#Blaytz

[depressocafe]

What is the real reason why Zarkon thought Lotor was weak? And why did Zarkon become power hungry after the quintessence incident?

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In this week's edition of VLD Theories I hyper fixate and overanalyze the show once again but this time I think I have something really interesting, considering the fact that we're not just talking about the inner workings of the Voltron universe but we're also discussing everyone's favorite father son duo.

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Something that's always irked me is the cliché way Zarkon was written (and don't worry we'll get into Lotor and his relationship with Zarkon as well as childhood trauma in a moment but to get to that we have to talk about the Emperor himself). Zarkon is written as everyone's typical, immoral, emotionless, power hungry bastard and while that is essentially what a 'bad person' is it doesn't make for good writing nor does it function well with the cannonisity of the series or even its inner workings.

Let's go back to what Shiro said himself about Quintessence Corruption. Shiro stated "Zarkon fell to his own evil instincts. The quintessence field didn't create Them, it revealed them." This sentence states that the chemical itself is capable of sensing and seeping into hidden or strong desires. But here's the thing, Zarkon initially didn't desire war. He conquered planets because that's what his race had done for generations, that was until Alfor helped Zarkon to end his conquest and ally with several of his enemies (Alfor, Blaytz, Trygel, Gyrgan) then Zarkon put conquest behind him and worked on being a benevolent ruler who desired peace. Quite a switch but that still leaves the question, what changed? What made him power hungry? What ruined him? Well the answer is actually quite simple and was staring us in the face the whole time.

It was the overwhelming feeling of weakness. Weakness that came with his greatest failure, the inability to support what he loves and cares for. Namely, Honerva, Lotor, his planet, his military, his citizens, and with each day watching the things he loves grow weaker, even himself.

Zarkon watched his life grow into something spectacular and then started watching it's downfall. Even when he put stabilizers into his planet, that only slowed its collapse. He struggled to make his wife pregnant and now he was struggling to keep his son, his only child, healthy in his mother's womb. Speaking of his mother, Honerva slowly and harshly deteriorated right before Zarkon's eyes and he couldn't stop it. Because his planet was dying, he struggled to feed and support his citizens as well as provide nourishment for the soldiers whose job it was to stay healthy and protect all of Galra existence. And thusly Zarkon himself began deteriorating, His mind losing its sense of morality in favor of a stronger sense of survival. He's been weakened. Powerless to stop anything, the quintessence at this point is the only support he has. And thus the only thing he can focus on. If he can harness it, he can fix everything.

See, the quintessence didn't reveal Zarkon's evil nature, he wasn't evil to begin with. The quintessence corrupted his deepest desire. To become strong enough to support all that he cares about. To have power over all that he controls and sees. But no wish comes without a price. Power and quintessence became his biggest concerns. And turned him into what we now know as the Evil Emperor Zarkon.

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But how does this tie in with Lotor? Quite easily actually! You see a lot of what Lotor is, happens to be what Zarkon once was. Lotor had a deep seated love for existence. He indulged himself in other cultures, he respected every living being, he befriended individuals other than Galra, and he believed he could harness quintessence without destruction or disrespect to life.

But to Zarkon, that is Arrogance, Foolishness, it is Weakness beyond compare. Because he thought that way once, and it only brought Daibazaal to ruin and made him incapable of anything. But as we know, that's just Zarkon's perspective through his corrupt eyes. We, the viewers, know Lotor is right in his beliefs But his father is incapable of seeing that because of his fear, having no control over anything, no power over anything. This led Lotor and Zarkon to have an even more broken relationship than they already had, disintegrating to the point Zarkon couldn't stand his own son anymore and sent him away.

But he didn't kill Lotor. Not until 10,000 years later. Because his son was one of the things Zarkon wanted to save. Another reason why Lotor and Zarkon had an abusive relationship has to do with the Quintessence Corruption itself. Because Zarkon desired that power and control over everything, he desired it for his own son as well because if he can't control his own child then the weakness will grow again. The fear Zarkon let die along with his friends and planet will regrow and resurface. But Lotor is not the kind of person who allows himself to be forced, coerced, or manipulated so easily into obedience. Especially when it has to do with his father's sense of Value and Morality. So naturally in Zarkon's mind Lotor has become weak and as he's said before "Weakness is an infection. Better to cut it off then let it spread." We all know what happened next.

And if you need more evidence. Look no further than to Lotor's own corruption itself. Lotor was never good enough for anyone. And honestly saying that statement grossly understates Lotor's actual suffering. But it's still accurate. There are many things the prince wanted in his life. He didn't just want good parents he wanted his parents to be good. But that wasn't going to happen. He didn't just want to accept and be proud of himself he wanted people to accept and be proud of him. But that wasn't going to happen. His home quickly became nothing short of a survival situation and a place where he couldn't belong. So he decided he'd find that place himself and if he couldn't find it, then he'd create it with his own two hands. A place where he is accepted and everyone is proud of him. A place where his accomplishments and intellect matter. A place like the Altean settlement

Initially yes, I believe Lotor made this settlement to save his race. There is no denying he's always had a good heart. But sadly, he's never had a sane mind. Lotor was in Honerva's womb when she and Zarkon became corrupt and it's even stated within that show that when Galra doctors did a health read on Lotor shortly after his birth, he was giving the same quintessence readings as Zarkon and Haggar. In addition, Lotor seems to struggle with letting go of a grudge. Understandable but holding onto grudges creates emotional instability which can cause problems for your mental state. Take it from me if your angry with someone, forget the pain you felt but remember the harm that was delt. Learn it and let it hone you for further down the line in your life. Lotor, didn't do that. He wouldn't forget the rage he felt, even if he could still get revenge on his abusers if he wanted. And with his hidden desires and quintessence his parents seeped into his veins, it was only a matter of time until Lotor finally lost it.

Lotor desired a place to belong and he was going to make it happen no matter what. No matter what or who he had to sacrifice to get it. That's what the Quintessence brought out. His hidden desire for belonging. To be honest, Honerva had her desires herself. But we already understand what those are. Her desire for endless knowledge as well as control over quintessence, life itself. And we know what it made her. We've always been aware of Honerva's mind so there really wasn't a place for her in this post. This statement does exclude her actions for season 8 and that's because who she is then doesn't fit into who she once was or what were discussing.

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Zarkon became what he wanted to be but at what cost? His desire ruined everything. So did Honerva's. It tore apart the universe, it destroyed their son, it slaughtered their friends. Zarkon got the power he wanted and control over his fear, but in turn it ruined everything he built. Immoral sacrifice for absolute solace.

Post made: Feb 18, 2023

Updated: Mar 9, 2023

#Lotor #Zarkon #Honerva #Haggar #Alfor #Blaytz #Trigal #Gyrgan #Galra #Voltron #VLDTheory #Theory

[galraluver]

Can we please get headcanons of reader taking care of hurt/sick Blaytz and vice versa I can see him being dramatic a little if he’s the one who’s sick xD

You sure can, I hope you enjoy 🥰

I can totally see him being the biggest baby when he's sick, too

_________________________________________

~ Whenever you get sick Blaytz insists that you stay in bed so you can get better as soon as possible

~ This man takes time off of his kingly duties so he can take care of you

~ If the paladins need him he politely tells them that he can't go anywhere, he's busy taking care of you and you always come first

~ If you're super sick Blaytz has the doctor put you in a healing pod bc he doesn't want you to suffer

~ He's definitely the type to be super hovery whenever you get sick

~ Blaytz always provides you with plenty of tissues, a humidifier, a bowl (in case you need to throw up), a cloth to wipe your face off with and anything else you might need while you're sick

~ He might need to leave the room when you throw up and he always has a servant clean out the bowl, he kinda has a sensitive stomach when it comes to that kind of thing

~ Expect him to sanitize every surface you touch while you're sick since he doesn't want the germs to spread

~ Blaytz will totally make soup for you when you're sick and he'll use his grandmother's recipe, it's delicious and it helps to soothe sore throats

~ Whenever you get injured, however, his reaction might be different depending on how badly injured you are

~ If it's just a little scrape or a small cut he comforts you, he doesn't see any reason to overreact about something so small

~ If you accidentally burn yourself he takes you to the infirmary so the doctor can apply burn relief ointment on it

~ However, if you sprain something or break a bone Blaytz is known overreact

~ Imagine him hyperventilating while the doctor is taking care of it in the least painful way possible

~ If the recovery time is a long time then you go into a healing pod, otherwise Blaytz helps you with daily tasks until you're fully healed and the cast can come off

~ Blaytz either gives you a muscle relaxant cream or a massage if or when you accidentally pull a muscle, he knows how it feels and he doesn't want you to endure that pain

~ Whether you're sick or injured he's always there for you

_____

~ Whenever Blaytz gets sick he tends to get a little dramatic, even if the illness he caught isn't life threatening

~ He takes time off from his duties every time he's sick because he can't make any good decisions or remember much while he's got brain fog

~ Acts like he's dying though he's not, even after you reassure him that he's going to be okay

~ He's definitely the biggest baby when he's sick

~ You always make sure he has everything he needs, that way you're not constantly having to go get stuff

~ One of the things Blaytz hates most about being sick is that you won't kiss him because you don't want to get sick too

~ *cue Blaytz pouting sadly because you won't kiss him on the lips*

~ You won't kiss Blaytz on his lips when he's sick, but you will kiss him on his forehead

~ There was one time when Blaytz got sick after getting sprayed by some kind of pollen after he went on a mission with the other paladins, needless to say he was covered with itchy pink spots for about a week

~ If Blaytz is sick with the space flu you have a servant clean out the bowl you give him since it's not a pleasant task

~ Blaytz taught you how to make his grandmother's special soup so you can make it for him whenever he gets sick

~ When Blaytz gets injured he isn't as dramatic about it, although he likes resting a lot if he's got a sprain, strain or a fractured bone

~ If he's got a really bad broken bone he lets the doctor reset it before they put him in a healing pod

~ Blaytz is careful not to accidentally get burnt, but if he has a cut or a scrape he'll let you clean and bandage it

~ There was one time when he ended up getting a gash on his left leg when he wasn't watching his step and fell into a hole while you two were out on a hike, you held his hand after he got taken to the hospital where a doctor gave him stitches

~ Blaytz might be a sort-of warrior but that doesn't mean he can handle the worst injuries, he loves having you with him when he's injured because your presence makes him feel at least a little better

#Blaytz #VLD Blaytz #Blaytz x Reader #Nalquod #Blaytz x Reader Headcanons #King Blaytz #Blue Paladin #Original Blue Paladin #Original Voltron Paladins #Voltron AU Where Everybody Lives #Voltron Legendary Defender #Voltron #VLD #SFW #SFW Headcanons #Headcanons #Jan 2024

[probablyhuntersmom]

*gets absorbed in rewatching Mass Effect playthroughs* *sudden itch to draw them as the ME2 Squad Members coz you can match them up pretty well*

#vld #voltron #original paladins #blaytz #trigel #gyrgan #alfor #zarkon #like...Blaytz as Garrus..Gyrgan is Grunt..Zarkon is Thane.. #I want Shiro as Shepard tho. so Alfor could be the Illusive Man? #Trigel is a tough one but I'm tempted towards Samara #vld x mass effect

[spezzaru]

do legendary defender fans even exist nowadays

i want a muffin

#voltron legendary defender #vld #lance mcclain #blaytz #voltron blaytz #blue paladin

[xochitai]

Do you think we could have been friends? - ficlet

The young prince approaches the kit half-hiding behind the blue paladin’s leg.

“Greetings. I’m Lotor. You are?”

They retreat further until Blaytz pats their head. “Go on guppy,” he says in soft Nalquodi, “you’ll be ok, and I’ll be right here if you need me. Maybe you’ll make a friend today.”

Wide yellow eyes look first at their father, then back to the little galra in front of him. Cautiously, they step forward. Their Galran is rigid, but they manage to squeeze out: “My... name... is Kolivan.”

#inspired by the theory that Kolivan is descended from Blaytz and the galra he was flirting with #vld #voltron: legendary defender #vld lotor #lotor #blaytz #kolivan

[chibi-pix]

Alfor sits to meet with his old friends, trying to figure some things out and to work on a plan.

#VLD #Voltron Legendary Defender #The Electrifying Tale of Shockwave #hero au #superhero au #Lance #Alfor #Trigel #Blaytz #Gyrgan #Coran #fanfic

[digoload]

the paladin line up!!! (click for better quality)

This is a part of my voltron AU that I already did a bit of art on this here. i'll probably update my foolish design at some other time but there he is for now.

Under the cut -- my reasons for these particular characters, plus some sketched story ideas i had for them/their backstories prior to canon.

(also, yes - qtubbo tucks his jeans into his socks)

Green Paladin - Tubbo. He's green already, fantastic. Also, a nerd like Pidge and naturally curious. I considered other Create-oriented QSMPers for green lion but I think Tubbo fits the best!

Yellow Paladin - Missa. For a while I was gonna make Forever the yellow or blue paladin, but then I realised the whole cast would be wayyyyy too zany or weird. We needed a sturdy, relatable character. Someone who was scared. Someone who didn't really want to be there. Someone who would have an unlikely romance with a menacing purple rebellion-leader alien in space. I knew Missa was perfect for the job.

Blue Paladin - Etoiles. We don't know the specific qualifications for someone to be the blue paladin (thanks Lance), but there are some clear similarities between Lance and Blaytz (I know Allura doesn't really fit with the pattern towards the end of the series, but work with me here), so I sort of made up my own requirements. 1. screams with joy when they get to pilot their lion. 2. dogboy. 3. ready to throw down. (season 1 allura fits all 3 of these, but arguably not really towards s6-7-8). I kinda relate him most to Blaytz out of all the blue paladins.

Red Paladin - Roier. You KNOW it had to be Roier. Who else. Literally who else. The man is red. Ready to throw down. Trusts his instincts. Angsty backstory. Right-hand to the guy who takes the lead in most situations. Also, just in general, I have a vivid vision of qroier in the red lion's cockpit. He could totally pull it off.

Black Paladin - Cellbit. The other characters I considered for this role were bbh and philza, but in the end I liked them more with having alien roles mainly due to their backstories (BBH as an immortal soul-guide demon and Philza as an avian). I just think that Cellbit would fit this role better. He already sort of heads the Order, is associated with the colour black as well. But most of all. I think there's a lot of potential for an angst arc where he goes off on his own for some dumb self sacrificial reason I guess, or maybe because of his extremeee trust issues, and neglects his leader duties because of this. and then there's a whole lesson learned kind of thing, maybe roier brings him back, etc.

Now for some backstories:

I think Tubbo would follow Pidge's backstory and motives pretty closely, given his penchant for breaking into the federation offices and snooping around (very Pidge-like behaviour). The thing I struggled with was getting someone to be kidnapped by space aliens that Tubbo cared enough about to go searching for. I already have plans for Fred, Phil, and the eggs, and they're the main things that drive qtubbo. Also, ideally, they'd have to be somewhat older than Tubbo in order to be on the Kerberos mission in the first place. For a while, I thought about somehow having Tubbo and Pierre being connected, but they're not super close in canon, even if he would make an Excellent Sam Holt.

BUT THEN I REMEMBERED: MORNING CREW. ITS PERFECT. I don't think they'd be directly related, but Pac as Matt Holt just works so well. I think Fit and Ramon would be rebel fighters that free Pac from the Galra and they sort of fall in love that way, but Mike was on the Kerberos mission too and is still missing, and that's Pac's main motivation.

So I think the best people for the Kerberos mission crew would be Pac (technician), Mike (engineer), and Cellbit (pilot). Cellbit obviously takes Shiro's role (sans robot arm, that's Etoiles' duty later on - this AU would divert from VLD canon pretty early on). Roier never gives up on Cellbit, just like Tubbo never gives up on Pac (and Mike). Except unlike Tubbo, who has to purposely get enrolled at the Garrison as a cadet in order to get intel, Roier is already graduate from the same class as Cellbit. He KNOWS there's a coverup of some kind, but he has no way of proving it. Fortunately, an old upperclassman/ex-tutor believes in him enough that he believes in Cellbit too, and together they get to work on figuring out this mystery. When an alien pod crash lands, they know they've got to get a closer look.

Missa is an unfortunate decontamination unit first-responder who gets in the way. They can't just leave him behind to sound the alarm - he has to come with them while they rescue Cellbit! Unbeknownst to them, Tubbo has already taken out the alarms and is also on his way over. Miraculously, they all escape with their lives, and magic space lion adventures ensue.

I feel like none of them would really have any time to change into casual clothing, so they're all in uniform. Cellbit would probably still be in prisoner clothing but tbh I just didn't think of that lol. Also, I wanted to draw him in a garrison uniform that wasn't detox or combat oriented. There are so many cool garrison uniform designs out there so drawing the same one twice was kinda soul crushing lol. cant wait to show you guys their individual character sheets!!

#my art #qsmp tubbo #qsmp cellbit #qsmp roier #qsmp etoiles #qsmp missa #tubbo fanart #cellbit fanart #etoiles fanart #roier fanart #missasinfonia fanart #qsmp fanart #qsmp #voltron legendary defender #digo speaks #qsmp vld au

[discordiansamba]

Gyrgan was the air Avatar before Hunk, but he lost his memories in the assault on the air temples after briefly going into the Avatar State, and was raised in secret in the Earth Kingdom, only being taught earthbending to protect him. He married, had children, and only learned the truth towards the end of his life, when he was too old to do anything.

It's no small wonder then, that the next Avatar Blaytz was born with the burning urge to do something... and whose actions ultimately only seemed to make things so much worse. Zarkon wanted conquest- Honerva is willing to rip the world apart to bring him back, threatening on a scope much broader than anyone could have imagined.

Is it any wonder then, that when Hunk is born, he carries with him a deep desire for peace?

#atla au #also offhand mention that it turns out that Gyrgan is Pidge's great grandfather. because that joke has to exist SOMEWHERE in this AU #pidge looking at hunk after the reveal: great grandpa.... #hunk: Nope. No. Nun-uh. We're not doing that. Stop it. #(everyone else snickering in the background. including Shiro) #hunk: shiro! I trusted you!

[seliipi]

"Welcome home, Allura"

******

Altea was back.

She knew it in her heart with every step, fingers trailing along each passing juniberry petal.  

This wasn't some carefully crafted hologram like the ones she’d grown accustomed to. Nothing like the late nights in the Castle where she sat with her father's AI and reminisced for hours over the silliest little things. Never quite touching, never quite willing to be the first to say good night. (Until Coran came to gently usher her back to bed.)  

The warm breeze, the scent of juniberries in the air, the blades of grass brushing against the hem of her dress.

This was all, actually, here. 

It was almost overwhelming. 

Even the Castle was just as she remembered, grand and inviting, white walls glistening in the morning light. Coran would probably cry tears of joy if he saw it, enough to bring on another case of the slipperies. The image makes her laugh and she sends a silent apology to the man. 

The moment Altea reappeared, just shy of a decaphoeb after the Lions sacrificed themselves to save the universe, she had taken the quickest ship available and piloted herself straight here. 

Maybe it was a little selfish, but she wanted to be the first to see it. To make sure it wasn't just some trick of the eye. Had she hesitated even a second, a number of barriers would have popped up to block her way. Too dangerous, someone should scout the area first, an escort should be arranged–she was Altea’s last princess after all.

But because she was, this was something she had to do herself. 

Even if it turned out to be the perfect lure to get her alone, she knew the Paladins would be right behind her.

They more than anyone would know just how important this was to her.

And in the end, all those worries were for nothing. 

She could see the same fountains where she’d made the precarious habit of walking along the edge, arms outstretched, Coran or her father leading her round and round with one hand until she was happy to continue on.

And all around her, as far as the eye could see, were her beloved juniberry fields in full bloom.     

"Oh...!" She brought a hand to her chest wistfully. 

It seems, after 10,000 years, she was home. 

…

Of course, though a planet may be returned in its entirety, all those lives lost over the years could never return.

As much as she wished for it, her father would never again be waiting for her just outside the castle gates in their usual spot. The way he always found time to welcome her home even if they couldn't talk for long… She'd rush into his arms for a big hug and ramble away about her day as they entered the Castle, her father's laughter filling the hallway. 

Gyrgan and Blaytz wouldn't be there to tease her as always on how much she's grown in the few vargas since they last met. No more well-aimed kicks to Blaytz's shin that he would just barely dodge before going to fake sob into Gyrgan's shoulder, crying about how the little princess was going through a rebellious phase.

…

What was Altea without her people? 

Perhaps other Alteans were out there somewhere, like the colony hidden by Lotor, and they would make their way back. Or, in due time, people from all over the universe would come to call this place home. 

Would they need a princess then? Or was her place among the stars, continuing to help those who had lost so much to the war?

(She's lost so much too.)

…

From behind she could hear the Paladins quietly approach, as if not wanting to intrude on her thoughts. It's sweet of them, and her heart warms at the company. 

She's not alone. She doesn't have to deal with this on her own.

Earth really had started to feel like home, especially with the others embracing her into their lives. She swam in the beautiful oceans of Varadero, saw the desert sunrise near Keith's home, sat beneath the scattering cherry blossoms of Shiro's hometown…but she knew her heart would always yearn for Altea. 

And now it was back. A parting gift from the Lions.

And right on cue, just behind the Paladins came Coran's familiar cry of surprise and joy that made her eyes sting just a little bit. 

Right. 

She didn't have to make any big decisions right now. 

Her family was here, and now she could be the one to show them what Altea was like beyond the castle walls they once knew.

When she turned around, happy tears in her eyes, the Paladins were already rushing forward to wrap her in a big hug.

She was home, and for now, that was enough. 

#voltron #vld #allura #princess allura #seli draws

[artsyjesseblue]

Slowly Going Mad - Part I - Zarkon

There’s a subject I’ve been meaning to write about for quite a while (of course it’s about VLD). A character analysis that, I believe, will justify their arcs and give a better view into some controversial turning points of the story. I’d like to zoom in a bit into Zarkon’s, Honerva’s and later, Lotor’s gradual psychological shifts. To set the premise, I intend to show that each of them - as presented along the episodes - had various stages of mental transitions - progressive changeovers, to be more precise . And even though some of the transitions are not so evident, they actually happen along the many millennia. Each of them are triggered by profound and very unique sets of reasons. Since discussing about all three will take up quite a lot of pages, this will be a three-part meta, and I will link each of them to the others. Here is the link to Honerva’s analysis. Update: Lotor’s analysis is also complete.

Zarkon

The beginning of the show paints a very stark and ominous image of the emperor. The absolute enemy, heartless, bloodthirsty, obsessed about getting Voltron back, especially the Black Lion. As the show advances, he becomes more and more maleficent, to the point where he declares a full-on annihilation chase against his own son. But as we see from snippets of his backstory, during Coran’s accounts in S3E7 “The Legend Begins” and way-way later in S8E2 “Shadows”, Zarkon starts from the point of a very brave paladin with admirable intentions, a loving husband who is over the moon about the news of having a son. Unfortunately, while Alfor regards the comet ore and the quintessence as endless sources of clean energy, Zarkon starts drifting into the lust for endless power. Along with his wife Honerva, they become obsessed with their rift project, to the detriment of their friendship with the rest of the world. As Honerva’s experiments progress, we see him transform from a jovial team leader into an irascible and deceitful individual.

As he later admits in S8, when the paladins awake his consciousness - the quintessence blinded him. But Shiro’s clone actually pointed out in S6: “Zarkon fell prey to his own evil instincts. The quintessence field didn’t create them, it revealed them.” We clearly witness his tendency for pride and need for power, before quintessence even touches him. Watch closely the scenes at the beginning of S3E7 "The Legend Begins", when the old paladins are gathered at the feast table; watch Zarkon’s stiff and dominant demeanor around his colleagues and his superior attitude towards the “servant class” that brings food and drinks to their table.

[Blaytz invites the waiter to "pull up a bench and join the feast. Zarkon, after intentionally clearing throat, scolds him: "You know that fraternizing with the servant class is not permitted. It erodes discipline."]

In my opinion, sustained by examples from the show, his own weak spot - power greed - became his downfall, and quintessence only acted as an amplifier, a catalyst; quintessence was not the original cause.

At this point I’d like to make a distinction between the substance called “quintessence” and the red little creature called “the entity”. The entity hails from the quintessence field (aka “the rift”, “the zone between realities”). Somehow, the notions got muddled together, but I believe - if the show was allowed to end the way the writers and EP’s intended to - we would have understood more about these two. So the entity is a living creature (somewhat sentient, as it seems, too), capable of some very magic and powerful stuff (it “gave Haggar the ability to conquer worlds”), while quintessence is a potent substance, (“the substance with the highest known energy per unit volume in the universe”, as described in S1E10 “Collection and Extraction”). The entity is responsible, among other things, for Haggar’s magic, while quintessence acts as a fuel (for ships, for weapons, for other living beings, for the entity itself - as we’ll further see). Quintessence can, indeed, poison one’s mind, as seen when the Paladins enter the rift, but stack the entity on top of that and you bring the game up a notch: once becoming “one” with the entity, there is a big risk of completely losing your reason, your memories, your own character and consciousness. Only someone with a higher spiritual training and with positive intents can properly handle such a potent entity (hint: Allura).

Back to Zarkon. After the comet hits Daibazaal, we see his first encounter with Honerva, who was assigned as a scientist to study the rift; we witness his shyness around her, his hilarious look at the sight of little Kova the cat. A very humanizing portrait, of a man capable of superior feelings, despite his hard shell. From here, unfortunately, things will only go down. I patched up the succession of events forming Zarkon’s backstory from the two episodes: S3E7 and S8E2: Years pass, Honerva continues her work on the rift. Zarkon, “softened up��� by his relationship with Honerva, marries her. Alfor and Melenor have a baby - Allura. Alfor continues to visit his friends and discovers with great apprehension that Honerva is conducting experiments on an entity that arrived from the rift, in response to her call. Honerva’s Altean cheek marks still look intact. The entity trapped in Honerva’s tube screeches and calls out for its congeners. The rift monster attacks. Voltron defeats the monster. Honerva and Zarkon push for more experiments, while Alfor disagrees. We clearly see, from Zarkon’s verbal conflict with Alfor, that his greed for more power has grown, even after encountering such a dangerous creature as the rift monster (which is basically a mega-conglomerate of entities). Alfor (who wants to close the rift): “You have to know when it’s enough!” Zarkon: “I’ll decide what’s enough on my planet!”

Voltron continues to be a force for good in the Universe for the years to come, while Honerva pursues her rift work. Fast-forwarding some decades into the future (and jumping all the way to S2E8 "Shadows") Honerva announces Zarkon she is pregnant. Although I’ll revisit this when discussing her arc, it’s worth noting that pregnant Honerva features the distorted cheekbone marks, not the original Altean half-moons.

Zarkon receives the news about the baby with utmost elation. They discuss a name for the baby and together they come up with something that honors both cultures: Lotarious + Kaltor = Lotor. Around the same time, King Alfor visits their rift project again (jump back to S3E7... yeah, it's all scrambled). We see the Altean king visibly aged, while Zarkon continues to look young. Kova the cat shows up. As Honerva explains, the cat fell ill when the creatures attacked (!!), but she treated him with quintessence and Kova is now 28 deca-phoebs (~years) old. Alfor is shocked to notice Honerva’s facial features have changed. This is the first time in the show when we have a glimpse at who/what is responsible for Zonerva’s incredible longevity. We are led to believe it’s the continuous supply with quintessence, but there is more at play here: the entity. Honerva says: “He [Kova] revealed the truth to us. Quintessence is so much more than you can understand. It is life itself.” Logical conclusion: entity + quintessence = life everlasting. In this same scene we encounter the first major conflict between Alfor and Zonerva. Alfor: “You’ve gone too far.” Honerva: “You’ve always been a coward.” […] “You wish to close off our gateway to enlightenment. We should be expanding it.” [note the word “enlightenment” - put a pin in it - I will discuss about it during Lotor's analysis]. Zarkon: “If we use Voltron, we can enlarge the opening to the other reality.” Alfor: “It’s madness! This prolonged exposure to quintessence has poisoned your minds!” Zarkon: “We’ve only scratched the surface! We can rule this entire universe! We can live forever! All of us!”

Zarkon’s megalomania has definitely reached a new level. As suggested by Alfor, quintessence seems to fuel this madness. After Alfor leaves, Honerva suddenly collapses on the floor. While a bedridden Honerva mumbles stuff about quintessence being life, Zarkon is desperate to get her back. Here, we see the portrait of a leader corrupted by his grandiose obsessions of power, but still very much in love with his wife. An almighty emperor whose terrible fear at that moment was losing his family, the one family he never even hoped to have until he met this amazing, brilliant woman.

The next stage in Zarkon’s undoing comes with his monumental deceit of his Paladin team, driven by his unbridled love for his wife, but also by his poisoned intellect. He tricks them into believing they are using Voltron to close the rift, by telling them that first they need to enlarge it to gather more quintessence. Once inside the rift, he takes Honerva right into the Quintessence field. If we get to think of it, Zarkon pretty much had no other choice at this point if he wanted to save her. Alfor actually stated this: “You’ve gone too far.” Indeed, both are gone beyond the point of return. Honerva is actually gone farther than Zarkon. The fact that she exhibits the distorted cheek marks, she is sick, delusional, incoherent, and she talks about herself as “we” instead of “I” - these are clear and distinct signals that she is possessed by the entity (plus more hints, as I'll discuss in the next meta about her).

Kova fell sick when the creatures attacked, but then he was revived with quintessence. Similarly, a very ill Honerva, who has been playing with the rift creatures for years, demands to get quintessence, because quintessence is life. Knowing that there is no other choice, Zarkon basically makes a ‘deal with the devil’. In exchange for Honerva’s health and their life everlasting, they must give up their own souls, their own consciousnesses. Something the EP’s have mentioned in passage: they are “dead inside”. But how dead? Let’s continue with Zarkon’s own transition: Once in the rift, Zarkon carries Honerva outside of his lion, and, with a clear gesture of offering, he lifts her up in his arms. The rift monster (most likely attracted by the call of the entity already inside Honerva) encircles them. And this is where we see Zarkon’s eyes suddenly transfigured into glowing purple orbs. The entity has taken over them.

The paladins, believing they succumbed due to quintessence overexposure, hold a state funeral. When Zarkon and Honerva reawaken, they are transfigured, both physically and mentally. Zarkon is able to remember who he is. Honerva does not. She was clearly far more affected by the entity than him, since she’d already been sick from it. But Zarkon, on top of the fact that he still retains his memories, might also display some (very small) traits of family affection. Let’s see how much, and for how long… After rising back to ‘life’, Zarkon orders a doctor to the room immediately, since Honerva is incapable of remembering who she is. So… he still cares about her, in his own, new twisted way. Full of rage against the Paladins and especially Alteans for destroying his home planet, he gets his revenge by killing his former friends and nuking Altea. His wrath against the Alteans reaches almost absolute levels. Almost… because his wife and his son have Altean blood, yet he doesn’t obliterate them. A “weakness”? In a very early memory of Honerva (S5E2 “Blood Duel”), before giving birth, Zarkon asks a doctor: “Can you save the child?” “We will try, sire. There are many complications,” comes the answer from the medic. Next, here’s Honerva (now calling herself Haggar) after she gives birth to Lotor, and Zarkon is there to watch for her proper care. A shred of compassion left inside him? Interesting aspect: the doctor mentions that she seems to regain her senses when they administer quintessence, but their resources are finite. The doctor implies that both her and Zarkon will need quintessence in order to survive. In private, Zarkon asks her: “Do you know of quintessence?”. “Can you find me quintessence?” This, right here, is the beginning of ten thousand years of quintessence hunt around the universe, to the expense of entire civilizations and planets, for the benefit of two vampire-like rulers. Both parents reject little baby Lotor. But… not completely. If Zarkon were truly dead inside and showing absolutely no mercy, he would have not kept Haggar or Lotor around him. Instead, she became his right hand, and little Lotor benefitted from a princely education, however devoid of parental love that was. In fact, we are shown snippets of Lotor’s childhood at the court. Zarkon wants updates on his son’s education progress. That is a sign of care for his child, even if the motives might not be altruistic. We could say he did it out of pure pride of having an heir to his throne. No matter, he does request that Lotor goes through the Agotian trials, as stated by Dayak. Some sort of Galra tests, from what we can infer. We also find out that he wants to “remove his impurities” (Altean impurities, that is), which corroborates with his obsession of eliminating anything Altean from the universe. Yet, when little Lotor wishes to ask a question, although considered “speaking out of place”, Zarkon still allows him to proceed with his inquiry. This is when Zarkon confesses something significant about Honerva: “I will tell you this and no more. She was my only weakness. But now she is gone.” Corrupted Zarkon considers love a weakness, yet he acknowledges he had one, in front of no other than his own son, who has Altean blood; all while former Honerva stands right next to him. How fascinating. Somewhere, inside there, buried in the depths of his consciousness, a flicker of emotion still persists. A tiny, almost invisible morsel of what was once a loving family man subsists beneath the veils of darkness.

A number of years later, when Lotor is adolescent, we see a dismissive Zarkon, treating his “insolent boy” with a dominant attitude, excluding him from important meetings. Yet he does not oust him completely. Farther into the future, we are shown an adult Lotor, in charge of Ven’tar’s mining planet. Let’s forget for a minute the harrowing events that happen next. Let’s focus on the fact that Zarkon entrusted his son an entire planet. He was willing to give him power, provided that he walked the same path as him, a path of destruction and annihilation (which we know Lotor didn’t). Lotor was the heir to his throne, and as such, Zarkon wanted to see him follow his steps closely. Alas, the emperor’s lack of empathy towards his son reaches a whole new level. This transitions Zarkon from a somewhat ‘caring’ father figure (if that could be called ‘caring’) into a murderous despot who ousts his son from his empire and obliterates an entire planet. This is another big step down towards Zarkon’s complete loss of self.

What triggered this further devolving? Two things: 1) Lotor’s confessing that he worked “alongside the denizens of the planet”, which is something Zarkon despised even before becoming corrupted. Remember his conversation with the old Paladins? “[..] fraternizing with the servant class is not permitted. It erodes discipline.” Spot similarities with his new discourse: “You dare work with this pitiful race as if they are your equals? […] The heir to the Galra throne should not sully our honor by working with his subjects.” 2) Lotor’s second ‘mistake’: uttering the words ‘mother’ and ‘Altea’… As implied by Zarkon’s own horror-stricken gaze along with a suspenseful “dun-dun” soundtrack, this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. When his own son dares to bring the subject of his one and only ‘weakness’, a line has been crossed.

But this is not yet Zarkon’s ultimate implosion.

Millennia pass, during which his son survives as an outcast (yet from what we see, he still has access to Galra tech and is able to form his own squad of generals). Zarkon allows his son to live, even benefit from some imperial amenities, most likely while Haggar keeps a spying eye on him. After Haggar revives the wounded husband and Lotor’s Emperor Pro Tem status is dissolved, Zarkon declares about his son: “he is no longer my concern”. So his attitude towards him is not yet wrathful, but rather indifferent, as if he doesn’t even exist. A complete lack of parental love, but no full-on enmity, yet. And right after this, comes the ultimate blow to Zarkon’s last thread of consciousness: finding out that Lotor hides another comet ore, building his own Voltron. The straw that demolishes Zarkon’s speck of family attachment is in fact his lifelong, biggest obsession: power. It is his most prominent “evil instinct”, the one that tripped him from the start. Along the many millennia, his son had been at best an heir with impurities, at worst an awful reminiscence of his only ‘weakness’ for an Altean woman. But now… now Lotor rises from the status of an ignored pariah and threatens Zarkon’s very own authority over the universe, his power. That cannot be forgiven. Thus, Zarkon starts a war against his own son, declaring him a “kill on sight” target across the empire. His final battle with Lotor is, tragically, the ultimate symbol of a man who completely lost himself to darkness.

But, in S8E10 “Knights of Light, Part 2”, we see Zarkon’s arc closing with a grand redemption of his lost consciousness. It seems that his essence is also trapped inside Honerva’s mind, just like the other old Paladins. Keith, Paladin of the Black Lion, challenges the monster: “You were their leader! They trusted you, and you betrayed them! You don’t deserve the Black Lion!” With the aid of the other four old Paladins, Voltron is able to defeat Zarkon’s mech and the emperor finally regains what seems like very old memories. Elated to see his friends around him - Alfor, Blaytz, Gyrgan, Trigel - he happily greets everyone, as if none of the ten thousand years of madness had ever happened. But Allura, enraged by the atrocities he had committed for millennia, makes sure to remind him of his dark past, through a mind meld: “You’ve killed millions!” Lance exclaims with a stupefied reaction: “Allura, what are you doing?” Allura, in raging anger: “Reminding him of the suffering he’s caused!”

Apocalyptic images from the past stream in front of Zarkon’s eyes, while he screams and grunts, pained by the heaviness of his own life. The last image brings back the memory of his final encounter with his son and it’s his complete undoing. Instead of a happy image with his one and only child, he gets the worst kind of parental farewell flashback. Kneeling, tears gush from his eyes, as he gasps… “No…”

Allura, unmoved by his remorse, continues: “You did that. All of it!” He attempts an apology, which appears to be truly coming from his heart: “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t realize what I —” Allura counteracts, though: “You knew exactly what you were doing. You deceived and betrayed your friends and allies!” Zarkon bitterly supplies: “The Quintessence… it blinded me. And you all suffered because of it.” Allura doesn’t seem to nod to his explanation, standing her ground once more: “If you’re truly sorry for what you’ve done, then help us stop her. You must have been placed here to protect something! What is it?” Zarkon: “I… don’t know. I… I’m sorry.” Allura, yelling back: “What are you protecting?” OK, let’s stop here with the dialogue, because we have enough to actually paint an image of this interaction.

I might ruffle some anti-Allura feathers, but I actually agree with her. Some have considered her demeanor here out of character and abrasive. When she yelled at Zarkon with all her might and forced old memories upon him, we all jumped out of our skin, like Lance - “Allura, what are you doing?” Like, what is she doing, going like that against a peaceful guy who just said “I’m sorry”? Also, with what authority does she bust into his memories, against his will? But based on how Zarkon’s portrait has been shaped along the >70 episodes, this is my conclusion: he knew exactly what he was doing when he deceived his Paladin friends, because, at that point, he was not yet possessed by the entity. He knew exactly what he was doing when he followed his lust for power, demanding more and more quintessence from the rift, more and more experiments alongside his wife, ignoring his friends, his duties towards his people, towards his unborn child. Sure, he was not himself when he was possessed by the entity, but before that, he was still in control of himself, even if the quintessence was starting to poison his mind. He knowingly allowed himself to drift to the point of no return. Of course, one can say that quintessence poisoning can be compared with substance abuse. And as such, it can justify his diminishing self-control, but when this converges into putting the lives of your friends and the future of an entire planet in danger, this takes on a different proportion. As the ruler of a planet, he had enormous responsibilities, which he neglected in his quest for more power. That is why Allura comes at him with such outrage. Because she, as a victim of his atrocities, as a leader of her persecuted people, as a representative of a Coalition of planets that suffered for 10k years, is entitled to accuse him, to point out his original sin (power greed), which… if Zarkon had realized it, did not magically appear because quintessence blinded him. It was his original, own evil instinct. Just like Shiro said: “Zarkon fell prey to his own evil instincts. The quintessence field didn’t create them, it revealed them.”

There needs to be accountability for what he’s done; Allura is right. It makes sense that her forgiveness comes with one condition: Zarkon has to help them defeat the witch. If the emperor truly wishes to redeem his consciousness, he needs to “ride one last time” with the other nine paladins and atone for his past sins. After aiding them unveil Honerva’s most hidden secrets - her deepest, unfulfilled wishes, Zarkon indeed helps the Paladins punch out of her mind trap. But not before an interesting conversation with Keith and the other Paladins. Honerva’s powers suddenly attack them and Allura falls on her knees, blasted by a terrible migraine. Zarkon: “You’re in her mind. She’s more powerful here.” Keith: “What do we do?” Zarkon: “There’s nothing you can do but accept defeat.” Keith: “No, we won’t give up!” Zarkon: “That’s your Galra lineage. It’s what makes you a great leader of Voltron. You and I share that trait. But look where it has led the two of us. My desire for unlimited Quintessence was the catalyst for 10,000 years of destruction. Your quest to save the universe took you into the mind of a psychopath.” Keith: “Yes, to gain the knowledge of what she’s doing. And now we know.” Zarkon: “Yet you still don’t know how! She’s too powerful.” Alfor: “Zarkon, Honerva may be more powerful than each of us alone, but the strength of ten Paladins working together as one is the strongest force in the universe.” Zarkon: “The Lions are gone, Alfor. Voltron is gone forever.” Keith: “No, Voltron isn’t gone. Voltron is within each and every one of us. We’re bonded to it, and to each other.” Alfor: “We have one last chance to set things right, but we cannot do it without you. Ride with us one last time, Zarkon.” Pondering on their words, Zarkon pulls out his bayard: “Form Voltron!” Taking a quick look at this dialogue, notice that Zarkon harbors quite a defeated attitude. He really needs a lot of convincing from his friends that there is still hope. Which is something quite uncharacteristic to a Galra warrior, but given the fact that for ten thousand years he’d been under the powerful influence of the dark entity, I can see why he believes defeating Honerva is an impossible task. Another interesting fact is Zarkon’s admission (finally… finally!) that his own desire for unlimited Quintessence was “the catalyst for 10,000 years of destruction.” Zarkon finally admits his sin! But he also thinks Keith is driven by erroneous intentions: “Your quest to save the universe took you into the mind of a psychopath.” To which Keith quickly explains the intention behind his quest, which is not driven by personal desires or ambitions, but practical reasons: to gain the knowledge of Honerva’s objectives. Keith does not have evil instincts to drive him mad. He does not get dragged into obsessive quests. His ‘stubbornness’, if we were to call it so, is bolstered by reason and a moral compass. Alfor’s final words beautifully close the emperor’s arc: “Ride with us one last time, Zarkon.” Their final ascent, united into one, 10-Paladin Voltron, is symbolic of Zarkon’s redemption, an uplifting message of unity and also of hope - that it’s never too late to atone for one’s past misdeeds.

Zarkon’s story, as I see it from this analysis, although at a first glance seems to highlight his abrupt change from a good guy to a rad villain and ultimately circle back with a redemption, is actually built through subtle shifts, and it’s challenging to follow because the backstories are peppered across the seasons, sometimes without a chronological order. But they are there, if you’re digging for them. I’ve used this quote in other metas and I’ll make use of it again here, because it has relevance to how they built Zarkon's arc. Here’s what the executive producers said, in a Syfy interview, about the way they shaped the antagonist characters:

LM: We’ve chosen to kind of selectively release little bits about our villains, like - along the way. We didn’t really have one episode where you expose everything there is to know. A lot of it is kind of underlying, for people to kind of - if they’re willing to look for it - they’ll find it. […] JDS: I think that - in our minds, and in the writers’ room - you know, there’s a full, fleshed-out backstory that goes back to… who-knows-when. Um, yeah, it’s all there, it’s all a matter of…, the viewers are gonna, like, find it, and… [motioning his fingers to suggest keyboard typing] Interviewer: …sift through it. JDS: Yeah.

The next meta in this series will focus on Honerva’s arc - the link is at the beginning of this article.

#voltron meta #zarkon #zarkon meta #vld meta #voltron legendary defender #madness in vld #jesseblue writes

[the-kittens-of-vol-tron]

Enchanted

Chapter 1. Prev Chapter

AO3!

Chapter 4: Who Do You Love? 

Summary: Keith deals with new emotions 

A/N: I used a fantasy language generator for Altean! I'm just trying it out, idk if I should keep it!

Word Count: 6034

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Keith’s POV 

Love. The word circled around Keith's mind like a tune stuck in his head. Galran’s weren't scared of the word. But it was hardly said, or hardly written. Yet, he came to find out that Alteans say it...a lot. Even for things that weren't romantic. They were lax with the word.

They loved flowers. They loved cooking or music. They loved this. They loved that. But neither of the books Lance read to him explained what love was.  

What did it feel like when you were in love? How did you know if the person you loved, loved you back? How do you express love? 

Lance had been Keith's guard for six months now. Six months of walking together, creating a routine, Lance reading to him, and meetings. Six months of knowing Lance properly. 

Being around him ached in his core but being away from him stung. Keith didn't know what to make of it. He found it hard to breathe when Lance wasn't around. 

They had gotten closer over the last half a year. Lance had taught more about Altean lifestyles and culture. What Coran was like in his younger days. He was told about Princess Allura and the two other knights, Romelle and Adam. 

Keith opened up to his knight as well. He made it known what he liked and disliked. The things he wanted to try and the places he wanted to go. Without having to be on a political mission. He began to discuss the life he would want if he didn’t have to take over the empire. 

The life he would never have.

“Oh, boys! Just the people I was looking for!” Kolivan clasped his hands as he made his way over to them. Shiro follows beside him, holding a piece of paper and a small box. 

Lance bowed at the empire, sending Shiro a small nod. “Is everything okay?” Keith asked from where he was kneeling. Feeling a new flower that was planted the day before. 

“Yes, but we just received word of an invitation!” 

Keith sighed, “another party?” He stood.

“Yes, on Altea! King Alfor is hosting it. Along with Blaytz of Planet Nalquod, Gyrgan of Planet Rygnirath, and Trigel of the Dalterion Belt.”

Keith looked at his dad with disbelief, Shiro handing him a copy of the invitation. “The original alliance invited us to a party?” He grabbed the paper, his eyes scanning the words. 

His father grinned, “yes. This is good progress, Keith. The final push in the right direction.” 

“So it’s on Altea?” 

“Correct, which leads me to my next order of business. Knight McClain!” He said enthusiastically. 

“Uh Sir!” Lance said, a bit caught off guard. 

Kolivan motioned at Shiro who stepped forward, holding the box out to Lance. The emperor urged him to open the box and Lance did, slowly. “I know you wear the Altean royal symbols and colors but given your residence here and longevity. I hope you feel comfortable wearing these as well.” 

Lance stared into the box, his face unreadable. 

“Galran’s general wear these on the left side. I’m not sure of Altean culture or which side your medals and symbols must be worn. I hope we can make it work.” 

Lance reached into the box, his fingers shaking slightly. “Sir…Are you sure about this?” He pulled out the Galran insignia, purple chains hanging off it. Just like what Lance wore the first time Keith saw him at the dance. But with the Altean symbol and light blue chains. These were attached to the shoulder cuffs to hang off down the wearer's arms. 

“Positive young knight. If you’re okay with it, I think you could help be the bridge between the Galrans and Altman's. Yes, the alliance is signed and holding strong but we still stay in our own area. You could show that we are breaking down our walls some. Embracing each other.” 

Lance gave a tense nod, placing the chain back into the box; grabbing it from Shiro. “Thank you, sir, I will wear it with honor.” He bowed deeply, holding the box tightly to his chest. 

Kolivan smiled at him, looking toward his son. “We leave for Altea in the morning. I will call for servants to pack for you. Knight McClain, do you need any help packing?” 

Lance shook his head no. 

Keith’s dad clasped his hands together again, “splendid. I look forward to tomorrow!” He turned and left, Shiro following at his side. 

Keith glanced at Lance, whose attention was back on the box. “Are you excited? To go back to Altea?” 

“Um…yeah. It’ll be nice,” he met Keith's eyes. “But I’m still going to be guarding you. I have a sworn duty.” 

Keith turned around, moving to the next plant; praying Lance didn’t see the blush that formed over his skin. “I’m sure I’ll be okay if you take a moment to chat with your friends.” 

“Yeah…but they have their own work to do anyways. Guarding their own people.” 

“Who do they guard again?” Keith began walking, Lance following behind. 

“Coran guards King Alfor, Adam guard’s the queen, and Romelle guards Allura. And I guard you.” 

“I’m still confused why there are only four knights.” Keith paused by the sunflowers, touching the petals gently. 

Lance remained silent, his eyes a bit glazed over. 

“Lance?” 

He blinked, turning some so Keith couldn’t see his face. “There would have been five but he was killed about fourteen years ago.” He took a shaky breath. “We used to have more. At least that’s what Coran told me. But they were…” he trailed off. 

Keith frowned, his mind auto-filling what Lance neglected to say. “We killed them.” 

Lance didn’t reply, and his body didn’t move. 

Keith found his hand wrapped around the head of the sunflower he was admiring only a moment ago. He squeezed the flower in his hand, crushing it under his strength. “It seems that’s all we’re good for.” He opened his hand, and the flower fell to the ground; destroyed. “Destroying and killing.” 

“That’s not true, your highness!” Lance borderline screamed at him, his marks glowing intently. 

Keith stared at him, dumbfounded. No one had ever raised their voice at him. No one ever dared. 

“You can’t blame yourself for what your grandfather did. Zarkon…he doesn’t represent the Galrans anymore. Your father does, your mother does, and you do. Even if you don’t like it. The Galran have created alliances with planets that were fighting each other long before Zarkon's first move. You’re pushing to heal the universe, not destroy it. Galran is not a synonym for being bad or evil.” Lance took a deep breath. 

“Becoming an Altean Knight takes more work than people are willing to put in. More sacrifice than people are prepared to give. It’s not anyone's fault that most people end up becoming guards or military personnel rather than knights.” He froze, the sudden realization of his outburst hitting him hard. 

He kneeled to the ground, something he hadn’t done in the entire six months he had worked under Keith. “Forgive me, I spoke out of turn.” 

Keith couldn’t speak, he couldn’t move. Lance’s words replayed in his mind, causing emotions he didn’t know he could feel. He didn’t even know how to identify them. “Stand.” 

Lance did, keeping his head low, the box left on the ground. 

Keith scanned him a couple of times; he had never seen him lose his composure. But now? His shoulder’s moved up and down as he breathed, his chest rising and falling quickly. His marks still glowing. 

“Look at me.” 

Lance didn’t move. 

He never ignored an order from Keith. 

Keith moved forward, stopping right in front of his knight. “Lance.” He flinched slightly, causing Keith's chest to tighten. He took a deep breath; he wasn’t someone he ever wanted to scare. “Can you look at me…please?” 

Lance turned his head some, his eyes still closed. 

Keith moved his hands slowly, gently touching Lance’s face again. The second time he purposely touched him. Maybe he was imagining this, maybe he wanted so badly to think that Lance had actual feelings for him. But, it seemed as though Lance leaned into his touch ever so slightly. “I’m not mad at you. I appreciate the words you said.” 

His knight gave a half-hearted nod, his marks dulling some. 

“Can you open your eyes?” 

He did, achingly slow. The calm blue Keith had grown to love tinted red. A storm that shouldn’t exist. “Thank you, Lance.” Wait, love? 

He mumbled something in Altean but Keith knew that it wasn’t anything negative towards him. Maybe it was a thank you? Another apology? He felt an overwhelming urge to pull Lance in for a hug but before he could begin the internal battle some voice appeared to the left. 

He quickly dropped his hands, stepping back as Lance grabbed the box that was discarded. Just the gardeners. “Let’s head to the library. I want to read.” Keith began walking before Lance could respond, his body on fire. 

---

He found himself wide awake, staring at what would be his ceiling if the room wasn’t blanked in darkness. Lance had left him for the night over two hours ago but no matter how hard Keith tried, sleep stayed right out of his grasp. Taunting him. 

He loved Lance. 

At least he thinks he does. Everything was confusing. He liked Lance, but jumping to love? Shouldn’t that take time? A kiss or two? It had only been six months. It had been six months. Could you fall in love with someone after that amount of time? 

He sighed, pushing himself into a sitting position. Despite being a four-letter word it sat heavy on him. Weighing him down like the cover of a book. Trapping him, forcing him to think about it. 

He found himself pacing, trying to calm his mind. But he was never taught about falling in love, he never read stories about navigating love; only when it’s reciprocated. He found himself in the library, holding the first Altean book Lance had read to him. 

He flipped through the pages, growing frustrated at the unknown language. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for. Maybe a section Lance skipped or glossed over. A ‘what to do when you realize you're in love with someone that you didn't even realize you had a crush on until that moment in time.’ He doubted he would find anything that specific but something along those lines would be helpful. 

“Keith? Why are you awake?” Shiro entered the space, his voice a whisper. 

“Couldn’t sleep,” he kept flipping through the book, a small frown on his face. 

Shiro sat in the chair across from him. Lance’s seat. “What book are you reading?” 

Keith hummed, “I don’t know. It’s in Altean. Lance read it to me.” 

“Lance…read you a book?” 

“Yeah, he had some sent over a couple of months back. Altean’s have a lot of romance novels.” 

“Oh.”

Silence fell between them, the only sound was Keith flipping through the book. “What are you hoping to find?” Shiro asked cautiously. 

Keith closed the book abruptly, “have you ever been in love?”

Shiro looked at Keith like he had three heads, “that’s…what?” 

Keith closed his eyes, letting his head fall back on the chair. “Have you ever been in love?” 

“Of course I have. I love my parents and I have brotherly love for you-”

Keith lifted his hand, silencing the other man. “Have you ever felt romantic love?” 

Shiro stared at the ground, “...no. I don’t think I have. Why are you asking?” 

Keith lowered his hand and rubbed his eyes. He was tired. 

“Keith?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Do you…do you love someone?” 

He didn’t reply, his hand resting over his lips, his chest tightening into a painful twist.

“It’s Lance isn’t it?” 

Keith released a small chuckle, “is it that obvious?” 

“Not the love part but it’s very obvious that you have some sort of affection towards him. Krolia said you fell asleep on him during movie night. And you’ve bent so many rules and broken traditions for him. It’s clear he’s just as important to you as you are to him.” 

“You think I’m important to him? I’m just his mission.” He spat out the words, he knew Lance wouldn't love him even if he could. 

“Maybe so…I’m not sure if all the Altean knights watch their people as he watches you.” 

Keith scoffed, “and how does he watch me exactly?” 

It took a moment for Shiro to respond, but he eventually did. “Like you’re the only person in the room.” 

“Can you even love someone you haven’t been with? I’ve only touched him a couple of times, we haven’t kissed or anything. It’s like…I didn’t realize I liked him until today when I released I loved him.” 

“I don’t know. It can’t be impossible if that’s how you’re feeling.” 

Keith inhaled a shaky breath, this conversation was not going how he wanted it to. He wanted Shiro to say that he had been in love before and tell him how to get over it. Tell him how to ease this tension in his core. “I’m sure all the knights act like that. He’s just doing his job.” 

Shiro leaned forward, placing his hand on Keith’s knee; a comforting gesture. “I don’t know what this feeling is like. I can’t even begin to fathom how you’re feeling but,” he gave a gentle squeeze. “I’m here if you need to talk.” 

“Okay.” 

---

“Are you okay Lance? You look like you’re going to puke?” Krolia questioned, moving a bit closer to look at him better. 

“I’m fine, your highness, just…nervous?” Lance did his best to lean back some, pressing himself against the back of his seat. 

“Nervous about what, Knight McClain? We’re going to Altea after all!” Kolivan asked, setting the stack of papers he was reading on his lap. 

Lance swallowed, his eyes looking anywhere but at the Galrans in the room. “Just…I haven't seen the royal family or the other knights in half a year. I don’t know what has changed.” 

“Things have changed but I wouldn’t worry about that. Just enjoy being home for the next day.” Krolia flashed him a toothy grin, sitting back in her own chair. 

“Yes, empress.” Lance lowered his head some. Shiro bumped Keith’s foot, sending him a sympathetic smile. Keith sent him a minuscule nod, his eyes falling on his knight. 

They hadn’t spoken since his moment yesterday. Past a couple of words here and there, the usual bubbly self Lance put on display when it was just the two of them was gone. It bothered him. Somber expressions didn’t look good on Lance. 

They landed on Altea about half an hour later, Lance standing behind Keith as the doors opened. He could feel the anxiety rolling off him but what did he have to be anxious about? 

Keith stepped off the ship, squinting a bright light from the sun. Suns? He looked up enough to see three glowing orbs in the sky. 

“Welcome to Altea!” King Alfor stepped forward, a grin on his face. His wife and daughter stood next to him, Coran standing behind him. 

“It is a beautiful planet,” Kolivan extended his hand, which King Alfor grasped and immediately yanked the other king into a hug. 

“This day is monumental! I cannot wait to have everyone together. We are making history, Kolivan.” He patted his back once before releasing his hold on the other man. He pulled Krolia into a hug as well, and she was immediately grasped by his wife. 

Keith prayed to any god that they would skip him. They thankfully did. 

“Lance! Come here!” King Alfor waved the knight over who looked to Keith for permission. 

Keith nodded and Lance stepped forward; quickly being embraced by his king. 

“It is so good to see you. Now Coran can stop moaning about how much he misses you.” King Alfor broke the embrace, keeping Lance at an arm's length away. “Have things been good? You haven’t damaged your sword, correct?” 

“No sir, I haven't had to use it at all.” 

“Well let me see. I need to make sure you’ve been taking care of one of Altea’s prized possessions.” 

Keith’s ears perked up at the statement. He had never seen Lance’s sword before, he never unsheathed it around him. And was it really that important that the king himself wanted to check the quality? He glanced at his family, interest on their faces as well. 

Lance stepped back some, swiftly pulling the sword from its holder, a crisp schwing sound filling the air. King Alfor leaned forward, his hand remaining still in front of him. “Marvelous. Coran!” 

The older knight stepped forward. 

“Do the quality check please.” 

“Yes sir.” 

Lance turned his body some so he was facing the senior knight. Coran dipped his head slightly, as Lance held the sword up. The blade and handle sitting on his open palms. Coran grabbed the sword, holding it up in the air and then swinging it to the ground. He twisted his wrist, mostly testing the weight, and lifted the sword up to his face. His gloved hand slid along the dull side of the blade. He looked at his glove, moving his fingers together, and dropped the sword; Which Lance caught as soon as it left his hands. He quickly put it back in its holder. 

Keith stared at the metal the entire time. The sword was a silver color with blue running down the blade almost like lighting. It was stunning. Lance didn’t move a muscle the entire time, was he even breathing? 

Nobody spoke. Not on the Galran side of the Altean side. Instead, they all watched in silence, knowing, even if they were never told, the importance of what was happening. 

“Well done my boy.” Coran smiled before he pulled Lance in for his own hug, holding him tighter than the king did. 

“I told you, love, in no time Lance will surpass your knight.” The Altean queen giggled to her husband who released a loud laugh. 

“Now, my apologies for the unprompted ceremony you all just witnessed,” he turned his attention toward his guest. “These swords hold significant power for Alteans. With Lance being gone so long, we need to make sure he was fulfilling the task that comes with bearing it.” 

“Nevertheless,” he collapsed his hands together, “let’s get this show on the road. If the young prince does not plan on intending this meeting Lance can escort him to your rooms. And anyway the prince would like to explore.” 

Keith looked at his parents, he wasn’t aware there would be a meeting right as they stepped off the ship. 

“My son will not be joining the meeting. I put his care in his knight’s hand.” 

Alfor smiled, “then follow me!” 

---

“What are these called again?” Keith kneeled down, his fingers touching the soft petals of the purple flower. 

“Juniberry. They’re only found on Altea.” Lance remained standing, his gaze on the flower Keith was touching. “Do you like them?” 

“Yes. They’re beautiful.” 

Lance kneeled down next to him, his arm only an inch from Keith’s. “I wanted to say sorry for being quiet yesterday and today. I was dealing with-” 

“No need to explain. It’s okay.” Keith pulled his hand back, resting it on his knee. “Your sword is beautiful. I’ve never seen it before today.” 

Lance’s mark began to glow softly, “thank you. I thankfully haven’t had to pull it out around you. You’ve been pretty safe and easy to guard.” 

Keith rolled his eyes, a blush forming over his face. “Shut up.” He leaned over some, bumping his shoulder against his knight’s, keeping it pressed there. Lance reached forward some, plucking a flower out of the ground. He held it between his thumb and pointer finger, letting it spin as he moved his fingers. 

Keith leaned back more so he was sitting, watching Lance. 

He kept reaching for more flowers, moving his hands rapidly, his body hiding whatever he was doing. “There!” He turned around, holding up a flower crown. “For you, my good sir.” He bowed his head as he held out the crown. 

Keith laughed, “you made me a flower crown?” 

“Yes.” 

“A king does not put on his own crown.” Keith wasn’t sure why he said that and he felt himself panicking as Lance looked at him. 

But Lance leaned forward, gently placing the object on his head. “There you go. You are officially the king of the Juniberry flowers.” 

Keith lifted his hand, gently touching the flowers. He suddenly had a strong desire to lean forward and kiss Lance, so he ended up chewing on his inner cheek. 

They sat like that for a bit before Lance stood, showing Keith more of the garden; the crown still on his head. 

“These are called ‘Virginia Creepers,’ they’re from Earth.” Lance stopped in front of a wall that split the garden. Green vines with a leafy top attached to the wall. 

“They just grow like that?” 

“Yes, and Earth had more as well. This is the only one we could get to grow on Altea.” Lance’s body stiffened slightly. The next thing Keith knew was that Lance’s right hand was wrapped around his back, his left hand covering his mouth. Lance stepped forward some. Keith tripped over his feet but the other boy prevented him from falling. 

He heard something hit the wall with a loud thunk. His eyes widened some, what was that? 

Lance shook his head, stepping back some and drooping his hands when he knew Keith was stable on his feet again. “Guys, that’s not funny!” He shouted out toward the area opposite of the wall. 

Keith looked at the wall, a knife lodged in it, right where Lance was standing. 

“I told you it wouldn’t be funny!” A girl’s voice cut through the air, annoyance dripping off it.

“Blah blah, come on,” a man's voice responded. 

He looked at Lance whose jaw was tense as he continued to look at where the voices came from. Eventually, two people walked into their field of vision; wearing the same style of armor Lance always did. It was a guy and a girl. 

The girl was shorter than the guy, her long blonde hair tied in a braid that rested on her shoulder. The marks under her eyes were a soft teal color. Her skin was fair and despite her smaller build, she walked with the same confidence that Lance and Coran displayed. 

The man next to her was taller, his skin tan and his eyes a grayish color. A color Keith had never seen on an Altean before. His marks were a soft green. His hair was brown, cut short. Mimicking Lance’s hairstyle. He also wore glasses and his lips were turned into a smirk as he made his way over toward them. 

A sheathed sword hung at their hips. Swaying slightly as they walked. “What you two did was not funny,” Lance growled the words slightly and Keith flinched. Lance had never spoken like that. 

“It was just a joke Lanceyyyyy,” the girl said, borderline skipping towards him; freezing in the palace when she saw Keith. “Oh…oh no.” 

“What did you say El?” The man’s eyes also fell on Keith. He sucked in a quick breath, “shit.” 

The knights shared a look before they bowed at Keith, clearly understanding who he was. “Forgive us majesty, we didn’t see you when we threw the knife. We were trying to see if Lance had gone soft, not try to assassinate you.” The man spoke clearly, his voice sounding a bit tense. 

The girl nodded slightly, “yes forgive us.” 

Lance stared at the two, his body tense and Keith cleared his throat. “Uh…you can stand.” 

The knights did, their eyes shifting to Lance who still hasn't eased up at all. 

“Well….are you going to introduce us or…?” The man spoke, another easy smile on his lips. 

Lance mumbled something under his breath before clearing his throat. “Prince, this is Adam and Romelle. Knights to the Queen of Altea and Princess Allura. Who they should be with right now.” He grumbled the last sentence out. 

Both the knights chuckled. “We were dismissed. They’re just in a meeting and they have Coran which is all of us times ten.” Romelle spoke, a bit too happy for the tense atmosphere Lance was radiating. 

“Are you going to be at the party, Lance?” Adam asked. 

Lance dropped his shoulders slightly, “I go where the Prince goes.” 

“You know Nyma will be there,” Romelle wiggled her eyebrows. 

Keith felt an uncomfortable feeling bloom in his chest. Jealousy? Who the hell was Nyma? He had never heard that name before. 

Lance’s expression didn’t change, maybe he looked more annoyed? Any change that did occur was subtle. “Okay…but as I said. I will go where the Prince goes.” 

The two knight’s shared a look, their eyes shifted from each other to Lance, to Keith, and then back to each other. A smile forming on their faces. “Skai cru vaih noiese Nyma. Skai noiese zoic lailakuene cru vaih skai?” They said in unison, their voices lifting some. 

Keith had no idea the words that were been shared. He really needed to learn Altean. But he recognized one word; one name. Nyma. 

He looked at Lance, his marks glowing brightening and his face was scrunched up slightly. Clearly flustered. 

“Poienem soth skai oipie!” 

They both giggled in response and Lance crossed his arms, boring a hole in the ground with his eyes. His marks still glowing. 

Adam and Romelle laughed, holding each other up as their chest moved up and down. The sound echoed around them. 

His chest only got tighter, his mind cycling on the name. He had never heard about this person before. They obviously had a history with Lance, enough that the knights had to bring up that they would be at the party. His stomach turned more. Lance liked someone else, didn’t he? 

He had never asked about Lance’s love life or who was waiting for him on Altea. He didn’t think he would have any obstacles past Lance being his guard and him being a prince. But another person? Someone who had more history with him? Keith felt tears burn behind his eyes. He needed to be alone for a bit. 

“Lance, I want to go to my room.” 

Lance looked at him, he looked relieved in a sense. Keith figured he was imagining it. “Follow me, your highness.” 

“See you at the party!!!” Romelle waved at them as they walked away. 

Keith was a fool to think he had a chance. 

---

He ran his hands through his hair, taking a couple of deep breaths. After a bath, and some very strong-smelling soaps he felt a tiny bit better. Lance had left to get ready for the dance himself but assured him he would be back before he was out of the bath. 

He took his time getting ready, dragging every piece of fabric onto his body. He didn’t mind his formal wear, he thought it did make him attractive but right now it felt heavy. He didn’t want to be flirted with, he didn’t want to pretend to be engaged with people, he just wanted to lay down and cry. He had never felt like this before. 

He stepped out of the bathroom, tucking his blade into its holder that sat on his lower back. Lance was standing on the porch, pacing back and forth some. He opened the sliding door, Lance turning to look at him. 

“Prince.” 

“You look nice.” He moved to stand by him, placing his hands on the balcony. 

“All I did was add the chains and metals,” Lance said, rubbing the back of his neck in awkwardness. 

Keith glanced at him, his chest tightening more. Blue decorated the right side of his armor, naturally blending with the silver color. He wore the same chains and medals as he did all those months ago. The left side was decorated with the pieces his father gifted him. The purple symbol looked a bit off on the silver metal. Not ugly, but it was odd to see an Altean bearing the Galran mark. 

He had a dark blue half cape attached to his right shoulder blade. There wasn’t a scratch or mark anywhere on him. He was a knight in shiny armor. Literally. “Are you sure you want to attend the party?” 

Keith nodded. 

“We can head down when you say the word. That goes for leaving the party as well. If you want to dip after five minutes just say the word, your highness.” 

Keith dipped his head some, “okay.” 

Lance had hooked his arm around his, saying it was tradition for the knights to properly escort their person to the event. Keith didn’t object. They arrived at the party a bit after it started, a couple of hushed voices moved around them as Keith stepped into the room. Yet, he couldn’t tell if they were directed at him or Lance. Lance grinned at everyone they passed, staying true to his word and sticking to Keith’s side. 

“So I guess Alteans and Galrans are serious about this alliance. Look at Knight McClain’s armor.” Someone whispered as they made their way through the room. 

“Knight McClain? You’re serious? I didn’t think he would be here.” A girl gushed in response. 

Keith silently applauded his father, that was a good move on his end. They finally made their way over to where his parents were. Standing off to the side as they chatted with all the other royal attendees. 

“Nice to meet you. Well, properly this time.” Allura stepped in front of him, a soft smile on her face. 

He took note of Romelle standing behind her, wearing the same Altean symbols as Lance. Romelle looked more serious this time, her hands at her side, her eyes scanning the crowd. “The pleasure is all mine,” he grabbed Allura’s hand and pressed a chaste kiss to it. He stood, meeting her knight's eyes briefly. She looked uncomfortable, her eyes going back to the crowd. 

Keith and Allura exchanged small talk for a bit. Mostly about their respective cultures but they bonded a bit over their annoyance with these parties and literature. 

Lance stepped around him as they spoke, speaking softly to Romelle in Altean. Both of them kept their eyes on the crowd. 

“Everyone! If I could have your attention!” King Alfor’s voice boomed over the room. Once the room was silent we raised his glass. “I hope you know that this night is about peace, love, and alliance. We are here to make sure another war doesn’t tear us apart again!” 

The crowd cheered and Keith joined in on the clapping, his parents smiling. 

“Now, for a special event, I present to you the best singer Altea has to offer. Nyma!” King Alfor moved to sit back down in his chair, the crowd cheering louder. 

A young woman stepped onto the stage that was off to the side, everyone's eyes on her. She was pretty, Keith couldn’t deny that. Her face was a cream color that blended into a soft yellow. Her eyes were purple and she was tall. She wore a two-piece outfit, a pure white cropped top, and a floor-length skirt. The gems that decorated it glimmered under the lights. 

She bowed at the royalty that was present, her eyes traveling to Keith. Or at least he thought until he heard Romelle giggle as she elbowed Lance. That’s who she was looking at. 

A soft melody began to play from somewhere in the room and she began to sing. She was singing in Altean, or maybe another language. Keith wasn’t sure. Her voice filled the air, a pleasant sound. She wasn’t a bad singer, Keith could see why everyone was excited about her. 

But he found himself unable to feel joy during her performance. Only annoyance. He hated how pretty she was, she was stunning. He wasn’t sure how well she knew Lance but Lance would be stupid to not like her back. He lost the game he didn’t know he was playing. 

After her fifth song, she bowed, letting the room fill with cheers. Everyone went back to talking, and laughing with each other as more drinks were passed around. Keith grabbed his fifth drink of the night, ignoring how his vision began to swim slightly. He needed to leave. 

He lifted his hand to signal his knight over, dropping it as he saw Nyma make her way toward him. “Prince, it is an honor to meet you. And perform for you.” She curtsies in her dress, sending him a warm smile. 

He tried to match her attitude, tried to seem thrilled she chose him to talk to. He knew he was failing. “Nyma was it? Your performance was spectacular.” 

She blushed, “thank you.” Her eyes drifted behind him, to Lance. “Do you mind if I say hello to your knight? I haven't seen him in a long time.” 

He reluctantly shook his head yes, he had no rational reason to deny her that. He quickly finished his drink. 

She grinned and moved past him, “Lance!” 

He smiled at her, “Nyma.” 

She wrapped her arms around him, his own arms quickly reciprocating. She was whispering something in his ear, his marks glowing with every word she said. 

Keith couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move either. 

He nodded, mumbling his own words back before pulling away some. Her hand patted his chest, her fingerings lingering on the decoration that he had placed there. She laughed at something Lance mumbled and leaned up. Kissing his cheek. 

Keith’s stomach lurched. 

He found himself fumbling through the crowd, his eyes falling on Shiro. 

“Keith? Are you okay?” His voice was laced with worry, and he reached forward to catch him. 

“I need to go. I can’t be with him right now.” He whispered the words in Galran, praying his parents didn’t hear him. 

Shiro nodded, “can you stand on your own? At least till we’re out of the ballroom?” 

Keith nodded, forcing his legs to support his weight. Was his outfit always this suffocating? 

“Is everything alright?” Lance’s voice appeared behind him, a bit frantic. 

“He’s fine. Enjoy the party Lance, I’ll take him back to the room.” Shiro replied, a fake smile on his face. 

“I can come with him-” 

“Stay here,” Keith growled out, the words sounding rougher in his native tongue. He turned his body, squaring his shoulders. Regretting looking at Lance as soon as his eyes fell on him. 

He looked crushed. Like a kid who was told they couldn’t sleep over at their friend's house. 

Keith wanted to pull him in for a hug. Apologize for his outburst but he couldn't. Not right now. “I’ll see you in the morning. Come on Shiro.” 

He made his way towards the exit, Shiro following right behind. “Did he follow?” He asked as they reached an empty hallway. His advisor moved to help support his body.  

“No…he didn’t even look back.” 

Those words were a knife in Keith’s chest.  He really wasn’t anything more than a mission to Lance. Someone he was ordered to protect. They made it back to his room for the night, Shiro locking the door. 

Keith stumbled to his bed, trying his best to remove his outfit. The buttons kept snagging and he felt more and more frustrated at every small thing getting in his way. “DAMN IT!” 

Shiro kneeled in front of him, “take a deep breath. Let me help.” He quickly undid Keith’s jacket, helping him slide it off his shoulders. He untied his boots and removed the holder for his blade. Leaving Keith in his underclothes. 

A drop of water fell on his hand. Then another. And another. He lifted his hands to wipe his eyes, when was the last time he cried? 

Shiro frowned at him, unsure of how to help as Keith hiccupped. More tears falling.

He was a fool. 

-----

Poor baby :(

Thank you for reading <3333

#enchanted #chapter 4 #klance #langst #kangst #klangst #prince keith and knight lance au #galran keith #altean lance #long post #posted on ao3 #my writing #no beta

[galraluver]

If you’re ok with writing comfort can you please write Gyrgan and Blaytz (separate) x reader who’s not used to affection? (sorta comfort to fluff)

I love writing comfort 🥰. I was inspired to do this in headcanon form, so I hope that you don't mind

_________________________________________

~ Blaytz ~

~ Blaytz is a touchy-feely person in nature and he loves being physically close to people he's close with, but he doesn't touch you if you're not in the mood to be touched because he respects you

~ It's not that you don't like it when he touches you in a friendly way, it's just that you're really not used to people being physically affectionate with you

~ You're really good friends with Blaytz and over time you develop romantic feelings for him, but the concept of dating him seems impossible due to your unease with affection

~ Blaytz doesn't take it personally when you're not in the mood for even the slightest bit of friendly physical affection, he knows that you had a rough childhood which still affects you

~ He feels bad when you sometimes flinch a little when he hugs you, but when you practically melt in his embrace he knows that you're making progress

~ During your friendship with him you begin to slowly get used to quick hugs, brief displays of affection are the best way for you to get used to it

~ Before Blaytz asks you to be his girlfriend you know that you'll have to adjust to receiving affection from him in a more than friendly kind of way, which definitely includes kissing, although you know that Blaytz would never rush you to do anything you're not ready to do

~ And after the two of you begin dating? Blaytz knows when you're in the mood to be affectionate with him and when you're not based on your body language

~ Learning to get used to having a lovey boyfriend gets easier as time goes on

~ You sometimes give Blaytz surprise hugs when you're ready to be a little more affectionate with him, and he always gives you a positive reaction and reciprocates the hug

~ Cuddling and snuggling is foreign to you, but after doing it for a while you get used to being held close by your very handsome boyfriend who loves having your body pressed against his

~ Cuddling and kissing quickly become two of your favorite things to do with Blaytz

~ Hand holding is the easiest form of physical affection for you and receiving kisses on either of your cheeks or anywhere else on your face makes you all shy and blushy

~ Blaytz thinks it's super adorable how you get flustered and blushy so easily whenever he's affectionate with you

~ Kissing is great, especially when the two of you are relaxing somewhere together and he pulls you onto his lap so the two of you can make out and snuggle

~ With time you get used to being physically affectionate with Blaytz which he absolutely loves, that way he can show you how much he truly loves you

_____

~ Gyrgan ~

~ Gyrgan is affectionate in nature much like Alfor and Blaytz, but he's more affectionate than Alfor but not quite as much as Blaytz

~ Gyrgan doesn't blame you for your unease with physical affection; instead, every time he wants to hug you he asks for your permission first before he hugs you

~ He's your friend and he doesn't want to ever make you feel uncomfortable

~ It's not that you're not used to being affectionate with other people or receiving affection from them, it's just that you're really not used to it

~ Your family was never very affectionate with you, so being around someone who is affectionate is a big adjustment for you

~ As soon as you realize that you have a crush on Gyrgan after being friends with him for a few months you nearly have a panic attack

~ You actually like someone in a more than friends kind of way and you have a strong desire to cuddle with him and maybe even kiss him, it's definitely not something you're used to

~ You're hesitant to tell Gyrgan how you feel and thankfully you don't have to because he figures it out on his own

~ Even after the two of you start dating he doesn't force you to be affectionate with him, although he often let's you come to him

~ You love how gentle Gyrgan is when he kisses, hugs, holds one of your hands or cuddles with you

~ He's like a giant teddy bear, only better because he's your boyfriend who loves you in a way that no one has loved you before

~ As time passes you come to get used to surprise hugs and kisses from your significant other

~ Snuggling with Gyrgan is one of your favorite things to do with him

~ Eventually you become more accustomed to displays of affection and even make an effort to be affectionate with Gyrgan

~ He's elated, of course, because it means that you've finally adjusted to being somewhat lovey-dovey on a regular basis

#Blaytz #VLD Blaytz #Blaytz x Reader #Blaytz x Reader Headcanons #King Blaytz #Blue Paladin #Original Blue Paladin #Gyrgan #VLD Gyrgan #Gyrgan x Reader #Gyrgan x Reader Headcanons #Yellow Paladin #Original Yellow Paladin #King Gyrgan #Original Paladins #Original Voltron Paladins #Voltron AU Where Everybody Lives #Voltron Legendary Defender #Voltron #VLD #Headcanons #SFW #SFW Headcanons #Physical Affection #March 2024

[probablyhuntersmom]

if that hexsquad each piloted a voltron lion, who do you think would pilot each lion?

Aaah!! An opportunity to answer an ask that is about my two biggest brainrot shows! 😍

I remain here for VLD because of its premise, for what it stood for before Tim Hedrick - the Head of Story - got fucked over and had his show bible thrown out...Also coz Studio Mir~~

When you wanna compare the paladins to Hexsquad it's like, having to look at what element in nature each Lion stands for and also each witch's deepest wish. And how the characters with their traits would match with the traits that the Lions are looking for. And I'll not only be referencing the new paladins, but also their predecessors: including perhaps the only redeemable thing about S8 which were the old paladins' speeches from the astral plane scenes.

And I'm obviously going with the S1 and S2 pilot configurations, not the post-Lion Switch config.

Starting with who will "form the head":

The Black Lion wants her pilot to learn about control and calmness, which is why she could go perfectly with Shiro's main conflict with his PTSD.

It works very well for Willow for this precise reason:

She and Shiro also share the habit of not wanting to rely on others to help them with their problems, i.e. wanting to stay strong and put up a constant front of portraying strength. We've seen how both characters behave when having panic attacks. So lol, Willow in this universe wouldn't be using plant magic.

One might think that Yellow is the match for her after hearing her deepest wish:

And sure she could express the exact same wish if she were a Paladin...but the Black Lion would pick up on what her area of growth is i.e. the goal to be in control isn't a goal to be reached all on your own. The Lions have their requirements, but they are sentient and can telepathically get a read of an individual's unique challenges and darkest fears. Being the Guardian Spirit representing the cosmos and sky, Black can go nicely with Willow's nurtured leadership qualities and her desire for strength and wisdom.

Next, the arms :

Red is definitely for Amity.

Red is the Lion that wants you to follow your instincts with determination, to defy what's expected or imposed on you if needed. (ah, but I hear you thinking...doesn't this fit Hunter as well? More on this later)

Look at the similarities between her and Keith's arcs:

Both were not entrusted with the space to explore what they wanted in life (imagine...Iverson *could've* been a parental figure for Keith, but he reflects how the education and foster care systems often are IRL), and were expected to fit into a box: which was to their detriment. They were determined to not let their inner fire be put out.

Bonus that they're also rather seasoned fighters, for their respective ages:

The Green Lion might choose Gus. Being a user of illusion magic, Gus's arc has the theme of truth vs illusion, and Green wants a pilot who is curious and has a daring intellect. Who better than the little guy who is curious to know all there is about the human realm, who wants to see what is out there beyond the Isles. Green is best for stealth operations and Gus would be a natural at that, he'd be the best tech guy too!

His deepest wish nicely matches the realization that Pidge had after she met the Olkari: about being connected to the universe and to everything in it (that's what the Forest element symbolizes via the whole "network of roots and branches" concept, which also reflects the imagery of the nervous system linked to the brain. Both Pidge and Gus are prodigies/geniuses).

And having an ambassador role can't really be carried out from the safety and comfort of hiding in your comfort zone of one's insecurity:

Finally, the legs:

I vote Blue for Luz because her deepest wish:

goes so well with this exact line from Blaytz, Lance's predecessor (when we finally hear about what the Blue Lion represents):

Blue is the teamwork lion, kind of the opposite of Green. Easygoing, bold and spontaneous like water. And it's no coincidence that she's the friendliest lion. Luz can befriend anyone because of her extraordinary empathy and I have good reason to suspect this was also the intended arc for Lance...:

Yellow is the morale lion, sort of the opposite of Red.

BUT! Hunter is very interesting since, at least to me, he embodies both Red and Yellow traits which at first glance are *supposed* to be in conflict with one another (this is a sign that he is magnificently well-written. Sorry Keith and Hunk and everyone in the space show, beyond S3 :'D).

I mean c'mon, look at my two kiddos:

It's really important to note that Hunter and Amity's deepest wishes are essentially the same. Which is why it's also easy for me to visualize Hunter piloting Red.

But it's kinda unmistakable: the writers wanted us to see that Hunter's strength is his kind, loving heart (Yellow paladin traits).

His courage and determination (Red paladin traits)

are only the next priority and exist to make the case for his kind heart, in my opinion. Because he wants to live, not just survive...in order to keep learning and giving and loving, to basically remain in a relationship with the world instead of being in isolation.

It's also a bit eerie that Yellow is the Guardian Spirit of Earth/Land, and well..a certain grimwalker was literally grown out of the earth. Hmm........

And wowzah if you look here:

it's a contrast to the Golden Guard being Belos's instrument to keep the Isles as divided as possible, under the guise of promoting unity, with Belos even going as far as coining a name like "The Day of Unity"...during which he wanted to carry out a plan of causing even more major division among the people of the Boiling Isles, via literal genocide. Yeah, yikes. Hunter's future in palisman-carving certainly brings unity born out of love, opposing Belos's forces of division born out of fear. Gyrgan is right in what he says above: unity is born from love.

Anyway this sweet child can really feel like both Keith and Hunk combined into one character. Sometimes he recklessly charges ahead, sometimes he's very nervous about a ton of things. He manages to be the pathetic wet cat but also the most huggable warm teddy bear, lmao.

But if he had been brought up in a healthy and loving home - which is what Hunk had:

him as Yellow's choice would be crystal clear.

Thank goodness Hunter DOES end up in this place though, surrounded by the best found family!

PS: Moringmark had a different configuration for who would pilot who, he just based it on matching colour codes haha (link)

#Hunter: ''I'M A LEG!!!'' #loz's ask box #utter brainrot hell

[imjustheretoseetheprivateblogs]

This ask is for "As Endymion Sleeps"

Here's a snippet from what I consider to be a romantic AU that puts the timeline of Voltron in a blender and lets me tell a story

“I don’t mean to be a negative nuckloff,” said Blaytz, “but we haven’t been Voltron in a long time.”

Alfor couldn’t say he disagreed. The war had left deep scars on all of them. Gyrgan’s homeworld had been desolated, Trigel had lost a husband to the Galra, and Alfor still needed to talk to Blaytz about the man’s need to unquestioningly adopt every orphan the war had made. But Zarkon…Alfor had to wonder if the man the war started and ended with wasn’t now the most pitiable creature in the universe because of it.

Zarkon remained holed up on Nevazaal since the Galra had fallen short of its vaulting ambitions for empire. A resistance movement, the Blades of Marmora, and the inevitable infighting among the upper ranks splintered the Galra high command, in spite of their Emperor’s best efforts. And even with only four lions, the remaining Paladins were able to route their former leader and de-throne him before the masses. Now, the Galra were a shadow of their former might, ruled by an unseen monarch and an Altean queen. Many of Zarkon’s supporters dared not show their loyalty in public the way they once had. Surely there was peace, but not co-existence. Zarkon himself was now only seen in person by his own family or Alfor’s. The Black Lion stood solemnly inside the Castle of Lions, no longer used for anything. Or by anyone.

WIP Challenge. Send the Title that most intrigues you and I’ll tell you about it or post a snippet.

#asks #answers #thanks for asking #feel free to send another #As Endymion Sleeps #vld #voltron #Shallura #AU

[xochitai]

Was thinking of sapphic Lotura again the other night and ran into the question: would fem!Lotor be butch? [ramble below]

This section is partially inspired by a headcanon [or maybe it was a theory; I can't remember] post I saw on tumblr [which I tried to find to link here but I could not] because canon doesn't give us much to work with when it comes to civillian Galran culture. Gist of the post was sexual dimorphism in Galra and links to gender. So traits like being larger and/or more colorful are perceived as feminine [ex. Zethrid, Kolivan] and being smaller with fewer colors is perceived as masculine [ex. Lotor]. The original post has more detail and expands on how fem-/masc- ulinity tie into Galran society, but back to the point. Assuming fem!Lotor looks the same as canon!Lotor, viewed through this hc/theory, she would be perceived as masc. However, just because someone has fem/masc features doesn't mean they identify with that or want to dress in a way that "matches." So we are back to square one.

There was a drawing made by one of the people who worked on the show that featured the paladins, blade of marmora, and sincline squad at a restaurant[?] in winter. [I could probably look this up and find it to put here but I am lazy]. Lotor is walking in, wearing a beanie and puffy coat. Very typical winter clothes in typical winter colors. Not much to work with here. Next.

For this part, I know I have the pic already on my computer so I'll insert it here:

The mix of greys canon!L wears don't seem to be gendered. Whether dress or tunic/overcoat/leggings combo, there's an even mix of dark and light grey. None of the Galra here wear orange or blue, so can't really do anything with that. Lotor's waist cape does resemble what some of the male Galra are wearing, particularly the ones behind Blaytz on the stairs, but those are an over layer being bound by a belt. Similar shape, different construction. Don't really have anything else to go off of though so I will give 0.5 point to team masc.

In terms of actions, I will not lie to you dear reader, it's been a while since I watched the latter half of the show so my memory is fuzzy. Maybe there is some big thing I missed. I wouldn't know; I missed it. Anyways. Ik it's a bit of a stereotype but Lotor designs and builds things. Would it be so far fetched for Ladytor to be a diy/builder wife? With all her little projects? She says she's gonna renovate the space porch but gets distracted and designs a house for the cat and builds a robot.

I feel like I'm reaching the part where I'm grasping at straws. Clothing analysis can only do so much because Lotor wears ONE OUTFIT FOR HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE. Not even death can separate him from that damn armor. But does it matter? Do I need canon approval to draw fem!Lotor in dapper fits?

Deleted a little bit because I started to lose the plot. I guess the conclusion is: data inconclusive. Requires further discussion.

As always, hope this was legible enough. I fixed some spelling errors but that's about it. I'm not going through this again to clean up sentence structure.

+ can't remember how many total rambles i have. not sure if it is time for a ramble tag. i don't think anyone reads them enough to warrant one but idk.

#it's been a while since I posted a ramble #missed them #vld #vld lotor #genderbend

[chibi-pix]

Taking a VLD screenshot, I felt the need to draw Chip and ended up needing Cinda, too, because I was hit with ideas. VLD blind twinverse, the others eventually meeting Krik and Cinda of planet Myra.  And, different from my previous work with Cinda, I decided to make her more intriguing looking. Two-tone skin, like Blaytz or Ulaz, finned ears, perfect.  I love her.  Also, this is the screenshot I worked from.

Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy this one.  Until next time!

#Chip Holt #VLD Chip #Cinda #voltron Cinda #VLD #Voltron Legendary Defender #blind twinverse #Cinda redesign #I love the change #VV Cinda #VLD Cinda #screenshot redraw #screenshot edit