Written by: Kevin Berge
DreamWorks, just wanted to make a fun show that reminded people about the old days of massive robots and colorful teams working together, and the creators decided to add alternate dimensions to the mix. I'm sure DW was baffled. (Image Courtesy of: amazon.com)
Quick Take: Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 3 is shorter than previous seasons, closer to a half-season, but it packs in a lot of storytelling. By reshaping the team dynamic and opening up new avenues with the villains, the third season is the most involved to date.
Voltron: Legendary Defender Review: Season 1 | 2
***This review will contain spoilers for the entirety of Voltron: Legendary Defender through season 3. If you plan to watch the series but have not, do not read past this point to avoid spoilers.***
Find your inner worth. This is a key theme of season 3 of Voltron following the sudden disappearance of the leader of the Paladins, Shiro. The group is left reeling and not sure how to keep fighting at Voltron without their Black Lion.
The answer is that the crew must change. Keith takes up the Black Lion role as leader while Lance takes on the Red Lion. That left Allura to become the new Paladin, piloting the Blue Lion.
This new dynamic is far more interesting to see play out than the original group. Shiro was so focused and clearly the leader that there wasn't too much conflict. Keith struggling to trust himself as leader is strong storytelling, and Lance and Allura accepting their own roles lands so well.
In particular, one of my favorite scenes in the entire series so far was Lance talking to Keith once Shiro does reappear. He offers to step down because he feels he is the weak link of the group, but Keith does not let him. It is an emotional and human moment for Lance.
Shiro does end up reappearing in the fascinating episode "The Journey" where he seemingly escapes to return to the group. It sets up a mystery for how he got captured and truly escaped, and it leads to some conflict in the group that had finally started to trust each other as the new Voltron.
It adds a unique wrinkle especially after one of the series' strongest episodes "The Hunted" where Keith begins to accept his responsibility after recklessly leading everyone to danger. Lance supports him in his faltering moments. Allura finally connects fully with her lion to save the day.
***This review will contain spoilers for the entirety of Voltron: Legendary Defender through season 3. If you plan to watch the series but have not, do not read past this point to avoid spoilers.***
Find your inner worth. This is a key theme of season 3 of Voltron following the sudden disappearance of the leader of the Paladins, Shiro. The group is left reeling and not sure how to keep fighting at Voltron without their Black Lion.
The answer is that the crew must change. Keith takes up the Black Lion role as leader while Lance takes on the Red Lion. That left Allura to become the new Paladin, piloting the Blue Lion.
This new dynamic is far more interesting to see play out than the original group. Shiro was so focused and clearly the leader that there wasn't too much conflict. Keith struggling to trust himself as leader is strong storytelling, and Lance and Allura accepting their own roles lands so well.
In particular, one of my favorite scenes in the entire series so far was Lance talking to Keith once Shiro does reappear. He offers to step down because he feels he is the weak link of the group, but Keith does not let him. It is an emotional and human moment for Lance.
Shiro does end up reappearing in the fascinating episode "The Journey" where he seemingly escapes to return to the group. It sets up a mystery for how he got captured and truly escaped, and it leads to some conflict in the group that had finally started to trust each other as the new Voltron.
It adds a unique wrinkle especially after one of the series' strongest episodes "The Hunted" where Keith begins to accept his responsibility after recklessly leading everyone to danger. Lance supports him in his faltering moments. Allura finally connects fully with her lion to save the day.
The color coordination is all off this season. What happened to wearing the colors of your lion? Very disappointing. (Image Courtesy of: denofgeek.com)
The two eventually become Voltron together, and they survive. Shiro is not ready to take back up his lion or role, but there's a weight on the group as they try to figure out how to handle how things have changed. There are too many paladins for their lions, and someone is eventually going to be left out.
Prince Lotor enters this season of Voltron as the new lead villain following the coma of Zarkon. Lotor is more interesting than Zarkon on a few levels. He is more cunning and manipulative. He always has a plan on top of a plan. He also struggles with who he is and not becoming his father.
The conflicts between him and the Paladins are well done and developed. You get the feeling with Lotor that he might be too much for the group especially in their fractured state. Even when he seems to fail, he has a contingency.
What makes it most interesting is that he is quietly staging his own coup. Piece by piece, he is taking over Zarkon's empire, and the heroes don't even understand it's happening. They are too lost in their personal drama.
My main complaint with this season is that it just doesn't have enough. 7 seasons can make a season, but you have to keep the storytelling tight. This feels like half a season with its end an introduction to the true climax of the conflict.
What lands is that Voltron is opening up its lore. The threats are getting harder to clearly understand. Different realities appear, and the group is never sure exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes. After the end of this season, they looked to finally be ready.
These next few shorter seasons should get to be the most intense the series has ever been. It will be exciting to keep watching the show evolve.
Prince Lotor enters this season of Voltron as the new lead villain following the coma of Zarkon. Lotor is more interesting than Zarkon on a few levels. He is more cunning and manipulative. He always has a plan on top of a plan. He also struggles with who he is and not becoming his father.
The conflicts between him and the Paladins are well done and developed. You get the feeling with Lotor that he might be too much for the group especially in their fractured state. Even when he seems to fail, he has a contingency.
What makes it most interesting is that he is quietly staging his own coup. Piece by piece, he is taking over Zarkon's empire, and the heroes don't even understand it's happening. They are too lost in their personal drama.
My main complaint with this season is that it just doesn't have enough. 7 seasons can make a season, but you have to keep the storytelling tight. This feels like half a season with its end an introduction to the true climax of the conflict.
What lands is that Voltron is opening up its lore. The threats are getting harder to clearly understand. Different realities appear, and the group is never sure exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes. After the end of this season, they looked to finally be ready.
These next few shorter seasons should get to be the most intense the series has ever been. It will be exciting to keep watching the show evolve.
