Voltron Comic Shut Up and Explode — Falling in Love Over and Over Again

Episodes 1–eight

The offset time we see Lance, his blasé attitude and overconfidence leads to him bombing out of a simulator test at the Milky way Garrison, a school that trains humans to become "elite astro-explorers". Whilst reprimanding Lance, Commander Iverson references Keith: "I promise I don't need to remind you, that the only reason you lot're here, is that the all-time pilot in your course had a field of study consequence, and flunked out. Don't follow in his footsteps." A flashback from episode 5 illustrates that Lance has always been well-aware of this fact, equally after checking the Garrison roster he exclaims "I fabricated information technology! I'yard a fighter pilot! Hasta la later, Keith!". There's a disparity between Iverson'due south description of Lance as being little more than a replacement for a hot-headed top student, and Lance's vision of Keith as his equal and rival. The second fourth dimension Keith comes up in episode ane is in Lance's own words, as he spots him breaking Shiro out of quarantine.

From his perch on top of a cliff with Hunk and Pidge, Lance recognises Keith and says, "No mode! Oh he is not going to beat us in at that place. That guy is e'er trying to one-upwards me!" When Hunk expresses doubts that it could be Keith, who had been expelled from the Garrison over a year agone, Lance yells "Oh I'd recognise that mullet anywhere."

The situation becomes clearer when they become inside, and Keith doesn't call up who Lance is. With a flake of prompting, "We were like rivals, you know Lance and Keith, neck and cervix.", Keith says "Oh wait I remember you... you lot're a cargo pilot." From the commencement it'due south clear that they take an combative history, hinging around Keith's position as a top fighter pilot while Lance strives to outdo him. This imbalance is addressed again when Lance quips, "I'm fighter class now, thanks to yous washing out," and Keith responds, "Well, congratulations.." Keith's sarcasm and Lance's constant self-aggrandizement demonstrate a fundamental difference betwixt the two: The Garrison remains an important measure of cocky-worth for Lance, simply Keith is more than interested in the failed Kerberos mission than his own hereafter every bit a fighter pilot.

Keith guides Lance through an invisible maze

Keith may not seem overly interested in their Garrison "rivalry", but he continues to treat Lance as an badgerer throughout the first episode; "Nosotros could toss out some non-essential weight", "Shut upwardly and trust me", "You're the worst airplane pilot ever", "I don't know if yous noticed but we're in an alien warship."

Their interactions in the first episode are exclusively bickering, Keith usually throws sarcastic comments while Lance prefers mocking one-liners. Whenever Lance slips upwards, Keith is there to right him, whether for Lance's terrible math skills or his misuse of the word "quiznak". Information technology isn't uncommon for Lance to call Keith a "drop-out", although it's unlikely that he linked Keith's expulsion to Shiro's disappearance. Fifty-fifty at this early, rocky stage of their relationship, it's unclear whether or not Lance would bring it up every bit an insult if he knew the roots of Keith'southward subject issues.

Despite their tumultuous early human relationship, the ii are oftentimes paired together visually, and bandage bated their differences when information technology comes to forming Voltron and saving the universe. This takes piece of work, notwithstanding, with episode 2 devoted to the paladins working on "team bonding" exercises. Lance spends a lot of his fourth dimension trying to get Keith'south attention, "you still going, Keith?", and Keith rises to the bait every single time. Ofttimes with disastrous results, as when they ended up racing their lions into solid ground.

Keith claims non to intendance about the taunts, often attempting to accept the moral high-basis, but when it comes down to it, a single line from Lance is enough for him to cast bated his mutual sense. Their human relationship forces Keith to lighten upwardly, and equally it encourages Lance to stay focused in order to "win". Past the end of the episode, subsequently a glamorous nutrient fight against Allura and Coran, the paladins larn to work together equally one. When Allura points this out, Keith turns to Lance with a smile and says "Hey.. she's correct", to which Lance replies "I... actually don't hate y'all right now."

If simply they could come across eachother's faces.

Episode 2, as well as bringing Keith and Lance closer together and teaching them to piece of work every bit a team, as well highlights another major difference betwixt the pair. When given "heed melding" helmets to enable them to work together, Lance'due south visual is that of his family back in Cuba. He's used to being surrounded past a large network of people that beloved and support him, and being taken away from that all of a sudden is the cause of a lot of homesickness. This is highlighted in episode 4 when Lance speaks with Coran, who has lost his dwelling planet entirely. "I know we're supposed to be brave paladins, or defenders of the universe or whatever... but honestly? I just desire to go home."

Keith's mental visual of his desert shack, isolated and devoid of other people, is a stark contrast with all this. When Pidge tries to leave the grouping in episode 4, Keith gets angry, unable to comprehend the idea that they could prioritise "the lives of two people over the lives of everyone else in the entire galaxy!" The show-runners have stated that Keith is an orphan, and even though we know that Shiro helped him out in the by, for the moment it appears that he has no living claret-relatives. Different Lance, Keith has no family of his own to visualise. He is therefore unable to understand the concept of loving someone and then much that you'd put them above the whole universe.

At the end of episode 4, Lance gets heavily injured protecting Coran from a Galra bomb explosion. He regains consciousness long plenty to burn a shot at Sendak, before groaning and drifting out again. After a successful fight that leaves Sendak imprisoned, Keith kneels to hold Lance's paw and asks him if he's okay. Lance turns to him and says "nosotros did information technology, we are a skillful team", before smiling fondly. Keith smiles back, and seems to interpret information technology as an important turning point in their relationship because he brings information technology upwards in the following episode.

Episode half dozen begins with Lance however recovering in a healing pod, and Keith is more than impatient than the rest to run into him recovered. He taps on the drinking glass, saying "oh come on" and moodily request Allura "how much amend do you remember he'due south going to get in a few more ticks?"

He's also the concluding to go out the healing pod when the others begin squabbling over the departure between 'seconds' and 'ticks' as units of time. When Lance comes to, the first affair he does is flirt with Allura, to which Keith remarks "archetype", frowning and looking away.

Over breakfast, Lance thanks everybody for their help in saving his life. He tin can't resist making fun of Keith, however, turning to him and saying "sounds similar the mice did more than than you, though." Keith appears visibly shaken at the idea that his relationship with Lance is going to go along as before, his voice cracking as he exclaims "We had a bonding moment. I cradled yous in my arms!" to which Lance denies everything, saying "nope, don't recollect, didn't happen."

At this point in the series, it'due south fair to say that Keith would be fine with putting their rivalry behind them and condign friends that bicker sometimes, merely Lance is set on keeping things every bit they were.

Later in episode vi, Lance strikes out with Nyma, a humanoid alien girl who steals his king of beasts and leaves him tied to a tree. The only reason Lance ignores his bad feeling and takes Nyma for a spin is because she says "Perhaps Keith would requite me a ride..", prompting Lance to get jealous. Lance never clarifies why the thought of Keith and Nyma annoys him and so much, and the linguistic communication seems intentionally ambiguous.

Beingness the merely airplane pilot capable of navigating an asteroid field without getting turned into man scrambled eggs, Keith flies in to save Lance from where he'south stranded. He smiles, telling Lance that he got his lion back from Rolo and Nyma. Lance thanks him, and asks if he can "come and unchain" him. Keith takes the opportunity to tease him, saying "What's that? I uh, y'all're cutting out I can't- I can't hear yous". Lance proves that he does remember their bonding moment by saying, "Oh come up on, I idea we bonded! Keith? Buddy? My man?"

Episode vii sees Lance and Keith paired up for a mission, showcasing the good that they can achieve if they piece of work together. Keith is extremely talented but also impulsive, and Lance holds him back from "blowing things upwardly" on the Balmera "like a psycho". Instead, he offers an culling plan, which Keith accepts is "actually... a better idea."

Together they go to the command room in lodge to close the bay doors, only Lance is unable to understand the Galra technology. Although neither are aware of information technology at the time, Keith is able to become the hand print to activate due to the presence of Galra Deoxyribonucleic acid in his claret.

Comic Interlude

A series of v comics have been released, prepare in canon, directly after the events of the Balmera arc, but before season 1 episode nine.

In issue 1, Lance uses a new nickname for Keith that isn't derogatory or having to do with his hair, "Samurai". What's interesting is his blush when he compliments Keith's skills. It's the offset time we see him directly appreciating Keith's abilities, with Keith there to hear it, and demonstrates the level of respect Lance has built upwards for him.

Issue two sees the pair returning to their feature squabbling, with Lance provoking Keith on multiple occasions and Keith ascension to the allurement. Lance seems more than determined than ever to testify himself in comparison to Keith, and is irritated that Keith continues to doubt his skills. When Lance messes upwardly Keith sarcastically says "Great task, Lance", twice. Ane of those times Lance claims that his bayard upgrade is "way better than Keith'southward", but it doesn't unlock, Pidge noting that peradventure Lance isn't set for it.

When Lance successfully keeps their side of Voltron stable, Keith changes runway, complimenting Lance in hostage. He too goes on to back Lance upward concerning Hunk's plan, saying "I'm with Lance, I don't know if I buy that". Keith is likewise the simply 1 to ever compliment Lance on his abilities, proverb "Great task, Lance. And this fourth dimension I actually mean it." At the end of issue ii, Lance says that saving a princess sounds like his kind of job, and Keith again looks unimpressed at Lance's flirtiness. Keith is a businesslike character, then Lance constantly getting side-tracked past girls is something he begrudgingly accepts.

Outcome 3 of the comics is notable because it'southward narrated by Lance himself, and presented from his perspective. At the start, he describes all of the paladins and their respective strengths in detail, earlier reaching Keith and simply referring to him as "the other ane". Throughout the comic he exaggerates his achievements to the point that they're the opposite of what is really happening, such every bit when he narrates that "he never got scared fifty-fifty a little chip", contrary to the articulate visual of him screaming. This makes yous wonder about his reasoning for choosing not to flatter Keith as he did the other paladins.

Later on he flirts with Allura once more, and Keith is then exasperated he facepalms, quickly becoming irritated with Lance'south antics. In response Lance narrates, "jealousy, thy name is Keith." Much similar episode 1x06 with Nyma, the language of this scene feels purposefully vague. It seems that Lance thinks Keith is jealous of him, beingness able to so 'smoothly' amuse Allura, just it could besides go the other way. Keith could just as easily be jealous of Allura herself and Lance'southward attentions towards her.

The consequence ends with Lance proverb to the dragon princess that he saves, "this isn't the offset time an enraged princess has screamed at me". Keith looks on with a fond smile, proverb "and it won't be the last."

In issue 5, narrated past Pidge, Keith and Lance argue about love. Lance says, "My centre is stronger than always, despite it being broken many times." Keith replies, "Isn't that love, similar Hunk says?" to which Lance says "Oh, be quiet before I intermission you and run into if yous reform stronger". Information technology'due south a weird conversation because Lance is looking for a fight merely at the same time if Keith is right and that is what love is, then that'due south effectively what Lance is asking for. It's notable to point out this is the first fourth dimension beloved is ever direct brought upwardly in the series.

Episodes ix-eleven

The outset interaction between the two in episode 9, predictably, comes when Keith insults Lance's intelligence. Lance says, "When I go, I desire all the information in my brain to be stored in a giant ship", to which Keith retorts, "the amount of data in your brain could be stored in a paper airplane." However, this could also be taken as Keith poking fun at Lance non remembering the bonding moment, as Keith never actually insults Lance unprompted.

When the castle becomes infected and Lance gets trapped in the airlock, his screams for assistance bring Keith, who is running from a malfunctioning training bot. He yells "what are y'all doing in there?" just before Lance can answer properly, the airlock opens, and he'southward virtually thrown out into deep infinite and certain death. Luckily, Keith fights harder and manages to get the preparation bot through the airlock, earlier pulling Lance to safety.

When their breathing has calmed downwards Keith cries again, "what were you doing out in that location?" to which Lance asks "who was that guy?" Even with their grouse, Keith and Lance are a team, and neither wants to see the other get hurt.

The flavor 1 finale once more draws attention to Keith'southward practical outlook and his tendency to put the mission above personal feelings. When Allura is captured by the Galra he says, "Maybe we shouldn't proceed this mission at all. Recollect about it, nosotros'll exist delivering the universe's only hope to the universe's biggest enemy... I'm not proverb I like the idea, I'm merely thinking like a paladin." Lance reacts badly, saying "No, you're thinking of yourself, because you're too scared to do what's right."

When it comes down to it, Lance and Keith are a role of squad Voltron for different reasons. Lance isn't there because he wants to be, he's in that location because if he doesn't stay everything he loves on Earth volition exist at adventure. By dissimilarity, Keith has nothing left for him on Globe and so prioritizes his duty every bit a paladin of Voltron higher up all else. Having spent a year lonely in the desert, he has trouble empathizing with others, but this doesn't hateful that he doesn't care near them. Contrary to how Lance sees information technology, this isn't truly a production of selfishness, and Keith fears existence perceived as such. He just finds it difficult to remainder personal emotions with the greater purpose of Voltron, he doesn't have any reason to hide beneath faux bravado, and thus never hesitates to share his opinion even if it's controversial. Lance, on the other hand, repeatedly hides his truthful feelings. Considering himself a spare part, he suppresses the sad and insecure side of himself in club to project the kind of false confidence he wishes was real.

Shiro's 2nd disappearance at the end of Season iii will be a turning point, every bit nosotros'll see whether or non Keith volition keep to prioritize the mission over his friends and personal feelings. The absence of a squad leader will besides strength Lance to take on more responsibility, and nosotros'll encounter whether or non he'll be willing to bandage bated onetime jealousies to accept Keith every bit a leader. But more on that later.

When the lions become separated in the wormhole jump following the final battle of Season 1, Shiro and Keith land on a planet together. During their time at that place, we discover barely anything more on their backstory, other than that Keith's life would have turned out "a lot unlike" if they hadn't met.

"Heh, like that?"

Additionally, Shiro is heavily injured and tells Keith that if annihilation happens to him, he wants Keith to get the new black paladin and lead Voltron. Keith brushes information technology off to start with, but it will go on to be a central theme throughout the season.

When the group reunites in episode three, Keith and Lance go on their arguments to a minimum. The situation is mortiferous serious, and when Keith expresses doubts about the collective of Galra who helped Shiro escape imprisonment Lance says "You know I hate to hold with Keith, only... information technology's a big fat ditto for me."

Episode 4 begins with Lance trying to get Keith's attention again, this time by throwing a goo-spore-thing at his head. His aim is off and he hits Shiro, but as he'due south apologizing, "Lamentable Shiro, I was trying to striking Keith", Keith lands a hit directly to his face. Smirking, Keith chuckles under his breath and teases, "like that?"

Once they've returned to the castle and been decontaminated, Keith asks Coran whether the Galra had ever visited Earth, or whether one could have piloted the blue lion. Seemingly out of nowhere, the doors to Lance's bedroom open behind them. "Hey, why are you request about my lion? How many Lions exercise you need?" Lance is used to Keith one-upping him at everything, and then the concept of his rival piloting Blue as well unnerves him.

Keith is pretty taken aback by Lance'due south accusation and stutters a bit, denying it, only Lance goes on to say "y'all've had your eye on the blue king of beasts from twenty-four hours ane!" Whatever rivalry they had at the Garrison is still very fresh in Lance'southward heed, even if Keith seems more than confused than anything.

The episode continues with a battle, and the two work in sync thanks to their corresponding panthera leo powers of fire and ice. When Lance's panthera leo gets iced, Keith jumps in to melt it with burn down, and Lance cheers him.

In episode 5, Lance and Keith are tasked with fending off some Galra ships with remote controlled drones. When Lance doesn't shoot a ship fast plenty and Keith jumps in, they end upwardly bickering over again and crashing their drones into one another, ignoring the imminent threat. The battle is won, and the paladins are all then exhausted from evading Zarkon that Shiro tells them to get some rest.

Lance decides to go to the pool, and Keith independently does the same. While Lance is waiting for the elevator to get downward, Keith'south hand appears and he forcibly jams it open. They're less than thrilled to see each other, with Lance request "What the heck do you recollect you're doing?"

Keith is very insistent that they go on their altitude. When the elevator doors shut he glances at Lance and says "Look. You stay on one side of the pool, and I'll stay on the other, and nosotros'll be far far away from each other. Very. Far. Abroad."

Unluckily for Keith, soon after he says this the lift breaks downwardly, and they're trapped at that place. They manage to create an opening in the top of the elevator, and climb upwardly back-to-back, "The Emperor'due south New Groove" way. After a fleck of complaining they find a ventilator shaft and manage to dive through, Lance screaming while Keith remains expressionless. Miraculously they survive the fall without breaking any limbs, only to notice that Altean pools are upside downward and fixed to the ceiling so they couldn't accept swum there anyhow.

Zarkon finds them again so the paladins regroup, and their power to work together when faced with a serious threat is demonstrated once again. Keith warns Lance of a fighter advancing on his nine, and Lance thank you him for the heads up. He says "and you lot got one going for the lower barrier", to which Keith compliments "skillful centre". When Lance loses control of his defence force drone, Keith says "I've got yous covered", although he likewise loses control of his drone shortly afterward.

In episode vi, when Keith and Allura both start to suspect that they're being tracked by the Galra and sneak abroad in an escape pod, Lance reacts badly. "Expect a minute.. Keith and Allura? In the middle of the night? You don't think they're... sitting in a tree?" When Shiro says "contact the pod" Lance chimes in more assertively, proverb "Yes, contact that pod!" It's a similarly ambiguous situation to 1x06, in which Lance gets defensive of the thought that Nyma might claw upwardly with Keith. He doesn't actually give a reason for information technology, merely seems fixated on the idea that Allura and Keith might be hiding something.

It comes up again when Keith and Allura return to the group, and Lance asks Keith, "Is the princess with you?" "Yeah." "Like, with you, with y'all, or...?"

On the one hand, both of these instances can hands be attributed to Lance not wanting Keith to "one-up" him concerning Allura'southward affections. On the other, it's Keith that Lance asks, not Allura, and that'south iv instances (including the comics) in which Lance's jealousy is just equally hands applied to winning Keith's angel equally to the daughter. Little things similar this, and specially the rainbow and bisexual flag colouring of the scene with Nyma in 1x06, have led people to supsect something deeper might exist at play here. Similar utilize of colouring and subtle hints were used by the same show-runners when exploring Korra's feelings for Asami in the Legend of Korra, so information technology's less of a stretch than it may first appear.

When Keith was orphaned, the only thing he had left to him was a knife, which he after recognised as being similar to those carried by a group of Galra called the Blade of Marmora (the same group who saved Shiro's life). This leads to him going on a mission with Shiro in episode eight. At the Marmora base he goes through a serial of trials, ultimately culminating in the discovery that he does take Galra heritage. We likewise get a glimpse of Keith's father, who represents the conflict within him that is and then central to his graphic symbol: The battle between his personal feelings and his duty to the galaxy.

During these trials, earlier Keith awakens the knife and discovers his true heritage, he gets beaten up to within an inch of his life. It'south a relatively rare occurrence, as Keith is a reckless simply skilled fighter. This prompts Red to leave her mail service, rushing to save her paladin who's in danger. When the other paladins back on the ship realise that Keith must be in problem, Lance is visibly concerned. He says Allura's proper name questioningly, and continues to wait at her with a stressed expression until Keith and Shiro return.

Season 2 is fundamentally dedicated to Keith discovering and coming to terms with his heritage, then it'south hard to ascertain how this season influences his relationship with Lance when we haven't been able to come across Lance's initial reaction to him being Galra. He doesn't seem to treat Keith whatsoever differently post episode 8, he doesn't refer to him as "the only half-conflicting team fellow member" or "Galra Keith" like Hunk, nor is he outwardly angry like Allura.

At Beta Traz in episode 10, Lance describes his teammates to a yupper. It's an interesting dissimilarity with outcome 3 of the comics, where Lance simply regards Keith as "the other one". In this case, he says: "Keith is always doing things similar flying into asteroid fields and black holes and absurd junk similar that." Information technology's worth noting that while Lance is describing his other teammates, he has a happy, excited expression. However, while describing Keith, Lance'south face turns more fond.

After Shiro'southward disappearance in the season 2 finale, Keith was visibly upset and frustrated thinking that the team had forgotten their teammate's disappearance and even blew upward during a diplomatic meeting in season 3 episode ane. However, near the terminate of the episode, the team follow Keith to where the black panthera leo was. The team all look to Lance to get comfort Keith, which Lance doesn't even notice because he is too busy already looking at Keith. This shows that, "rivalry" and bickering aside, Lance truly does care about Keith and his well-existence.

Lance approaches Keith with "Hey man, heed... We all miss Shiro. I call up what a thrill it was to encounter him for the start time when the two of u.s. carried him out of that garrison hospital." Lance's option of "the two of us" rather than "we" or "you lot and I" shows that he and Keith are a team, a pair. Afterward Pidge and Hunk say some things, Lance follows upwards with "Yous're not the simply ane hurting, man. We're all right there with you. But you know that he would exist the offset one to tell u.s.a. that we have to move on." Lance is the simply one who is consistently there for Keith in flavor 3. He helps Keith move on from Shiro's disappearance, and helps him to grow as a better leader. In episode 2, Coran tells Keith that he might be the new blackness paladin, to which Lance remarks "Keith would be the worst leader of Voltron!", showing that, while Lance does care for Keith, he still has that rivalry in his head.

After Pidge describes all the team's roles, describing Keith as the loner and Lance as the goofball, Lance denies information technology by saying "I'm not a goofball! I'm like the absurd ninja sharpshooter." Keith so scoffs and says "Are y'all joking?" with a soft look on his confront. Lance retorts "I'one thousand being completely serious when I say I do non want you to lead me anywhere." to which Keith says "I don't desire to exist the leader! That's just what Shiro wanted!" which seems to change Lance'due south point of view.

When Keith rejects the blackness lion accepting him, Lance looks visibly shocked. Keith says "I can't supervene upon Shiro! Yous guys were right, I'thou the loner. I'k not the leader Shiro thought I was." Lance goes to comfort him, placing his hand on his shoulder, maxim "Keith, no one can replace Shiro. But the black king of beasts wouldn't cull anybody it didn't feel was worthy to pb Voltron. I respect its choice. And you should too." Subsequently this, Keith starts to accept his new part of black paladin of Voltron. However, the blue lion doesn't respond to Lance when he needs it for a battle. Lance takes this every bit it showing him he's not meant to be a paladin ("Not only am I non meant to be the leader, I estimate... I guess now I'chiliad non even meant to exist a paladin"). Even so, right after he says this, the red lion roars for him. Allura notes this equally "Lance, when you accustomed Keith as the new leader of Voltron, it proved you value a stiff squad over your ain demand for glory." In episode 3, Keith leads the team into a very unsafe situation on impulse, not considering the consequences. Keith wants to go along going after Lotor, fifty-fifty when Allura's lion took a hit. However, Lance is the one to get him to stop, therefore being Keith'southward impulse control. However, Keith was still deadset on finding Lotor, even when Lance emphasized that they're a team and accept to stick together.

Note the red and blueish scenery.

However, when the team gets separated, there is what seems like a big turning bespeak for Keith and Lance'due south relationship in flavor iii. Lance says "What happened dorsum there? Where's the rest of the team?" to which Keith opens upward to Lance and says "This is all my fault. I followed him right into this trap. Everyone warned me, but I didn't heed. I put the entire team in jeopardy." Lance replies "Yeah, y'all kinda did. But now we gotta fix it." And Keith agrees, "Y'all're right. Allow's become." Worth noting is the scenery and the way the whole scene is set up, with the black lion (Keith) slowly drifting towards the red panthera leo (Lance).

Keith admits it'southward his fault and opens up to Lance, to which Lance says yeah, information technology'south your fault, but we can ready it. Lance doesn't say Keith can fix it, he says we can fix it.

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Source: https://shipping.fandom.com/wiki/Klance

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