary Defender’s handling of Lotor. If the writers wanted to create a sympathetic, deserter, reluctant ally figure, then Lotor was the wrong character to use. In Defender of the Universe, Lotor is a sadistic, cruel warlord obsessed with conquest and domination, especially when it comes to Allura. He was never a misunderstood antihero—he was pure villainy.

A far better choice for this arc would have been Commander Hazar from Vehicle Voltron. Hazar was the noble commander of the Drule forces, who realised that his people’s war against the Galaxy Alliance was doomed and sought a peaceful resolution. He had a compelling redemption arc, going from enemy to ally as he struggled against the more ruthless elements of his own empire. But instead of introducing Hazar, LD simply took his story and gave it to Lotor—likely because Lotor was the more recognisable character.

This ultimately backfired. While a sympathetic or morally ambiguous take on Lotor could have been compelling, the series failed to develop him in a consistent manner. Instead of an outright sadistic monster, LD initially portrayed him as a cunning, strategic manipulator who appeared to have noble intentions—at least on the surface. He positioned himself as a reformer of the Galra Empire, criticising Zarkon’s rule and striving for a different vision of leadership. He surrounded himself with female generals whom he treated with apparent respect, further distinguishing him from his DotU counterpart. This version of Lotor was crafted to be more sympathetic, even charismatic, to the point that Allura herself developed feelings for him, a massive departure from the horror and revulsion she held toward him in DotU.

However, the execution of Legendary Defender’s Lotor was deeply flawed. The narrative spent seasons portraying him as a potential ally, only to suddenly reveal in Season 6 that he was not only unhinged but had been engaging in horrific experiments on Alteans. His villain turn felt rushed and unearned as if the writers couldn’t decide whether they wanted him to be a tragic anti-hero or an irredeemable monster. This abrupt shift wasn’t organic—it was the result of executive intervention. According to reports, when Bob Koplar (who oversees Voltron at World Events Productions) found out the writers were trying to make Lotor good, he stepped in and pushed them to course-correct, leading to Lotor’s sudden descent into madness and atrocities.

By trying to blend Lotor and Hazar into one character, LD weakened both. Lotor lost the defining villainy that made him iconic in past series, while Hazar’s compelling redemption story was distorted by being attached to a character with too much villainous baggage. LD wanted Lotor to be both the misunderstood antihero and the ultimate evil, but in trying to have it both ways, they ruined the integrity of his arc. The greatest casualty of Lotor’s inconsistent characterisation was Allura’s arc. Instead of developing their dynamic meaningfully, the show oscillated between presenting Lotor as sympathetic and suddenly making him irredeemably evil. In DotU, Allura despised Lotor and stood firmly against his advances, representing strength and defiance in the face of oppression. In LD, she was manipulated into trusting and even falling for him, which not only contradicted her instincts as a leader but also made her later grief and anger feel hollow due to how abruptly the story shifted Lotor back into full villainy.

The Missed Opportunity of Keith and Lotor’s Rivalry in Legendary Defender

One of the biggest missteps in Voltron: Legendary Defender, I felt, was its failure to develop Keith and Lotor’s rivalry into a meaningful, ongoing conflict. In past incarnations, particularly Defender of the Universe (DotU), Lotor viewed Keith as his greatest obstacle—not just as Voltron’s leader, but as the one standing between him and Allura. He recognised that Allura harboured feelings for Keith, which fueled his hatred and provided some of the most compelling personal conflicts in the series.

In Legendary Defender, however, Keith was largely absent for two seasons, leaving little room for an adversarial relationship with Lotor. Instead of building on their natural opposition, the show reduced their interactions to a handful of confrontations, missing an opportunity to add depth to the overarching narrative. Had Keith remained with the team instead of leaving for the Blade of Marmora, his dynamic with Lotor could have taken one of two fascinating paths—either leading to a devastating betrayal or reinforcing Keith’s instincts as the voice of reason.

Keith Trusts Lotor Completely (and is Devastated by His Betrayal)

Had Keith stayed, he might have bonded with Lotor over their shared half-Galra heritage. Throughout Legendary Defender, Keith struggles with his identity, and without the Blades to guide him, he could have been drawn to someone who truly understood what it meant to exist between two worlds. Lotor presents himself as refined, strategic, and pragmatic—qualities that might have resonated with Keith as he tried to grow into his role as a leader.

With Shiro compromised by Haggar’s manipulation and Allura torn by grief and duty, Lotor could have positioned himself as Keith’s closest confidant, someone who could help him make sense of his Galra side rather than viewing it as something to suppress. This trust, however, would have made Lotor’s eventual betrayal all the more soul-crushing. It wouldn’t just be the loss of an ally—it would be the loss of the first person who made Keith feel like he didn’t have to choose between his human and Galra lineage. Given Keith’s history of abandonment—his mother leaving, his father’s death, and Shiro’s repeated disappearances—Lotor’s deception could have broken him in a way few other betrayals could.

Instead of reacting with pure anger, Keith’s devastation could have manifested as bitter disillusionment. No longer willing to trust easily, he might have hardened himself further, becoming even more closed-off and reluctant to open up. This would have been a poignant subversion of past Voltron incarnations, where Keith and Lotor were always enemies. In DotU and Voltron Force, there was never any question of them being on the same side—Lotor was a power-hungry prince, and Keith was the noble leader standing in his way. Legendary Defender could have played with audience expectations by making Keith believe Lotor was different, only to have that belief shattered.

Keith Doesn’t Trust Lotor at All (and Becomes the Voice of Reason)

On the other hand, Keith’s blunt, no-nonsense attitude and strong instincts might have made him the first to see through Lotor’s deception. Keith is an intuitive fighter—he acts on gut feelings, and more often than not, those instincts are correct. He was the first to suspect something was wrong with Shiro, the first to push for finding the Blade of Marmora, and the first to embrace his Galra heritage when others hesitated. If Keith had remained with the Paladins, he might have immediately sensed that Lotor wasn’t as noble as he claimed.

This would have led to a compelling internal conflict within the team. Shiro (or rather, his clone) trusted Lotor. Allura, yearning for hope, wanted to believe in his sincerity. The rest of the Paladins were hesitant but willing to follow Shiro’s lead. If Keith stood alone in his distrust, it could have isolated him, forcing him into a position where he felt like an outsider even among his own team. This tension would have mirrored his past struggles with authority—just as he distrusted the Garrison and later the Blades, he would have once again found himself at odds with those around him, questioning an alliance everyone else was willing to accept.

This slow-burning antagonism between Keith and Lotor could have been an excellent way to preserve their classic rivalry. Instead of being immediate enemies, their conflict could have simmered beneath the surface—Lotor, ever the manipulator, attempting to win Keith over, while Keith steadfastly refused to be fooled. When Lotor’s true nature was finally revealed, the impact would have been far greater, as Keith would have been proven right—but at a cost. His relationship with his team could have suffered in the process, with the others only realising too late that he had been the only one who saw Lotor for who he truly was.

Both of these potential storylines would have strengthened Keith’s character arc—either by forcing him to confront betrayal on a deeply personal level or by cementing his role as an unshakable leader who sees through deception when no one else can. More importantly, they would have restored the weight of Keith and Lotor’s rivalry, making it more than just a handful of scattered battles.

Instead, Legendary Defender kept Keith and Lotor largely separate, missing an opportunity to explore their ideological clashes, personal similarities, and the devastating consequences of Lotor’s deception. By discarding their dynamic for two seasons, the show ultimately failed to capitalise on one of Voltron’s most compelling rivalries—a conflict that, in past versions, had always been at the heart of the story.

My Issue with LD’s Canon Romance

If there’s one franchise where the canon pairing didn’t work for me, it’s Voltron: Legendary Defender. Normally, I’m content with canon ships—I love Hiccstrid (How to Train Your Dragon), the Doctor and River Song (Doctor Who), Kataang (Avatar: The Last Airbender), and Anakin/Padmé (Star Wars). But in LD, the decision to end with Lance and Allura felt like a fundamental misunderstanding of Voltron as a whole.

For over thirty years, Voltron consistently paired Keith and Allura. Their romantic tension was a recurring element in Defender of the Universe (second season), The Third Dimension, Voltron Force, and even the Dynamite comics. Legendary Defender, however, sidelined their dynamic and abruptly pushed Lance and Allura together at the last minute without meaningful buildup. Their relationship lacked organic development, making it feel forced and unearned.

I, like many fans found the canon ending unsatisfying, but instead of Kallura, the most dominant ships in the fandom became Klance (Keith/Lance) and Sheith (Keith/Shiro), which honestly baffles me. Sheith, in particular, feels uncomfortable—not just because of the age difference, but because Keith explicitly refers to Shiro as his brother. Their dynamic is built on a strong mentor-protégé bond, which makes any romantic interpretation feel… wrong.

Klance is equally confusing to me. Keith and Lance spend most of the show at odds, their relationship defined by rivalry and bickering. I've seen arguments that Lance is bisexual and Keith is gay, but I could find no actual evidence in the show to support this. Lance openly flirts with multiple women (Allura, Nyma, Plaxum), but never once shows interest in men. Keith, on the other hand, isn’t depicted as romantically interested in anyone, male or female—though there are moments where he subtly notices Allura (noticed by people far smarter than myself). On my first watch, it seemed to me that the writers were setting up Keith and Acxa.

I will say that I don’t like these two ships, but it's fine if you do, I’m not judging. I’m just curious to hear from people who do ship these pairings. What is it about Klance or Sheith that resonates with you? Is there something in their dynamic that I might be missing? Maybe my perspective is limited or some gay subtext that my stupid hetero-focused brain can't process, so I’d love to understand why these ships became so popular.

Conclusion

Voltron: Legendary Defender set out to modernise and reimagine a beloved franchise, and while it succeeded in some areas, I felt it ultimately fell short in honouring Voltron’s full legacy. The series introduced fresh character dynamics, impressive animation, and ambitious storytelling, but its execution often felt inconsistent. Keith’s arc as the Black Lion’s pilot was hindered by narrative disruptions, Vehicle Voltron was ignored despite its historical significance, and Lotor’s character was muddled by conflicting portrayals. The rivalry between Keith and Lotor, a defining element of past iterations, was underdeveloped, missing a key opportunity for deeper storytelling.

Despite its flaws, LD reignited interest in Voltron for a new generation and expanded the franchise’s fanbase. It brought new perspectives to familiar characters and offered an engaging, if imperfect, reimagining of the classic series. However, by disregarding core elements of Voltron’s past, it failed to fully embrace the legacy it sought to celebrate.

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