Though Voltron: Legendary Defender only released new episodes on Netflix for two years when the ‘80s series rebooted, eight seasons of content are available for streaming. Multiple short seasons released each year so fans didn’t have to wait too long between pieces of the story. Each season had plenty of action, drama, humor, and some great lines.
Season five brought a lot of change to the series. The paladins of Voltron formed a tentative alliance with Lotor while Allura pursued more information about her heritage. It led to some shake-ups within the ranks as the group searched for a way to save the universe. Over the course of the season, there were a lot of great moments of dialogue. These are ten of the best.
“Look, It’s Prince Lotor… Just Hanging Out On The Bridge.”
Prince Lotor became an unexpected ally of the paladins in season five. After they held him prisoner and used his intelligence to target Zarcon’s empire, Allura decided to trust him. Not everyone was okay with that.
When Lance voiced his disbelief that Lotor was freely walking around the castle, the audience was right there with him. Lotor did help the paladins a lot in season five, but very few members of the audience believed he was going to stay one of the good guys.
“If You Just Wait, We Can Give You The Backup You Need.”
Was a character really a paladin of Voltron if they exhibited any kind of patience when it came to saving someone they cared about? Probably not.
When Pidge had the chance to save their father, they took it, regardless of whether they had backup or the mission was dangerous. They and their brother Matt made a daring rescue attempt when they found out where their father was, not listening to Allura’s advice to wait for the rest of Voltron to back them up. It almost cost them their lives, but it’s really par for the course when it came to the heroics of the series.
“I Think Your Bayard Is Showing You What We’ve All Been Noticing - You Have Greatness Within.”
While training with his bayard, Lance found himself in for a surprise. It transformed into an Altean broadsword. Confused by the new weapon choice, Lance was even more surprised when Allura explained it was the kind of weapon her father used to use - and she called him great.
Lance, and his crush on Allura, had always been used for comic relief. Season five was where he truly started to grow. He wasn’t just the funny sidekick anymore, but a leader, willing to step up and disagree with Shiro for the good of the team. Allura was the one to make it clear that it wasn’t just the audience noticing the change in Lance, but that it would be important for the team as well.
“We Can’t Go Home…”
Initially, the paladins had one goal: to protect Earth. Over time, that goal expanded to wanting to protect the entire universe. It didn’t matter that most of them were still teenagers.
When Pidge and Matt finally reunited with their father, he was all set to return to Earth with his children and make their family whole again. Matt and Pidge, however, weren’t ready to go back. It was Pidge who gently told their father that they couldn’t go home yet - not until everyone was safe. The scene reminded fans that these were just kids who had taken on the responsibility to save the world.
“Speaking With You Has Actually Made Me Feel Better.”
One of the things Voltron did incredibly well was the banter between its main characters. The writers had a knack for making what should have been insulting lines become affectionate ribbing. That’s exactly the case with Allura’s quip to Lance here.
Allura and Shiro spent a lot of season five at odds thanks to him not exactly being himself. When she voiced her concerns to Lance, he kept a level head, reminding her that they were all on the same side and it was okay to have different points of view. Allura, who often left conversations with Lance feeling like he didn’t take anything seriously in the early seasons of the show, came to value and respect his advice. Her line might have made the audience laugh, but it was also a reflection of how things changed.
“Are We Navigating By Cave Paintings Now?”
Technology in Voltron was pretty fascinating. Alteans had some pretty advanced science and engineering practices 10,000 years before Earth did. In their ancient history, however, they still had cave paintings and sculptures just like Earth.
When Lotor recounted instructions for entering a white hole to find the answers to ancient Altean alchemy practices that he found on the wall of a cave, no one was particularly thrilled with the idea. It still wasn’t clear how much Lotor could be trusted or just how much of his knowledge was based on myth instead of fact. The team wanted facts before they did anything rash, but Allura agreed to listen to Lothor. Hunk’s sarcastic question spoke for everyone else.
“All I Ask Is To Be Judged By My Actions Rather Than Your Preconceptions Of My Race.”
Despite Lotor turning out to be pretty deceitful, he did have some incredibly eloquent quotes. This gem is one of them.
After repeatedly giving up information about his father’s empire, and helping the paladins free many civilizations, there was still some hesitation to trust him. Lotor knew the reputation of the Galra as people who took planets by force, and forced the citizens to work for them. He didn’t want all of his race to be seen the same way. The message about racism was loud and clear to the audience.
“His Supply Chain Management Is Incredible. He Definitely Color Codes.”
When Lotor destroyed his father, it created a scramble for power and status in the Galra empire. Lotor wanted to place himself in control, but he had some competition. As he ran down the possible rulers that could end up in charge instead of him, there was one bad guy that had Pidge’s respect.
Quartermaster Janka was responsible for the supply routes for the Galra. Pidge, familiar with his work, was clearly impressed by just how orderly he was for a villain. Hunk even chimed in, referencing “organized evil.” Even villains can earn the respect of heroes.
“Let’s Fly Into The Cosmic Death Storm.”
When first hearing this quote, it might sound like Lance said “Death Star.” That makes some wonder, did Star Wars exist in the Voltron universe, and if so, was Lance a fan? Of course, he actually called the white hole a “death storm” instead.
Like Hunk, Lance wasn’t sold on the idea of all of the Voltron lions flying into a white hole - especially when they had no guarantees that they would survive it. He only voiced his displeasure through a little sarcasm once Allura decided they were going for it.
“If You Get Too Worried About What Could Go Wrong, You Might Miss A Chance To Do Something Great.”
Technically, this quote didn’t solely belong to season five. It was something said much earlier in the series as well, but it made a reappearance when Pidge’s father decided to return to Earth.
Though Sam Holt agreed that the Galra had to be stopped, he wasn’t sold on his kids fighting the good fight in outer space. He was worried about what would happen when he returned to Earth, that he wouldn’t be able to prepare the planet in time. Pidge repeated these words to him, something Shiro had told them, and something Sam had once told Shiro, to remind their dad that they couldn’t give in to worry and fear.
