Voltron Season Six Plot Summary:
The Paladins discover shocking truths once Keith (Steven Yeun) reunites with the team. The Voltron pilots must then attempt to save one of their own as they battle their greatest enemy yet.
It’s been said that good things come to those who wait, and Voltron: Legendary Defender’s sixth season definitely gives credence to that adage. Last season’s final two episodes may have teased major answers to some of the show’s long-running mysteries, but season six truly cashes in on these questions and handsomely rewards fans for their patience. These explosive developments and twists simultaneously pay homage to the original series and further cement Legendary Defender’s own excellence, resulting in the show’s best season yet.
Honestly, the season’s only real faults are ones that the series has struggled with from the beginning: the pacing can be weak at times and some of the Paladins simply don’t receive their fair share of the limelight. A prime example of these issues comes in “Razor’s Edge,” during which we finally learn more about Keith’s parents. All of the flashbacks to Keith’s birth are moving and satisfying, but they are undercut by the clunky, expository way these flashbacks are finally delivered. Likewise, the episode goes out of its way to draw attention to a passage of time that feels shoehorned in and entirely unnecessary. Had the events of the episode been given time to unfold naturally, the powerful revelations from “Razor’s Edge” would have flowed much better and negated the need for a weak montage.
The same episode also draws attention to just how much more attention and strong material some Paladins get compared to others. While Keith goes on a mysterious mission that sheds new light on his past and the entire universe, half of the Paladins fall into their normal routines: Pidge (Bex Taylor-Klaus) messes around with computers, Hunk (Tyler Labine) tinkers with machines, and Lance (Jeremy Shada) thinks about his relationship with Allura (Kimberly Brooks).
The only real development is that Lance finally acknowledges that Allura has no romantic feelings toward him whatsoever. That may be a huge step for a character that has spent the better part of six seasons swooning over the princess, but I am not convinced the move will have a lasting impact on Lance’s ladies’ man routine. Likewise, now that Pidge has been reunited with her brother and father, she has become nothing more than the team’s IT department. As much as the show shines when Shiro (Josh Keaton), Keith, Allura, and Lotor (A.J. Locascio) are at center stage, I can’t help but feel disappointed that the other members of Team Voltron have fallen by the wayside.
Thankfully, though, season six never feels weighed down by these issues. After a slow start with “Omega Shield,” the season absolutely fires on all cylinders; one of the season’s greatest strengths is that almost every episode propels the story along and feels crucial. The only real exception (other than the premiere) is “Monsters & Mana, which is clearly nothing more than a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired filler episode. Yet even that episode is so zany, imaginative, and straight-up fun that the detour doesn’t come off as a waste of time. I’ve seen other cartoons attempt D&D episodes (the first that comes to mind is Dexter’s Laboratory’s “D & DD”), but Voltron’s take on the RPG is easily my favorite.
Outside of that break, the season also does a marvelous job of establishing what the show’s major conflict is. As much as I enjoyed the season five finale, “White Lion,” the episode left me unsure what the team was fighting for and against. Season six squashed those nagging doubts and proved that the Paladin’s greatest enemy (or enemies) was hiding in plain sight. I don’t want to spoil any of the big reveals from the season’s second half, but I will say that their motives and philosophies feel organic and satisfying in a way that we never truly got from Emperor Zarkon (Neil Kaplan).
Yes, we later learned that he was the OG Black Paladin and was driven mad by his exposure to pure Quintessence, yet those reasons just never rang as truly compelling. The villainous reveal in this season, on the other hand, manages to be a real gut punch to fans… in the best narrative way possible. While viewers who watched the original series will appreciate this development from a special vantage point, the season’s final two battles will undoubtedly give fans of all ages and familiarity with the source material goose bumps.
Unlike most of the show’s previous outings, the latest season doesn’t end on much a cliffhanger. Thinking back to my analysis of season two, I am tempted to suggest that the series end of this high note, but I am now more confident than ever that the writers and producers have plenty more twists and turns in store for our favorite giant robot lions.
Score: 9.5 out of 10
