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erithel · 2 years

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Hi,.....if you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from VLD? And why do you love them? And your top 5 (or top 3) favorite moments from the series? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

Hm, okay so it's always tricky to narrow things down, but let's see…

Before I put my lists, here, I'm going to state that I am choosing these based on canon only. Characters like Hunk and Shiro have been tweaked in fanon to a versions I love, but that is not how they actually are in the show. And characters like Allura and Lotor had a ton of untapped potential, but it would be a whole different thing to list my favorite characters based on what could have been.

So here we go:

Favorite characters:

Keith

Lance

Coran

Krolia

Shay

Keith and Lance are, appropriately, pretty much neck and neck. Keith is just a little more of a favorite because he's the one I personally relate to the most.

Both Keith and Lance had enough character stuff in the beginning seasons to make them interesting to me. I wanted to know more about them, and I wanted to watch them grow. That, to me, is a solid foundation for favorite characters.

Coran, I realize, may be a surprise. He was just the stupid comic relief, right? Except no, in the beginning he wasn't just the zany character who said wacky things for laughs – he also genuinely cared about the Paladins. And I love that duality in characters.

Krolia is a very specific one – because I love her as her own person, but I don't like her as "Keith's mom." I have a whole post about that subject, so here I'll just say that…hey, sometimes it's as simple as the fact that I just have a thing for badass warrior women, okay?

Shay may also sound like a random choice. But she was just…sweet. Like, from what I can remember, just genuinely good – and that was refreshing. I wish they had actually done more with her.

Note: Animals are excluded from this list, because they are automatic favorites.

Favorite moments:

Episode 2: Allura and Coran testing the Paladin's response time. Allura asks how long it took them to response, and Coran replies: "Seventy-five degrees. [pause] Oh, sorry. No this is a meat thermometer!" Klance fanart made me start watching. That moment made me keep watching. Because it genuinely made me laugh.

Sunset scene. You know the one, and you know why. (Look just have characters get along and support each other, okay? And let them talk! Is that too much to ask?)

I don't remember which episode, but the moment where Lance confesses his feelings to the mice and they tell Allura. Allura's reaction was one of the best things (and the reason why it makes me upset with how that all turned out). It was pure expectation subversion, because you could see it all in her body language and hear it in her voice: She didn't know what to do, because she didn't want to hurt him. This moment meant so much to me because so often female characters are forced into situations where it feels like they don't really have a choice. It makes them feel like objects. But this moment took me by surprise because I thought "wait, for the first time in a show like this, are we going to get to witness a male and female character choosing friendship over romance because it was better for both of them??" Alas –

Lance staring at Keith open mouthed when he was returning after the space whale. Like…bro…you're telling me this shit was platonic?? You're telling me Lance's brain literally stopped functioning for a solid 6 seconds of screentime because his rival was back???

5. The Keith/Shiro fight in season 6. Say what you will about the writing and choices made for VLD. The animation and choreography for that fight was fucking spectacular. And basically the only thing I need to say to prove that is that if you watch the fight, and really pay attention, you'll notice that Keith was fighting defensively in all but one moment (when he went Galra for a split second). I love stuff like that because it means it's not just a mindless action scene – there's a purpose to it, and the actual characters and their motivations are built into the fight.

OOOOF okay that took a lot of thought and I know the minute I hit post on this I'll think of other moments I loved (it's been a while since I actually watched, and it's sometimes hard to distinguish canon from fanon lol). But yeah, that was fun!

#asks #voltron legendary defender #erithel's hot takes

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ao3feedsheith · 8 months

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Hemorrhage

Hemorrhage https://archiveofourown.org/works/49797175 by CielPansyhive The Voltron team are on a mission. Get in, get info, get out, easy. They split up to distract the galra soldiers. Keith gets injured and Lance can only watch in horror as they wait for rescue. Why can't everything go as planned? Words: 1638, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Characters: Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron) Additional Tags: Blood and Injury, Miscarriage, Whump, Blood Loss, Trans Keith (Voltron), Vomiting, Fear of Death, Grief/Mourning, Anxiety, Guilt, Random NPC Death, all paladins are there, but this focuses on Lance and Keith, they have a bonding moment, Lance would rather that happen when one of them isn't dying, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Established Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt via AO3 works tagged 'Keith/Shiro (Voltron)' https://archiveofourown.org September 01, 2023 at 09:30PM

#IFTTT #sheith

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leexsa · 2 years

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hey there! because i literally hate myself, what's better than to start writing music headcanons from all the klance angst aus im thinking of in my head?

these are all *really* random hcs please stay with me on this

•••

lance seems like the kind of guy who would have spotify premium, so he has a shit ton of songs downloaded onto his phone before the blue lion leaves earth.

some examples of songs in his playlist will be nuestra canción, butter, boombayah, all that good stuff.

so the team will sometimes grab his phone and start playing their own favourite songs. it's more to remind them of earth than to actually listen to the songs because they like them.

and then - pidge finds space tiktok. what's a good name for it... spacetok. yeah not the tag it's a whole app by itself.

and surprise surprise, earth's songs are there too! so lance immediately starts making a new account and starts doing dances, documentaries on how his bayard works, interviews with the other paladins, and his account has nearly 6 billion followers (quite small, considering spacetok is used by almost everyone across multiple galaxies). not that lance is complaining, he always flexes in front of pidge who's account is more towards technology and science.

hunk's spacetok account will be about food, ofc. he's only a few thousand less followers than lance, and everyone likes to comment new recipes for him to try.

keith wouldn't be a content creator, but he has his own account, definitely not to stalk lance's own spacetok and to simp over him (not that he'll ever admit it, but lance eventually does find out).

shiro is space dad. he does not have a spacetok account, but he occasionally participates in lance's ones if he wants to.

coran does in fact, have an account dedicated to exercises and stuff to do to keep yourself healthy in space. allura has a makeup account but prefers a smaller audience in case any kind of information is exposed to the galra empire.

and since lance was most likely the 'theatre kid', he would probably do the 'theatre kids be like' vids as well. he also teaches everyone in the castle how to do the macarena and convinces them to do it for a spacetok. it resulted in many messes, but it's all in good fun.

•••

lance would have a FANTASTIC voice. although he occasionally cracks his voice, they seem to make his singing look even better. he can most definitely hit the notes in electric love.

(it would be in his playlist too!)

keith listens to as the world caves in. wuki remix, to be precise. he can't hit the notes, but his chest voice isn't so bad, rather soothing to listen to. considering this song was sang by a female though, he has to sing it a a few keys lower.

hunk can sing bass. i like to think he goes really well in acapella groups like pentatonix.

pidge wouldnt be singing, she'd be doing all the technical stuff. favourite genre would probably be either lofi, edm or poprock. something she can study to. but besides studying, probably something to jam to with her hair flinging around and scream her lungs out to.

shiro listens to classical music. no explaination, just take it.

coran would listen to meme music from the 90s and the 00s unironically. not that he would ever know that they were memes of course.

i think allura would be a swiftie and have around the same voice range as queen swift herself! *very* supportive of taylor's version.

•••

aight that's the end of my brainrot thanks for listening :D

#voltron #voltron hcs #voltron headcanons #klance #lance #keith #shiro #pidge #coran #hunk #allura #Spotify

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actress4him · 3 years

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@rangergirl3 Sorry it took me a couple of days. Writing muse went into hiding for a bit but it’s back tonight!

——————

If he had for some random reason stopped to think about, Keith probably would have assumed that the Galra Empire, with all their technology and magic, would have more effective methods of torture than some backwater planet living in something like the Stone Age.

He would have been wrong. The Jivalti, the residents of said backwater planet, are doing quite well with their primitive torture methods. Not that it has actually worked in the way they want. He hasn’t told them what they want to know. He doesn’t even know what they want to know. They took away his armor with the translator in it, but they don’t seem to get the fact that he can’t understand their clicking, whistling language.

One of them enters the cave where he’s being kept. He can hear the footsteps, but he can’t twist around to see which one it is or what new torture implement they’ve brought with them this time. The thorny vines wrapped around his wrists, ankles, chest, and head prevent that. He learned his lesson about fighting the restraints pretty early on in this process. Dried blood crusts his skin as testament to that.

More clicking and whistling. It’s the tall one today, he’s pretty sure they’re a female, but it’s hard to tell. Keith continues staring straight up at the stone ceiling, just like he has for days. He gave up on trying to answer them right around the time his voice started giving out from screaming.

Out of the corner of his eye he notices that they have their hands wrapped in some unidentifiable material, creating a makeshift glove. That probably doesn’t bode well for him. Then again, nothing that they’ve come in here with has.

The Jivalti turns and reaches for something, and Keith tries to brace himself. He gets a glimpse of what looks like a palm-sized rock and has an instant to wonder what it’s purpose will be before it’s being dropped onto his stomach.

It burns. Keith arches his back, squeezing his eyes shut and automatically pulling his arms in toward his body and digging the thorns further into his skin.

Clenching his jaw, he breathes harshly through his nose and tries to relax. It’s just a hot rock. He’s pretty sure people do this as like, a spa treatment back on Earth. Somehow he’s doubting they’re this hot, but still. He can handle this.

Another rock drops, this one onto his chest. He sucks in another breath and lets it out as a grunt. Not a moan. He’s a Paladin of Voltron, he doesn’t moan.

The third one lands on top of a particularly bad cut from a previous torture session - a beating with a switch that had given him very unfortunate flashbacks to a former foster home. This time he hisses through his teeth, barely keeping his back from arching up again. He can already feel the warmth of the blood he drew the first time running down his palms. Tears gather in the corners of his eyes, but he blinks them away, refusing to let them fall.

By the time the Jivalti is done, his whole torso is covered in the stones. His skin stings anew as they’re removed, one by one. He’s sure if he could actually look down he’d see multiple round, red spots, and he can feel each and every one of them.

The alien leans over him and clicks something menacing before turning and exiting the cave, leaving him alone with the darkness and pain once again.

——————

If you’d like to see more Voltron drabbles, send me asks from the burn list or the dialogue list...or any other prompt, as long as it’s clean and sfw!

#voltron whump #keith whump #hurt keith #voltron: legendary defender #voltron keith #vld #torture tw #burns tw #brief referenced #child abuse tw #ask game #ask response #thanks for the ask!#rangergirl3 #drabble #whump #whump writing

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loveafterthefact · 4 years

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Love After the Fact Chapter 29: Toe the Line

Lance isn't creepy! He swears he's not creepy! This is basically fluffy filler, so like... the cocoa pebbles of breakfast cereal? Idk eat it and enjoy

First Previous Next

“Okay, so what you want to do is follow and flee from my toes.”

“Excuse me?” Keith’s flat stare has Lance biting his lip. “Don’t laugh at me! It’s not my fault!”

“How can you dispatch soldiers with such grace and yet you’re the most awkward dancer I’ve ever had the misfortune to be paired with?” Lance’s scales gleam with his amusement.

“Because kicking ass is important. This is not important.” Keith glares at his awkward feet. “This is the exact opposite of important.”

“It’s extremely important- Hey.” Lance moves his hand from Keith’s waist to his chin, encourages him to meet his gaze. “Don’t look at your feet; look at me.”

“But if I look at you I- Sorry!” Keith’s ears wilt as he moves his foot off of Lance’s.

Lance just laughs, scales glittering with light. He playfully steps on Keith’s foot in return. “It’s fine. You’re fine, beloved. Just look at me and follow. Your feet will figure it out.”

He can’t. He’s too busy glaring at his feet. He doesn’t know how to do this. He doesn’t want to do this.

They're in a random sitting room, all the furniture pushed up against the walls so they have space. Light, airy music filters through a system of speakers. Keith doesn't know how to dance, and frankly never cared to. He still doesn't, in fact. But he was informed by Alfor this morning that he must learn, and quickly, so here he is.

“Beloved,” Lance murmurs. Keith sighs, forces himself to look at his spouse. That delicate brown hand reclaims his waist. “One step at a time, okay? We’ve got this. Let me lead. You follow. I know you like being in control, but I know what I’m doing and this is how Adam wants it.”

“I’m starting to think Adam just wants me to be female.”

“You think so?” Lance asks, frowning. Keith’s gratified that Lance doesn’t seem to like that, doesn’t dismiss him immediately. He manages to keep moving without stepping on Lance’s toes again, but he’s still stiff and awkward.

“That’s how it feels. Seems my womb is the only thing people around here care about.”

“Well, it is. In a way.” Lance gently guides Keith into a new step. “See, we are not people, you and I. We cannot be. The difference is that I am something more, and you are something less.”

“Gee, thanks.” Keith stumbles, regains his composure. Lance gently reorders their feet. The Altean has far more patience. Keith envies that.

“Adam’s coaching has made you likeable. It has made you relatively safe. But the one thing my father and I can agree on is that we must be more than people. We must be untouchable.”

“How the fuck does that work?” That somehow still feels like being less to Keith.

“Charisma and perceived power. Which you have none of. But don’t worry. We’ll find you some.”

“Yeah…” Keith sighs, steps forward as Lance steps back, as those delicate hands coax him to follow, to keep them together- Oh. Keith can work with that. He’ll keep them together. That can be his job.

“Good! Hey, you’re doing really good!” Lance grins at him, spins him out, draws him back in. Silent communication, Keith thinks. Physical communication. He smiles, ears perking just a bit. “There’s that smile! You’re doing great, beloved.”

“Thanks…” Keith’s ears are still tipped back and out just a bit, Lance notices.

“What’s bothering you?”

“I… I’m not sure how to explain it.”

“You don’t like it, do you?” Lance whispers. The music tinkles along in the background, but Keith barely hears. “You don’t like what Adam’s asking of you.”

“I’m not your wife, or your pet, or a decoration, which is exactly what he seems to think. I guess I've just grown tired of it?”

“So… Don’t do that.”

“I thought you wanted the people to like me,” Keith grumbles glaring back down to his feet again.

“I think you’re extremely likeable. You’re reserved, clever, sassy. Pretty. You don’t need to be my pet. Frankly, I find the idea repulsive.”

“You…” Keith’s brows crinkle up, a cute little frown crossing his face. His ear twitches with a sudden wave of shyness. As a poorly-socialized runt, he doesn’t get compliments like that very often. Never, actually. “You think I’m pretty?”

Those dark eyes peer up at him through thick eyelashes, and Lance is reminded once again that he’s terrible. A terrible person, and a weak one. “W- Well, yeah. I mean… Y- You’re very pretty, y’know, for a person. Any person. I mean, beautiful even, as far as people go. Like all people. Of all ages. I’m not creepy! I swear I’m not creepy!”

Keith laughs, admiring the way Lance’s blush creeps up to his pretty, pointed ears. He’s never seen the charismatic Altean so awkward. It’s reassuring, in a way, to see him so flustered. It makes him seem closer, not so far above Keith.

He chooses not to mention that many Galra find their mate before their final growth. He imagines it’ll make the next few phoebs more interesting.

“I think you’re pretty, too,” Keith whispers. “Especially when you babble like that.”

This automatically leads to more babbling, until Lance finally takes a deep breath and says, ever so eloquently, “You dance good.”

Keith smiles, ear twitching shyly. “Not bad for some backwoods kit, huh?”

“Not bad for anybody, beloved.”

“Right.” Keith doesn’t buy it for a tick. He knows what an inconvenience he’s been-

“I literally do not care, Keith. I don’t care where you came from, or where you grew up- Well, no. that’s not true. I care about that very much. It’s a part of who you are. What I mean is-”

“Lance, it’s fine. You don’t have to-”

“What I mean is it doesn’t bother me. Not a thing about you bothers me.” Lance smiles, watching Keith’s ears hit that angle to indicate his embarrassment.

Lance had it wrong when Keith first arrived. Keith can be very expressive when he’s comfortable. Meaning that the only conclusion Lance can draw from what he’s currently looking at is that Keith is comfortable with him.

It causes some kind of unfamiliar, fluttering warmth in his chest. It feels like there’s a small bird hovering in his chest, tiny wings brushing against his insides. He feels guilty, standing here with this kit in his arms, his feelings threatening to burst out.

He’s not physically attracted to Keith, of course. It doesn’t matter how old he looks; attach the word ‘kit’ or any equivalent to someone, and Lance is immediately turned off. But beauty is subjective, and everyone one has some aesthetic that endears them. He finds Keith beautiful, and it makes his heart feel warm.

How is he supposed to feel, spending so much of his time with Keith, a complex blend of shy and fierce, timid and outgoing, impenetrable and vulnerable? It’s like the Ancients are playing some terrible trick on him, blessing him with something he can never truly have.

“Is something wrong?” Keith asks, head cocked. Those violet eyes shine so bright, mouth held in a tiny frown.

Lance smiles, because what else can he do? “Not a thing.”

He squeezes Keith’s hand, uses the one on his waist to pull them closer together. Keith feels the warmth between them, finds he doesn’t mind. He’s heard the worry in Lance’s words.

Keith understands the difficult position they’re in, knows exactly where that poorly hidden worry comes from, but with Lance guiding him so carefully, he doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all. He feels safe.

Safe enough to later groan along with the rest of the court when Lady Seran stomps in to complain about how someone looked at her kits funny. The poorly suppressed smile curling Lance’s lips feels like a reward.

When Keith takes Lance's hand on the arms of their thrones, it’s a matter of choice, not duty.

#LoveAftertheFact #LAtF #klance #galtean au #altean lance #galra keith #adashi #altean adam #galra shiro #voltron legendary defender #vld

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backupblogforjg · 4 years

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The racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism and cruel tropes in Voltron

So, it’s the anniversary of the ending of Voltron. And I’m getting really, really tired of people saying that only shippers hated the ending. There were many issues with Voltron, and they were neither limited to shipping nor to S8.

So, I’ve decided to compile a list.

It gets LONG. Turns out there was a hell of a lot of racist, sexist, ableist and cruel tropes in VLD.

In fact, I had originally planned on writing a list of both the terrible tropes and the plot holes. But there just wasn’t enough room for both. The post is huge as it is, and with the plot holes, it would have been twice as long, so I had to focus on only one thing.

Salt, obviously. So, so, so much salt. I could turn a lake into a sea here. You’ve been warned.

RACISM:

1) The Alteans are genocide survivors. Out of all the Alteans, only the black Altean was used for a Reverse Racism story where she resents a teammate for belonging to the race that exterminated hers. The white Alteans are totally cool with him, and with his race in general, and only hate the bad people. But the black one had to be taught that hating people because of their race is wrong.

2) VLD Allura is also the only version of Allura who is black. In every other Voltron media (several different cartoons and comics), Allura is blond with blue eyes. All the white versions of the character get a happy ending, while only the black version ends up dying to save the world.

While "hero sacrifices their life to save the world" is not a bad trope in and of itself, it becomes bad when it kills off one of the extremely few black female characters in leading roles. You kill off a white male hero, there are 463278462387 more. You kill off the black female hero, you are kinda screwed. Making it worse, Allura had been portrayed as suffering from depression throughout the latest seasons, so that her death comes across less as heroic sacrifice and more as suicide.

3) The brown Cuban kid who dreamed of being a pilot, and never once in 78 episodes ever expressed anything but sheer love for an exciting life, in the final two minutes of the final episode ends up realizing that the place for him is a farm.

4) As told in interviews, Lotor was meant to be a bad example of mixed-race person, to contrast him with Keith as good example of mixed race person. Do I even have to point out how messed up this is?

5) Even before they became Space Nazis, back when they were still on the side of the angels, the Galra invaded and conquered planets. This is portrayed as totally cool when they happily name the prince after a "hero" who invaded and conquered a lot of worlds, and the peaceful Alteans think the guy is just as heroic as one of their greatest scientists. Apparently there is such a thing as ethically killing people to steal their land.

6) They whitewashed Keith, a character who is poc in every other iteration of Voltron.

I’m sure a lot of people are going to get angry here, claiming that I hate Keith. Let me assure you, I don’t. I love Keith, and I hate what was done to him. I hate that they took a traditionally poc character and went to frankly ridiculous lengths to erase that part of his character. Keith should be Asian, and it would be incredibly easy to make him so in VLD (seriously, all they’d have to do is update the freaking bios, an intern could do it right now in 5 minutes). But they refuse to do it.

A lot of people don’t realise that the surname “Kogane” in VLD is fanon.

I’m serious. Check his official bios page. Keith is not actually called Keith Kogane in VLD. Fans started calling him that in fanfiction, and it stuck, but it’s not canon.

In every other Voltron media, Keith is an Asian guy. But in VLD, they:

- went out of their way to always avoid giving him an Asian surname

- gave him a Texan father

- refused to confirm his race, even when every other character had a specific race. Again, check his official bios. All the other characters got a race, Keith gets “human.” It got so ridiculous it would be funny if it weren’t sad. It pretty much went like this:

Fans: Keith is half alien, but about his human half, what is his ethnicity? EPs: oh, we couldn't possibly say, because the story takes place in the future, and in the future, everybody is mixed up! So, Keith is HUMAN, we can't give him a specific race because there are no specific races in the future! Fans: ok. And what are the races of the other characters? EPs: Pidge is Italian, Lance is Cuban, Hunk is half-black half- Samoan, Shiro is Japanese. Fans: but Keith...? EPs: HUMAN! There is no such thing as race in the future!

Some people at least hoped that Keith's Texan father had Asian ancestry because he kinda looked like Shiro, who is Japanese. But the EPs confirmed that the resemblance was just a coincidence, they never meant for the dad to look Japanese.

At this point pretty much the only evidence that Keith is Asian is that he is voiced by an Asian person. But then, Josh Keaton is not Japanese, is he?

7) After whitewashing Keith, they claimed he is the best leader of Voltron, better than his poc predecessor, because he has Galra blood.

So, instead of bringing up any sort of legit reason to justify why Keith should be in charge (like his empathy or pilot skills), they go with "the half-white guy is also half space-nazi and that's why he should give the orders instead of the poc guy."

If you think I’m bashing Keith here, please ask yourself why you are getting angry at the person pointing out the whitewashing instead of getting angry at the whitewashing. Especially when, again, making VLD Keith canonically poc could be done anytime with zero cost and zero effort, and DW just doesn’t want to.

- Hunk, the half-black half-Samoan guy, was going to be killed and replaced as Paladin by a blue alien. The EPs were pissed when DW forbade them to, and complained in the interview about it.

SEXISM:

Every single woman who is ever put in charge ends up going insane, making terrible decisions that endanger her planet, or losing all of her authority.

Allura starts out as co-leader of Voltron and leader of the Coalition. Ends up as a foot soldier who takes orders from the new leader and his right-hand man, and is treated as a cadet by the Earth military.

HOMOPHOBIA:

1) Dreamworks, Netflix and the EPs very, very, very heavily promoted S7 as GLBT-friendly. The EPs gave whole interviews about the past relationship between Shiro and new character Adam, retweeted a ton of posts celebrating Shiro’s homosexuality, and enthusiastically sent tweets like "you are going to see more of Adam in S7! :D" from their personal accounts after they showed the episode that introduced him.

In S7:

- Shiro's homosexuality is so ambiguous that even the Brazilian voice actor didn't realize that he was supposed to be gay. Just by watching the show, without knowing the World Of God, you can’t tell he and the other guy were engaged.

- Adam gets about 30 seconds of screentime after that one episode they had already shown. Then he dies screaming in pain and terror in a fire.

A lot of people claimed that it was okay to kill Adam because Shiro was supposed to be our rep, not Adam, who was a brand new character we knew little about. And, out of context, that would be true. Adam was pretty much a NPC, why would his death matter?

But the problem here is the context:

- Shiro is closeted in S7, you need to read interviews to know he is gay. So, if only Shiro is meant to be the rep, they couldn’t even do that right.

- They very heavily marketed both Shiro and Adam as gay rep, and specifically talked at length about Adam in several interviews.

In THAT context, REGARDLESS of what you ship, killing off Adam revealed a complete willingness to manipulate the audience to the point of outright lying. Even if you hated Adam, even if Adashi is your NOTP, the clear evidence that the creators had absolutely no problem making empty promises was NOT a good sign.

2) The moment Shiro is revealed to be gay in interviews, he is practically quarantined from the Team.

3) Shiro is also given a Totally Not AIDS deadly disease.

Making it even worse, Shiro never actually gets cured in canon. We are told he is cured in interviews, but the show itself drops the topic entirely. Depending on where you lean in the Word Of God VS Death Of The Author debate, Shiro may be doomed to die.

4) A female villain is revealed to be a lesbian. 30 seconds later she gleefully tortures a little girl. Then she, too, dies in a fire.

(Fan outrage about pulling two Bury Your Gays in the Season that had been very heavily promoted as GLBT-friendly caused DW to retcon her death and bring her back in S8, but she was originally meant to die in the explosion)

5) Shiro ends up marrying a random character who doesn’t even get a name in the show.

ABLEISM:

1) Shiro's PTSD magically disappears offscreen. In interviews, the EPs claimed that he "got over it" between S6 and S7 because "he is a professional." Wow! Who knew being a professional magically cures mental illnesses!

2) Shiro is an amputee. The EPs admitted that they never put any thought into his status as disabled rep, they just wanted a character with a cool-looking arm. It literally didn't occur to them that making him lose his arm (TWICE! First up to the biceps, then up to the shoulder) meant anything. Also worth noting that Shiro’s new arm makes him look like the guy who tormented him.

3) Shiro is systematically robbed of his agency.

- He is the only Paladin who never gets to use his bayard.

- He loses his bond with Black for no given canon reason (and the reason they give in interviews makes no sense, they basically say that transferring his soul out of the Black Lion makes her stop loving him. But she still lets Zarkon fly her!).

I know that Keith is traditionally Black’s pilot in Voltron media (although that shouldn’t matter, because VLD made a lot of huge changes to the traditional status quo). But if they wanted Black Paladin Keith that badly, they could have given some non-insulting reason for it. For example, say “because Shiro has spent so much time within Black, their bond is now so strong that he will get absorbed again if he flies her again.” Or co-pilots in Black (if Pidge can co-pilot with Matt, why can’t Shiro co-pilot with Keith?).

- He is defeated not only by Sendak, but also by a bunch of random Alteans. He basically can’t win a fight anymore unless it’s played for laughs.

- His new robot Atlas is bigger than Voltron, but also much weaker, and can only buy a few minutes for Voltron to come save the day.

- Every single enemy he ever defeated comes back to be finished off by somebody else (even the friggin' Gladiator from S1 comes back in S8). In the epilogue, he retires in his twenties.

4) Narti, the disabled General, is fridged shortly after her introduction. For a while at least it seemed like her death had affected the remaining three Generals, but then it turns out that the "For Narti" line was a trick and they never actually planned on avenging her.

CRUEL TROPES:

1) They intentionally baited the fans by pushing the plot thread that Lotor would be redeemed. They named the episode where he defects "A New Defender," they kept saying in interviews that they come from Avatar and they are very familiar with Zuko *hint hint*, they showed his family as incredibly abusive and Lotor himself as desperate, they showed that Lotor was a victim of severe racism (he is mixed race, and as stated above, the Galra are Space Nazis and are pretty obsessed with blood purity).

Then, after revealing him to be a villain, they gave an interview where they practically dislocated their shoulders by patting themselves on the back as they gleefully bragged that "we made them think we would give them a Zuko, but we gave them an Azula!"

(Nevermind the fact that Azula herself was a 14-year-old child, not a monster, and that Aaron Ehasz himself confirmed that he always wanted her to be redeemed).

When fans who are survivors of child abuse told them that the bait-and-switch was really hurtful, they laughed it off, and claimed that Lotor was just beyond redemption. Then they proceeded to redeem Lotor's abusive parents, who were objectively much worse.

2) Shiro’s clone, who sincerely believed he was Shiro and always meant well, was dehumanised, demonised and discarded like his life meant nothing. His short existence was full of pain from literally the moment he first opened his eyes, as Haggar kept torturing him with migraines to manipulate him. In the end, she brutally violates him body and mind, and brainwashes him to force him to turn on the family he was so desperate to find in The Journey. He dies in incredibly questionable circumstances, without ever getting to learn that his family survived Haggar’s plans. He is victim-blamed for the things she forced him to do against his will with mind-control, and is never mourned because the only family he ever had writes him off as a “thing” and “evil.”

In fact, the horrific treatment of Kuron foreshadowed S8. The Medium article “It never stops at one - Why Voltron: Legendary Defender's tragic ending wasn't a surprise and why more DreamWorks' series will follow suit” explains how.

The tl;dr version is that, when a story posits that the circumstances of your birth determine the value of your life, so that good intentions and hard work mean nothing, and long-established bonds can be discarded with zero thought and care, and your very humanity can be revoked over something you have absolutely no control over, and the whole sociopathic disaster is celebrated as a happy ending... it really, really can’t end well. Not just for you, but for the entire cast.

#voltron critical #vld shiro #vld keith #vld lance #vld allura #vld lotor #voltron #voltron salt #takashi shirogane

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saltysaltdog · 3 years

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You know, one thing that grinds me about the "Allura is forced by the narrative to not be hostile against the species who completely genocided her people" idea is that it IS wrong in canon because her species still exists and she should KNOW this because altea wasn't the only place alteans were.

Speaking of, how does she know that altea blew up? Is she reading ye olde news reports on that console? Who is making those news reports and why do they only report on alteans and not update the castle of lions on anything else? Is it just psychic Altean powers? Why couldn't she divine the other alteans? Allura herself in season 1 admits to using galran galactic hubs to travel, why would she think no alteans ever did so to move to a new life?

Another thing: How does she know Zarkon would try to destroy every altean? it would make more sense to believe that it was just an eye for an eye about blowing up the planet. Why wouldn't he evacuate his wife's family, friends, favourite media personalities, colleagues, etc.

With all these questions in place we can come to a few theories:

Allura was sheltered from court life:

It doesn't explain everything, but let's say that she was sheltered from any important political learning in her youth. No economics, no current events, no law, no foreign affairs, no media classes, no military or tactical learning, etc etc etc.

It explains some things in canon (though not Coran /not/ explaining things) but it implies that alteans start this learning late, or Allura was never really in line for the throne. Leading to idea two.

Someone close to Allura had some bad scruples:

So we've seen that these tanks can interact with memories and that allura apparently had some major information deficiencies. What's to say these gaps are natural? Surely you could create knowledge or even fake memories of events you weren't there for.

But of course Alfor wouldn't test unsafe tech on his daughter, but you know what IS commonly tested on? Mice.

The mice are psychic plants just to keep Allura from seeking out other alteans.

But... why? You might ask. Iunno, just sounds cool. You may as well make up your own reasons but there are some common ones for getting someone out of the way.

-Allura was in danger:

This would need someone specifically targeting Allura, probably someone altean and with enough power to threaten Alfor.

... is this another succession to the throne idea? Yes shut up. So Coran is sent to keep Allura safe and away from other alteans, hense why he's on the attack when he sees somewhat altean faces. Now this idea doesn't require any siblings, any uncles, aunts, cousins, or grandparents could pose a threat.

This doesn't require the intent to murder either, so a powerful enough noble or even stupidly rich layman could provide enough pressure to outright force Allura into a marriage. But doesn't this require Alfor not having any power to stop the match? Yes alteans have a matriarchal culture and Alfor is just a trophy husband let's move on.

If that's not your jam then how about this:

-Allura has psychic powers.

Yes we know, you say, She psychicly connected to the mice. And that was an accident right? So what if on Altea she was starting to accidentally connect to people, multiple people, taking memories, getting overwhelmed, giant psychic explosions!

... maybe not but it's cool and has a built in failsafe. If Allura didn't psychicly leech from the mice, she wouldn't believe altea was gone so she would have just gone home.

It could also explain why she was so quick to believe a random altean against Lotor, she could read her mind better and see she was telling the "truth".

But why doesn't it work on Coran? Sorry, psychic powers dont work on people with moustaches. Joking aside (mostly), Allura might have a limiter on her power. After all, we see the evolution of her daily clothes via the Alfor AI so what is she never seen without that is absent from her childhood? Coran might just be less receptive, a rarity amongst alteans and why he was the only one sent with her.

(Hint, earrings. Though she does get her tiara at some point after being a toddler. Suspiciously early.)

But wait, you may say, that doesn't put Allura in danger from any powerful alteans, Alfor wouldn't need to go so far! True, so welcome to theory number three.

Allura's mother is a psychic body snatcher who has been taking over her daughter's bodies every generation to become a nigh omnipotent Queen.

The galra attacking would provide just the distraction Alfor would need to save Allura from this fate, sending her off with a "false" memory that she can never return to Altea and should start a new life. Or maybe he just intended to keep her on ice till her mother died but then died himself.

After all, what happened when Allura wasn't sent away? After her father died she suddenly gained the power to kill Zarkon and all of his forces, Haggar included. She then went on to become Empress and enslave the universe. How long she lived is debatable, but that sort of power boost is odd, as well as her more militaristic tendencies since she never showed a knack for strategy. (Hira says people that might have been casualties of war in Allura's day could now be 'rehabilitated ' which implies Allura might have gone to war beyond just fighting the galra empire.)

Allura's mother and grandmother basically look identical to her, and as previously stated Allura didn't learn a lot of court necessities. She didn't need to if she was going to get brain jacked, all she'd need is a fit body; and as we see, for a pacifist people Allura was quick to comment on the paladins training method being fit for a child.

In the show we do see individuals being brain jacked by Haggar, either to see through them or directly control them in the case of Cloned Shiro. However cloned shiro needed Technological help to control, and Honerva's fighters required more precise useage of quintessence she only got after going to Orilande. For someone of more talent, like say, royalty like Allura, taking over someone's body is within the realm of possibility.

This could also add to Alfor's horror that his friend was suggesting quintessence could be used to become immortal, after all that was his wife's goal too. This would compound his need to destroy the rift, to prevent his wife taking over Allura's body and then becoming an immortal, near unstoppable, entity.

I also find it's a little strange that Hira/the alteans recognized Allura on sight. I mean, sure her entire female line looks the same, but how do you know it's her specifically unless she lived for a long time/ her paladin suit was extremely iconic. Implying that the alteans appreciated her more as a fighter than a ruler. I know I wouldn't recognise centuries old rulers from each other, why would random alteans?

As for why Melenor would need Allura if an immortal making rift was there, it's likely that before Voltron fighting wasn't seen as a valuable skill for royals, but upon seeing the vast influence it had she had to raise her new body to be able to handle a fair fight instead of being able to impress with musical or artistic talents.

#voltron #allura #Melenor vld #alternate character theories #add it to the list

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galraluver · 2 years

Note

This is more random because I forgot to but it in my previous ask when I geeked out about the old paladins. Anyway, next time requests are open will it be ok to request stories in regards to the old paladins in addition, do you have any plans on making an Honerva Masterlist and a Haggar Masterlist? Just out of curiosity.

It's alright, you were just excited (I forget things when I'm excited about things too). And yes, it it. I can't wait to start writing for them. I already have some headcanon requests for Alfor and Blaytz, so those will be written soon. And no, I don't plan on writing for Honerva/Haggar since I absolutely hate her. Although I will write for Dr. Haggar (the female Galra doctor)

#Asks #Random

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ao3feed-voltronlegendarydefender · 3 years

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A Happy Ending Regardless Of What Dreamworks Says

read it on the AO3 at A Happy Ending Regardless Of What Dreamworks Says

by Neutral03

Season 8 rewrite of Voltron: Legendary Defender.

Words: 4269, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 4 of Slight Voltron AU

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron - Fandom

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Other

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Lance's Family (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Allura (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt, Pidge | Katie Holt's Family, Hunk (Voltron), Hunk's Family (Voltron), Coran (Voltron), MFE pilots - Character, atlas crew, Romelle, alteans - Character, Blade of Marmora - Character, Random aliens, Garrison Staff, Iverson (Voltron), Random Garla, Haggar, Zarkon, Alfor, Former Voltron Paladins, OCs, More to be added later I think - Character, Keith's Wolf (Voltron), Curtis (Voltron)

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Allura/Romelle (Voltron), Shiro/Adam(Past), Shiro/Curtis, Hunk/Shay, Zethrid/Ezor, Veronica/Axca, Keith's Father/Krolia (Voltron), Kolivan/Krolia (Voltron), Colleen Holt/Sam Holt, Paladins as a family - Relationship, Friendships - Relationship, Allura & Coran & Hunk & Keith & Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro, past Allura/Lotor, Keith & Keith's Wolf (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Adam & Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Hunk& Lance, Pdige/Technology, Coran/OC, Haggar/Zarkon (Voltron), Alfor/Allura's Mother (Voltron)

Additional Tags: Mpreg, Rewrite, AU, Violence, Marriage, Death, Character Death, I'm not saying who, Past Rape/Non-con, Love Confessions, Love, Happy Ending, Angst, Angst-with a happy ending, Bittersweet, Keith (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Everyone has anxiety, Trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Insomina, Keith has Insomia, Lance (Voltron) Has ADHD, Insecure Lance, Keith (Voltron) has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, They all need therapy, More tags to be added as we go, pregnant Keith, Omega Keith, Galra Keith, Korean Keith, Cuban Lance, Japanese Shiro (Voltron), Samoan Hunk (Voltron), Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Italian Pidge | Katie Holt

read it on the AO3 at A Happy Ending Regardless Of What Dreamworks Says

#ao3feed #fanfic #voltron #voltron: legendary defender #ao3feed-voltronlegendarydefender

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aknerdygirl · 4 years

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A Long Journey Ahead

Zarkon had grown bitter his only child his heir was a failure. He had no wife so how was he supposed to bring up a second heir one that he could train to be far better than Lotor ever was. He was nearly going mad with the idea That he may have to spawn a child with a random woman in his army. That was until he heard one of his soldiers was expecting a child, immediately the plan started to come together. As soon as the child was born, he would take the child and leave a sickly baby that would not survive vary long in its place.

Zarkon chuckled at his plan and he was excited to see how it would turn out. “What’s so funny my Lord?” Haggar rasped from beside him bringing Zarkon out of his thoughts. Zarkon was tempted not to tell her his plan. Why should he tell her his plan he was her emperor she was nothing more than his adviser. In the end he did tell her. Haggar was surprised by this plan something within herself told her that it was wrong to replace the Prince, but she would not tell her emperor that. instead she stayed silent trying to figure out why she even cared if the king replaced his son.

Finally, the day came the child had been born. Zarkon snuck into the hospital wing. He found the soldier asleep. Of course, he wasn't surprised what little he could remember of Lotor's birth it seemed exhausting for the mother. beside her bed lay the crib with the child in it. In zarkon’s arms lay a child that he had found earlier that day after invading a camp of traitorous galra. The child was barely breathing they were perfect for his plan. Of course, in Zarkon’s mind the child would be a male, but when he snuck up on the crib to replace the baby. He was surprised to find the child swaddled in a pink blanket. he didn't know if the sickly child in his arms was male or female but from the looks of it the child was Female as well. not wanting to waste another second Zarkon swapped the babies and walked away without a sound.

“What are you going to name her my Lord?” Haggar asked when she saw the child in Zarkon's arms. He looked down at the child. Zarkon had forgotten to think of any girl names. She had purple fur, Brown hair, and fluffy purple cat like ears. She looked as if she had nothing but galra blood in her. That was until her eyes opened instead of the signature yellow with purple pupils, she had stunning brown eyes. Zarkon was shocked. He continued to think and then finally it came to him. “We shall call this child pidge.”

Pidge ran into the throne room as fast as her little legs could carry her. “Father, Father!” She cried as she ran, she did not know how to process what she had found. “What is it my child.” Zarkon ask confused he had never seen his daughter this worried. “I found this mark on my ribs, I don't know what it is.” The little girl cried. Zarkon laughed. “That would be your soul mark my child.” He said putting the small child on his lap. “What’s that Father?” She asked. Zarkon debated on not telling the child the truth. So that she would not waste her time trying to find her soulmate, but he knew that was cruel. “You see my child everyone in the universe has a soulmate, and that mark there is just the beginning as soon as you start to interact with your soulmate it will start to grow more complex. It only stops when they truly love you.” Zarkon told her. “Really?” she asked astonished. “Yes, but pidge you must promise me that no matter what you will not go looking for your soulmate.” Zarkon said looking at his daughter. “Why not Father?” She asked confused. “Because bad things happen if you go searching for your soulmate. Do you under stand me Pidge?” He asked her and she nodded looking a little sad. Zarkon smiled and set her down on the ground. “Come now it’s time for your training.”

“Hello Again Father.” Lotor said coldly staring at his father. “Why have you called me here today.” He asked adding ice into his voice. “I called you here so you could meet your sister.” As Zarkon said this Pidge stepped forward. “Hello brother it’s good to finally get to meet you. My name is Pidge.” She said with a small smile. Lotor was taken aback he had not been expecting this when he got the message that his father wanted to see him. He wanted to hate this girl, but he just couldn’t something about her just put him at ease. “It’s a pleasure to meet you to.” Was all Lotor could say. Zarkon smiled his plan was finally coming together.

“Hey Lotor, can I ask you something kind of personal?” Pidge asked as she and Lotor sat staring at the many stars. “Of course, Pidge what is it.” He answered. “Have you met your soulmate?” She felt that maybe if she knew someone who had already met there soulmate maybe they could finally quench her thirst for more knowledge on the subject. Lotor hadn’t been expecting Pidge to ask that but the question made him smile. “Yes, I have, but I was in a group with lots of others, so I don’t know which one they were.” He said sadly. “Oh, I’m sorry I asked. Its just ever since I found my mark I’ve wanted to know more, and I can’t ask father.” Pidge said cringing at the memory of the time she had asked her father about his mark. “I made that mistake as well though I have a feeling he was harsher on me then he was you.” Lotor said when he saw Pidge’s face. Pidge tried to laugh but she couldn’t. Lotor was shocked he had thought their father had a soft spot for the little galra. “Did he really punish you? How old were you?” Lotor asked suddenly feeling vary protective of the smaller galra. “No, he didn’t punish me, I was seven. Haggar was the one.” Pidge said not looking at Lotor. “WHAT!” Lotor yelled not understanding why he was so mad. “Dose father know?” Lotor asked. “She said that I needed to learn not to be nosy, and no he doesn’t, and you can’t tell him.” Pidge said and she couldn’t help the tear that slipped down her cheek. “I won’t tell him I promise.” Lotor said. He hugged her to his chest vowing that he would never let that woman put a finger on his sister again.

“WHAT DID YOU TELL HIM!” Haggar screamed at Pidge. “Nothing I didn’t tell him a thing I promise.” Pidge cried as Haggar’s magic slammed into her. “BULLSHITE YOU TOLD HIM SOMETHING AND YOU’RE NOT LEAVING THIS ROOM UNTIL YOU TELL ME EVERTHING!” Haggar was getting angrier as time went by. “Bitch even if I did tell him something, I wouldn’t tell you.” Pidge said. “LOTOR ISN’T HERE ANYMORE TO PROTECT YOU YOUR MINE NOW!” Haggar started to laugh. Pidge stopped pleading it had never worked before why would it work now. Suddenly the pain stopped. Pidge opened her eyes confused and she Wasn't the only one. Haggar was looking at her hands and then at Pidge, she throws another ball of magic and as soon as it met Pidges skin it dissolved. Pidge smiled as she stared at the witch. “I guess your magic no longer works on me.” Pidge said with a cocky grin.

“Your ready my daughter. Your mission is to find the black lion and return it to me do you understand?” Zarkon asked Pidge.

“Yes father. I will not disappoint you.”

The rest of the story is on my archive of our own https://archiveofourown.org/works/17614508/chapters/41526953

#keith x pidge #shiro x matt #allura x lance #hunk x shay #ulaz x thace #krolia x kolivan #lotor x romelle #galra pidge #soulmate

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fallenqueen2 · 4 years

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Homecoming 2-Final [Voltron]

Voltron didn’t lose all those years once they beat Lotor, this changes the way they returned to Earth.

Ao3

How I wish the Paladin’s return to Earth went, in this AU they didn’t lose all those years when they beat Lotor as I thought that their return was very lacklustre and didn’t display how amazing and badass the Paladin’s truly were by that point.

I found this in my WIP and decided while it is not done and most likely will never be more than these two chapters, I thought I would share it nonetheless

~~/~~

“Are you guys nervous? I’m nervous like we have no idea how long it’s been on Earth and what if our families aren’t there, what if they freak out and don’t accept us being Paladins and defenders of the universe and oh God what if they aren’t space wolf people?” Hunk babbled as he and the others broke Voltron.

They were flanking their new Castle ship (which the Olkari helped them rebuild and with the crystal from the old castle in place and then Shiro accidentally bonded with the castle itself, it was better than ever) in their individual lions as they slowly descended through the atmosphere of Earth, of their home.

“Hunk, breath!” Keith advised as his face popped up in the yellow lion.

“But Lance, Pidge and I went AWOL to help you and Shiro and then we disappeared, what if we get back and they court-martial us and lock us in the brig and never let us see our families?” Hunk’s mind spun with what could happen and suddenly landing in the Garrison itself seemed like a bad idea.

“Then we’ll just break out of the brig, it will be a lot easier than a Galra brig and then we call our lions and leave,” Keith said simply like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Really?” Hunk whispered, feeling himself relaxing.

“Obviously I mean if they want to mess with any of us then they get all of us,” Lance said cheerfully.

“I’ve already hacked into their systems, my dad did a good job upgrading but I’ve got eyes everywhere and with one click we can get out of anywhere in the Garrison with ease,” Pidge said confidently.

“If they dare to lay a hand on any of you I will show them why Altean’s are to be feared,” Allura said firmly and Hunk sniffed.

“Thanks, guys, you’re the best.” Hunk said voice a bit wobbly.

“Oh yeah, you guys are coming to my house for dinner right? Keith my mom will think you’re far too skinny and will try to fatten you up.” Lance said teasingly and Keith sighed dramatically through their com system.

“We are sticking together so we are going to be making the rounds Lance,” Keith said reminding the other Paladin of their plans.

“Just making sure, I can’t wait to see everyone again. It’s going to be so weird but I can’t wait.” Lance said just as cheerfully.

“I am quite excited to see your homeworld, what you all have told Coran and myself about it has me very interested,” Allura said, childish excitement in her voice and eyes glittering as she took in the shades of blues and greens and desert reds as they made their descent.

“Paladins, 5 dobosh’s until landing, is everyone ready?” Shiro appeared on the lion’s view screens.

The Paladins gave murmured words that basically summed up that they were ready and Coran appeared in the image right in front of Shiro who leaned out of the way.

“Paladins! Let’s do a dramatic entrance like in our promotion shows!” Coran said joyfully and everyone minus Keith let out moans and noises of dismay at that idea.

“I did manage to catch a few of those shows, they always made my day.” Keith chuckled as he remembered trying to keep it together whenever he saw them on a holo screen, but he always left before the talking started because after the first time he felt guilty and missed them so much it hurt.

“No you guys, Coran is right. We are the defenders of the universe, we need to make an entrance.” Lance perked up at the idea.

“What do you have in mind?” Allura asked curiously and Lance’s grinning face just popped up and he explained his idea that had them all chuckling and agreeing to it.

“Let me go out first, we have no idea what we are going to be walking into. I want to make sure it’s safe for you all before we let our guard down.” Shiro stated firmly remembering the last time he had landed in the Garrison in an alien ship, he trusted Commander Holt but he wasn’t sure about the Garrison at the moment.

“We’ll wait for your word Shiro.” Keith agreed and the others nodded sharply and things quieted down when the familiar building of the Garrison appeared below him, it’s orange particle barrier fading away.

“Keep the Castle airborne Coran and be ready to put the barrier up just in case,” Shiro ordered as he headed for an airlock.

“You’ve got it number one!” Coran snapped out a salute and faced his console again. Shiro smiled fondly as he put his helmet on and powered up his jetpacks. He jetted over to the Black Lion and stood tall and strong on the lion’s brow as the lions gently landed on the ground, sending sand and debris flying from the powers of the lion’s thrusters.

“Stay in your lions until I give the go-ahead Paladin's,” Shiro said as he leapt up off the head of the Black lion and landed in a crouch in front of the gathering group of Garrison members.

“Superhero landing!” Lance cheered and Shiro fought back a smile as Hunk and Pidge cheered along with Lance while Keith told them to shut up and pay attention, fondness coating his words.

“Shiro?” Sam Holt stepped forward, the guards and Iverson and four cadets in flight suits tensed.

“Commander, it looks like we got here just in time.” Shiro took the helmet off and held it to his hip and smiled fondly at the man.

“That Shiro is an understatement, it’s good to see you all alive and well.” Sam rushed forward and warmly clapped Shiro’s shoulder with a pleased smile on his face as he waved up to the Green lion with his free hand.

“You as well Commander, now what is the situation with the Garrison, do I need to keep my Paladins in their lions?” Shiro lowered his voice as he eyed the other Garrison members.

“You are classified as friendly’s and no harm will befall you here,” Sam said confidently. “We had to put Admiral Sanda in the brig when she fought too much against us defending against the Galra and wanted to put you all in the brig and experiment on the lions.”

“So everyone else is okay with us here?” Shiro confirmed, slightly relieved that Sanda wasn’t going to interfere with them.

“You could say that Earth is the newest member of the Voltron Coalition,” Sam said cheerfully and Shiro nodded and turned up to look at the lions and gave a sharp nod.

Five armour clad figures rose from the tops of the lions, jetpacks flaring and they all landed on the ground in a similar style as Shiro had moments before. One by one they removed their helmets and squinted at the bright sun, Pidge ran to her father and tackled him into another hug extremely pleased to see him.

“Welcome home Katie, oh your mother is going to be so happy to see you.” Sam sank to the ground, holding his daughter close as the other Paladins gathered around.

Lance, Hunk and Allura had their heads craned back as they took in the sights of Earth. There was a soft pop and Cosmo appeared on the ground next to Keith who smiled in relief and knelt down to pet the alien wolf smirking at the shifting and looks of awe and shock the gathered Garrison members gave at the sight of the teleporting space wolf.

“Welcome back to Earth Cadets, Commander Shirogane.” Iverson stepped forward and his lips twisted up into a smile. “I guess you’ve surpassed Cadets and Commander status by now huh?”

“Something like that,” Shiro let his own lips twist into a smile.

“Commander Iverson, I owe you an apology for how I acted before all of this,” Keith said boldly as he rose to his feet, fingers tangled in Cosmo’s fur like he was stabilizing him.

“The same could be said of me, no hard feelings?” Iverson offered a hand, he had talked with Sam about what his former cadets had been up to when they disappeared from the planet and he knew that they were no longer the teenagers he had yelled at to do better all those years ago.

“No hard feelings.” Keith shook the offered hand and gave Iverson a small smile before laughing when Cosmo moved forward and he watched as Iverson cooed and stroked Cosmo’s fur.

“Careful Commander, he may teleport you to some random place in the universe,” Lance said snickering a bit when Iverson blinked up at him in shock.

“McClain… I was wrong about you, you had so much potential and I went about trying to bring it out in the wrong way… From the colour of your armour and what Commander Holt told me you not only piloted the Blue Lion off of Earth but now you also pilot the Red Lion. This is what I knew you were capable of.” Iverson rose to his feet and offered Lance his hand as he did with Keith.

“…Thank you, Commander, that actually means a lot to me.” Lance swallowed hard and shook the offered hand.

“LANCE!!!!” A female voice shouted as a uniformed figure pushed her way through the gathered guards and launched herself at Lance, tears in her eyes.

“Veronica? Veronica!” Lance gasped in shock and disbelief before tears streamed down his face as he wrapped his arms around his sister and the two sank onto the ground as they sobbed against each other.

“Get out of my way! That’s my baby!” Another voice shouted and a woman with short hair made her way towards the group, Pidge perking up at the voice.

“Mom!” Pidge extracted herself from her father’s arms and leapt up to hug her mom, the two sobbing and sinking to the ground to match Lance and Veronica. Sam engulfed the two with his arms and held them close.

“You are so grounded young lady.” Colleen sniffed as she held her youngest close.

“Y-Yeah, I figured.” Pidge laughed gasping for air as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Hunk, Lance, the rest of your families are on their way here and Shiro… Someone is waiting for you.” Sam looked up at the other Paladins and winced when he realized Keith had no one waiting, but the Paladin didn’t look bothered as he talked quietly with Allura who seemed to be asking him numerous questions and they also seemed to be speaking with someone else who must still be on the Castle.

“The rest of the reunions will have to wait, we need to debrief you all and make sure you’re not full of alien radiation,” Iverson said once the tears had slowed and everyone was now on their feet.

“Our suits stop any sort of radiation so there is no need for that,” Allura said smoothly, knowing that the Castle and suits were very efficient that way.

“We’re not doing anything until we see our families.” Hunk said stubbornly.

“You need to be debriefed.” Iverson protested.

“Families first,” Hunk shot back, desperate to see and hold his family after all this time.

“Do Paladins not follow a chain of command? You will debrief when Commander Iverson tells you.” One of the cadet pilots stepped forward, anger and disbelief on his face and tone and Keith narrowed his eyes at the sight of Griffin and he took a step forward when Hunk’s shoulders slumped and his eyes turned downwards.

“Keith,” Shiro said in a low warning tone and Keith shot him a look as his shoulders slumped while rolling his eyes, but Shiro’s warning didn’t stop Lance.

Lance was moving in a blur of blue and white as his Bayard appeared in his right hand, glowing and shifting shapes into an Altean Broadsword that was pressing against Griffin’s neck. Griffin’s squad mate’s yelped and jumped back, not having expecting to be attacked.

“Oh Lance,” Shiro face palmed while Pidge cackled and Keith grinned looking very like Krolia.

“Listen here… Cadet.” Lance sneered, as he looked Griffin up and down with disdain.

“You have no idea who we are anymore, what we have been through. We were ripped out of everything we have ever known and thrown into a war that was 10,000 years old and suddenly we became the defenders of the universe. So don’t you dare try and tell us what to do or what not to do. We understand the chain of command perfectly, just the thing is no one here except maybe Commander Holt is apart of that chain, so cadet. Keep your mouth shut until you understand how we work.”

“Lance, stand down,” Shiro called out amused and Lance bared his teeth at Griffin before letting his Bayard disappear into his suit again before he stepped back into place between Hunk and Keith. Hunk and he fist-bumped absently and Veronica looked at her brother in silent awe and a bit of shock at seeing her brother like that.

“We won’t make you debrief until you have been reunited with your families, it has been a long time for everyone and that is the least we can do for you all,” Sam said firmly, eyeing Iverson who looked a bit impressed by Lance’s words and quick protective actions.

“Of course, follow us. We have rooms set up for when your families arrive and Garrison outfits for you to change into.” Iverson gestured towards the building.

“Let me get Coran down here then,” Allura said cheerfully and put her helmet back on and a few minutes later with the Castle ship still hovering overhead Coran landed on the ground thanks to Cosmo. Coran cheerfully started to talk to Iverson who thankfully took Coran in stride as the group started to move forward.

“With all due respect Commander, we will be staying in our armour,” Shiro said politely.

“Why?” Veronica asked curiously, she and Lance had their arms twisted together while Pidge was all but clinging to her mom’s side.

“These suits have saved our lives more times than we can count, we were in space and on alien planets and they adjusted so our human bodies could handle it,” Lance explained beaming at his sister, as he felt warm and fuzzy at being with his sister again.

“You have so much to tell us and I’ll try not to freak out like I did when I heard you got blown up by that Sendak!” Veronica inhaled deeply to stop herself from panicking again.

“Ah, you heard that?” Lance said under his breath. “I’ll explain later I promise and it really wasn’t as bad as it sounded?”

“It better not have been,” Veronica said firmly and Lance laughed awkwardly, exchanging a look with Keith who winced as he remembered being the one to hold Lance close as they waited for the healing pods to come back online.

Keith stepped closer to Shiro who was lagging at the back of the group, looking unsure.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this Keith, we didn’t part on the best terms then I was ‘KIA’ and I don’t know what he knows or if he even wants to see me. I know Sam said he does but I don’t know if I can face him.” Shiro admitted to Keith in a low voice and Keith put his hand on Shiro’s shoulder in silent support.

“You have been through so much Shiro and even if you and Adam didn’t part on the best terms, you both deserve this to either be closure or something else. You have been through so much and you deserve something good.” Keith said softly, remembering the night they had camped out on a planet they had found.

How Shiro told them all about Adam and what had happened. Keith remembered watching Adam and Shiro back in the Garrison and wanting that kind of love in his life.

“I do…” Shiro said slowly like he was coming to terms with that he did deserve something good in his life.

“We’ll be right there with you Shiro, you know that,” Keith said and Shiro shot him a grin and glanced over at the others who were silently sending him smiles or thumbs up discreetly and he knew that he wasn’t alone with this.

“Shiro, he’s in that room… Whenever you’re ready.” Sam stepped back to give Shiro a look.

“Okay, thank you, Sam.” Shiro took a shuddering breath and with one final look at the others who beamed at him and helped up his confidence a bit more. He opened the door to the room and felt his heart beat faster in his chest at the sight of Adam looking the exact same if not a bit tired sitting on the couch, head snapping up when the door creaked open.

“Adam.” Shiro breathed out.

“Takashi, is that really you?” Adam rose to his feet, eyes not moving away from Shiro who was still standing in the doorway, not able to move his body as Adam’s voice washed over him.

“It’s really me Adam, I know it’s a bit of a difference…” Shiro felt his knees going weak and he had to fight the urge to just burst out into tears; he never thought he would see Adam again.

“A bit! Takashi, oh my god.” Adam crossed the room and threw his arms around the other, burying his face in Shiro’s neck letting out shaky sobs. Shiro closing following suit, clutching Adam’s back with his hands and the two of them broke down together, finally reunited after so long.

It felt like an hour before the two managed to extract themselves from the other, tear stains obvious on their cheeks. Adam ran a shaky hand through Shiro’s white hair with a nervous laugh.

“It’s a new look huh?” Adam gave a watery smile.

“Something like that,” Shiro gave his own smile before steeling himself for what he had to say next.

“I’m not sorry I went on the mission, I’m not sorry because even with all the pain and suffering it caused the both of us it brought Voltron together, it gave me this family and I wouldn’t change that for the world,” Shiro said firmly.

“I am sorry about the way we ended things, god I replayed our conversation over and over and I wish it had gone differently.”

“Somehow I knew you would say that Takashi,” Adam closed his eyes briefly as he curled his hand around Shiro’s hand tightly, holding onto him like a lifeline.

“Commander Holt told me about what you endured, what you went through up there, well I’m sure more has happened and no doubt it was watered down for me, but… I see that this is larger than either of us. Goddamn defenders of the universe Takashi. I doubt you will be staying on Earth for good with the universe out there waiting for Voltron. We’ll talk about us later but just right now let me savour having you in my arms again.” Adam lurched forward to cling to Shiro’s amour again.

“Okay Adam, later. I can’t wait to introduce you to my family,” Shiro rested his cheek on top of Adam’s head, inhaling the familiar yet foreign scent of his old boyfriend’s shampoo.

Slowly the two separated from the other and rose to their feet, hands brushing together as they left the room and headed towards the room where the rest of Voltron, the family he had made out in the stars was waiting for their leader to return to them.

#voltron #fix it fic #shiro/adam #Reunions #shiro #lance #keith #hunk #pidge #allura #coran #voltron lions #voltron legendary defender #fallenqueen2

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witchycosmo · 5 years

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Why I think voltron fucked up and fucked up bad

(this is going to include spoilers and a lot of ranting and bitching on what could have been a great series but was fucked up more than it’s own fandom)

Forget klance, forget allurance, forget all the ships, I don’t give a fuck about that this season!

Let’s start with the biggest (in my opinion) fuck up the show did, Lance’s character. I know a lot of fans overhype his character, and I have to agree, the fandom does have favor Lance a lot more than the other characters of voltron. But you have to understand why the fans care for Lance so much, it’s because of how relatable and likable his character is. Not to mention the amount of potential before this god aweful season. Lance started out as a flawed character with a few insecurities he hid through his boisterous attitude and confidence. With how the show started off, it felt they were going to delve more into his insecurities and where he saw himself on the team, allowing him to truely learn about himself and maybe even become an even bigger part of team voltron. But nope. Fuck that shit! Throw all that build up into a lack luster arch on his relationship with Allura and focus most of his character around their romance!

In the scene where the team meets the original paladins, Lance meets Alfor and Allura meets the Blayz. This part really pissed me off because it only served to point out this problem. Imagine if it were Lance meeting Blayz. The two have the exact conversation he and Allura had. It would fit so much better. It would also make the reunion with Allura and her Father so much more powerful. Her getting to see her father only driving her more and when he is freed from Honerva, the emotions would have been so much stronger.

Lance becoming a farmer was a stupid idea that only drives my point ever further! Lance saying he wants a simple life, to me, is bull shit! He started out wanting to become a fighter pilot for Christ sake! And looked for adventure (the scene in of him flying the blue lion and the animation in how he reacts fucking shows this!) The writers really fucked up its character, even when they had so many opportunities. Not to mention the fucking Altean bullshit they pulled out of their asses that I really don’t want to get into because this is long enough!

Second, Allura. They killed her off. It was a fucking stupid idea in the first place. Why did the writers kill her off? Was there even a legit reason? I didn’t see one!

I don’t even want to talk about how she was one of the only main female character of color! Do I think the writers had racist intent? No. Does that make it any better? No really. It just shows how much the righters weren’t really thinking in the first place.

Third, the righting in general. It was just bad. Lance turned Altean because... I don’t know. There were two filler episodes in a row. One was Kinkade making a documentary about life on the Atlas and Voltron. There was a scene that lasted about ten minutes that had a dog holding the camera. It was slow and boring. Ezor just... turn good... for reasons. Bullshit excuses everywhere. The ending. Shiro marrys some random dude, and while great for lgbt wedding, it’s out of now where and just thrown into the story. It last a minute or less.

Fanfiction writers show more respect to the show than the actual fucking writers for Voltron. How can an unpaid teenager write a better story than a paid professional?

What I am mostly pissed about, is how the show could have been so much more than what it turned out to be. Voltron could have been so much more. And I’m not talking about representation or pregression in media and shows, though that is a big part. I’m talking about how it could have been this amazing adventure where these 7 amazing characters explore space and fight to keep the universe safe from the galra and learn more about their team and themselves while also learning maybe things aren’t as black and white as they seem. While the show started with this concept, it fell the moment Lotor turned traitor. That, I think, is where the show truly started to suffer.

Don’t even get me started on how the show runners decide to hype up the show.

Fans had put so much into this season, hoping it would fix the show. But instead it only made it worse and brought what most seasons kept at minimum, to a much greater level. It show caste all what was wrong with the show and only made it worse.

This season was meant to fix what started out as a great show, but it only managed to make it worse.

Like with Lance, the show help so much potential, but ended up being wasted away.

(Sorry for how long this is and it just being me bitchy about the new season. I really just needed to share my thoughts and clear my head. I really think the only reason I stayed in this fandom is because of how many amazing artist and writers are in it and how creative the fandom can be.

Despite how fucked up this fandom can be, and Voltron not being that great of a show, it’s the creativity the show inspires and bring out the best of people’s talents.

I only wish the show would live up these fans that create because they see something more.)

What are your thoughts?

#voltron

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kcwcommentary · 5 years

Text

VLD8x12 – “The Zenith” (part 2)

8x12 – “The Zenith”

Because of how long this commentary is, I decided to post it as two parts. Here’s a link to the first part.

Picking up halfway through the episode, Voltron moves through the second rift.

Coran, Sam, and Slav are on the pyramid. Coran touches the two pillars of the pedestal. Only Allura and Honerva have ever been able to operate pedestals like this, but somehow, Coran can now use the pedestal too. Slav says, “If we hit [the rift] with enough energy, it should seal.”

Coran asks, “Are the Alteans in place.” I have no idea who actually answers Coran. Some ethereal, disembodied female voice says, “They’re set.” Is the Balmera talking to Coran? This is so absurd that I am literally laughing out loud.

Voltron arrives in another reality and there is yet another rift there. So, Pidge’s comment a minute ago that “the rift must lead directly to the reality Honerva’s been looking for” is now conclusively untrue. The show gives literally no explanation for why Honerva tore through all these other realities. I have never seen a story treat alternate realities like rooms of a building where you have to go through multiple rooms to get to the room you want to be in. This show treating alternate realities this way makes the whole premise simplistic and silly.

Allura gives us some sophomoric foreshadowing: “I fear [Honerva] has started a chain reaction that can never be undone.” Voltron flies through the next new rift.

The Balmeras send their energy into the pyramid, which redirects it to the rift, and Coran says, “It’s working […] holding the rift together.” Coran’s earlier stated goal wasn’t to hold the rift together but to keep the universe from collapsing. The presence of the rift was supposedly what would cause the universe to collapse, but now he’s trying to hold the rift together? Wouldn’t they want the rift to cease being open because it being open is what’s causing the universe to collapse? Also, the other realities Honerva has tore through are deteriorating rapidly, so why isn’t this main universe in a worse state of collapse than the other realities we’ve now seen since the rift has been tearing through reality here longer than the rifts in the other realities have existed?

Voltron makes it into the next reality, and Honerva’s mecha is floating there, waiting for them. She hits them with a wing-blade. Keith yells, “Countermeasures,” but I don’t know what he means by that because Voltron doesn’t do anything in response to him saying it. Then there’s a dark bubble around Voltron that Honerva created, but I don’t know what precisely it does beyond make Keith briefly grunt because she stops creating the bubble so that she can tuck her mecha into a ball and roll herself into Voltron, sending Voltron slamming into the ground. She then throws a ball of wispy black energy at Voltron. Keith yells, “Form sword” and volleys the ball back at her like they’re playing tennis. Honerva dodges out of the way. There’s a really, really large arch or some kind of structure above them that the ball hits and it explodes.

The combined form of Voltron and the Atlas does actually look cool.

Sam says, “Our current power level isn’t enough to maintain the rift.” I don’t understand why they’re holding the rift open if the existence of the rift is the problem. It feels like something is missing. Again, Coran coming here was supposed to be him working a plan to solve the collapse of the universe. But now that he’s here, his goal is holding open the rift.

Now, Coran says, “Then we’ll hold it as long as we can. Every tick gives Voltron a chance.” Something is definitely missing, or this episode is made out of different stories spliced together. What their goals are now are not the goals the episode had them speak about and act toward earlier. This is the first time that anyone has said anything about the goal being holding the rift open for Voltron. Coran’s actions are supposed to be about closing the rift, not keeping it open.

In warps several Galra ships. Krolia, who would have no idea Coran is leading this effort, calls out to him, asking what they can do to help. Remember the big war meeting at the beginning of last episode? Remember what Krolia said she was going to do? She specifically said that she was going to go get a zaiforge cannon to use in the fight against Honerva. Guess what the show has forgotten about: the zaiforge cannon. Just like the weapons’ upgrade and the needed Balmeran crystal to power it, the zaiforge cannon is now completely forgotten.

Coran tells her that they need more energy. How can Galra ships generate enough energy above what nine Balmera can? Coran says that they’re trying to “prevent the rift from expanding further.” But just a few seconds ago, they were trying to hold the rift open, not keep it from expanding. Sam had said that they didn’t have enough power “to maintain the rift” now they’re back to trying to “prevent the rift from expanding.”

This episode cannot make up its mind what is actually happening. What are these characters trying to do?

Krolia orders the Galra fleet to shoot their ion cannons at the pyramids. So, no zaiforge cannon.

Honerva flies up in the sky, spreads her wing-blades, and the tips of the wings shoot many energy blasts at Voltron. The multitude of new weapons and attacks being used in this episode is overwhelming. It makes me want to give up trying to follow the combat because there’s always going to be some new, random thing that they can do that has no set-up. Voltron again slams into the ground.

Voltron swooshes away from where Honerva’s blasts are targeted and then blasts at her in return with Voltron’s chest. They don’t hit. Honerva hits Voltron with another ball of black energy and then slams Voltron into the ground with her tail. She pins Voltron down with a couple of wing-blades and then draws energy out of Voltron.

This reality starts to disappear starting around the horizon and moving upward through the sky toward a rift in the sky that has not been there until right now. If Honerva had made it to this reality but ran out of energy and thus had to drain Voltron and use that energy to create another rift, then maybe that would explain why she was just waiting here to fight Voltron. But, Honerva is not shown creating this new rift. So, either this new rift comes out of nowhere without her having to create it, or the rift has existed the whole time but somehow was never shown and she had no reason to wait here to attack Voltron.

Honerva moves up through the rift. Voltron remains on the ground. Voltron is given time to pretend that this is the end of the heroes, the villain’s won, Voltron can’t move, the Paladins themselves are weak, and this reality has nearly disappeared. Nearly everyone – Lance, Hunk, Shiro, Allura, and Pidge – makes a statement of failure or doom, but then Keith gives the rallying speech. Joaquim Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery wanted Keith to be the main character, and here he is being the main character. It will always just emphasize for me how much Shiro and Allura were the leaders of this team in seasons one and two, and then both of them were demoted so that Keith could ascend to be the main character. There is nothing about Keith’s story arc though that makes this plot and this battle have anything to do with him. Plot and character in this series is, or at least has become, completely disconnected from each other.

The big rallying speech should produce an uplifting feeling in the audience, but it actually makes me feel even more exhausted.

Voltron gets up, its wings open up, and Keith orders “fire boosters” and they fly upward.

Meanwhile in the main reality. The Galra and the Balmeras have run out of energy. The pyramid starts exploding. Sam says they can’t “contain the rift,” so their goal in this moment is not to hold the rift open. Coran’s plan fails. Regardless of if his goal was to contain the rift or to keep the rift open, they’re not now able to do either. So, what was the point in all this time spent doing whatever they were doing if it’s achieved nothing? There’s a bit explosion and everything goes white, and the main reality seems to have been destroyed.

Voltron is flying toward the rift in the reality they’re in. Reality is disappearing faster than Voltron is moving, so there is no way at the depicted rate of movement that Voltron could get through the rift before reality is gone. Also, what exactly is Voltron supposed to be in as it flies toward the rift if the only part of this reality that’s remaining is the area of the rift itself? How is there still space between Voltron and the rift for Voltron to be flying through?

Everything goes black before Voltron can go through the rift.

Cut to somewhere in space. Honerva is calmly, quietly flying to somewhere. She is eventually shown to be heading toward this reality’s Daibazaal. How did she select this reality? Why didn’t she just directly go from the main reality into this reality. Why does this reality look stable even though she would have had to tear a rift into this reality to be able to get in. If the existence of a rift causes a reality to disintegrate, then why isn’t this one disintegrating? Also, why is she going to Daibazaal? She had specifically gone to the location where Altea had been in the main reality to tear out of reality into the others there. All the other realities she’s been to, she’s been at Altea. But now, in the reality she wants to go to, she’s not at Altea. If she’s been headed to a version of Daibazaal this whole time, then why didn’t she go to where Daibazaal had been in the main reality? Why hasn’t she been at other Daibazaals as she went from one reality to the next?

There is nearly no logic to anything that has happened in this episode.

On the surface of Daibazaal, Zarkon and some other Galra are sparring. Honerva arrives. She teleports out of her mecha and onto the ground outside and walks toward Zarkon. Zarkon points his sword at her and tells her to identify herself.

Honerva says, “You don’t recognize me?” Uh, she’s wearing a weird outfit that covers up her chin, jaw, forehead, and part of her nose, and she’s some distance away from him, so I’m not surprised that it’s hard for him to tell who she is. “I’ve searched beyond the stars to be here, to be with you—” and she is shown walking out of a shadow cast by the setting sun being directly behind her, obscuring her face in the glare, so there’s even more reason for him to not recognize her, making her having said “you don’t recognize me” seem silly. She finishes, “—and to be with my son.”

Zarkon now recognizes her as Honerva. I don’t know if she is delusional here and thinks this is her Zarkon and that this reality will have her Lotor, or if she’s lying to them in hoping that they’ll think that she’s their Honerva.

Cut to inside a space ship. They’re heading to Altea. It just seems so weird to have presented this whole episode like Honerva was trying to get to alternate Alteas, only to then, when she finally gets to the reality that she’s chosen, go to Daibazaal, but then now they’re going to Altea. It makes this episode feel like it’s running around in circles. Zarkon says, “I vowed to raise our son as you would have wanted. He excels in his Altean studies. Lotor has his mother’s intellect.” Of course, this is meant to contrast with how the main Lotor was subject to brutal Galra studies, as seen in 8x02 “Shadows.” It just reminds me of how Lotor was abused by his parents.

On Altea, Alfor and his wife welcome Honerva. Allura steps forward to speak, and Honerva glares at her like she wants to attack her. If an alternate reality has an alternate Zarkon and an alternate Lotor, and an alternate Alfor, why would she be surprised that there’s an alternate Allura? Allura escorts Honerva to Lotor. Here, Lotor is a little kid. He runs toward Honerva but stops short. Honerva asks him to come to her. Lotor says, “No.” Zarkon tries to tell Lotor that his mother has returned, but Lotor says, “She’s not my mother.”

I really like little Lotor. He’s something I can say that I like about this episode.

Honerva tries to convince him that “her love for [him] is that of a mother for her child.” She then turns to the same old Honerva that she’s always been, that she was long before she was poisoned by quintessence and possessed by a rift entity.

Speaking of rift entities, notice how the one in Allura is now completely ignored.

Honerva grows a bit angry, “Come to me!” Lotor stares her down and firmly says, “She is not my mother.” Zarkon tells him, “Don’t speak like that.” It’s amazing that this Zarkon just trusts a woman who shows up and says she’s his long-lost wife. In a well written story (I’m thinking of a specific one in particular that I love), if a long-lost wife showed up out of nowhere, the husband would insist on a lot of tests to figure out who she is and what happened to her. Zarkon does nothing like that because this show doesn’t have people behave rationally.

Honerva says, “Please,” and holds out her hand. Lotor rejects her, “No! My mother is dead, and you cannot replace her.” Zarkon tries to say that Lotor is just overwhelmed. Honerva glares at Lotor. Little Lotor is clearly scared since he’s holding onto Zarkon’s leg for protection. Zarkon kind of pleads with Honerva and says, “If we had some time.”

That’s not acceptable to Honerva. I guess she thought this would be instant satisfaction for some reason. This show has acted like she looked through a lot of different realities to find her perfect one, but this one doesn’t work for her. Did she only just look no further than to find a reality in which that reality’s Honerva was dead? This falling apart so quickly makes it feel like she didn’t bother really looking at all.

She says, “Time? You speak to me of time? I’ve spent lifetimes trying to get back.” What is she talking about? She hasn’t spent lifetimes trying to get here. At most, she’s spent four years. How am I supposed to take her character seriously when her dialog and actions are written in such defiance of what the show has already showed? Just because this Honerva has lived for 10,000 years doesn’t mean she’s spent that time “trying to get back.”

Also, if she didn’t mind having an alternate reality version of Zarkon and Lotor, then she shouldn’t have minded having a clone of them either. So, why did she decide on the much more difficult tearing through other realities until she got here instead of the comparatively much simpler cloning method?

She continues, “Countless worlds have fallen in the wake of my efforts to return to you. And this is how you welcome me.” She creates a ball of black energy in her hand. Maybe this is supposed to be some kind of depiction of her getting what she wants only to have it not be what she wants, but this doesn’t work like that. For that kind of development to happen in a story, the thing that the character wants has to actually be acquired. She hasn’t actually gotten what she came here for. That kind of development is born out of showing how a character has changed internally between when they set the goal for themselves and when they achieved it. But Honerva hasn’t changed. She’s still the same, mean, brutal dictator that she’s always been.

“My own child, my own husband question who I am. I have sacrificed more than you will ever know.” No, she has not! The way she’s speaking right now is exactly how an abusive spouse and/or parent talks. (Trust me, I know.) It is so frustrating that this episode is reaffirming how abusive Honerva is only to come to the end next episode and absolve her of her behavior.

There’s a sound. Surprise!twist Voltron made it through the rift. So, the depiction of the rift closing and everything going black before they could go through was all just really transparent fakery. It makes that fake moment of them not getting through absurd because of course the conflict isn’t finished yet. Voltron’s arrival does not have a sense of a new surge toward victory for the protagonists. It’s more that it leaves me wondering what took them so long to get here.

Honerva’s eyes go wide. “No! It cannot be!” Why not? They’ve followed you through other realities before this, why is their coming through one more so impossible? I mean, I guess she thought she left them absolutely powerless in the previous reality, but really. They were chasing her before now, it shouldn’t seem weird that the chase isn’t finished.

Also, given the other realities disintegrated quickly, why hasn’t this reality disintegrated? It’s not even showing any signs of disintegration. Of course, the entire premise of realities disintegrating because someone tore into them is contrived and fluctuates depending on whatever the creative team wants to be happening at any given moment.

Zarkon yells at Honerva, “You brought this abomination upon us!?” Why would he think Voltron is an abomination? He yells some more, “You are not the Empress! You are not my wife!” He yells for the guards.

Honerva scowls, “If there is no place in this universe for me, then there will be no universe at all!” She teleports away. That’s cliché. Whatever complexity the writers thought they have been adding to Honerva’s character, this scorched-earth simplicity erases all of that. She’s back to being nothing but the uninteresting 80s cartoon villain she was as Haggar in the beginning of the series. She hasn’t actually developed as a character whatsoever.

Speaking of character, notice how this episode is concluding without any connectivity of this series’ plot connecting to any of the main characters. Literally everything in this plot now is driven by Honerva and her desires. None of the main characters have any desires beyond stop-the-villain. This is a huge part of why this show has fallen apart. The executive producers and the writers absolutely lost sight of the show’s main characters. This story has become the Honerva Show. She is not compelling enough to carry the show, especially since she’s not the protagonist.

Everyone in the Altean city seems to be freaking out over Voltron landing. There’s a twinkle in the sky above Voltron. It’s Honerva’s mecha, which lands near Voltron. She can apparently call her mecha to her from millions of miles away. She teleports into her seat in her mecha. There’s an awkward split-screen stare-down between Honerva on one side and the Paladins and Shiro on the other. The lighting of the various images used for Team Voltron and the different facial expressions don’t create a sense of unity of emotion among the six of them. It again looks like they just took six random pieces of animation and used it here. The episode ends.

This episode is a disaster. It is so hard to follow what’s happening, why it’s happening, what characters are trying to do. Characters’ goals fluctuate from one scene to the next. The entire inner story of the episode is given to Honerva, making the actual protagonists kind of superfluous. This episode could have the protagonists in this episode be literally anyone, and the story would not change.

Given how much of a mess this episode is, I can totally see how people think there has to be a late-production re-edit. I definitely get a feeling that this episode is made out of parts. I don’t know if that’s necessarily a sign that there was a concentrated re-edit effort. But there are definitely times in this episode where it feels like two separate versions of a script or multiple different episodes are being stitched together. There is a severe dissonance in how things some dialog doesn’t match other dialog, how events have a discontinuity with other events.

Something went wrong with this episode’s production.

#voltron legendary defender #voltron #vld #voltron criticism #vld criticism #voltron critical #vld critical #vld season 8 #vld 8x12 #commentary

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blueskittlesart · 5 years

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I don’t really watch Voltron, and dropped out of it a few episodes into season one. What’s happened to it, and why do you think so negatively of it? I don’t mean for this question to sound rude, but I’m curious as to what lead you to dislike Voltron so much?

voltron, imo, has never been a good show. it gained a lot of fans after season one because it looked like it had the potential to be an interesting, well-animated, character-driven show, but things went south real fast in season 2. get ready because this is gonna be a long one bois

Imagine. it’s 2016, voltron season 1 has just come out. there’s well-written coherent plot lines, heavily foreshadowed arcs for every character (COUGH COUGH LANCE) and it looks to be a great character driven adventure story. klance is gaining in popularity. the showrunners have even promised lgbt rep!! things are looking good for this new show.

then season 2 is dropped. The main plotline revolves around keith, a white mc, discovering he is a galra, aka the “evil” alien race who wiped out the black mc allura’s entire planet in a horrible genocide. One of the main plot points is about allura and keith’s relationship. Allura is, completely understandably from any rational person’s perspective, a bit wary around keith after she learns that he’s part of a race that literally committed a mass genocide of her people. logically, the show should handle this issue respectfully and acknowledge that allura, a victim of genocide and trauma at the hands of the galra, is justified in being a little uncomfortable around them.

Instead, the narrative is twisted to portray allura, a black victim of genocide, as totally unreasonable, and perhaps even a little racist, for being uncomfortable around the race that slaughtered all her people in cold blood.

skip forward a few seasons. the writing has gotten progressively worse, killing shiro, a disabled japanese man (though we didn’t know he was dead at the time), and pushing the series into a serial format and losing the character-based plot driving that made the show appealing in the first place. Lance, a latino character implied to have been born and raised in cuba, is constantly reduced to the “loverboy latino” trope or simply called stupid. Hunk, a fat brown character (implied to be samoan tho im not sure it was ever confirmed) Is constantly made fun of for his weight and never given any character development.

In either season 3 or 4, i can’t remember, the racism really starts to show. In one episode, the team enters an alternate reality in which the alteans, (allura’s race who were wiped out by the galra in their reality) fought back against the galra and won instead of being wiped out. In this reality, the alteans have become essentially the same as the galra, mistreating their subjects and killing anyone who disobeys them.

let me reiterate that. the alteans, the genocide victims, have become the oppressors.

that episode essentially looked at allura and said “yeah if you hadn’t been killed you would have ended up basically a galra yourself lmao.” it was honestly hard to watch.

then came season 6? (i might be messing up the seasons here but the point still stands.) Allura ends up in a relationship with, you guessed it, lotor, a galra prince!! the white-coded son of a colonizer who murdered every last one of her people!! but get this, halfway through the season it’s revealed that not only is lotor a son of a colonizer, he’s actually a colonizer himself!!

like, legit!! they used the word colonies!!

lotor had taken any alteans who survived the genocide and placed them in colonies where they essentially worshiped him as their savior. he then kidnapped a few of them each year and harvested their energy for fuel for his empire.

you read that right. he fucking. harvested. people. for energy.

at least allura broke up with him after that. but still, what the fuck were they thinking?

now, throughout all these seasons, we’ve been consistently told lies by the showrunners. “there’ll be great lgbt rep in our show!!” “lance is going to end up somewhere completely different than where he started!!” “Lance and hunk both have arcs incoming!!”

haha. no.

now, imagine this, you’ve held on (somehow) through all this blatant racism and utterly botched attempts at social commentary. season 7 is going to drop soon. you’re at sdcc 2018.

and all of a sudden, they’ve confirmed that shiro is gay.

Shiro, a disabled japanese person with ptsd, is confirmed gay! he has a fiancee!! suddenly everyone can ignore the shit they’ve put up with the last few seasons. it all seems to good to be true. before you know it, it seems shiro and his fiancee, adam, are everywhere. nearly every promotional piece for season 7 has shiro and adam as its focus.

and then.

season 7 comes out, and…. adam is in a grand total of 2 episodes. in one, he’s seen only in flashbacks. in the other, he’s shown for about 5 minutes before dying in a fiery fighter crash for no good goddamn reason.

you’re angry, understandably. that was blatant queerbaiting. the writers killed off the mlm love interest they’d been pushing as their super progressive lgbt rep for the past few months. you ask the showrunners for an explanation.

they tell you you baited yourself.

that’s right. you explain to the straight showrunners that you and many other lgbt fans are upset about queerbaiting, and their response is “we didn’t bait you. you baited yourselves.”

I, like so many others. dropped voltron after that slap in the face. it was the last straw for me.

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!!

as of season 7, lance is still lacking the arc he’s been promised. so, in season 8, the writers decide to throw him into a half-assed, rushed, undeveloped relationship with allura just so they can say he has an arc. In a completely random, unexplained twist that served no plot purpose whatsoever, allura kisses him, altering his genetic code and turning him altean.

then she fucking dies.

And she doesn’t just die. She, Allura, the female black genocide victim, dies in order to redeem her oppressors.

let that sink in.

The only point of allura’s death was to redeem the people who killed her people and destroyed her home.

tl;dr - voltron is racist, homophobic, and fatphobic, to name just a few things. this post hardly even touched on the awful writing, the ooc characterization after season 3, and a bunch of other racist shit i’m too tired to type out right now.

so that’s why i don’t like voltron.

#:))))#not art #asks #v slur

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