In its sixth season, Voltron: Legendary Defender delivers its very best.

Netflix’s Voltron reboot has always been great. Whether a season came bearing 11 episodes, 13 episodes, or even a bite-sized batch as small as six episodes, Voltron: Legendary Defender has managed to successfully capture the nostalgia that comes from giant robot centric, Saturday morning cartoons, while adding substance to that concept to create a fascinating world, and a compelling story of war, magic, and friendship.

After two years and 50 episodes, the series has never been better. Season 6 elevates Voltron: Legendary Defender to lofty heights, continuing its tradition as a wholesome television show suitable for a younger demographic, yet featuring an intense narrative that expertly guides its mature themes.

A shining example of that careful balances comes early in this phenomenal sixth season when Keith and his Galran mother, Krolia, journey into the Quantum Abyss. For the entirety of its run, Voltron: Legendary Defender has taken the Paladins and their allies to wondrous settings throughout the galaxy, places that could only exist in the minds of the most imaginative. The Quantum Abyss ups the ante on the show’s fantastical environments, serving as a feast for not just the eyes, but for the mind, as well. Here, the duality of beauty and danger is on full display―a corner of the galaxy where a multitude of stars are so tightly packed together, that their gravitational pulls are literally ripping worlds apart.

The journey for Keith and Krolia is almost incomprehensible, as the two traverse this awe-inspiring sector of space by hopping from celestial body to celestial body, as if they are stepping stones. When that is no longer feasible, they take shelter on one of the immense, whale-like creatures which lumber through the Quantum Abyss unimpeded, and are terraforming their very bodies to host entire ecosystems.

The sobering, sometimes harrowing, nature of the Quantum Abyss manifests in the time collapses near the dark stars, where Keith witnesses visions of the past and the future. It’s with these glimpses through time that we finally learn about Keith’s tragic history―how he could never know a normal life as his parents were embroiled in the cosmic conflict with the Galra Empire. As Keith experiences reminders of his troubled past and revelations of his estranged mother, there is, perhaps, an even more somber event happening right beside him. Krolia, his mother, must be aware of the painful truths that Keith is learning while she journeys alongside him; she may even be witnessing the same views in time, many of which she experienced in their present. Not only is it likely that she is reliving the past that haunts her, she must witness her only son, who she was forced to leave behind when he was only a baby, grapple with the bittersweet discoveries.

Keith is at the epicenter of another landmark episode for the series when he battles the corrupted Shiro clone. It’s during this lengthy action sequence that we see the apex of Voltron: Legendary Defender’s animation. Keith and Shiro’s movements are as fluid as the choreography of a Hollywood blockbuster, their every slash, kick, and punch seamless no matter how frantic the pace of their duel becomes. Their evocative expressions, alone, tell the story of the conflict―Shiro’s mindless callousness, orchestrated by Witch Haggar, and Keith’s desperation to save his friend, even when Shiro’s malice confounds him.

As the battle rages, the environment sheds more light on Shiro’s cryptic origin, but not outright stating it until the emotion of the episode has peaked. That air of mystery, of dread, pervades even as the answers slowly fall into place. Despite knowing just how slim the chances of it actually happening are, this is the episode where an adult viewer could justifiably worry that a main character was going to be killed off.

But the character who lays claim to the impact of Season 6 maybe more than any other is Prince Lotor. The twist midway through this season is expertly assigned, flipping the script on a character who the show had put so much work into endearing to the audience. Lotor was an antithesis to the barbarity that is so present in his Galran heritage. He had developed a budding romance with the main heroine Princess Allura. He landed the killing blow on Emperor Zarkon, the property’s most recognizable antagonist.

With one revelation, Season 6 forces fans to question if they can still truly appreciate this beloved character. The twist is fascinating, because it doesn’t vilify Lotor, altogether. In admitting to sacrificing thousands of Altean lives to save millions more, Lotor avoids the pitfall of becoming a one-dimensional, shallow villain. There is noble intention behind his atrocities, intention that is lost to ambition, not cruelty. Lotor becomes consumed by the aspirations that he spent years realizing and genuinely believes are the means to peace and order throughout the universe―all the while his exposure to incredible Quintessence warps his reason.

Since its inception, Voltron: Legendary Defender has presented mature themes of war with restraint. When it features a grim concept, it does so in moderation and with subtlety, as to remain accessible for younger viewers. By directly acknowledging―and showing some results of―Lotor’s calculated genocide, Voltron: Legendary Defender displays confidence that its audience, young or old, is capable of withstanding the gruesome realities that inevitably come with widespread struggle for dominance among living beings.

Even in a season where Voltron: Legendary Defender pushes the envelope on its gravity, the show never forgets to be fun. Whether you call them “filler” or “all comedy” episodes, Season 6 has one of the best entries in the line of those where the central plot takes a backseat to laughs and camaraderie among the characters. The Paladins’ exploits in “Monsters & Mana” hits all of the right notes parodying the tropes of Dungeons & Dragons and roleplaying games of the like, while simultaneously foreshadowing the season’s eventual twist and rousing final battle.

All the way back in our review for Season Two, we described the duel between Voltron and Zarkon’s Robeast as “a mech battle for the ages”. Well, Voltron’s clash with Lotor’s Sincline mech may have topped it.

FINAL SCORE

9.5/10

With Season 6, Voltron: Legendary Defender sets new standards not simply for its own show, but for Western animation, as a whole. Season 6 is built by one remarkable episode after another, capitalizing on the groundwork laid before it to deliver the series’ most intense storytelling and action to date. What transpired here will stay with any fan who has become invested in this adventure during the last two years, and sets the stage for future seasons to continue elevating Voltron: Legendary Defender’s unique brand of fun and thrill.

+ The animation and music both make serious strides, reaching new heights in this season

+ Almost every major character has their turn to shine at some point during these seven episodes

+ Keith and Krolia’s journey into the Quantum Abyss is unforgettable

+ The big plot twist regarding Lotor, among other character-related revelations, cement the show’s progress in narrative heft

+ The last episode will leave a longtime fan breathless, and maybe bring a tear to their eye

― Voltron, as in, the robot itself, doesn’t appear too much until the last episode. That’s seriously about all we have for negatives

Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 6 is available exclusively on Netflix NOW. For more Voltron: Legendary Defender coverage from The Geekiverse, check out our reviews for the other seasons.

Jeff Pawlak is the animation buff on the Geekiverse. He’s watched plenty of anime in his time, and he’s glad to see that American studios have started churning out a string of animated epics in recent years. While he eagerly waits for Season Seven of Voltron: Legendary Defender, he points most of his attention to Nintendo video games, giant monster flicks, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and other animated shows and movies. Find him on Twitter @JeffreyPavs

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