Re your Voltron legacy analysis post:
As someone who has not ventured into the original franchises before vld, I truly struggle to see where any chemistry between Keith and Allura may lie.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t because I am set on any other ship. Though I have to admit I can at least understand the dynamic of basically every other ship. Somehow, I can picture Keith with literally everyone except Allura.
What is the Allura and Keith dynamic like for you? How do they fit together in a vld context? Can they fit in a vld context? I understand that both their characterisations are changed in vld. Would it be similar to the shiro and Allura dynamic in season 1/2? Is it just something I need to watch the previous shows to understand?
Cheers
That’s a fair question. VLD definitely changed both Keith and Allura from their past iterations, which makes their dynamic less immediately recognisable compared to earlier versions of Voltron. But for me, their potential in VLD comes from their parallels and the subtleties in their interactions.
Both of them struggle with loss, identity, and leadership in ways that mirror each other. Keith with his Galra heritage and role as Black Paladin, Allura with the weight of being the last of her kind and the pressures of being a leader. They clash, but they also push each other to grow. There’s an underlying understanding between them that builds over time, even if it’s not the most overtly romantic dynamic in the show. Honestly, I think it could have worked if the show had leaned into it more, but maybe I’m just bitter (or projecting).
I think a lot of Kallura’s potential in VLD comes down to the subtleties in their dynamic—things that aren’t outright stated but still present if you’re looking for them. And I’ll admit, I’m not always the best at picking up on those details myself (often if it's not explicitly stated I likely won't get it, sometimes I don't get it even if it is explicitly stated), but thankfully, people way better at media analysis have pointed out a lot of moments that hint at something deeper.
For example, I saw a post someone once noted that in the alternate reality episode, when an explosion goes off, everyone else is focused on the blast—but for a single frame, Keith is looking at Allura instead. Little things like that, while not definitive, suggest where his priorities lie. Another thing that stood out to me is how there are only two people Keith truly seems to care about impressing: Shiro and Allura. He’s always visibly upset when he thinks Allura hates him—especially after his Galra heritage is revealed—and that says a lot for someone who normally shuts people out.
There’s also the fact that Keith and Allura are the only two who make the decision to run away together to protect the team. It speaks to a similarity in their thinking, their sense of loyalty, and their willingness to take on burdens alone. If Keith had stayed at the Castle instead of joining the Blade, I think we could have seen that dynamic explored even more, and maybe their bond would have strengthened in a way that made their connection more obvious.
I also think a big part of why it never fully developed was Keith leaving to join the Blade. If he’d stayed at the Castle, we might have seen more of their dynamic evolve, especially with how they both dealt with grief and responsibility. They were on parallel arcs, but the distance meant they never really got the chance to explore that connection. If things had played out differently—if Keith had been there during Allura’s lowest points or if they’d had more time to rely on each other—it’s easy to imagine a stronger bond forming.
That said, I totally get why it’s not an obvious pairing in VLD. The Shiro/Allura dynamic in the early seasons does have some similar beats, but Keith and Allura’s potential would’ve been more about equals learning to trust and rely on each other rather than mentor/student or protector/leader. If you ever do check out the older series (and I highly recommend you do), you might see where some of the history comes from—but I’d argue their potential in VLD exists regardless.
If you ever want to get a sense of how other people interpret it (people smarter than me), taking a peek at the Kallura tag (admittedly biased as it is) might help! But I totally get why it’s not something that stands out if you’re not looking for it.
Again, I could just be really bitter, but I'll let you decide that.
I hope this is a good answer because, as I said, I'm terrible at analysing (just ask my English teacher).
Cheers!