making random worldbuilding lore for chapter 32 because I think it’s fun and I am (self-indulgently) writing Lotaxca’s meet cute, and tell me why the planet I’m (repurposing haha) created would have its former inhabitants referred to as “Daltorians” (it’s still TBD but its planet Daltor) and it got me thinking Earth = Earthlings, Altea = Alteans, Olkarion = Olkari, etc. but Daibazaal = Galra/Galran, not Daibazaalians or some iteration of that.
Is Galra like human? Am I missing something? I know that s3e7 says something about the Galra being a species of many warring factions (haven’t double checked that) and that they’ve always been really war-torn but they’ve also like conquered/colonized before Voltron’s creation.
Is Daibazaal a planet they potentially took over because their og planet went to ruin or something? Or maybe it could’ve been a lot more further down the line and the Galra could’ve been one race and then there could’ve been another race and Daibazaalians could’ve been the general term but then the Galra exterminated all of them, so they saw no reason to refer to themselves as general, they chose Galra. Also since the planet was destroyed, that cemented the fact that there was no reason for them to be called “Daibazaalians”
Wait you know what, I see the vision. This was helpful lololol
Oh also as we know there are several types of galra: lizard-like, cat-like and etc. So my headcanon is that in their early history they could definetely had race conflicts or race wars even. And eventually they build an empire in order to unite
There's a chance that there could have been some conflicts at some point during ancient Daibazaallian history, I just wish that we knew more about their race and history.
I'll get back to this later because I think Dayak touched upon this subject at some point but I don't have time to get into it right now because I'm spending the holiday with my family
They’ve got the same jawline and really similar eyes…
Shiro’s husband’s eyebrows look like Adam’s when he’s kissing Shiro.
Their noses can be very similar at certain angles.
Either Adam’s alive and faked his death (maybe lived on a tropical island for a bit and got that tan) and Shiro knows and married him or Shiro has a type.
Through the whole show we see that Galra people hated half breeds but they also had a multiple of them. This got me wondering. WHY? Why would a race that believes that they are superior to others try to have dirty half breeds with other species?
Now the first possibility is that they are unable to produce many healthy half breeds by nature.
Since early in the show we noticed that Galras came in all shapes, sizes and forms, they had many subspecies than any other aliens, even more than humans. This means that their race can create healthy children in any kind of environment, but only when that breed with other Galrans.
I’m not a scientist and this is a children's fantasy show, so I’m not sure how much science is cannon in it. Let’s say that this is just a theory that has no proof or confirmation, only some little clues through the show.
The first clue of course was Zarkon and Honerva.
We noticed in season 3 they tried to have a child and of course they did. But what if that is not the case? What if Lotor was the only successfully born child and that before him they tried to have many children that were unfortunately stillborn or miscarried? This would explain why there is so much age gap between him and Princess Allura. If we consider that, it would mean that the Prince was the only successful baby and they were ready to do anything to save him because they were tired of losing their children. This would also explain why they were so desperate to save him.
If you listen closely she says “we must have him”. Referring to the child and considering how scared she is, this is probably the only child who came so close to being born. This might also be a reason why she was so obsessed with life and quintessence
The second proof to this is the way people act towards half breeds. This theory is mostly based on the traditions from our own planet and the scene from season 8. Even today, some traditions exist because something bad was happening in the past and from the fear people brought laws and traditions to stop it from happening again.
I wasn’t sure what example I can use so let’s just say that in the past the Galran race did try to have half breeds, but they noticed most of those half breeds miscarry or are still birthed. Because of that they brought ideology that having a half breed is bad and brings misfortune.
We know from the real world that people do suffer a lot when they lose a child, especially if it’s really wanted one. So losing a child with the person you love over and over, no matter how many times you tried. Now imagine this happening over the history of Galrans who tried to have children with other aliens.
Through the time the knowledge of half breeds dying would become common, then it would become a superstition not to have them because it is sad that they bring sadness and suffering, something that one of the aliens said to Keith. This is something that actually made me think of this theory. If this is true then Galrans not loving half breeds is actually more tragedy then them believing that they were superior and it makes them more human.
If this was proved or confirmed in the show we would actually have a better image of what these aliens are like, and we would understand them a bit better. But unfortunately all we got is a bunch of evil aliens with no redemption or reason to why they were the way they are. They were few attempts to make them more humane but not so successful or they were not extended enough for us to care.
Or an Analysis of what Season Seven was Meant to be before They Rewrote it to Accommodate Black Paladin Keith
At one point, the EPs mentioned a version of s7 where Shiro went back to being Black Paladin. I hypothesize that was the original version. When they got the go ahead to make Keith Black Paladin, rather than rewrite the entire story, they rewrote parts of the script they already had to fit that.
This would explain why there’s no mention in the script as to why Shiro isn’t Black Paladin anymore. Because in the original script, he was.
So, here’s a few things I think ended up being changed, added, moved around or cut from the original to make this new vision “work.”
First Start by Realizing the Truth: There was no Wolf
Let’s go back to s6 and assume everything happened exactly the same way it did... only minus the wolf. Does this change anything in the plot? No. The wolf appears in s6, but does nothing but stand around in the background and presumably provide extra moral support for Keith during their long journey. You could remove the wolf entirely and it would change nothing.
Kind of like Shiro in the first half of s7.
@ptw30 made this theory a while back that Shiro was originally supposed to be Kosmo. Call it “crack” if you will, but I think it’s onto something. Only, it’s not that Shiro was supposed to be Kosmo, but rather that Kosmo replaced Shiro’s role in the narrative.
If Shiro had returned to being a Paladin, we can only assume he’d have a larger role. No matter how you slice it, it’s weird that an animal introduced last season is doing more important stuff than one of the main cast. Not even Krolia and the space mice are as active or indispensable as Kosmo the first half of the season. Also, as stated in the above theory, it’s weird for Kosmo to be smart enough to rearrange the passengers.
But how can Shiro do what Kosmo can do? He can’t teleport?
First of all, he came back from the dead. He can do whatever he wants. But in all seriousness, Shiro died after unlocking the Black Lion’s ability to teleport, then spent goodness knows how long inside the Black Lion’s mind and Voltron’s infinite quintessence. Yet all he got out of that was white hair? Usually a character design change indicates a change in the character. Shiro’s white hair should have been synonymous with gaining new abilities from his time being dead and his even stronger bond with the Black Lion to the point where he can mimic her powers.
Let’s Answer the Age Old Question: What Form does the Fucking Black Bayard Take for Shiro???
This question was asked in the very first episode where the other paladins receive their bayards, but Shiro’s is missing. He finally takes it back from Zarkon at the end of season 2, but disappears before he can use it outside of the lion. Kuron never used it except to toss it. Now Shiro’s back. We should get our answer, right???
In the narrative where Shiro remains Black Paladin, we would.
what has been Shiro’s primary weapon the entire series? His arm. What is Shiro now missing as of the end of s6? His arm.
How fitting would it be if Black used her missing part retrieved by Shiro to now replace Shiro’s missing part? The black bayard would take the form of Shiro’s new arm, erasing the last remnants of Galra control from the both of them and further cementing Shiro as her one true paladin. They are intrinsically connected once and for all.
And if you don’t think Shiro could get teleportation powers from being dead, then you gotta concede he could get them from the bayard. For what’s a cool new arm without cool new upgrades?
So let’s Look at Season 7 in this New Light
S6 happens the same way, minus wolf. Shiro returns, not as a retired paladin, but even more closely bonded with Black than ever. However, he doesn’t go back to piloting just yet. He’s recovering, getting used to a new body and a new arm, sorting through his head after being merged with the clone’s consciousness, and everyone is settled in this configuration at the moment. He’s content to rest up while Keith pilots Black, but there is a sense that this is temporary.
The pirates attack, Shiro rearranges the passengers.
Shiro ends up in the Green Lion with Pidge.
(Coincidentally, the Green Lion is where Shiro spends most of the journey home after this point) I thought this was weird with the wolf. Kosmo has a close connection with Keith, not Pidge. But Shiro has been known to be protective of Pidge in the past. It would make sense for him to leave Black to Keith, Coran and Krolia and go help their youngest member.
Then Shiro, to protect Pidge, teleports inside the Galra fighter to take it out, but gets injured (because of course Shiro would).
This conveniently leaves Shiro out of commission for the next episode where everyone is captured.
Shiro being hurt/unconscious for the majority of the episode would explain why he did absolutely nothing while Pidge was threatened, and why Keith would defer to Lance to lead the team out. It would also raise the stakes since they need to get Shiro to a pod.
It’s possible that this is the point where the first episode and the pre-kerb flashbacks would have gone. Shiro’s in a pod now because he was injured, not because the clone body is rejecting him. iirc the lions were depleted at the end of s7e3, but it is never explained how they recharge them. So the planet where they meet and talk to Acxa is where they find the yalmor and go on their “little adventure.”
“The Feud” episode can happen the same way it does. Either have Shiro there, but unable to teleport for some unknown reason (because space deity magic or whatever), or just add a moment at the end where Shiro makes some comment about agreeing that Bob is a jerk, implying he’d already been tested.
In “The Ruins” Shiro is the breakfast delivery service.
And when the Druid freezes everyone, it’s Shiro who grabs Keith and gets him out.
Then he and Keith fight the Druid together.
Honestly, Shiro has a bigger bone to pick with the Druids than Keith does, considering he’s the one who suffered from their interrogations and experiments. So having him help Keith take him down would feel way more satisfying. It also makes no sense for Keith to suddenly have a new power where he knows where the Druid will appear next.
But if Shiro, who himself has the power to teleport and mystical connections with the lions, the dead and quintessence, could sense him and told Keith where to throw his knife... It would feel way more like a team effort, rather than Keith being the magical anime hero who does everything.
Also, when Allura breaks through the ground, Shiro is the only person who doesn’t jump down the hole. Why??? Because he was already supposed to be there helping Keith.
In “The Journey Within” either Shiro was meant to be there, but unable to teleport because the lions powering down meant he was powered down; or he was frozen because he forgot his helmet/he’s so connected to Black that her being frozen=him being frozen.
“The Last Stand pts 1-2″ remain unchanged.
The paladins leave the lions on Saturn’s moon and return to earth.
Shiro was meant to go on the mission to scope out the Zaiforge cannons in “Heart of the Lion.”
So why change this? Why have a wolf do all the things Shiro was meant to do?
Because Keith needed to be Black Paladin now. Therefore, every connection Shiro had with Black had to be removed, including the bayard and teleportation powers. But the story needed teleportation powers and a close connection with Keith to work. The answer? Give Keith a pet wolf who can teleport because space and make him do everything while Shiro is reduced to a useless cardboard cutout.
Once they’re back on earth, Shiro’s role is mostly replaced by Keith. Example: Keith comforting Hunk. Look I love this scene, but it really doesn’t make a lot of sense if you think about it. Keith, Mr. “Shiro’s the Black Lion” “Where is Shiro” “Gotta protect Shiro” “Can’t imagine what Shiro’s done for me” “Shiro’s his guiding light” etc etc. Is “most impressed” by Hunk?? Bull-fucking-shit. Not that Hunk isn’t impressive, but come on.
Honestly, the more I look at it, the more convinced I am that this was supposed to be Shiro in this scene. Shiro, who’s still reeling from the loss of Adam in this war, would understand how Hunk feels in this moment better than Keith, who’s remaining family is currently in space and no where near earth’s conflict.
“Look, Hunk--I never told you this, but out of all the Paladins--you’re the one I’m most impressed by.”
“Never told you this”? Why would this be something that Keith should have told him before? Why would Keith look Guilty about this? He hasn’t been a full-time leader long enough where not having heart-to-hearts with his team would be an issue. But for Shiro, it would be. Hunk is the one character Shiro has never had a meaningful interaction or connection with. Wouldn’t it be nice for them to have at least one conversation like this?
“It’s no secret that you’ve been the most scared, but you’ve never backed down. Never. And to be brave is to go on in spite of fear. That’s who you are, Hunk.”
I’m sorry. Since when is Keith this eloquent? Since when does Keith give rousing inspirational mentoring speeches like this?
Keith: “I know you’re scared, but your family--they need you to be strong right now.”
Encouraging teammates about their family is something that Shiro has done repeatedly with Pidge. On that note, this scene eerily mimics the one in s1e3 when Shiro comforts Pidge. Right down to the sudden hug followed by an awkward reciprocation.
It is Uncanny.
Once the fighting begins in earnest, Shiro returns to his role flying Black and the others return to their original lions, which leads to this next point.
Allura the Life Giver, Healer and Bearer of Worlds
Allura was meant to have the Atlas. This is no new theory, so I don’t want to spend too much time on it, but I do want to talk about how this affects the plot and character arcs.
Instead of building Shiro a new arm, Allura focuses her energy on fixing the Atlas. The Atlas is meant to be their new base of operations, like the Castle of Lions was. It would only make sense for Allura, who has knowledge of Altean tech and alchemy to get it airborne.
Where Allura once used “the secrets of life” to fix Lotor’s transforming ships which he used to endanger the universe, she now gets the chance to use these abilities to create a new transforming ship that upholds and protects. Rather than losing another piece of her heritage, she is allowed to reclaim it under her own terms. Having her at the helm of the Atlas shows she is a leader once more. Where she had lost her home planet and her people, she has gained a new home, a new people who look to her for guidance in this war. She has stepped up from a leg of Voltron into a bot that stands on its own two feet. She is a leader, a general, a queen.
Not to mention, Allura does take the weight of the universe on her shoulders. She woke up from a 10,000 year sleep, discovers her entire planet and civilization are gone, and decided to lead a ragtag team of humans in an ancient intergalactic war. She takes responsibility for the planets they protect (see personally saving the Balmera and healing an entire planet). Super strong and super self-sacrificing, Atlas is an incredibly fitting title for Allura.
But as a result, she has to leave the Blue Lion, meaning Shiro returns to Black, Keith to Red and Lance to Blue. It makes more sense for Allura to say good-bye to Lance if she’s staying behind with the Atlas. Also it could mirror the scene in s3 where Lance gives her the blue bayard, by having her return it to him telling him to be safe.
They need to switch back to their original paladin configuration, and summon the Lions from Saturn. There is some tension as to whether the Lions will come for them, specifically if Blue will return to Lance.
Yellow and Green have no problems. Black is more than happy to come for Shiro because she’d come for him across death’s door. Red, in true Red form, rushes to Keith’s side faster than any of them. However Blue, the only Lion to shut its paladin out, is the one that stays behind.
It really didn’t make sense for Red to not come for Lance. Lance never had a problem piloting it before (other than adjusting to the speed), and Red is perhaps the most protective of the Lions. This conflict comes out of nowhere and is pointless. However, if it was Blue...
Lance has always had issues with self-confidence (the seventh wheel). When Blue first shut him out, he thought he wasn’t worthy of being a Paladin at all. When “Shiro” returned, Lance felt that he was the weakest link and should step down as a Paladin. I’d like to see Lance afraid that Blue won’t come for him, and have it seem like he’s right at first. But imagine the relief and joy when at the last possible second...
Blue comes for him. She comes for Lance. He is worthy after all, just like when they first met and she chose him out of all the others. This could have been such a beautiful affirming moment for Lance and his arc. But Lance and Red never had any specific bonding moments (or difficulty bonding) to make this significant.
Let’s get back to Allura and the Atlas. They’re unable to take down Sendak’s cruiser, and Allura is the one to infiltrate it and destroy its crystal. This is such an Allura move to pull.
Every time the Castle was in a situation where it couldn’t adequately help, Allura would just jettison herself into space and face the problem directly. She did it to help the Balmerans, she did it to take down Haggar during the s2 finale and she did it again with Oriande. She would absolutely go after Sendak’s crystal herself.
Shiro destroying the crystal is identically shot to Allura attempting to stop the Naxzela explosion. I don’t think this is a coincidence.
I’m not sure what this means for the Sendak showdown, but assuming Allura fights him, the lack of any sort of banter between them would be more understandable. It would also make more sense for Allura to survive reentry into the atmosphere and a crash to earth’s surface than Shiro. Maybe she was supposed to beat Sendak. Maybe Lance jumps in and takes him out with the Altean broadsword (remember that thing that thing from s5? No?). Maybe Shiro was supposed to leap from Black and take him out (because personal beef, “that’s right I’m still a paladin. too bad you didn’t get the latest model, bitch!”).
Allura transforms the Atlas. Oriande taught her the “secrets of life” so it makes sense for her to give life to this new ship.
She’s always been the one to pull out some new bullshit magic deus ex machina in the past. Why stop now?
She and the Atlas take the heat off Voltron long enough for it to destroy the enemy mecha. The mecha self-destructs and we get the fake out of the paladins dying.
In the end, Sam Holt is giving the speech in front of the Lions. The paladins are shown with their families. Allura, Coran and Romelle are visiting Shiro (Shiro has no family and neither do they. Let me have this. Maybe Iverson visits him too). The rest of the ending goes unchanged.
TL;DR: Season 7 feels so off because it was hastily rewritten to accommodate Black Paladin Keith, and all the roles needed to be swapped around whether it made sense or not.
So rather than go into a huge review, which I think I'll save for summer when I can see the seasons back to back, I figured why not do a listing of thoughts.
Warning spoilers below the picture.
Positive
The voice acting. Special call outside to Jeremy, Kimberly, Steve, Tyler, AJ, Cree, Neil, Bumper, and the actress that plays Honerva for their great work.
Fight animation was on point.
We did get to see some cool other realities
Nice job with the merged Voltlas and the lead up to it.
Making me feel bad for Honerva and Lotor.
Day 47 was actually really intresting.
Props for Colleen and Katie's relationship.
Vehicle voltron crew in the end.
Music was really strong this season.
Semi Positive
Merla actually is in it.
The date was at least cute, and Hunk and Romelle did something.
The end kiss, we can at least say that there was an official kiss between two men as a couple on a kids cartoon show.
Nice to see family photo.
The ending with the lion's flying to her in space.
Alteans mecha were decent.
Nice to see Romelle some what used.
Nice to see the team up with all the paladins.
Some other smaller things.
Criticism
Pacing was way off.
Characters are Ooc. Shiro and Allura especially.
Death of Lotor
Death or disappearance of Allura.
The epilogue.
Ezor's sudden appearance, and change of voice.
Sam's sudden voice change to Irish in one scene.
Alteans not listening to Romelle
Build up to one thing and then not following threw on a lot of things.
Merla's lack of role and the sudden joint of Honerva.
Honerva's genocide run.
The way they treated Allura, Lotor, and Curtis.
Keith not agreeing with Lance on Allura stopping her plan.
Allura even falling for the parasite.
Her actions against Zarkon
Bring back lotor as that.
Animation errors all over.
We did not need two fillers.
Allura becoming Atem from Yugioh.
There was just so much wrong. Dropped plots, missing arcs, and a tact on ending that feels really weird. So many characters could have been developed more and got shafted.
What if part of lance’s character development arc is succeeding where he failed before? He couldn’t save Shiro and we see how distressed he is at the end of season 6 due to the fact that he wasnt able to hear shiro through the astral plane and catch it in time to save him. But what if his redemption...is saving keith?
