Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 1 Review
For many, Voltron is a fond memory from their childhood. In the US, Voltron came before Power Rangers, Beetleborgs, or many of the 90’s shows that had teenagers using mechs of some kind to combine together and save the world. Yet, because it was in the 80’s, some don’t remember what Voltron was, or why it was so influential. Now, thanks to DreamWorks, Voltron is back, via a Netflix series, that brings the legendary robot into the modern era and with great results.
Full disclosure, because I was born in the late 80’s, I didn’t know about Voltron outside of an action figure my cousin had. So for me, this was a fresh experience, and I think it was better that way. It allowed me to view the series with fresh eyes and no bias. I believe this was part of the reason I liked it so much.
Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 1 really takes advantage of the “binge until you drop” quality that Netflix shows can have because if you were to simply cut out the credits at the beginning or end of each episode, it would play like a giant movie. Episodes are often only apart by a few minutes “in real time”, with one or two exceptions. This lends to not only a fluid story, but no “jumping forward” and making you wonder what happened in between.
As for the story itself, the first season really plays up the unlikely heroes arc when Shiro, Lance, Keith, Pidge, and Hunk go from cadets, or prisoner in one case, to wielders of the mighty Lions: Five mechanical beasts that were sealed away long ago, but are now needed to stop the vile Galra Empire and its emperor Zarkon.
Almost immediately, it’s apparent how unprepared these guys are for what’s coming, but that works in its favor. Many team shows, including Power Rangers, often make it “too easy” for the heroes to do things. Whereas in Voltron, even making Voltron is a challenge in and of itself, and because of that, you really see the growth of the five Paladins and how they need to work as a team to save the world. Even when they do succeed in forming Voltron, victory is anything but guaranteed. A new power is often formed because of one of the Paladins, which makes for some really cool battles.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a second or two to talk about the animation of Voltron: Legendary Defender. Many of the people behind this series were in the teams who brought Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra to life, including two of the main writers and producers and the animation studio, Studio Mir. Thus, the whole season is full of crisp visuals and amazing battles. There’s a well done blend of 2D and 3D, and it never feels out of place. In a world that values 3D or 2D for many of its cartoons, it’s good to see that not all have forgotten the old ways.
I would also like to take a minute to praise the characters themselves. While yes, they all fall into a typical trope: egomaniac, mysterious hero, amnesia victim, genius, hungry guy, not all is what it seems. In fact, no spoilers, one character is very much not what they seem, and this twist will surely rock some of the diehard faithful Voltron fans for sure. And though not all the characters get a spotlight in the full season, all the characters do show individual growth. From quiet moments of reflection, to proving one’s heart and worth to the team, it’s all well done.
Also, one of the characters who could’ve been the biggest stereotypes turned out to be one the biggest bright spots of the cast: Princess Allura. Leave to it the guys and gals who made Katara, Toph, Azula, and Korra to make Allura anything but a damsel in distress. While she certainly appears at first to be a reawakened princess, Allura shows she has iron in her veins, and isn’t willing to ever give up. Allura has one of the best arcs in first season, as she has to make the Paladins a team, get them to work together, then start building up alliances to fight the Galra Empire. It’s no small task, and yet the team manages her tough as nails exterior and her very compassionate soul very well. Allura is someone who values life above all else, and she’s willing to fight for that value.
Now, there are a few downsides to this season. Because of the approach the staff took, certain things get left out. For example, though the villainous Galra Empire gets shown off a bit, it’s never truly made clear how they survived this long in the show’s history. Only in the final episode do we get a reveal that does delve deeper into this, but it also comes at the worst time.
Additionally, though many of the episodes are streamlined into one story or arc, there is one episode that feels beyond pointless; a true filler episode. This is odd, because in a series with only 13 episodes to start, there’s no point for filler episodes, and yet we have one, and it’s very noticeable. Then, though there’s plenty of comedy, some of it is a little over the top. Coran especially personifies this. Though he’s a worthy character, he can get grating at times to an insane degree. Finally, and noted most by fans and critics, the end of the season comes abruptly with no warning, and there’s no real “tease” as to what’s about to happen. This is very odd, and will certainly jar those who are expecting a “true” ending to the first season.
All that being said, Voltron: Legendary Defender is a very worthy incarnation of the classic series. It’s unclear where it will go in further seasons outside of the standard “beat the bad guys” motif, but, there’s plenty of potential here. Not to mention great stories, great characters, and clear passion and heart for the universe.
Whether you are an old fan of Voltron, or one just learning about the series now, check out Legendary Defender, it’s already confirmed to receive a second season, and its debuting later this year! So hop on Netflix. Why? Because “We need Voltron!”