I am ride or die for Black Paladin Shiro. I believe that it is what the narrative (particularly Shiro’s arc) supports, and that it would be a travesty in storytelling to have someone else pilot Black going forward. I also strongly believe that Shiro will continue to pilot Black. The EPs lie and misconstrue things aplenty in their interviews so I try not to worry too much about what they say, lol.
So, I’ve been turning over in my mind why on Earth Shiro would have a connection with the White Lion and turn out to be the White Paladin when he
1. Isn’t an Altean, sacred or otherwise yet.
Has never been to Oriande
Wasn’t really involved in the Oriande arc at all or should I say, he was conspicuously absent during the White Lion episode
As I’ve pointed out in the past though, Things have been up with Shiro since the Pilot.
The show has never explained why the markings in the caves near the Blue Lion foretold of Shiro crashing on Earth.
Shiro found and became very close to the only (confirmed) alien living on Earth.
Was one of three (3) humans that was abducted by aliens.
Was chosen by Haggar (who created robeasts, the Komar experiment, and the trap on Naxzela) for experiments and cloning, and was told by her that he could have been the Galra’s greatest weapon
Was able to see through his Lion’s eyes on his first try, something that only experienced pilots were supposed to be able to do.
Activated Black’s wings and phasing ability without the Bayard
Never told anyone about seeing Haggar on Oriande, which means that that scene was most likely put there entirely for the audience’s benefit
Is the only character that all of the Voltron Lions have roared for, not once, but twice
In Monsters & Mana, which was a very meta episode, Shiro’s character says that he was chosen to be paladin because of his “bright, internal light” (don’t @ me, at this point all I have to sustain me are memes and crack theories).
Based on all of that, and probably a few things that I missed, it’s a good bet that the White Paladin Shiro arc may have started all the way back in the pilot.
That being said, I don’t think that Shiro being the White Paladin necessarily precludes him from being the Black Paladin as well. I mean, he’s been strongly associated with both colors from the very beginning:
His hair started off black, then became black and white, and then turned completely white.
His Paladin armor is black and white.
We first meet Shiro on Kerboros, a white, icy planet (er, moon).
Kuron crashed on a white, snowy planet in The Journey.
Shiro always wears black.
He has grey eyes; grey is a mixture of black and white.
That being said, how would Shiro be the White Paladin and the Black Paladin at the same time?
For starters, the White Lion(s) aren’t like the Voltron Lions. The White lion is not a robot ship that you can fly. They have no need for a pilot like the other lions do. Therefore, being a Paladin for a white lion already takes on a drastically different meaning. More of a “chosen one” kind of arc.
So how would Shiro being the White Paladin play out in the series? Here are a few of my theories (most, if not all of these, are crack!theories, because trying to predict what direction VLD is going to take something like this is insanely difficult, lol).
As legend has it, white is a mixture of all other colors (or at least the 3 primary ones), so that means that being the White Paladin grants you the ability to fly all the lions. At the same time. We saw Lotor pilot Sincline alone, so why shouldn’t Shiro pilot Voltron alone? Everyone else can go, idk, rest or smthn.
Shiro will be granted the abilities of an Altean alchemist.
Shiro will be granted the ability of the White Lion itself (Josh Keaton did refer to Shiro as a pala-god in his “You’re Welcome” video aksalksld (I’m really reaching here if you can’t tell)
The White Lion will grant Shiro the abilities of the Black Lion (Shiro will sprout wings and phase through walls spontaneously, lol).
Shiro and the Black Lion may still be spiritually one being, despite occupying different bodies (Keith referred to Shiro as the Black Lion in S3E1).
Shiro is Voltron (I’m reaching so hard right now I’m about to pass out). This ties into the Lions roaring for him twice, and the Blue Lion’s cave markings that foretold of Shiro’s arrival back on Earth. In S4E1, Allura says “It’s (Voltron) so much more than a weapon, it’s become a symbol of freedom and hope.” In S2E3, Ulaz tells Shiro “as a fighter, and a leader, you give hope.” The prisoners in the Pilot call Shiro the “Champion” champion and defender are synonymous (see below). In both the Pilot and S2E13, Shiro was able to power up Voltron with nothing but the Power of Motivational Speaking. Allura has also powered up Voltron, but with quintessence. Ergo, Shiro’s speeches have a similar power to the quintessence of a sacred Altean (to be clear, I don’t think Shiro is actually Voltron, this is just a theory that I’m having fun with).
Anyway, I’m not super worried about the whole White Paladin Shiro thing because there’s no reason why he can’t be both the White Paladin and the Black Paladin. Also, the EPs saying that Keith is going to pilot Black could be anything from lie to a misdirection, and the “white lion isn’t done with Shiro” thing could also be a misdirection.
Until S7 comes out, I’m just going to be over here chillin’ with my crack theories.
tangentwithtanner
kaledo-art
romaincrisis
dededos
discoholicmusic
