#vld meta

[i-just-came-here-for-klance-help]

You know what

Even though the "bonding moment" wasn't exactly a success (Lance apparently doesn't remember it, there's a misunderstanding of each other's intentions)

I actually think... it was?

Because from that point onward their dynamic clearly changes.

Their interactions start feeling different.

And what really surprises me is how consistent the show is about it.

This isn't one of those conflicts that gets resolved in a single episode and there isn't a huge emotional speech where someone explains exactly what's changed.

Instead it's a series of small but very noticeable interactions. Tiny shifts in tone. Little moments that keep building on each other.

Show, don't tell.

After the "bonding moment" they both stop seeing each other as just the most superficial version of the other person.

They start noticing the person underneath.

Look at this.

Keith and Lance get paired together on Balmera.

And there's a really interesting scene here.

Again the scene itself isn't particularly dramatic.

What's interesting is what it says in the larger context because it shows a very clear change in how they treat each other.

Keith naturally, is ready to throw himself into danger without a plan or asking anyone first.

Lance, knowing Keith is impulsive as hell, stops him and calmly explains that maybe they should... have a plan first.

And what does Keith do?

He doesn't brush Lance off or ignore him because obviously Keith knows best. He WOULD before. But something is different now.

He actually listens.

He hears Lance out.

Also Keith is SUCH an idiot. I am so sorry but the fandom lied to me for YEARS. Everyone made him sound like this cool, disciplined, aloof lone wolf. This boy is an impulsive disaster who keeps trying to solve every problem by launching himself directly at it. I love him.

This is the moment where Keith realizes that... Lance is actually kind of smart.

He finally lets himself see Lance as a person instead of just the annoying loud guy.

Yeah Lance talks too much, he's irritating.

But he's also strategic, thinks ahead, he comes up with genuinely good plans.

And the best part?

Once Keith realizes that... he actually says it out loud.

He openly admits Lance's plan was better.

And remember, we KNOW who Lance is.

The writers made sure we understood from the very beginning that he struggles with insecurity, he constantly feels like he's not enough.

That words of recognition mean everything to him.

And now...

He's getting that recognition from the very rival he's been jealous of for who knows how many weeks????

The guy who barely compliments anybody.

The guy whose approval Lance has been desperately trying to earn since practically day one.

I mean... a few episodes ago Lance was literally fishing for compliments from him, trying so hard to impress him.

And now Keith just... gives him exactly what he's been wanting.

Directly.

Honestly I'm almost surprised the show doesn't linger on Lance's reaction for even a second.

Compare it to how emotional he was when Shiro acknowledged him.

All they would've needed was one extra second, maybe a slightly bigger smile or surprised expression idk.

But they don't give it to us which almost feels weird considering how meaningful this should be for Lance.

Because I'M convinced that night Lance fell asleep smiling into his pillow thinking about the fact that stupid Keith had actually acknowledged his abilities.

Nobody can convince me that it's not canon.

And after that...

They just... work together.

Whenever they're not actively arguing, they actually ARE... a good team.

Also, once again: why did fandom convince me Keith was the composed one??

I wouldn't say they suddenly become best friends.

But there is a very obvious shift.

They simply... cooperate.

They're real teammates now.

Interactions like these would've been practically impossible during the first half of season one.

Now?

Just look at them.

Once they stop constantly trying to prove something to each other they actually function as a team.

They still tease each other of course.

actually Lance is also an idiot. I almost forgot. Thankfully, the show didn't.

(btw, I absolutely adore the fact that they decided to spend time, money and work of several people to animate shit like this. Yes, give me more, I want to just be there with these stupid boys and watch them be stupid. This is the point.)

But something else starts happening with Lance that I find really interesting.

I feel like he stops getting triggered by Keith's existence...

...and starts getting frustrated by the things Keith does.

That's a pretty important difference.

Look.

Here Lance stops Keith from making another impulsive decision.

And here...

Lance doesn't seem annoyed at Keith.

He's annoyed by what Keith is doing.

That's not the same thing.

It's almost like Lance starts recognizing Keith's impulsiveness and naturally slips into the role of being the one who slows him down a little.

Keeps him from immediately charging into disaster.

So if Keith's realization is:

"Lance is actually smart and thinks strategically."

(Even if not enough to listen to him lmao)

Then Lance's realization is:

"Keith is actually kind of an impulsive mess who occasionally needs someone to hit the brakes."

Lance shifts from "whatever you're doing I have to prove I'm better than you."

to

"okay Keith, could you PLEASE calm down before you get yourself killed again."

It's an incredibly subtle change.

Nobody ever says it out loud.

But the show keeps reinforcing it over and over again.

And I really appreciate how consistently it sticks to that.

[cookietails]

Keith & Lance's endings only make sense when you place them together like perfect puzzle pieces. 🧩

Ahem.

Keith helped the Blade of Marmora reform for relief efforts. Lance runs a farm back at home on his home planet.

Smash their endings together and it makes a little more sense.

Keith running the BOM by himself doesn't make sense as he never wanted to lead in the first place, hence why he rejected becoming leader of the Galra Empire.

Plus, he doesn't have a stable home in his ending + nature.

"I like it out here, it's quiet." (Greening The Cube, S2E4)

Lance says he 'helps' (quote for quote) run a small farm back on his home planet with his family, as he explains to the kids in the final episode.

That doesn't mean he's there ALL the time.

"It's a simple life, just the way I like it." (The End is the Beginning, S8E13)

Lance likes humanitarian work (look at that smile!), as shown in the episode where Keith leaves for the Blades.

(Code of Honour, S4E1)

Keith 'helped' reform the BOM. There was other people involved who lead this transition. Notably, it also means he wasn't there all the time; it's just the visual cue of the leader robes that implies he's leading the BOM.

It could have been Krolia & Kolivan that requested this or are the ones initiating the front lines in restoring the BOM...

However, they left to revive the BOM; not reform the Blades, as per what Krolia says to Kolivan in this episode.

(The Ruins, S7E5)

...AND they became representatives of the Galactic Coalition by the end of the show.

It does not mention the Blade of Marmora once.

Additionally, Keith & Lance's outfits match each other at the reunion dinner on the anniversary of Allura's Day.

They look cosy, casual, and most importantly: Coordinated™

Why would they be matching for the reunion dinner unless they were in constant communication, or close enough to coordinate this attire in a short time frame?

This would be right before Keith had reformed the blades, and after Keith's speech on the Kral Zera.

TL;DR:

1) Keith helped reform the BOM (with Lance's support / assistance) 2) Lance provided Keith a home that's quiet in nature on Earth. 3) Keith provides Lance a wonderful purpose outside of the farm. 4) Lance spreads Allura's message while surrounding himself with the things he loves. 5) They lead a simple life together on the farm AND help the BOM from time to time as the farm becomes a prime hub for supplies towards humanitarian relief across the universe.

This opens the door to Lance and Keith becoming teachers and mentors that contributes to and spreads Allura's message across the universe in meaningful ways that fulfils both of them.

Keith and Lance becoming teachers is such a good post-canon AU by the way, and we don't talk about that enough.

It means Keith doesn't have to lead the Blade of Marmora forever; he can settle down and relax in the quiet within nature.

It means Lance gets to contribute in impactful ways and fulfil that sense of adventure he's always seeking with the BOM by providing universal relief support.

OR... they can both settle down with family later down the track on the farm, because it is their home.

They fill each other's gaps and support each other as friends, co-leaders, husbands; however you want to see it. Thank you for coming to my ted talk 🙇‍♀️ 🎤

P.S. Look at how wonderful and happy they look post-canon.

I think that speaks for itself.

[honeyspeeches]

THE SABOTAGE OF VOLTRON LEGENDARY DEFENDER

KEEP READING

[garden-secret-ao3writer]

Voltron headcanon

Most of the time, Lance isn’t really a morning person. But ever since he was a kid, he had this habit — every July, August, and September, he’d wake up before sunrise and walk down to the beach.

All for one reason: to watch the baby sea turtles hatch and crawl their way to the ocean. And Lance, of course, couldn’t leave until he was sure every single one made it to the water.

When he joined Voltron, he didn’t think much of it at first — just that lately he’d been waking up earlier than usual. Early enough to worry everyone on the castle.

Then one morning, he checks the date.

And suddenly, he understands.

[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.

[vldunchartedregions]

Voltron Season 8 Meta Introduction

Hi! Welcome to "Uncharted Regions."

Now that it's been several years since Voltron Season 8 came out, the news of Netflix's removal of the series on December 14th, 2024 shook the fandom and pop culture as a whole.

You may be wondering... 1) Huh?! 2) Why?! It's a Netflix Original! 3) I loved this show, I don't understand! I was the same, too. We were all a little confused. However, licensing rights were ending to Netflix and Netflix doesn't want to renew. Fair play.

As someone who worked in a corporate company who also provides live streaming services + has a degree in television production, we have a better understanding of the executive decisions at play that comes down to it. It was not too hard to decipher why when you know what went on in the trenches of the Voltron fandom from 2016-2018.

The bottom line is that Netflix marketing did not match the source material provided, and there was intensive discourse across multiple facets of the fandom. You can imagine Netflix were not fans of the outcome of the series, and may not have even been told by Dreamworks the outcome of the series when Season 8 dropped; especially when Netflix's global social media accounts openly admitted to shipping Klance on Twitter.

Regardless, we're not looking at who's to blame, but you do have to wonder how such a large international miscommunication between Netflix, Dreamworks, and Voltron's IP holders went down the corporate funnel.

...I digress, let's move on.

As many people did from the news of it's removal (which also surprised the official Voltron accounts), I got back into the Voltron fandom really quickly and tried to rewatch as much as I could before it's inevitable removal from Netflix.

I haven't touched this show in years, friends. Not since 2020. The rewatch showed me one thing: that this show is breathtaking, stunning, and at it's core - it represented change. It's truly one of it's kind. To have the crew from Avatar: the Last Airbender, and Legend of Korra working on it on such a high level? Hell, there was an MFE pilot spin off in the works.

There was a lot of promising stories to tell with new outcomes and twists with a classic IP such as Voltron. It was promising a new future and fresh takes with comics, games, and so much more.

Now, alike to most viewers, I was there when Season 8 dropped. Hell, I was at the NYCC 2018 panel where they gave out these posters (which will be VERY relevant to this meta, I assure you):

The hype of Voltron Season 8 lead to a FULL panel that got closed off mid-way in the line. Many fans flew from across the globe (including myself) to get a glimpse of the showrunners, cast & crew, and a unique slice of the pie into Voltron Season 8's trailer.

The excitement was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before in a fandom. It was extremely thrilling, the trailer was outstanding, and Season 8 wasn't too far away.

First shown at New York City Comic Con 2018, get a look at the #Voltron production team's take on the upcoming final season of Voltron Legendary Defender, streaming on @Netflix tomorrow!

Then Season 8 dropped on Netflix... December 14th, 2018.

It was jarring. There were plot points that made no sense, obvious edits to scenes, censorships like a One Piece 4Kids dub, characters cut and pasted into scenes, and storylines were slapped together like a messy sandwich. And it was incredibly obvious too.

The fandom noticed and reacted accordingly - asking questions and demanding answers left, right, and centre. The showrunners responded through podcasts and statements on various levels.

The answer was clear... their vision wasn't the only vision going into the show:

"You know, as we sort of got through the process of premise, script, it went all the way down the line. It got storyboarded. And then at some point, you know, we received pushback from the studio and you know, we were sort of a little confused, like, “hey, how did it go, like, so far down the line before we received pushback?” And you know, this is not like a, like, a vilifying of DreamWorks or anything, like, every exec that we ever interacted with was, it was like, “hey, we understand why you want to tell this story. We understand where you’re coming from. It’s a little bit bigger than that. You know, there’s-there’s other, sort of, controlling parties with Voltron which makes it unique. It’s not just a DreamWorks-owned property.” And it just–I think logistically it just got really, really weird."

Joaquim Dos Santos - Afterbuzz TV interview. Source: https://dragonofyang.tumblr.com/post/183820127648/abtv-mar-4-transcript

---

Fans promptly started a petition two days later to release the original Season 8. THAT'S how obvious the editing was and how obvious the deterred, original vision had become.

As a disappointed fan and someone who studied media analysis intrinsically for university, I did try to rewatch back then, and it was painful to watch. What happened? There were layers of context on the cutting room floor and scenes didn't make sense. Hell, each episode title always has a double layered meaning, and even those layers were stripped from the core of the episodes for the most part. This left fans to say, "Whaaaaat is going ON?" The entire fandom was hurt by what had occurred.

The cast & crew that were also unaware of these story changes were also quite hurt, too. To make it more apparent, the showrunners were pretty open on speaking about leaving the project as well on the Buzzfeed Aftershow Podcast, but they simply couldn't:

LM: It’s not-it’s not just like, “Oh I can’t afford my mortgage!” You know, we have a crew that we care about we brought onto this show. If we abandoned them, we-we don’t know what’s in store for them. We don’t know, do they get to stay on? Do they get to keep their jobs? Does someone else come on and then they’re working under someone else that they didn’t sign up for? Or–

JDS: Or they’re working under someone else that’s just gonna be like, “Alright, we’re just gonna finish the show and not really do right by the rest of it.”

Lauren Montgomery & Joaquim Dos Santos - Afterbuzz TV interview. Source: https://dragonofyang.tumblr.com/post/183820127648/abtv-mar-4-transcript

---

We all wanted answers, and sure, some members of the team did speak up - but it didn't provide clear answers on what was the go with Season 8 being edited so far into post-production.

Now, this blog isn't dedicated to restoring Season 8 to it's original format (that would be lovely, but we have to be realistic - it has been 7 years and no google drives of the original season 8 have dropped so far). No, no.

That might happen (I've got a positive mindset on it - someone has to have a back up copy on some hard drive somewhere), or maybe it will be released... in a green sock reality.

Rather, this blog is dedicated to all the fans (new & old) whom want a sense of closure to as to why their favourite show on Netflix from 2016-2018 dropped the ball so hard for Season 8.

Not thinking much of it, I had posted a twitter thread detailing how the ending with all the lions flying off looked a little odd.

...And so, I received an anonymous inbox on New Years Day, 2025

This DM... was the start to an unravelling of webs and a rewatch that crumbled immediately. The cracks were all there.

I rewatched Season 8 with this information at hand with a few of my closest online friends, and we were shocked at how much there was to uncover. We were absolutely FLOORED by what was found, including incredible pieces of evidence from the fandom itself.

Now... Why does this matter? It's been YEARS and I'm sure we're not the first to uncover some pieces of information (See the #FreeVLDS8 movement - so, so many good finds there as a foundational point of reference).

Some of what we've uncovered in these Uncharted Regions has NOT been covered by the fandom before, nor does it scratch the surface of what's been found as of yet.

Welcome to the Uncharted Regions of Voltron Season 8.

Our aim for this meta is to acknowledge the following with detailed evidentiary support: 1. The editing of multiple episodes & scenes.

From there, we will look at the alleged changes: 2. Plot points & scenes that may or may not have had cuts. 3. Providing official-style edited shots comparisons to portray how some scenes should've looked in the original Season 8. 4. Piecing each episode / episode orders together (as best as we can) 5. The original ending.

Cheers to the beginning of a new meta, a new hope, and a new perspective on what truly happened to Voltron Season 8.

(Allegedly; for entertainment purposes only)

The one thing I humbly request is PLEASE... No hate towards the showrunners, cast, crew, or the official Voltron IP holders. There's a lot that has changed culturally and intrinsically within the industry over the years and this outcome was not something they could simply control. Let's be adults, look at this open conversation with empathy and love, and respectfully, let's indulge in this topic with grace - your feelings, however, are incredibly valid when it comes to this meta and what we uncover, as there's many alleged finds that may shock the fandom.

Let the journey commence.

Check out my Twitter page for any and all updates in regards to this insanely detailed meta; including teasers and screenshots! Please and thank you.

[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

[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.