#vld analysis

[honeyspeeches]

THEY WERE HOLDING HANDS

I rest my case

[bookishlunarkat]

Kolivan in VLD

okay so like……. Do y’all remember the scene in season 4, ep 1, “code of honor” where Kolivan physically drags Keith out of the room from saving the other BoM member (I believe his name was Regris)?

This moment. Right here.

Kolivan KNOWS Regris will die. He’s fully aware Keith will too, if he allows Keith to go back inside for Regris. (Then he’ll be down two soldiers instead of one.)

Obviously the VLD fandom is not the best (lol that’s putting it mildly) but one of the things I especially don’t like is that some people tend to soften Kolivan far too early. He starts out (and for most part, continues to be) as a highly tactical, analytical leader who leaves no room for emotion. He’s literally told Keith (NUMEROUS TIMES!!) things along the lines of “emotions are a luxury we cannot afford.” He is pragmatic and extremely logical, allowing no time for big dramatic *feelings*.

personally I headcanon that it’s because he’s probably been fighting this battle for too long. He shows hints of this too. He’s tired, and probably emotionally broken. He might have even lost friends, family, and who knows how many other Marmoran members to this war. He tells Shiro in the first episode we meet him, “So is the fight against the Galra. And yet that is the battle we face,” or smth along those lines, when Shiro points out Keith’s trials are unfair. He sounds weary and exhausted in this moment. He KNOWS there will be too much bloodshed.

I dig into this in my own fic, so again, part of this is just speculation on my part, but I really wholeheartedly believe that Kolivan is a hardened soldier of war who’s just lost too much and sacrificed too many lives. He has a very, very small, soft, compassionate core that is absolutely drenched and BURIED under war strategies and military leadership. It only very slightly begins to show up in later seasons— the biggest hint we get is when he comes and waits for Keith to wake up in season seven’s finale with Krolia. And that’s after THREE SEASONS of knowing this guy.

idk, this is just smth that hit me while I was rewriting the Kral Zera episode for my fic. Like, Kolivan is a smart leader, but it probably didn’t come without a cost. People aren’t born to be so analytical. We’re taught to value feelings and emotions. Kolivan doesn’t, not because he doesn’t care or because he’s cruel, but because he’s most likely just been through too much.

(which allows for SO MANY angst opportunities lol. But anyway.)

sorry for the rant. This probably made no sense. enjoy your gender <3

[magugbigug]

Kallura Should’ve Been the Endgame

A Narrative Perspective

Let’s set aside the fact that Keith and Allura have been a canon couple for 30ish years across multiple iterations of the Voltron franchise before VLD was even a thought. On storytelling merit alone, Kallura should have been the VLD's endgame romance, not Allurance. It is, in my opinion, the most satisfying Voltron ship.

It all starts with Shiro’s return to Earth, yes. But the real momentum begins with Keith, whose relentless pursuit of the source of the energy he senses leads all of the Paladins to the Blue Lion, setting the entire story in motion. Without him, the team wouldn’t have formed. No Voltron, no universe-saving coalition.

From there, Keith and Allura’s stories interweave in narratively rich and emotionally meaningful ways.

The Galra Revelation & Allura’s Growth

Keith’s discovery of his Galra heritage shakes the team, none more so than Allura. As one of the last two Alteans alive and the last living member of the Altean royal family, the Galra are her people’s destroyers, the root of the majority of her trauma. Her reaction to Keith’s heritage is harsh, emotionally charged, and deeply personal. Allura lashes out at him in her grief and confusion. He’s crushed. Keith, stoic as he is, cares deeply about her and her opinion of him.

But here’s the thing: Keith is the catalyst for Allura’s growth.

Because it’s through him that she begins to re-evaluate her black-and-white worldview. It’s because of him that she learns how to see beyond bloodlines and legacy. Her eventual willingness to trust—and yes, romantically cosy up to—Lotor doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Keith cracked open that door. And when he left with the Blade of Marmora, there was a half-Galra-shaped hole in her heart that Lotor conveniently filled. Temporarily.

Keith Brings the Alteans Back

It’s Keith, not Shiro, not Lance, or even Zarkon, who discovers the Altean colony. It’s Keith who brings Allura's people, for all intents and purposes, back into the known universe. That moment should have mattered more. It should have been something the show dug into: the half-Galra Paladin being the one to give the Altean princess hope, not just for the war, but for her people’s future.

And what’s his reward? Nothing. It is never mentioned in the show again that, at least from Allura and Coran's perspective, Keith practically brought the Alteans back from extinction.

What Allura Does for Keith

Let’s not forget: Allura also helps him grow. She plays a massive, if understated, role in Keith’s emotional and personal growth.

She’s the one who sees potential in Keith as a leader—even when he doesn’t see it in himself.

She tempers his impulsiveness with grace, reminding him of the weight of leadership without diminishing his instinct to protect.

She pushes him, not out of cruelty, but out of belief—something he rarely receives from others.

You can see it in scenes where she draws him out of his shell, encourages him to trust the team, and when he finally starts stepping up, not for glory, but for them.

Allura helps Keith find his place. Keith spends much of the early series feeling like an outsider. He’s secretive, distant, unsure where he belongs, both on the team and in the universe. While the others (especially Shiro) support him, Allura challenges him to step into something greater.

She legitimises his leadership. When Shiro names Keith as his successor, it’s not until Allura stands beside him as co-leader that Keith takes the role seriously. Her trust means something, especially given their rocky start.

She helps him navigate self-worth. After it is discovered, Keith’s self-perception is deeply tied to his Galra identity. Allura’s acceptance (hard-won as it is) shows Keith that identity doesn’t have to define worth. She doesn’t hand him forgiveness; she wrestles with it, and when she does choose to believe in him, it carries immense emotional weight.

She grounds him emotionally. Allura is one of the very few people who see past Keith’s walls.

She doesn’t just support him, she holds him accountable.

When she’s hurt, she lets him see it. Their vulnerability is so important, and it's not about blame; it’s about trusting him enough to be honest.

Her belief isn’t loud or dramatic. It’s quiet. Measured. Steady. And for someone like Keith, who’s always preparing to be left behind, that kind of stability is everything.

Parallel Arcs

Their character arcs are so incredibly aligned, it’s almost painful how overlooked it is:

Both are orphans, carrying the weight of loss on their shoulders.

Both are thrust into leadership roles before they feel ready, but they rise to the occasion out of duty and heart.

Both are self-sacrificial to a fault:

Allura gives up her life to restore balance to the universe.

Keith nearly dies countless times, throws himself into the void to save others, and spends two years in the Quantum Abyss just trying to help.

They mirror each other. They both believe they’re the reason Zarkon is tracking the team, and both independently decide to leave for the safety of others. That’s not just parallelism—it’s storytelling synergy.

Why Kallura Matters

Kallura would have been the culmination of two characters who challenged, grew with, and ultimately understood each other in a way no one else did. It would have resolved Allura’s journey to move past her pain and Keith’s journey to accept love despite always keeping himself on the outside.

Their relationship was a narrative gift in a show built on unity, legacy, and sacrifice themes. It should’ve been given the chance to blossom into something tangible. Kallura would have been the natural culmination of two characters who challenged each other, healed together, and grew into leaders. Allura’s journey to forgive and trust again, and Keith’s journey to accept love and connection—those arcs wanted to converge.

[blanceyblance]

Lance is such an interesting character to me in part because of how the narrative wants to portray him to the point it becomes contradictory.

His "arc" is supposed to be "cocky and immature teenager grows from his need for glory into a reliable team member"

And he does! He becomes Keith's right hand man, taking charge in battle, covering the team's backs and becoming an emotional support for other members when the time was needed.

But he is also a Comedic Relief™

Other characters have comedic relief moments too, like Hunk's love for food, Pidge's excitement about tech, Keith being socially awkward, etc.

And as aggravating as Hunk's fat jokes can be they don't contradict the fact that he is a brilliant engineer and became a brave paladin. Keith's social awkwardness doesn't contradict the fact that he became a capable leader.

But then you have Pidge and Hunk, making fun of Lance being "naturally dumb", and then a space deity calling him "the dumb one"one moment then following Lance's orders in battle and having him give emotional speeches to others the other.

The writers want us to take him seriously and see he is growing only to make fun of him when its needed for a laugh.

I feel the episode The Grudge is a good example of this:

Lance finds a way to find where they left their Lions.

Hunk and Allura seem impressed but Pidge dismisses it.

That would be the end of it until later when Veronica is talking with "Keith" (actually a hacker pretending to be him) and the says "Lance has it figured out", Veronica then in a sarcastic way says "Lance, the navigation genius".

Keith agrees and that's what clues them about something being wrong.

Is it a joke about Keith being openly nice to Lance? A joke about Lance's navigation skills?

Either way, the joke is at his expense, even when early in the episode we see him actually suggesting a way to correctly navigate.

In the end what I'm trying to say is, that the writers want to have their cake and eat it too. Showing Lance growing and being capable but also making fun of him and not really having that much respect for his character.

[artist-extraordinaire28]

Galra Worldbuilding

Yall im rewatching voltron again(cuz im a masochist) and-

Istg the show was such a beautiful concept that could've been so much better.

Honestly tho some of my biggest grievances can just be summarized with:

The Galra Empire should've been given more world building

___________________

The story is about Voltron saving the universe from an evil dictator, but we rarely ever learn stuff about the dictator's kingdom and the strange thing is, i know they mustve had some ideas for the empire because:

The Galra Empire has SO MANY fire/light metaphors

FOR EXAMPLE:

1. The Kral Zera

The kral zera is probably the most obvious.

You're telling me the way you decide ur ruler is by them lighting a torch? If that's not a fire metaphor, then i dunno what is.

2. Palen Bol

Palen Bol is the lesson Hunk learns from Dayak(Lotor's nanny).

It means enlightening pain.

Dayak also mentioned how the Galra believed combat to be "the searing light that burns away inperfections"

AGAIN fire metaphors

3. Luxite

Luxite is the mineral the Blade of Marmora's weapons are made of.

And woah

Luxite. Lux neans light(mindblown am i right?)

___________________

So what point could i possibly be making?

Simple.

Considering these little details already existed, it's kinda sad that we didn't get more stuff on the Galra.

Why do they have so many refrences to fire?

Do they worship fire?

Is it sacred?

If yes, why?

___________________

So, being the obsessed lil gremlin i am, i came up with my own headcanon as to why they have so many fire metaphors.

Yall remember how Daibazal looked?

Well u may notice a lil important detail....

It doesn't have a sun

BUT when u actually see the planet's surface, there is a sunset

AND later when Zarkon starts going a lil nuts yrs later the sky is much darker.

SOOOOOO

What if, Daibazal had a fake sun or eternal flame

Maybe its made of magic or tech.

Either way, for a planet that doesn't have its own natural sun, it's existence is a blessing.

Considering that, it would make sense if the ppl started worshiping the light.

ANDDDD

Considering later on when the sky gets more ashy after Zarkon decides to keep the rift open, maybe keeping the rift open messed with their fake sun and its dying(another consequence to Zarkon keeping the rift open)

AAANNDD that along with the fact that the empire has been in a state of war for 10000 years, led to the galran ppl forgetting that aspect of their culture.

Just imagine it.

An entire civilization forgot about such an important part of their history, the source of their light, and all because of the mad obssessions of their own king

[garden-secret-ao3writer]

sorry for basically flooding your ask inbox I just got a lotta questions I’d love to see your take on lol

anyways, what are your thoughts on Adam? How would you characterize him based off what little we’ve seen of him?

Don’t worry at all — I actually love getting asks like this. It gives me an excuse to finally ramble about something I’ve been thinking about forever, and see if the fandom’s on the same wavelength. Plus it helps me gather my thoughts and make sense of my own headcanons. So, here's the thing — I’ve always kind of seen Adam as… weirdly similar to Lance? But! Hear me out!!

We don’t know a lot about him canonically, but what we do get is enough for me to start building a version of him in my head — a version that exists in all the empty spaces the show left behind(Just like I did with Keith's backstory in my other post).

In my mind, Adam wasn’t just “Shiro’s ex.” He was part of something larger — maybe a core team at the Garrison: Shiro, Adam, and maybe even Sam Holt. The kind of people who got to see the bigger picture and were being shaped into leaders for the next generation.

And here’s where it gets interesting — because in the first episodes we actually see how the Garrison structures its exploratory teams. They typically group three people together: a pilot, an engineer, and a communications/navigation specialist. That setup matches the original Kerberos crew: Shiro as the pilot, Sam as the scientist/engineer, and (presumably) Matt in a supporting or communications role. So it always felt natural to imagine Adam in that third spot instead — not just because of age and experience, but because narratively, it makes way more sense.

And then something happened. A mission, an incident — something that left both Adam and Shiro marked in some way. Not enough to take them out of the program, but enough that they stopped flying. They stayed grounded. Became instructors. Stable points in a system that desperately needed them.

Except Shiro didn’t stay grounded. He signed on for Kerberos anyway.

But here’s the twist in my version of events: Adam was originally meant to go. Maybe even instead of Matt — because, let’s be honest, canon never quite explained how Matt, the supposedly much-younger Holt, snagged a spot on the most high-profile deep space mission ever. It always made more sense to me that Adam was next in line. But he turned it down.

Not just because of his and Shiro’s health history — though that’s part of it. But because by then, Keith was in the picture. And while Adam may not have had the same deep bond with Keith that Shiro did, I think he still felt something — a sense of responsibility, maybe. A need to stay. A pull toward building futures rather than chasing stars.

Adam strikes me as someone who genuinely cared about shaping the next generation. Someone who found purpose in teaching, in mentoring, in making sure kids like Keith (and Hunk, and Pidge, and Lance) had adults who stayed.

And then, by the time of the war, when we hear of his death… there’s this sense — at least for me — that he was alone. Shiro was gone. Keith had disappeared. The students he helped train had vanished into space(or go to the war between Earth and Galra). And yet Adam stayed. He stayed on Earth, maybe not because he believed in the battle itself, but because someone had to be there to hold the line. Someone had to make sure there’d be a home to come back to.

So yeah. Adam reminds me of Lance in that quiet, unsung way. The way they both try so hard to make sure everyone else is okay. The way they stay, even when it hurts. The way they hope — stubbornly, silently — that the people they love will find their way back.

[fire-of-the-sun]

Lotor: The Man Behind the Mask

AKA The Many Faces of Lotor and Which is His True Face?

To say that Prince Lotor is a multi-faceted character would be an understatement. Born into a life of tragedy, the many masks he comes to wear are borne of his circumstances to not only further his own agendas undetected but most notably to aid in his own self-preservation both physically and emotionally. A proverbial sword and shield to protect himself. These false faces allow him to do and say what’s necessary to keep himself alive to fight another day - a practice that’s unfortunately hard-wired into him from centuries of abuse. 

The character we're first introduced to is probably what the audience expected: an antagonist (albeit a more complex one than expected) that leaves the audience questioning his true motivations. An aspect that makes him more intriguing but also works against him with many fans using it as evidence to validate their worst perceptions of him. But, as we see more of Lotor throughout the series, we begin to explore the depths of him and uncover evidence to the contrary. 

So, which is his truest face?

THE MASSES

We don’t get to see Lotor interact with the masses many times in the show, but the most notable occurrences are his introductory scene in the arena and the Kral Zera - both occasions in which he presents himself as a powerful, capable warrior, a persuasive public speaker and a leader worthy of the Galra’s loyalty. 

In the first occasion, Lotor almost immediately undermines his previous show of good will towards the assembled Galra by confessing to his generals in private that “the masses are easily manipulated.” This statement would, understandably, leave audience members to believe Lotor is nothing more than a liar and manipulator as a key attribute used to define all of his subsequent actions. 

At first glance, this looks pretty damning. Alone, with people we can easily infer he’s closer to, he seemingly reveals that all the magnanimity of his previous words and actions were false and showcase to us a key element of his character to watch out for: an effortless duplicity that is utilized to hide more malicious intentions. At the time, it seems to scream to the audience: ‘don’t trust him’. However, as we learn on his journey, there is more to him that meets the eye, and this line should not be taken at face value. 

Before we take this as unwavering proof that he’s a villain and everything that follows should be looked at through the lens of presumed deceit, I think we have to consider the context and audience here. This line was in response to a stadium full of Galra warriors who dutifully and unquestioningly serve his father - someone he’s trying to stop. Swaying the minds of the Galra is a necessary step in his quest to ultimately improve their way of life but he also doesn’t think very highly of them. His regard of them is different than that he holds towards other people and cultures as we see later. I also believe he says this to benefit the generals, but I'll get to them later.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to see him spend time with the members of either of the peoples he looks after, but we do know that he deeply loved his time on the mining planet and there’s no doubt he cared for the Alteans just as much if not more as they were his own people. It’s also not hard to imagine that both groups of people appreciated him just as much. We don’t know how close he truly got to them, but it’s safe to surmise that Lotor is a person that respects others enough to treat them with equality, enjoy working beside them and genuinely wants to improve their lives. Though we later learn that he was ultimately lying to the Alteans, it’s clear that’s definitely not something he enjoys doing. 

Among the average civilian or disenfranchised person, we can infer Lotor is more than likely very cordial and respectable based on how he speaks of them and how they perceive him in return. Despite his status as a prince, he’s clearly not preoccupied with maintaining an air of authority among the common folk in any way meant to remind them of his status above them, even allowing himself to bond with people on such an equal level that Zarkon saw it as unfit for his station. 

Basically, though we know he has a turbulent relationship with the Galra as a whole, we can also see that he fights for the rights of other half-breeds such as himself and treats people in his care with respect and equality. 

ZARKON

As a child, Lotor had to present himself as the perfect prince in an attempt to earn Zarkon’s love, and it produced a facade he probably maintained most of his life despite it getting him nowhere. Of course, as a child desperately seeking their parent’s affection, this behavior - though tailored specifically to appeal to his father - wasn’t inherently disingenuous and it’s only later in life that he learns to use it as a weapon. 

Knowing that Lotor has tried to portray himself as respectable and eager to please thus far, his outburst of anger in retaliation of his father’s demands in 8x02 may have possibly been the first time he’d spoken out against him in such a way as, up to this point, Lotor still seemed to genuinely believe his father would listen to him and is surprised by his decision to destroy the planet. The mask finally slipped but, I might add, only in an attempt to help others. This speaks volumes about the kind of person he is and what his deepest motivations are as it shows he cares more about protecting the mining planet than he does for his own safety as he knowingly incurs the wrath of his violent father. Of course, upon realizing that his interjection would punish them too, he immediately tries to submit himself before Zarkon once more to keep them safe. 

Despite his efforts, Lotor unfortunately fails to protect the people and this tragic situation no doubt led him to reinforce the old facade of the obedient son who would never dare act out against his father again - a mask he uses to his advantage in 4x03. After their conversation, we see Lotor smirk suspiciously upon taking his leave, clueing to the audience that his behavior with Zarkon was entirely an act to keep his father from suspecting him of any wrongdoing. 

After Zarkon uncovers his ruse, Lotor’s submissive mask drops once more and, upon meeting again, Lotor no longer holds back from sharing every ounce of disdain he bears for his father before fighting him to the death. 

HAGGAR

Unlike his father, where he hides his emotions under a guise of respect and servility initially, Lotor shows no restraint in sharing his unbridled anger and contempt for his mother, Honerva. These feelings never waver, in fact, they only seem to intensify, punctuating a heated final confrontation where Lotor vehemently renounces her as an abomination that he will never accept as family. This distaste seems to have evolved over his life as her role to him changed. As a child, she was nothing more than his father’s witch and not someone he needed to please. Their relationship was never a good one so there’s no need to pretend otherwise.

I believe his anger towards her comes, not only from rebelling against the fact that his mother was essentially stolen from him by Haggar (which shatters his dreams of having a loving mother) but also her mistreatment of him throughout his life and even fundamentally disagreeing with and despising the kind of person she (and Zarkon) are: selfish, power-hungry and uncaring of the lives of others. He denounces them for their behavior because he knows it’s wrong and doesn’t wish to fall prey to it as well - which is a great indicator of the kind of person he is and what values he agrees with and doesn’t.

In a way, this is a true face to Lotor as well. His feelings of unfettered rage towards Honerva are not censored by any mask he’d wish to portray. There is no part to play here as there’s nothing that will keep him safe from her scrutinizing eyes on him at all times. Nothing to hide because there’s nothing to gain from it. So, instead, to keep her off his trail, he goes to great lengths to evade her detection through calculated action rather than any false pretenses. 

THE GENERALS

Though they’re the closest thing he has to friends for a time, I still don’t personally believe Lotor was close enough to his generals to reveal his true self (though he obviously reveals more to Axca as he trusts her the most). Overall, he still maintains an air of authority with them, seeking to portray himself as the calculating and confident leader clearly stationed above them though he still treats them with respect. Though it’s clear he cares for them, and they hold some degree of respect for him in return, he’s still very much their leader more than their friend. They may believe in him and his mission for a time, but they don’t follow him solely out of admiration and are willing to sell him out if it benefits them - which they do. 

They’re, for the most part, his loyal allies, but not anyone he’d confide in or show vulnerability with as demonstrated by his lack of explanation regarding his actions towards Narti and his refusal to share his full plans with them. They respect him for a lot of reasons but don’t entirely understand him or what he truly wants which is why they often seem perplexed by his decisions. With them I think he maintains, to a degree, how he would present himself to the general masses. He has to remain collected and in charge to preserve their loyalty to him and can’t sully that depiction with the perceived weakness that comes from showing vulnerability. 

Jumping off my earlier statement about the “masses are easily manipulated” line, it ties into the perpetuation of the persona he’s trying to evoke to them and which they whole heartedly support. He’s telling them what he thinks they want to hear. We also know he doesn’t tell them the full truth, so why should we believe this is somehow some deep reveal into the center of his character when we also know that he doesn’t showcase side of himself with them? It’s another piece of a persona, nothing more.

This mask was not created in an attempt to manipulate but in a desire to achieve and preserve some degree of companionship and loyalty from his generals. Lotor has no one but them and he can’t afford to lose their fealty, so he tries to keep it in the best way he knows how: by being a successful leader worthy of being followed. 

Bottom line, beyond Lotor’s genuine affection for his generals - which is very much an extension of the compassion he’s capable of - he does not show his true self with them. 

THE PALADINS

Lotor sustains his typical air of confidence upon meeting the paladins face to face in a continuous effort to portray himself as a worthy asset to them (not too dissimilar from his interactions with his generals). Though he shares vital intel with them to prove his loyalty to their shared goals for peace, he doesn’t go out of his way to ingratiate himself to them. He’s cordial and honest, as is generally his nature, but not afraid to share his opinions even if they’re opposing or adversarial. 

For example, in their first scene together Lotor has no trouble calling out Allura for voicing her discrimination towards his race and generally seems tired of waiting for the paladins to truly listen to his advice and start making real strides in the war. He's interested in action, not being liked. If he truly wanted to manipulate them, I imagine he would have been far more sycophantic to worm his way into their good graces - an act he’s familiar with due to his father whom he was trying to lie to. We know what a groveling Lotor looks like and this is not it. Of course, there's also no need to lie to them to get what he wants when they have the same goal. 

There’s frustration there between both parties at times and definite growing pains as he finds a place for himself in their group, but certainly not anger or resentment of any kind on his part. That being said, when the paladins do come to trust him and there’s no disagreements in their way, Lotor defaults to his natural state: dignified, helpful and amiable. I’m not sure how much affection Lotor truly manages to garner for the paladins by the end of their time together, but he does refer to them as ‘friends’ at one point and though that doesn’t mean they’re people he would necessarily pour his heart out to, I’d say they definitely count as favored allies that he’d support and protect just like anyone else he cares even remotely about. 

However, similar to his generals, whatever degree of fondness he may have developed for the paladins is still ultimately moderated to keep them at arm’s length though, I believe that given the proper time and trust, this could have changed.

ALLURA

With Allura, we see a new, softer side to Lotor. I could write an entire meta solely about their interactions and how they’re not manipulative, but I’ll be brief here. As I said with the paladins, there’s no real evidence to suggest Lotor was just saying and doing everything he did solely to appeal to Allura and ultimately seduce her to his side. Instead, what we see is both of them slowly and organically becoming more comfortable and trusting with each other, enough so that they begin to reveal deeper sides of themselves. Just as Allura is willing to share her insecurities with Lotor, he too divulges the innermost parts of himself that he doesn’t reveal to anyone else. 

If a mask is meant to hide the deepest parts of oneself, Lotor being so openly vulnerable, honest and trusting with Allura is enough to tell us that what he shares with her isn’t an act - he’s just finally comfortable enough to show his true face and the hidden parts of himself he hasn’t with anyone else. For a man who is all about survival and whom trust doesn’t come easy, this would be counterproductive and a potential liability he normally wouldn’t risk. So why does he risk it for her?

Relationships are built on trust and that takes time and true understanding to achieve. It takes a great deal of trust to reveal your true self to someone and Lotor simply isn’t at that level with the generals or paladins. He hasn’t really had anyone to share his true self with until Allura. He’s never met anyone else like her and their shared history and desires facilitates a swift journey from enemies to friends and even to something greater - an emergence of emotional vulnerability and affection that Lotor has never experienced before: love.

This is an aspect of his identity he’s no doubt unfamiliar with unfortunately or, perhaps, has never truly experienced before in his countless years of being whatever he had to be to survive. As we’re discovering this version of Lotor, he may also be discovering himself too. 

There’s so much I could say about their relationship and how it brings out the best in both of them, but I won’t go off on a tangent here. Needless to say, the reason Lotor feels so different in S5-6 is because interacting with Allura is finally giving us the opportunity to see new aspects of his identity that’s open and unguarded. He’s finally put down his sword and shield... which leaves him vulnerable to attack. 

QUINTESSENCE POISONING

I want to address this specifically in its own meta but, for now, I’ll say that I found this depiction of Lotor a betrayal of the character and purposefully over-exaggerated to compensate for and push a narrative the writers failed to achieve organically. Essentially, I believe they made him so villainous - so vile despite how out of character it feels - simply to validate this new agenda that he is and always was, in fact, that very villain and, if that was always their intention for the character, they did not succeed. 

Though we know that quintessence can corrupt and see that firsthand in how it turned his parents into beings acting without remorse and motivated purely by evil-intentions, even they have never been shown in such a negative and manic light, making Lotor look even more deleterious here by comparison which is an... interesting choice. 

That being said, the turbulent emotions presented here do stem from underlying trauma, namely the pain of being betrayed by the one person he trusted more than anyone. The one person he showed his true face to. The person he loved. Having his true feelings be rejected and touted as nothing but more lies and deception as someone who doesn’t share them idly would be beyond devastating. Now, having put down his shield for Allura, she’s struck at the very heart of him. The pain of it unleashes a tidal wave of emotion and, like a wounded, cornered animal, he lashes out. This creates a situation which we see a side of Lotor we haven’t before. One that, though borne of genuine emotional suffering, does not actually reflect who he truly is. 

Exacerbated by his exposure to the quintessence field and perhaps even that which already resides in his blood, Lotor reveals intentions of great evil - last minute motivations stemming from deeply rooted fears and insecurities that, unfortunately, are pulled to the surface here in the worst way possible but are not necessarily indicative of him having harbored and planned to enact these darker motives all along. Recoiling from the pain, it makes sense that his natural defense mechanism would be another mask - the ultimate mask.

If this was the true him, he would have truly fooled us all despite the extensive evidence to the contrary, as there is nothing to support his sudden dark desires here but plenty of prior evidence that refutes it despite the writer’s efforts to show otherwise. To say that all of this is the true, final reveal of who he is after all is insulting not only to the character but to fans.

ALONE

To best know who someone truly is, we have to look at who they are when they’re alone. A great example of this is when we see Lotor alone in 4x06 as he overhears a message that there is an on-going attack that will result in mass casualties. Lotor doesn’t hesitate to potentially sacrifice his hard-won freedom to head straight back into Galra territory to try and stop his mother’s heinous plans. This is yet another scenario that showcases that, at the end of the day, Lotor is a character who simply wants to help people no matter the cost to himself. 

We also see Lotor alone during his trial on Oriande where upon repeatedly being attacked by the White Lion, he understandably goes on the offensive and fights back to protect himself. After failing this test, Lotor is devastated. Rather than revealing any clues to potential villainy, this interaction instead simply shows that Lotor still has things to unlearn and is aware of that and capable of change. His anger here comes from his desperation and desires for self-preservation upon being attacked, not from a place of genuine malice. 

I think it’s also worth noting Lotor’s expressions when he’s in his cockpit throughout the show but especially during his fight with Allura right before his ‘turn’. No one else can see his face but the audience so there’s no one to appeal to. No act to put on. We can clearly see he’s upset and remorseful and it feels like a sudden reversal from his previous scene with the generals because it is - not because his pleading with Allura is an act - but because his talk with his generals was. They are understandably confused here because his recent speech to them would have them believe he didn’t truly care about Allura and was just using her the whole time. This display says otherwise.

To further emphasize this point, his words and expressions here are consistent with his attempts to appeal to Allura in 6x04. The fact that his interaction with her is the same - whether he’s alone or in public - also shows us that it’s genuine. He doesn’t hesitate to share his true feelings to her when he’s trying to defend himself, nor does he bar his words in front of the paladins and generals when he’s trying to talk her down later. They might as well be speaking in private because it wouldn’t change his reaction. He’s completely focused on her and unconcerned with his unencumbered feelings being on public display - something he’s never done before and obviously wouldn’t be comfortable with. All of this continues to prove that, when it comes to Allura, he is his authentic self and his feelings for her are indeed true. 

There may be more significant instances of seeing Lotor alone that I can’t recall, but, in summary, if Lotor was truly an evil, selfish person, we’d see hints of that most clearly in the instances where he has nothing to hide. 

CONCLUSION

So, what is Lotor’s true face then? 

As I’ve stated, Lotor is a man who has had to adopt different personas to survive, and we get to see the multi-faceted nature of his character on full display throughout the series depending on who he’s with and in what context. Regardless of some blunders in writing, overall, I think the show did a decent job portraying the different sides of him that would have logically emerged given his unique life and circumstances. 

Of course, seeing the ease and skill in which Lotor can slip on these masks would naturally leave audiences to continually question him and his true intentions. As the show reveals more and more of his true self however, the answer becomes increasingly clear that, despite the resulting duplicity of his nature, there is no evidence to support that he's anyone other than someone who wanted to do exactly what he said he did and whose goals are ultimately to help and protect others - a desire which was shown through his words and actions on multiple occasions. For all his faults, Lotor does have genuinely heroic traits despite being raised in an environment that didn’t cultivate them. A flower struggling to bloom in spite of the aridity of the soil in which he was born.

Despite the intended desire to hide his true self for his own protection, these fabricated facades do inadvertently reflect shades of his inner self too - a kernel of truth buried in each even as he has to transform to become what he thinks he needs to be to survive. By default, he tends to hide his true emotions underneath a facade of control and confidence - most notably seen in his interaction with the generals, the paladins initially and the masses (mostly Galrans). This portrayal of the proud and cunning man however is just a front to hide someone underneath who is more concerned with knowledge than power and protection rather than violence and it’s his bond with Allura that reveals the truest face of all: someone who is genuinely capable of kindness, vulnerability and even love. Given the right time and treatment, the inherent goodness in him could have been allowed to flourish and win and his true face could have been the last one we saw him with...

[harukamitsuki]

That last post actually reminded me of something...

Why is it that Pidge can do one thing and get no backlash, but as soon as Keith does it, it's suddenly unforgivable? Like, Pidge tries to leave the team, and Keith is the only one who wants them to stay while everyone else lets them leave. Keith leaves and everyone hates him for it. Nobody even tried to stop him. What is this?

Sometimes, it's worse, in that people put down Keith's achievements, which are much more commendable than anyone else's, but build Pidge up so much that it makes me grimace. Pidge flies Green perfectly fine even though they only read manuals, and the fandom builds them up to be an absolute genius who can do anything. Keith flies a Galra jet with no manual and just pure instinct and the ability to adapt to any flight craft? Oh, it's just his Galra genes. Never mind the fact that he also does this with an ancient Altean pod and shows an affinity for flying basically anything. Keith is only good because he's Galra.

Fuck off.

Also, why is it that Pidge can be as angry as they want, but the moment Keith disagrees with a character, he's the worst person ever? This is why I hate this fandom. Because everyone has somehow tricked themselves into believing that Keith is the favourite of the fandom, when he isn't. Lance is. And even Klancers hate Keith. They hate Keith but they ship him with Lance because that's the dynamic that people want, never mind how toxic it would be.

Even Pidge is distorted so heavily by fanon. It makes me wonder if I watched the same Voltron as everyone else. Pidge is rude and self-centred. They aren't just 'feisty' or 'girl/non-binary/trans boss'. They're mean, okay. Especially in season 3. Fuck. Everyone but Allura and Keith were mean in season 3. Don't pretend like they weren't.