The highly popular Netflix animated series created by Dreamworks Animation, Voltron: Legendary Defender is back for a 6th season this week. The previous season focused more on Lotor, the son of the team’s worst enemy and seemed to not give the Voltron team as much attention. Does this season follow suit?
SPOILER WARNING FOR SEASONS 1-5
Summary
As Lotor and the Voltron Paladins work to unite the universe, Keith finds a link to his past which may just help him to discover a dark truth hiding in the shadows.
Writing
It is revealed in the first episode of this season, Vrepit Sa (the salute used by the Galra Empire) translates to “Killing Thrust.” This seems symbolic as season six seems all about delivering dramatic moments which hit close to home. Once the drama shifts into high gear and the Vrepit Sa is delivered, the Paladins are pushed to their breaking point. It is here where the show’s strength truly shines.
The revelation with Keith in the previous season is flushed out more. Thanks to a cosmic phenomenon he and Krolia (his mother) find a way to learn about each other’s past. It helps you to understand Krolia, her motivations, and some of the questions Keith always wanted to ask her. It also feels like this season is giving fans more Keith to make up for how he was underutilized for most of the previous two.
This season also features a comedic episode overflowing with so much humor it may have dethroned Space Mall as being the most insane episode to come out of this series. How funny is it? The team plays their universe’s equivalent of Dungeons and Dragons. Yeah. You read it correctly.
By the end of it, both the Paladins and the audience are taken on a ride which will leave them emotionally drained, spiritually satisfied and eager for more adventures to come.
Animation
The animation has returned to being top notch. While there were moments in season five which seemed unpolished compared previous seasons, season six has much fewer of these to speak of. There was briefly a moment where the animation shifted in a way which was not as clean as the rest of the episode, but this was during a scene of intense action. A minor error on an otherwise exceptional season. One which produced a lot of defining moments which were solidified thanks to the use of the improved quality in the animation.
Music
The music finds a way to become even more powerful than in previous seasons. While it was utilized previously to illicit emotions at just the right time, this season it seems to have changed its purpose entirely. Often the soundtrack seems to tell a story of its own and helps to draw the audience into different moments than relying on the animation alone. Scenes without dialogue with the aid of this style of soundtrack are where this form of storytelling truly shines. Also, a salute to the team for including the Chrono Trigger reference.
Conclusion
Voltron: Legendary Defender continues to be one of the best things to come out of Netflix. The series didn’t slow down for a moment this season. Instead, it delivered powerful moments which will make fans of the show scream in delight at what they are witnessing. The Paladins of Voltron are never more entertaining to watch than when they are pushed to their limits and this season finds a way to back them against a wall leaving them nowhere to go but up.
