If Lotor was meant to be redeemed would we see more from Romelle then? I can’t even imagine how she would have reacted to his return after what we saw of them interacting in s6 / what happened to her brother.
Oh ho ho. Thank you for this question.
You've unlocked Pandora's Box... 🍿 Strap in, everyone.
We have a very telling conversation at the beginning of Launch Date:
Romelle: You know, back on the colony, Luca and I didn’t always get along. But despite that, I always respected Luca. She had an inner strength that many did not and a desire to be a part of something greater than herself.
Allura: If she was so desperate for something to believe in, it may have made her susceptible to being manipulated.
One of Keith's biggest mistakes was bringing Romelle to Voltron. To Lotor.
She's on the wrong side of the war.
She is being manipulated.
She is a set up.
She is a spy.
Luka died by Honerva's mind power in S8E1.
Luka was shouting at Romelle about how she betrayed them, how Honerva is going to save them, and this would've potentially alerted the entirety of the Atlas with her shouting carelessly about Honerva's plan.
Honerva really said, "No thanks. Too early into the season for you to ruin it now."
She was also very insistent that Allura goes on this date with Lance despite noticing her hesitance, goes shopping with her to build her trust with her, and then speaks to Luka ALONE, immediately asks if she's alright, and then abruptly asks where the Altean Colony is?
"It's not like that!" and she's right.
She's working with Honerva to gain more insider knowledge on Voltron.
Honerva can access the Alteans through their minds via the dark entities, but it doesn't mean she can see through their eyes; she can only preach to them, control their thoughts, and kill them at will.
Romelle has been set up from day dot to betray the paladins by being Honerva's spy cam from the inside (allegedly). Keith and Krolia fell for it. Keith trusts her story immediately.
Why wouldn't you? She's the first Altean they've seen.
We also found it insanely telling of their characters that Lance is visually suspect, while Keith immediately trusts her and wants to find Lotor right now.
She's also suggested to be a traitor -- not once, but twice by the Alteans on board the Atlas, including Tavo, who's she claims she's grown up with. He says it to her during the episode Day 47.
Another question that was raised after one of our many rewatches of the episode Clear Day: How would Honerva know that Lance & Allura were dating during Clear Day?
How would Honerva possibly know to use Lance as a convincing point for Allura to absorb the dark entity? At this point in the story, Honerva wouldn't know that at all... unless she had a spy on board the Atlas.
Isn't it strange how on Clear Day when this all happens to Allura, she is absolutely nowhere to be found? She's not on the ground playing the games. She's not aboard the Atlas -- at least that we see as the viewer.
Romelle also achieved a goal when she helped to set up Allurance for Honerva's greater plans.
Launch date sets up several subplots related to Lotor, the Altean Colony, the Love Triangle™, Romelle, and so, so much more. Romelle's is one of them.
I'm really excited to finish writing some pieces of the meta and dive more into this topic. It is fascinating.
So, that is all we will say about this for now.
By all means, you can read more about Romelle's arc in this meta and this meta by @leakinghate and Team Purple Lion, which also reinforces Romelle's behaviours and gives us a better understanding of her story.
To answer your question, OP:
When Lotor is revived by Allura against the team's wishes?
When Keith finally puts his trust in Lotor?
When the team puts their trust in Lotor?
When they truly learn about the Altean Colonies on the Moon?
It ruins everything for Romelle.
Does Honerva care? Not particularly.
She's a fearsome foe.
She accounted for it.
She's ready.
Season 8 is not what we think it was set up to be...
...But then it ended up on the cutting room floor along with Lotor.
Thank you for the question.
