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autisticlancemcclain · 6 months

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“You’re not going.”

Keith picks his head up from the table. “Huh?”

“To the Blades,” Lance clarifies, chopping up something that looks like a bright pink potato and throwing it in a rapidly boiling pot in what Keith would call an aggressive manner. “You’re not going.”

“…I didn’t say I was.”

He didn’t. He didn’t mention anything about the Blades to any living soul. Like, yeah, he had made the decision and was going to, but.

There’s no reason Lance should know that.

“Good, then, because I took your uniform — which looks like a slutty catsuit, by the way, just so you’re aware — to the incinerator last night. It’s ash now.”

Keith stares at his best friend, jaw dropped, hands resting limply on the edge of the dining table, because — huh? pardon? what happened?

“Whatever identity crisis you’re having can happen here,” Lance adds, shaking some spices into the boiling pot and stirring it a couple times. He dips in a spoon, brings it up to his lips, then makes a face. “Here, try this.”

He marches over to where Keith has been moping as he makes dinner and shoves a spoon into his gaping mouth. Keith chokes, hot stew making its merry way down his trachea, eyes watering and chest heaving.

“A little too salty,” he rasps.

Lance scowls. “Fuck. I knew it. Gotta add more barbie potatoes.” He turns down the heat, grabbing more potatoes from the sack and busying himself with peeling them. Slowly, as he recovers from the fear of his actual lungs collapsing in on themselves, Keith stands, hesitantly approaching Lance and reaching for a knife to chop what he peels.

“So,” he starts.

Lance ignores him.

But Keith is used to this dynamic. It’s either this or flipped. Friends or not, if there’s one thing they can’t do it’s use their big boy words. So he carries on.

“I take it you…don’t want me to go, then.”

Lance grunts. “Oh, look, the caveman has room in his skull for a brain after all.”

“Uncalled for,” Keith says, scowling. “I am not the one who’s refusing to communicate right now.”

The corner of Lance’s mouth twitches upwards.

Score. Point to Keith.

“Obviously I don’t want you to leave, you stupid dumbass,” Lance admits finally. He wrestles the chopped roots out of Keith’s hands and practically dunks them in the pot, turning the heat back up. Keith smears his starch covered hands on his shirt in revenge (and then wisely takes three quick and giant steps back, well out of backhanding range).

“But there are too many paladins,” Keith points out. “You said it yourself.”

Lance grabs a dishtowel, twisting it menacingly in his hands. Keith tries not to think about the scar he knows Hunk has from when Lance snapped a towel at him when they were kids, wrestling in the McClains’ kitchen. He fails.

“Do you actually have any braincells left in your head at all?”

“Yes, jackass. That’s why I did the math. I leave and the numbers add back up. Problem solved.”

“You leave and Voltron falls apart,” Lance snaps. “So maybe crunch those numbers again.”

Keith stills. Lance steps towards him, still glaring, still menacing, but he doesn’t move — he holds Lance’s gaze, searching his dark eyes, looking for the words he isn’t saying. Because Keith…Keith isn’t the one holding Voltron together. There was a reason his heart caught in his throat when Lance came to him downtrodden and talked about being a seventh wheel. There’s a reason his duffel is packed, a reason he’s talked to Kolivan. He knows who needs to step aside.

“You just don’t get it,” Lance says, frustrated. He takes another step.

“You talk to us about teamwork all the time.”

Another step.

“You’re favourite thing to whine about is the bonding moment.”

Another step, this time as he pitches his voice high and mocking, flapping his hands.

“You never shut up about training as a group.”

One final step and he’s toe to toe, shoes to boots, nose to nose. Keith realises, startlingly, that they’re the exact same height, now.

“We are a crew, imbécil. Team, group, boyband. Whatever you wanna call it. All for one and one for all. The whole nine yards, all that cheesy bullshit.” He pokes Keith hard in the chest. “You don’t get to ditch.”

“But it makes more sense,” Keith argues, weakly and half-desperately. “We only have so many resources. If I can be useful at the Blades —”

“Fuck the fucking Blades.”

Keith deflates. His hand comes up to stop Lance’s jabbing finger, curling around his knuckles. Lance softens, slightly.

“I just want to be as useful as I can be.”

“And if you’re enough as you are?” Lance asks quietly.

Keith opens his mouth, but stops, automatic I’m not dying in his throat. For the first time in his life, it doesn’t seem like the truth, with the determined set to Lance’s jaw and the sliding of their fingers together, gripping tightly.

“Then I guess I’m staying,” Keith breathes.

Lance nods. “Good.”

Keith notices his hands are kind of clammy. His forehead, too, is a little sweaty. The air between them feels hot. Keith swallows.

“Your stew is on fire,” he croaks, voice rough.

Lance drops his hand, cursing.

“Oh — por amor de dios, hablas en fucking serio —”

———

At dinner, Keith eats his burnt stew without a word of complaint. When Lance drags him to the sink to help clean up, after, even though it’s not his turn, he goes, and he lingers too close and too long, and he’s grateful that the duffel he packed to leave home for good is laid emptied on his bed when he turns in for the night.

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d4n1elll4 · 5 months

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KEITH KOGANE RECS PT.2

→ I don't own any of these works here. I just collected them in a single place so I (and maybe others) can find them easier. All the credits go to the authors. → Don't hesitate to notify me if any of the links don't work or anything. I'll make sure to solve the problem as fast as I can. → Check my Masterlist for more fandoms and recs. → Thank you and enjoy :) ❤️

part 1

touch by @the-kerberos-mission

ticklish by @space-lions-and-imagines

dating app by @itzlinhwritesnerdythings

secret's out by @vnmpior

afraid of thunder by @deliciouslyswaggytrashcan

i'm not emotional unattached by @yandere-voltron

i won't let you fall by @quillvvie

fluffy hcs by @keiffeine

confession hcs by @keiffeine

rivals to lovers hcs by @keiffeine

cuddling hcs by @keiffeine

kisses hcs by @keiffeine

allura's younger sister hcs by @keiffeine

james griffin's sister by @keiffeine

flinching in an argument hcs by @keiffeine

#voltron #keith voltron #keith kagone #keith kogane x reader #keith x reader #vld keith #vld #voltron legendary defender

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lolabearwrites · 3 months

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Random things I would have loved for Voltron

-Keith never leaves w/ the BOM and stays the leader of Voltron (I have no problem with him being a blade, I actually enjoyed watching it, but I just didn't like him choosing them over Voltron)

-also! I wished we actually saw the "Galra Keith reveal" w/ the team. Such a missed opportunity.

-More of Lance being Keith's second in command. I feel like we didn't get a lot of that.

-Shiro stays dead. Look I love the man. One of my favorite characters. But after S2 it always feels like he just doesn't quite fit into the story like he used to.

-Very biased. But. Klance romance. Not the "will they won't they" shit. No. A actual relationship development. If it was written well I could see it happening maybe in s4/s5?

-Lotor and Keith friendship! Bonding over being mixed race and not fitting in.

-Keith learning Galra culture! Maybe through Lotor? Or BOM?

-Lotura. Pls. They were so cute.

-Oh, should have said this before the other three, but a Lotor redemption arc.

-A Keith and Lance ep. Because in eight seasons they never had an episode centered around them like they did for other characters. Klance had moments. But not eps.

-A Pidge arc !! She had a motivation (save her family) but not really an arc. The same could be said for Hunk.

-follow through with Lance's character development. Writers...you already set him up for it, you just had to follow through with it and actually do something with it.

-more found family fluff throughout the seasons. Because I felt like they never actually got to the level of "found family" if that makes sense

-change the armor color to match the lions. Mostly because I feel Keith wearing Shiro's armor for the first time when he takes over would also have an emotional impact.

- Coran being fleshed out. I know he's a comic relief. But I really love Coran! And I'd love to know more about him.

- I wish the team all had their own little quirks or interests, just something that didn't really have big significance to the story but made them feel more real, you know.

-okay, but It would have been amazing if team Voltron came to a planet that had no idea there was life outside their planet. Just like earth. Idk I feel like it would be funny XD

Anyway, that's my food for thought, feel free to add to this post :)

#voltron #klance #lola rambles #im still on my vld brainrot can u tell

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cleo30300 · 5 months

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M.A.A.D CITY. CHAPTER FOUR! MONEY TREES.

warnings : mention of drugs (1), violence ( extremely minor ), cursing, arguments.

previous part. | next part.

Knock Knock.

Your knuckles hit the door in a rhythmic pattern, the door to the Morales’ home, that is. You would think that maybe you’d have a key by now since you visit so much, but Ms. Morales doesn’t like you that much, you guess.

There are a few beats of silence before you hear shuffling approach the door and the tired voice of your best friend.

“ Who is it? “, he grunts.

“ Me. “

Miles’ voice doesn’t reach your ears again for a few minutes before he’s sighing and unlocking the door.

The wood swings open to reveal him, Voltron pyjama pants and all. His hair is the same as when you last saw him, a little frizzy at the top, but neat braids brushing his collarbone. He needs a haircut.

“ What’s up? “, he says blankly.

“ You’re not gonna let me in? “

“ I don’t gotta let you in. You don’t live here. “, he stares at you like he can’t believe you just asked that question. Like you just asked for a brick of crack. “ What’s up? “

You’re starting to get a little irritated. Barely any communication for a week and when you show up to see what the deal is, you’re met with a grumpy teenage boy who looks like he’s about to break apart into glass shards.

“ I just wanted to see what you were up to, Miles. Don’t get so upset. “

“ ‘M not upset. I haven’t been up to anything, so you can go now. “

“ What’s wrong with you? “

“ Nothing’s wrong. You show up at my house and then you keep on asking me stupid questions like I don’t have anything else to do except talk to you. “, his eyes narrow. The once gold specks in the hazel colour are gone and replaced with anger. Your fist clenches, like he just punched you in the gut and you’re about to reel your own hand back and sock him with it.

“ What the hell is your problem? You barely even talk to me anymore and then when I try to be a good friend, you catch an attitude! “

“ I don’t have a problem! Estas Sordo? “ Miles moves his hand from the doorknob, reaching to grab your upper arm and push you back from the frame, not hard, but enough to get you to move out of his personal space. That you’ve hardly even invaded.

“ Go somewhere else. “, he spits.

“ Fine. “, your eyebrows are furrowed together. You’d been holding a sour expression for so long that your face was sore when you dropped it as soon as the door slammed in your face. Your feet automatically move to the exit of the building. A lump of guilt and anger welling up in your throat while you walk.

What the hell is his problem?

——

Miles swears he wants to choke you out. You’re so nosy. Can never mind your own business. He bounces his leg up and down, cracks his knuckles, drinks tons of water, tries to watch television, anything to get that conversation off his brain. So annoying. You should’ve never even come over. He wasn’t going tell you what was going on anyway, and you know that because you know him. Maybe you don’t know him, since anyone who knows him knows not to show up at his house uninvited.

Hard Headed. Cabeza Dura, whatever you want to be called. It doesn’t change the fact that you don’t listen, ever. It’s not like he ever told you not to come over, it was an unspoken rule!

I am avoiding you. Do not come over.

Easy as that.

You act like one dollar will turn into a million if you come over and act like the mediator between him and his thoughts.

But when he thinks about it, is it really as easy as that?

Of course, you’d come over.. but— not to argue with him. He didn’t want to argue with you, there was no point. He should’ve just said “ Okay. “ and left it at that. Maybe tell you the truth while he’s at it. The truth.

It’s Friday. The trip is next Sunday.

He hasn’t told you, he hasn’t told his mom, he hasn’t told Uncle Aaron and he certainly won’t be telling his school counsellor what the hell was going on in his very busy life. It’s eating him up on the inside. Tearing him apart and pulling out his hair. What will he do?

What would you do?

Tell the truth.

Shut up.

He has to tell his mom. Mama first, then everything else. She’s the only parent he has left. That makes his heart ache thinking about it. He should get over it, nothing is going to change the fact that he’s gone.

Why is every thought he’s ever had coming to the front of his mind right now when he’s about to tell his mom the craziest information? That he’s going on a trip 2244 Miles away from Brooklyn to Vegas of all places?

Right.

His fingers are shaking, he’s going to drop his phone or something. Just get it over with.

He messes up the passcode two times before getting it right, and then he mistypes, “ Mama “ in on the contact list once before he gets his shit together.

Do it.

The call button is right there.

Just do it.

Shut up.

translations:

Cabeza Dura. — hard headed.

Estas Sordo? — You’re deaf?

#miles g morales #miles morales x reader #earth 42 miles x reader #miles 42 #prowler miles x reader #42 miles morales x reader #cleo’s works!#earth 42 miles x black reader

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1800rue · 1 year

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Lance McClain x Reader: Fluff Alphabet !

gender: gender neutral

type: fluff alphabet by @snk-warriors

characters: lance mcclain

warnings: maybe out of character lance?? this is my first time writing a fluff alphabet :(

A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?

Loves it when you have spa days with him. He does it by himself, of course Allura, Keith, and Pidge joined him in seprate, before he started to date you. Now you're both offical, it's almost everyday you both are seen with face masks, painting nails, doing each others hair, etc. Spends every second he can get with his S/O, not in a.. creepy way, I swear.

B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?

Your hair. He may have an eye out for the person's looks, but he's not all into their beauty. He loves to play with your hair, short or long, he'll figure out what to do with it to surpise you.

C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?

He grew up with an insanely large family, he's bound to know how to comfort someone, either that or attempt to calm them down somewhat. If your having a panic attack in particular, he'll take your hands into his and ask you what you feel, look at 5 different objects you see, or take some deep breath through the nose and out the mouth. If you just upset (crying, pouting, etc) he'll cuddle you until you can't physically make a sad face anymore.

D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?

Can't say so much. "The simple life" My ass. After the univerese was restored, you both would move in together, he would want kids. Maybe like, 1, or 2 if your both lucky. Adoption or not, he'll be happy with any child. Of course, whatever he daydreams about may or may not become reality without your consent.

E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?

I feel like he be both dom and sub, but too me he's more sub. Anyways- he can take charge in any situation....sometimes. He's not the best leader, but he's not the worst persay.

F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?

Hates arguing, with anybody, but he hates arguing with you espicially. He insantly regrets what he's said to you and how he reacted and tries to restore the conflict but taking it slow and gentle after. If he makes you cry durning the argument, he'll cry himself and if you allow him, hold you close and apologize sincearly.

H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?

Wants to share everything with you. How can you both be happy together when you hide secrets from each other. But sometimes he's keeping things to himself, like most of his inseurities. He'll eventually tell you once he's ready because he hates keeping thems from you. I also headcanon he's horrible with secrets :/

I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Throughout their trip in space and becoming Paladins of Voltron, everyone changed in some sort of way. It's either their looks, or personality. In Lance's case, he's become less childish and more serious. After meeting you, you were able to keep his childself like alive. You both taught each other different, unqiue things together.

J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?

I think he'll get jealous prett easily, but he'll keep it to himself. He see's you with another he'll walm up to you and wherever you are, ask you to spend some time with him. At a ball? "Care for a dance, sweetheart?" In a public area? "Y/N! Help, I can't find the bathroom and those fruit punches were a baaad idea to jug down so quick!" Once you catch on, you'll begin to tease the living shit out of him, his fae turning hot and instantly shuts you up with a kiss and aplogizes.

K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?

He's all talk and sometimes no action when it comes to making the first move. He's great at giving advice, but horrible at doing it himself. He's an...okay of a kisser. I mean, he can be romantic- don't get me wrong- but he'll be nervous at first. He's sweating bullets when your lips made contact with his for the first time. Overtime, he's gotten comfortable with kissing you randomly, and now it's a thing he does. Randomly runs up to you, gives your lips a kiss, and run if he's in a hurry.

L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?

Takes them to their favorite place and does anything they want. Attempts to spoli you or try to show off. If they day goes as planned, he'll confess at the place they had the most fun at. "Y/N, I'm in love with you. I know I say this to a lot of other people, but after meeting you you're all I ever think about! Heh, I-I love you so much it hurts!" did i get to sappy? ehhhhhhh

M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?

kinda gpot lazy here- He's totally thought about marrying you. Once aged, similar to his confession he would spend the day with you. Take you out to dinner, does any activity you want, whatever it is, he'll have no problems. As long as he see's thar brigth smile on your face, he'll be happy. Proposing? He'll propose in the resteruant.

N icknames - What do they call their s/o?

Sweetheart

Baby

Babe

Mi amor

Mi vida

O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?

It's kinda obvious he was in love with you. Pidge was the first to notice his stare while you walked them both. Then she notice the drool and used her finger to wipe it when a dissapointed look while he was in the trance. Not everything knew he was in love with you, but he gave some pretty obvious signs. He tried to be with you durning missions, offered to help with repairs on the ship, even thought you know he can't even fix alarm clock, and just tries to impress you.

P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?

HE IS ALL OVER YOU NO LIE! He loves cuddling, private or public doesn't matter to him. You're blushing? Too bad, he'll let go when he's ready. Sometimes he'll like the privacy, but eh- he's not complaning. 100% brags about you in front of the others, he shows you off like a trophy. Even if you do the littlest of things, "Did you guys see the way S/O brushed their teeth?" "Did they juggle while doing so, hmm Lance?" "They looked so cute~". "I've lost my appetite". He's not shy when it comes to kissing anymore. As said before, he was, but now it's something he does to piss you off sometimes.

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

He's great as massages. PFFT- random I know, but it does say "random ability" and I headcanon his hands would be warm and smooth. I wouldn't it's a beneficial ability, but it's defiently something you love. After a long day of work, or y'know- protecting the univerese and all that Voltron stuff- you crave for Lance's hands. eh, i read that over and now i'm uncomfy my bad guys :( Favorite places would have to be shoulders and back.

R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?

He's a flirt. Everyone who disagrees WATCH FUCKNG VOLTRON YOU LITTLE BI- ahem, anyways he'll 100% attempt to flirt with you whenever he gets the chance. He'll rub his thumb over your lip, pin you to a wall/or floor if traning and give you a shit eating grin. He makes you happy without even trying, he juts makes you laugh for the dumbest reasons. You're also sometimes the only one who laughs at his cheesy jokes, causing him to blush gently and smile. someone help, what does cliché or rather creative mean for this?? am i dumb ;-;

S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?

He'll 100% support his S/O, if the reasons physically impossible, then he'll be unsure. He'll be critical to his S/O, but not hard to hurt their feelings. With you, he'll support you for anything you do. But if you're saying you need to either get yourself hurt or even killed he's offbored and were making a new plan. But if he's something cute or something to help with the mission. Count him in as well, he'll be with you every step of the way.

T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

I kinda answered thid already in 'I' but he's totally willing to try new thingd with you if it means having something fun to do and talk about together that nobody will have any context to.

U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?

He tries to understand you, but f there's something he doesn't understand, he'll speak up and try to talk with you about the situation. He wants to say he knws you well, but only you can truely know who you are as a person. Not your parents, friends, strangers, lovers, you.

V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?

Unsure how to answer this LMAO- but I say he values you alot he's willing to die for you if it means you're going to grow up happy and safe. ... yeah what more should I add :(

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

Likes piggyback rides, from anybody. He'll hop on hi's S/O's back and wrap his legs around their torso and arms around their neck gently and ask to carry him to places like a servent. He's just a goffy boy.

X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?

HE LOVES YOUR KISSES AND CUDDLES. He's also great at giving cuddles and and kisses. Sometimes gets whiny and just begs for your kisses and he wont stop until he gets at least one to start his day.

Y earning - How will they cope��when they’re missing their partner?

It's going to take sometime to get over his greif missing you. He just wants to hold you and tell you he loves you and all's going to be okay. He just wants to kiss you and keep you close and listen to your heart beat. made this mostly talk about S/O's death, my bad p2 :/

Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lenghts for the relationship? If so, what kind of?

I want to say yes, but they won't be as large as you think. He wants to do anything to make you happy and smile, but he's not a genie, he can't make all your wishes come true no matter how hard he tries. does this make sense???!! yeah, i'm done now :)

@1800rue . 2023

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random-sparks-98 · 5 months

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Now that Sunlit Gotham is done... What comes Next?

Here are quick little blurbs of each idea so you know what to vote for:

Direct Sequel to Sunlit Gotham - tackling the actual failing of the Mist, the fallout that it means for the myth communities, and the fact that there are now that mortals know they exist. There's a lot of political controversy (Kinda like the anti-meta fight all over again). Sky is gonna need to fight this on multiple levels, as the Spartan, but also as Skylar Richardson-Wayne, daughter of Bruce Wayne - who maybe has more sway on the political side of things. Not to mention school and being a teenager on top of it all :)

(more below the line break)

Skylar + Bobby in the Marvel Universe - Two options here, one focuses mainly on Sky starting with the original 2012 Avengers movie (will not stay canon to the MCU past a certain point) and the other focuses on both siblings and would put Sky at the same age as Peter Parker (definitely would not be canon to the MCU and would be more General Marvel Vibes from multiple variations)

Sky and Bobby in Transformers (Bayverse) Universe - Sky and Bobby are sent to visit their cousin - Sam Witwicky - and end up joining in on the race to find the Allspark

Various New OCs from various fandoms - I have a lot... it's maybe a problem

Completely Original Work - Leap of Faith - Roxanne Johnson is a freshman in high school who spends her time busy with cheerleading, martial arts, school, and friends. When her crush, Ellie, gets kidnapped by a rising crime organization she wants to help - how hard could it be to be a hero? Turns out it's a bit harder than she thought.

Have any other thoughts? Leave them in the comments!

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the-lightning-strikes-again · 9 months

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How would you have ended Voltron ??

In particular, what would you have done with Lotor and Allura ??

Hi, anon! Oooh what an interesting question!

If I absolutely had to start with the end of s8, assuming everything before has still occurred:

The easiest option would be that Allura doesn’t die, given that her life force is tied to Voltron and the Realm of Universal Consciousness is where the living and dead exist in the same space anyway.

Instead, previous paladins of Voltron, current paladins of Voltron, Voltron itself, and others (including a willing/repentant Lotor) help Allura restore the universe so that it’s not always just mostly her doing all the heavy work, offering their spiritual energy together to accomplish this massive feat. (Because legit, we need some found family / stronger together vibes! That’s the heartbeat of Voltron!)

It’s during the restoration that the selfish and defeated Honerva gets purified / fully restored herself.

The restoration burns out the rift creatures haunting the quintessence field.

When the universe is restored, Allura realizes she can bring the previously dead with her from out of this liminal space.

All the current paladins open their Lions to take in refugees and bring them back to their restored planets.

While Allura might offer them a second chance, Honerva and Zarkon choose to stay behind, as do many of the victims of the 10,000-year war who prefer the peace they’ve found.

Cue Allura’s heartfelt convo with her parents, who like many of the elders choose to stay behind, but not before doting on their daughter and offering her something that indicates the crown of Altea has been passed down to her / replaces the circlet she lost in s7. Perhaps Allura can still call on her parents in some way if she ever needs help or guidance (as previous-franchise versions of Allura could do). (More under the cut!)

The elders (Zarkon, Alfor, Honerva, etc.) could agree to help guard the flow of quintessence in some way, so that the living have sustainable access without going insane. (Idk what the limits are of this liminal space they're in.) Or else maybe the true secret of sustainable power is revealed through them, answering the problem that started this whole war.

As the paladins are encouraging others to come back with them, Lotor hangs back in the crowd. He does not feel worthy of a second chance at life, and is possibly unsure whether he even has the energy to try. He feels shame over his past and how quintessence twisted his mind.

Out of all the paladins, Allura approaches him and holds out her hand. “We were meant for more than fear and war,” she says, voice soft. “Do not be afraid to live.”

Lotor asks something like, deeply hesitant, “What life do I have? I isolated all allies and nearly destroyed the universe in going mad.”

Allura goes silent and then tries again, still holding out her hand, “And yet, the universe is restored, and all here know you took part in this great work. Your energy and will is a part of New Daibazaal’s atmosphere, its rivers and valleys.” She manages a weak smile. “If I remember correctly, you always did want to explore.”

“And can the past be so fully undone?” he asks. “Would I even be free to explore?”

Perhaps some moment where Zarkon and Honerva take responsibility for Lotor’s screwy life. Bonus if he gets some kind of call that the Galra still need a leader to help them in this new phase of peace, and that he hasn't reached his true potential yet.

Probably, some paladins chime in, validate that the alliance is back on, and the serious moment gets broken.

Lotor grabs onto Allura’s hand. She leads him to Blue Lion, where he joins the multitudes returning to the restored universe.

The Robot that jettisoned itself off Lotor’s spaceship from S5 is part of the crowd!! Lotor reunites on-screen with his cat, Kova!

Cue silly paladin shenanigans, a few stowaway mice finding a new resting spot on Lotor’s shoulders, and Allura’s new circlet catching the light as the paladins of Voltron launch back toward their reality, away from the Realm of Universal Consciousness.

Cue a pan-out to the restored universe, where the rift is healed, and New Altea and New Daibazaal exist side-by-side as their suns rise.

I think something open-ended, in the context of several characters—focused on a theme about not being afraid to live, about reconciling the past with the present—would hype that found family / stronger-when-we’re-together / comic energy that made Voltron unique…and leave lots of possibilities for the fandom to explore this new world!

If I could roll the clocks farther back than s8, I’d massively overhaul several things about the show. But this is just where I see a way to better land what we got toward the end.

Thanks for this ask! So fun to think about!

#Voltron #VLD #Allura #Lotor #Lotura #Alfor #Melenor #Honerva #Zarkon #paladins of Voltron #I just want that quality Reconciliation #Death and sacrifice existed throughout the whole story so for the end to really be a new beginning would have meant a lot to me #As a big lotura fan I'd probably want more lotura content but I think the show could strike a good balance for the sake of the larger story #and leave things open for hope #It also kinda bothers me that Voltron and the other paladins got sidelined in the end #I would want them to be active characters in their own story too #ah but yeah just an idea for the end!#Thanks for the note anon!

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klanced · 10 months

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this isn’t even about my evil agenda anymore I actually just need to hear your dissertation on voltron/klance x first love late spring

you do evil things to my dick and balls. i hope you know that.

first love / late spring is a very keith-core song, but i think it also applies to both keith and lance... but more specifically, FL/LS is keith pre-relationship, and then FL/LS is lance once they have already started dating.

i'm obsessed with that one interview of mitski where she explained that she wrote this song while she was experiencing her vulnerable first love... and first love is vulnerable. you simultaneously reap the rewards of being known but at the same time, you've now let someone else know you, and now you have to trust them to take care of you. and it's so vulnerable. it's more naked than being naked. and it's so difficult as well because now you're learning a brand new way you can be hurt.

so keith, pre-relationship... he's pining for lance and he is MISERABLE. he's lost control! he feels like he's being consumed by the enormity of his feelings. he's eight years old and small and never asked for this, he never wanted to know he could feel this way. he just wants lance to fucking go already. keith wants to spit vitriol and blame and shame and drive lance away so that when lance leaves him (and he will leave him, like everyone else has), then at least it will be on keith's own terms for once. and keith doesn't, he refuses, to say how he feels. he'll spitefully choke on his confession until it suffocates him. he doesn't want to know what lance might say.

but he also is afraid of lance's reaction because... if lance gives him even a sliver of ground, if there's even a promise of a chance -- keith will fold instantly. he will jump into this love headfirst. he'll do anything if it will make lance stay with him.

and then lance, mid-established relationship... things with keith are perfect, everything is going great, so why does lance feel so anxious all the time? why does he feel so scared when keith looks at him like he's his whole world? maybe the problem is lance. because what they have is real. because he's pretty sure keith is it for him. and that terrifies lance. because lance, deep down, knows he's going to screw this up. and it's not just his heart on the line; he's also going to hurt keith.

keith smiles at him and lance feels sick to his stomach. he wants to tell keith that they might be happy right now, but eventually, lance is going to ruin this. he wants to warn keith that lance is going to break his heart one day.

lance isn't always so negative about himself. during the day, it's easy to let himself be buoyed and enveloped by his feelings for keith. he loves being in love with keith. because the love is real. it's real, and it's there, and that matters. but at night, all those poisonous insecurities and anxieties rear their ugly head, and lance finds himself standing on a ledge over a drop. lance daydreams about spending the rest of his life with keith; lance has never felt so young and small.

#mintcaboodle #klance #voltron #ask #the old child/young adult metaphor is also like. so lance-core. AND THE 'I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME' LINE!!!!!!!!#im in my feels tonight i'm sorry the lance analysis is not fully cooked #also like obviously lance doesn't always feel this way. it's more pertinent closer to the beginning when he #starts to fully realize the depths of his feelings and he's freaking out because he's beginning to understand what it means to spend #the rest of your life with someone and that is a TERRIFYING thing to want and imagine when you're only 17/18 #lance does get better though and his insecurities die out the longer and more stable his relationship with keith is #though sometimes those same insecurities crop up now and again #i talk a lot about pining keith and how like tumultuous his experience is. but once he starts dating lance things even out for him #whereas lance is relatively chill in his pining and then begins to flounder after they get together and after he's realized the Love word #otp: we are a good team #katiecanons #idk i guess #keith #lance

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mckinlily · 3 months

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Um, okay this is a loaded question, and if you want to play it safe, you can answer me in DMs, but...I personally feel that there's something wrong about how VLD placed Keith in the lead. In a way, I can see him becoming Black Paladin, but Shiro...it feels more natural to me, it feels right that Shiro is Black Paladin. I'm not into VLD beyond Shiro, Keith's parents, and the Lions personally, but I know someone who loves it and makes good points about Keith as a leader, but something just isn't aligning for me. Maybe it's because Shiro and Keith are two radically different archetypes, and they got swapped when they shouldn't have, I don't know.

I came here because I saw one of your post S2 rewrites, and I appreciated it. So, again, feel free to answer me in DMs (if you have problems DM-ing me, let me know and I'll fix it for you) if you don't mind discussing this with me.

As a final note, I'm not trying to hate any particular character. They're all fine on their own, and I don't want to treat one as worse than the other. I just want to figure out this problem I'm having with Shiro and Keith.

Thank you for reading this, and take care.

You came to the right blog! Because I adore Keith and believe he certainly has qualities that could make him a good leader—and absolutely hate him as the Black Paladin.

The thing I never understood about Voltron fandom debates about who should be the Black Paladin is that they always seem based in the idea that because Shiro is a leader and the Black Paladin, that means the Black Paladin is the ONLY leader on the team.

It is worth noting that that premise was disproven in episode one. It was Allura who made the final call on whether the paladins should run or stay and fight Sendak, and Shiro explicitly bowed to her authority. From then on, Shiro and Allura both lead Team Voltron until the show decided to destroy their characters, accepting influence and trading responsibilities depending on which one of them fit the situation at hand. Typically, Allura functions more in a commander and diplomat role and Shiro is more of a field officer, but they both pick up the lead where needed.

I know you didn't bring up Allura, but I think it is vital she is included in any conversation about leadership in Voltron. She is introduced as THE princess of an entire planet, she has more knowledge and experience of the intergalactic landscape than any of the other characters, she's been set up to be a leader since birth, and she IS the leader of Team Voltron for two whole seasons. Shiro makes it VERY clear he considers her to outrank him.

So the question you have to ask any time you consider replacing Shiro as Black Paladin: why NOT Allura? If the Black Paladin is the "best leader", why are you skipping over the one character already established and thriving in a leadership role? (And then you have to ask yourself if that character being a Black woman has anything do with that.)

Now I do think there are ways narratively you could answer that question. For instance, if you keep the Lions as sentient beings, that means they can make choices—including wrong ones. For instance, for a time when I believed anything might be salvaged after season 3, my head canon for Black choosing Keith was that Keith was the one missing Shiro as intensely and desperately as Black in that moment. Therefore, the choice was not about Keith being "better" but rather them being at the same place emotionally and that allowing the bond. The major problem with the Lion swap in canon is that we're given NO reason for Keith to be Black Paladin besides "plot device said so". Especially when we have Allura right there. It's just bad writing.

(By the way, you don't have to be pro-Black Paladin Allura. There's nuance to be had, and I personally am actually more One True Black Paladin!Shiro. But you can't just dismiss her--a capable and proven leader--from the conversation. Erasing her character is not the answer.)

ANYWAY. Back to Keith. Or rather, leadership on Team Voltron. Thing is, there are many different WAYS to be a leader. We already touched on the differences between Allura and Shiro. Keith does a good job of making split second decisions in battle or calling shots if Shiro is incapacitated or somehow separated. If you're in the middle of a fight, the plan has gone to shit, and the team just got separated, Keith is great at telling people what to do and mobilizing because something needs to get done NOW.

But that's not the only way to lead. Keith, for instance, is terrible at pep talks. He misses a lot of the nuances going on between him and his teammates off the battlefield. He doesn't plan ahead, like, ever. Sure he's great at making up stuff on the fly, but sometimes you need a plan.

But it's not just Keith. For instance, when Shiro, Lance, and Pidge go on the mission to rescue Slav, it's Pidge who calls all the shots. Is that not leadership? Pidge is often the one telling people what they need to do to solve technical problems. She's a center for information, typically the one collecting it, organizing and interrupting it, and then instruction others based on her conclusions. We see her take point on a mission, give orders to her teammates, coordinate efforts, problem solve in real time and relay a new plan in order to navigate unexpected challenges. Why not argue PIDGE should be the leader?

And there's when they freed the Balmera and Hunk took the lead. That mission was more challenging, but I'd argue in that arc, Hunk's leadership mattered less in terms of orders and more in terms of determining what type of team they'd be. Hunk was ADAMANT they free the Balmerans and set a tone for the team where they didn't leave suffering people behind. Hunk set up a moral imperative for the team that they'd be lesser without.

And Lance! There's actually lots to say about Lance and his strengths and types of leadership. But it's easy to point out that Lance is the one initiating fun and team bonding outside of battle. And when you're operating a giant robot held together by emotion connection, that's pretty dang important!

Point is, they're ALL leaders. They all have the capability to take point when needed. We SEE them all take charge at different points of the show.

So what's the Black Paladin then? If Shiro's The Leader then what does that mean? And this is the cool part! Because you know what Shiro is really really good? Know who else to put in charge. He's the one who first acknowledges Allura as an authority because he sees she has knowledge and experience he and the others do not. He selects which paladins to go together on which missions based on their strengths and the situations. He steps back and lets Pidge or Lance or Hunk call the shots if they're in an area of their expertise. Shiro's job isn't to tell people what to do. It's to decide who to put in charge of what and place them in best position for success.

There's another aspect of Shiro's leadership that is supporting his teammates, offering comfort, teaching, and giving the kids something solid they can believe in so they don't have to care the full weight of the war. But like letting others take charge where they shine, Shiro's leadership is all about enabling those he leads. One of my favorite Shiro lines is "It's too dangerous—I'm coming with you." Shiro's goal is never control. He is support. He leads the paladins because he sees the best in them and helps them reach it.

Narratively, also, Shiro is just set up to be the Black Paladin. The parallels between himself and the Black Lion are too obvious. From both being controlled and abused by Zarkon to Shiro's missing arm and Black's mission bayard. It's a kid's show. The symbolism isn't all that subtle. And if that weren't enough, we literally get an entire episode A plot in Space Mall about it where Shiro literally fist fights Zarkon for the Black Lion and in the end, he wins because he makes it clear it's the Black Lion's choice and trust.

Remember when I said the problem with Keith in the Black Lion in canon is that we're never given an explanation beyond "because I said so"? We're shown repeatedly why the Black Lion chooses Shiro. Even before we meet most the Lions, the other paladins themselves choose Shiro as their leader when Lance asks him if they should go through the wormhole. We repeatedly see Shiro seek to understand the Black Lion better, and Black responding. We see the similarities between their situations and backstories. We see them bond.

And I think this is really important because when Shiro is in the Black Lion, it's not about him being "in charge." It's about his relationship with the Black Lion. Yeah, of course, the other paladins are leaders! And they should be! But none of them have Shiro's relationship with the Black Lion. In this narrative, the Black Lion isn't a prize to be won but a relationship to nurture, and Shiro has put in the work for that relationship.

Which is really important because it means the Lions aren't a hierarchy. The Black Paladin is one role, an important role in Voltron, but no more important than any of the others. "The Leader" is not the most important person in the room. Instead, Shiro is a facilitator who enables all the others to perform their roles better.

Also can I just remind everyone just how well the Red Lion fits Keith? The paladin who keeps throwing himself out airlocks get the Lion most likely to go AWOL and fly off to save him. Keith defends his friends and team by attacking first and asking questions later, and Red started destroying a planetary body to get to Keith. The kid with abandonment issues gets the Lion who doesn't hesitate a second to go after him. And even the way they're shown to bond—that it's so physical and based in action rather than words—it's so Keith. I freaking love Keith as the Red Paladin. He gets to be as chaotic and free as he was always meant to be and gets a Lion who meets him every step of the way.

But if you say, no, Keith should be the Black Paladin. Well. What about Red wasn't working? Why was that role not one Keith fit in? Because from my reading of canon, Keith was thriving in Red. He got a secure attachment to his favorite person in the world, he gets the freedom to fly while also being part of something bigger, and he's making friends. It's still in its beginning stages, but he's figuring out how to bond with Lance, Hunk, and Pidge and you get the sense these are a kind of friendships he's never experienced before. But you know what could kill that really fast? Making him The Leader, a position that inherently sets him apart from the rest.

This is actually a problem twice over for Keith because unlike Shiro, who is shown to be given his role voluntarily by everyone around him and repeatedly shows he's earned that trust and respect, Keith is basically thrown into the Plot Device Machine and gets a t-shirt that says YOU'RE THE LEADER NOW. And we never get a reason beyond that.

This is actually my biggest problem season 3 and the Lion Swap. Because as soon as they made that choice, the Lions became a hierarchy. But what other explanation do we have? Keith won Favorite Character status got "prompted" to Black Paladin. But as soon as Black Paladin is a promotion, that makes the other paladin roles inferior. Red becomes the "second in command". So Lance get prompted but can never be equal to Keith. Allura gets the "Training Wheels" Lion/Blue, and they didn't have to write that as a massive demotion, but they sure did anyway. Hunk and Pidge are no longer leaders because they aren't in the "Leader" Lions.

It makes me so mad. One of the things I loved first about Voltron was the message of equality and servant leadership. The idea that a leader (represented by Shiro) is someone who elevates and enables everyone else. A recognition for the more "feminine" types of leadership—nurturing, compassion, emotional support. Which support roles are seen as vital and just as if not more important than being the "boss."

But we only got two seasons of that before they pulled the rug out and said, "Nope. We're returning back to patriarchy." Suddenly the Lions were in a strict chain of command, one character was the boss and the rest were his subordinates. There was a top position and a bottom position, and the characters were all fighting over each other. Perhaps most damningly, the Lion lost all personality and agency and become trophies to symbolize a character's power. And I'm not saying they're an accidental representation of how women are treated in Western media but I MEAN. It's right there.

My response when anyone says "[X] character should be the Black Paladin!" is—Why? Is their connection with the Black Lion deeper than Shiro's? Do they have more in common with Black than Shiro does? What could they achieve or obtain as the Black Paladin that they couldn't where they currently are?

And, though I don't think most of us realize it, the answer to that last one is power. Because we're soaked in patriarchy and a certain portrayal of "leadership (derogatory)" that many fans automatically assumed the Black Paladin HAD to be in control of and have power over the other paladins. So of course you want your favorite character to be the Black Paladin! You don't want your self-insert to be inferior!

But that's all the patriarchy talking. The other paladins are NOT inferior. There is NOT a hierarchy of types of people. Keith doesn't have to have Shiro's role because he's already equal as Keith.

Keiths look different from Shiros, but they're all equal and valuable as they are. Same goes for Lances, Hunks, Pidges, and Alluras. The whole point is they're stronger together. Their differences make them BETTER.

So yeah. Of course, Keith has some good leadership qualities. There's plenty of situations where it only makes sense for him to take the lead. But why on earth does he need to be the Black Paladin to do that? He's already Keith!

#voltron: the legendary salt mine #thanks for the ask!#oh gosh this got so long #would you believe this is the SHORT version?#I have a LOT of feelings about leadership and patriarchy and how it shows up in voltron #i didn't even get to go into hunk and lance's roles #and how they deserve so much more respect and appreciation than they receive #hunk especially #if you're somehow not sick of me and want to chat more feel free to dm #or hit my inbox and i'll answer with another monster probably #mckinlily writes #long post #could i use a read more? yes #will i? unfortunately for everyone no

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