#voltron lgbt

Allura’s death. So I know a lot of people were angered by this but honestly I thought that it was a profound and beautiful conclusion for her character. Don’t get me wrong I was really upset and saddened to see my queen give her life away. But I think when you look at it as a whole, what Allura did was essential to the story, making her a very, if not the most important character of the entire series which is actually great representation for WOC. She literally saved the whole universe by sacrificing herself. Allura has always been a strong character who values the lives of others over her own and who knows when to do the right thing and she made the choice to sacrifice herself for everyone, she’s smart and independent and knew what she was doing and that it was the right and only choice. 

I think the saddest part was when she was saying her goodbyes to all the paladins, basically summing up her relationship with each one and the good she saw in each of them like when she gave them their lions. It was tragically beautiful and I honestly cried. Seeing her walking off with the old paladins, her father, Honerva, Zarkon and Lotor with a smile on her face made me aware that she was happy doing this for her friends or rather her family because that’s what they became to her.

Okay moving on. I think my absolute favorite thing about this season was yup you guessed it (or maybe you didn’t):

Honerva. I mean come on just look at that face. Now that is a villain! I just have to say. I was really impressed. I mean I knew she was gonna be the main villain after S7 but man she did not disappoint. Think back to when you watched season 1 tho like would the you back then have ever expected the main villain of this entire series to be Zarkon’s witch Haggar, I sure didn’t. I think she’s a really interesting character. And having the main villain in a mecha animated series targeted toward little boys be a female who is not just an evil witch but also a wife and mother, there’s power in that y’all. They definitely saved the best for last, she was truly the ultimate bad guy of this series and I loved it! Don’t get me wrong I love the paladins and the universe but honestly at one point I was kinda rooting for her. Her motives were great, Its very rare that you see a villain who is a mother trying to just get her family back. She really did blur the lines between good and evil, which is something not often seen in mecha cartoon series. I mean I get that she did some really bad things but then you think about why she was doing those things and you actually feel for her you know. Like dang imagine if she was your mama, she powerful. Another thing that I though was excellent about her was her sacrifice with Allura. You actually could see that one coming, I couldn’t see the paladins killing her. I actually thought she would join them. Giving herself up to save the universe that she destroyed was something, she just needed someone to speak to her and sometimes that’s all we ever need.  

Alright on to other things I enjoyed...

I looovved the fusion of Voltron with the Atlas. Okay I know some people found it weird and too magical (which I guess is kind of true) but I though it was brilliant because we got to see this epic mecha fight with ALL the paladins. Honestly I missed having Shiro there or Keith there and I though it was an absolutely amazing opportunity and wow they pulled it off greatly. It was just (a tear rolls down my cheek) beautiful.  

More things I loved:

The filler episodes. The filler episodes of VLD have always been one of my favorite things about the series. They’re a;ways fun and entertaining, giving us time to get to know the paladins and other characters for who they are and all the fun and mischief they get up to off the battlefield. In fact I absolutely love the new MFE pilots and I really wish they gave us more of these episodes to spend  time with them. I loved Kinkade’s vlog episode it was really fun with him and Rizavi (haha she’s great). Oh I also looved the girl squad hanging out at the mall and dressing Allura up in ep1. Omg and Pigde is always perfect with her old Voltron references and stuff. Clear day was amazing and Shiro was glorious, man that was fun. What have we done to deserve Shiro. Also loved more of Hunk and Keith’s bonding, they’re both so precious. Haha and Pidge’s relationship with her mother is hilarious. Coran’s yelmore thing and his interview with Lance in ep1 oh lol wow that was great, he’s so fun.

Other important things to note about this season and the series as a whole:

THE ANIMATION AND MUSIC! Like guys we just have to take this time to appreciate the animators. Like just wow they all deserve a raise. The scenery, the fight scenes, the mecha, the lighting, the movement, the characters, the facial expressions and body language, the color. Just wow I have no words. Another underrated thing about VLD is the sound. Whoa guys it just gives you goosebumps like geez! It’s just amazing, giving the show such feeling and passion! Like wow, absolutely phenomenal. Honestly makes you tear up.

I also liked that the paladins got to meet the original paladins. I thought that was a cool touch. It was really nice to see them connecting to and speaking with the people that previously piloted their lions, there’s a sort of approval in that.

Also Slav. Like that’s all. I love him lol.

AAaaaahhh the paladins growing up T-T okay I’m crying again. They’re all so beautiful and pure and deserve so much! I liked their endings (for the most part but there are many things i did not enjoy which will be discussed later). But it was wonderful to see them all together at the end with Coran gathered under a beautiful Allura statue made in her honor. 

I love that they honored Allura and didn’t just forget her and I LOOOOVE the idea of Allura being like a space goddess or something now. Not that she wasn’t always. Am I right?

Okay here comes the salt lets get to the things that I didn’t particularly enjoy. Plz note that this will definitely consist of shipping and LGBT rep and so forth. But before you get so quick to leave because of the ranting, if you are someone who does not enjoy ships, this section is for you. I would really appreciate you reading this and trying to understand the points I will make, I don’t think I am the only one that feels this way but I will try to make this as clear, truthful and as least toxic as I can. Just remember that your opinions are very much valid and respected and so I think others’ should be as well.    

But before shipping first things first...

It is true that Voltron has largely relied on magic and the power of teamwork as a way to get out of situations. While I don’t think this is like the worse thing ever (the teamwork thing is actually something I quite like, it shows their bond and how the lions rely on their spirits. Something that is good for a cartoon series) I do have to sadly admit that sometimes things are too convenient. There is often little to no build up to a particular thing happening. It sort of just comes out of nowhere with no explanation. An example of this would be the convergence of all the Balmera thing. While yes, it was actually pretty cool, it did feel a bit random. But honestly it doesn’t bother me that much. That’s just one problem in an ocean of good.

Next thing has got to be pacing. I feel that VLD sometimes spends episodes on things that are not particularly important and then bombards us with all the important content and fights in like one or two episodes. This is why many people accuse this season for being rushed and things coming out of nowhere because lets face it a few more episodes would have done wonders. VLD does not ease into things, which is why it seems that they just throw things at you sometimes. 

The new Altea? I dunno I feel like that was a slight injustice to Allura. She died right before her home came back. That’s extremely sad to me honestly. This season she felt like she didn’t have a home and they bring her home back right when she dies. Plus that kind of makes a lot that happened in the past kind of pointless. 

But i think the worse is that CORAN DIDN’T GET TO SAY GOODBYE TO ALLURA!!! omg i just can’t! T-T

Okay now lets get into the mess that is romance, shipping and LGBT rep.   

So let me take this opportunity to explain this. The VLD fandom has been accused of being toxic for the fact that there are many obsessive shippers in this community. Personally I feel that we should allow people to freely express their thoughts and preferences, provided that they do not deliberately or intentionally cause harm to others, and yes that goes for shipping as well. Instead of toxic I prefer to call these people passionate. They enjoy this and have a passion for it just like someone may have a passion for sport or reading etc. and if this is what brings them joy and comfort in this life, well then why not. Once again for all non shippers out there I want YOU to read this. Hopefully it will take you into the mind of a shipper (don’t be scared this will be an enlightening experience XD) 

Okay so first off this:

Allurance. How this scene was animated and executed? (i gotta admit) beautifully. How this whole romance was executed?...not so beautifully (and by that I mean bad and by bad I mean kinda horrible (well maybe not really but anyway)). Okay so this is how I personally feel about this. You don’t have to agree with it you just have to respect it. 

So VLD has made it clear to their audience that romance was not one of their main focuses of the show due to it being a show for young boys and made to be able to sell toys and merch. So if VLD was not meant to have focus on romance why the ding dong was there so much of it in this final season!? If I were making a story I would completely ignore the topic of romance entirely, forcing my audience to focus on the story, making it clear to them that there will never be a possibility of romance ever but VLD fueled its audiences belief that the show would deliver on romance at the end, rather than staying true to what they initially said. 

Another thing this romance did was a disservice to the characters involved, particularly Lance. Now I don’t mean to come off as a Lance stan but I can’t help but agree with them by saying that this season really ruined his character. It made him into this character that was solely defined by his romance. He became Allura’s boyfriend not the paladin of the red lion. He seemed almost pained to be with Allura at times despite the fact that he got exactly what he wanted at the start of the series. He was over protective of her, all his focus was on her, all he said and did was for her as though he just wanted her approval. In all honesty sometimes I felt like slapping him across the face with his whole “Oh no Allura!” every two seconds (I’m sorry Lance stans it’s not his fault I blame the writers for that). After Allura’s death he became a farmer due to his depression, he lost his lovable, quirky, fun pilot attitude. 

This romance also did a great disservice to Allura, Lance’s over protectiveness of her made it seem as though he did not believe in her, making her seem weak and dependent on him, even though she is far from that damsel in distress type of character. It also made it seem as though she used him as a rebound because she just broke off her relationship with Lotor. She may have also only accepted his feelings because he called her his family and she was clearly hurting because of the fact that she felt alone. This romance forced Allura to become exactly what she was intended not to be, the ‘typical princess that just has to end up with one of the men in the series. 

Their relationship did not work. Lance did not end up with someone he needed and he wasn’t someone’s first choice as they said he would be. In fact (as sad as it is to say) Allura may have (unintentionally of course) only made him feel sadder, more concerned and responsible for her, increasing his insecurities. He was always there to comfort her throughout this season but he didn’t find comfort in her and it was not her fault at all. Lance just never felt good enough for her. And she never felt as good with him as she did with Lotor.

And Lance’s ending? it was just sad and disappointing. perhaps if he didn’t end up with her he may have been less wounded by her absence and been able to get over her death easier.

Speaking of endings, Lets talk about Shiro, our LGBT rep!   

So in the epilogue we get to see that Shiro gets married to a man who was part of the Atlas crew, Curtis. I am absolutely and utterly impressed that an animated kids show I love so much has included a GAY WEDDING AND KISS BETWEEN TWO MEN!!! Like that is groundbreaking I have to admit and I think we should all be thankful for what they did. However, it can be said that this was something that should have been handled differently. I think that people forget that LGBT rep should not merely be displaying a final kiss or a wedding but rather a ROMANTIC BUILDUP. Heck I would have been happier if they showed a romance bloom between these characters rather than a blatant kiss or wedding. That would have spoke volumes. That would have taken us away from the idea that two men cannot experience romance as has been shown with heterosexual relationships or even lesbian relationships in media (Korra and Asami, Ruby and Sapphire, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline. All these have had nice ROMANTIC BUILDUP). So seeing Shiro getting married to a man he barely interacted with really kills the idea of men having romantic relationships with other men and that’s what really pains me about this rep, it could have been amazing if done right. It also felt sort of stuck on at the end as a means of damage control because of the whole Adam thing from season 7 but that’s another story. And to top all of this off they said that  Shiro left the battlefield to find his happiness, implying that happiness can only be found in marriage? I’m sure Shiro would have still been happy as a pilot or captain or whatever. Okay but that doesn’t bother me as much, as long as he truly is happy, I’m sure this wasn’t their intention, I’m sure they had good intentions so lets not roast them on that. But despite all this I am very glad and thankful for Shiro as a character, yes he is gay, but he’s strong, important and part of the main cast. They did not stereotype him as just the gay one.

But seeing that they did go through with a romance at the end (Allurance I mean), a gay romance between two men would have been amazing to see as the MAIN romance of the story instead of a hetero one for once.   

So this brings me to my final point. How do we solve this whole problem? End world hunger? Stop all wars? Bring world peace? Yup, the oh so cursed, dreaded part of this fandom as some may think. Yeah you guessed it...wait for it...here it comes...

Boom!

Klance...NO! NO! NO! Just wait I can see you there going for the back button, but before you leave I want you to hear me out. Now a lot of the trouble of this fandom has stemmed from these two dorks right here, or at least the people who ship these two dorks. But I think that the blame shouldn’t be entirely placed on them, it’s also because other people don’t understand why they ship these two. What is the reason behind this massively popular ship? I think the problem is that some people assume that it is a bunch of fangirls that merely like the idea of two cute guys being together, they think that people like this because they just look good together and would make a cute couple. And yeah it may be that, but speaking from personal experience its so much more once you look deeper. And if it was just the idea of having two guys together then why weren’t people happy with Shiro’s relationship at the end? Surely that should have satisfied their desires. But no there’s more to this. 

I feel that romantic relationships in stories is something that should not just be placed there for whatever reason but should have a purpose and benefit these characters in some way. I’ll admit and say that I have shipped Klance from the very beginning of Voltron and yes, back then from S1-S2 it WAS just because they were cute, funny and entertaining together. I never had the slightest hope or thought that it could be canon or anything serious. But I think that all really changed once we got to season 3. S3 was a great development for these two and i honestly believed they were building up to something at that point and i wasn’t even very deep into the fandom back then. Keith and Lance learned from one another, comforted one another, supported one another and it was mutual something that I think any romance should have, a mutual and not one sided respect and care for one another. And that is what these two have. They needed one another. 

I know some people prefer to see these two as just friends, pals or buds or whatever, but I think that if you watched all the times they’ve spent together looking at them in a romantic light it would make more sense. If Keith or Lance were female everyone would have been aware of their romance, few would have called them just friends. We need to move away from the idea that two guys or two girls can only be friends and that’s all. 

Another thing, and I think this is VERY important. This relationship would have done a great deal for each character, especially Lance but let’s start with Keith. Keith has always been someone who is reserved and closed off, but we’ve seen him get closer to others (Shiro, Krolia, Hunk). And so a relationship with the person he probably felt furthest from at the beginning of the series would have really put a cherry on the top of his character. It would have shown him no longer pushing people away but rather accepting them into his life. And what better person that his “frenemy”, Lance. He would have had someone to care for him, someone that does not reject him but fully accepts who he is, not only seeing him as a friend of leader but something more.     

Now onto the big one, Lance. I have to say that I honestly feel that this relationship would have solved many if not all Lance’s problems and insecurities. Its clear that Keith cares deeply about Lance, always comforting him and making him feel good about himself (eg. the bedroom scene, the sunset scene or the comfort scene in s8e11). During these scenes Keith talks about LANCE or at lest both of them not just about himself. And this is something that Lance desperately needs. He needs reassurance, he needs to know how important HE is and this is exactly what Keith does for him. 

Not only this, it also would have shown great development and self discovery for him in terms of his sexuality. It’s been made clear that Lance likes girls. But why? because they’re pretty? How good it would have been for his character to find himself at the opposite of where he started, not immediately falling for a pretty girl because she fell into his arms the moment they met, but falling for a man who he though was his rival, falling for someone because he truly needs and depends on that person and not just their looks or gender. Him saying “sometimes what you want, isn’t necessarily what you get” would have meant so much more. He would not have been so hung up on Allura, perhaps he would have joined Keith or perhaps he would have become a teacher at the Garrison. He would have truly GROWN. It would have shown us a character who gets to know himself and accept himself for who he is. A boy who likes women but who fell in love with a man. 

Heck I think that even Plance would have been a far better endgame than Allurance. Lance would have got a girl who he cares about and who cares about him for who he is, someone he is shown to be happy with throughout the series. It would have shown that he doesn’t just want the prettiest girl out there but someone who is smart, caring and who he needs. This would have also developed his character greatly. But Allurance did not do that, it gave him exactly what he wanted, yet he still was not happy or satisfied. 

But back to Klance. Klance would have stayed true to everything that the show runners promised and more.

And just imagine what it would have done for LGBT rep! It would have been the main romance of the story (a gay romance) with amazing romantic buildup, self discovery that would have not been forced. I mean they did have LGBT rep so why couldn’t it have been Klance, the most popular pairing of the show, the characters with the most chemistry? It’s now clear that Dreamworks and Netflix would have allowed it because of Shiro. It would have been amazing if done right. Although I do understand that they may have been already too far into animation to change or add anything into the main story. But I still ask myself what if?   

So once again shipping is not just about what’s cute. Its about compatibility, character development, representation and overall what’s good for the plot. We’re not upset because our ship didn’t become canon, we’re upset that they did not handle some of what they did correctly and that there were other things with so much more potential. And if the show runners didn’t go through with Klance just to spite the fandom (in a way I understand) but I still truly think that that was a poor decision to make for their own story’s and character’s growth and well being. It was a missed opportunity and wasted potential. 

Also one more thing. If you are unhappy with a fandom, you should just stay away from it or the parts of that fandom that you don’t like. Yeah that is actually a thing you can do. There’s no use complaining or hating a fandom, calling it toxic  while sitting on tumblr and scrolling through all the things you hate. Those people are just expressing their love for something. I’ve watched plenty shows, read plenty books/manga/comics, played plenty games etc. without even scraping the surface of the fandoms. Its possible and somewhat refreshing. 

Anyway there’s probably soooo much I didn’t say but overall I really did enjoy this season finale (just ignore my saltiness at the end), it was actually great! The conclusion was bittersweet. It made me really sad to think that this was the last time I would see all these amazing characters. And the lions flying off into the cosmos with Allura’s silhouette!!! There were just some  choices and how they approached certain things that bothered me slightly (basically all the wasted potential and sad attempts to make up for things. oh and also some of the lies the show runners said but lets not go into that). Still, I absolutely love this show and will still be in the fandom. I will always  recommend this amazing cartoon to anyone! :) 

So that’s it guys! If you made it this far I really congratulate you for your efforts and thank you a lot for taking the time out of your day to read my rant. I hope you learned something new that you may not have seen before. Also know that you are completely encouraged and entitled to disagree with anything that I have said, but if you do, plz be respectful and understanding.