Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 Review

I used to review Voltron Legendary Defender on another site, so since this is my first time reviewing it here on Outerhaven, I feel it’s important to give a little backdrop. I never watched the original Voltron series, I knew of it, and its influence on the world, but I never got the chance to see it. So, when Netflix brought Voltron Legendary Defender to their roster, I was all for watching it, especially when I learned that the team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend Of Korra were showrunning it. And it was great! And though it had some bumps along the way, the first five seasons were really good, but Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 might just be my favorite.

Why is that? Well, Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6, like certain seasons before it, doesn’t drag its feet more often than not. It keeps the story going, flowing, and delivers some absolutely amazing twists that I bet people didn’t see coming, including a few twists on twists that we all saw coming. I won’t go into full spoilers, but I will say that the main plot of Season 6 is that the alliance between the Paladins and Lotor is continuing, and the race to find a way into the realm of Quintessence is intensifying.

But, as Voltron Legendary Defender loves to do, it shifts the board around in ways you might not think were possible before. For example, at the end of last season, Keith got to meet his Galra mother, and in Season 5, we get to not just learn about her, we get to see the whole history between her and Keith’s father. But, instead of an “exposition filled” scene or three, it’s done through visions, which actually makes the scene more beautiful, as Keith literally gets to see what happened instead of being told.

Furthermore, an assumption of the past involving the Altean race has been turned on its head in the best way possible, and it’s definitely not what you think.

These twists help give gravity to the season, as everything we know is changed. Especially when the twists for Lotor and Shiro come into effect. Season 05 basically proved that Lotor isn’t who he says he is, but how he goes full dark side once again is very entertaining, especially when a certain Paladin is personally betrayed by him.

As for Shiro’s twist, I won’t spoil it, but dang if it didn’t drop my jaw when I learned of the MULTI-PART twist. Dear gosh, I didn’t see that coming.

And then, at the end of the season, the final scene of it, we get to hear the words we’ve been waiting for since Season 1. You know what it is in your hearts even if you can’t think of it right now.

While the story was top-notch for sure, I would be a fool if I didn’t note the BEAUTIFUL animation that Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 is full of. Seriously, the show has put on a clinic in the past in terms of animation, but here? It’s a whole other level. Just the final two episodes of the season are a masterclass in 2D animation, including a fight between two key characters that is as brutal as it is emotional. That’s not to mention the Voltron battles that shine like the stars that they are.

Even the subtler moments and animations are beautiful. There’s this one scene where Allura is told something by her mice, and she’s floored, and her expression is beautifully rendered when that happens.

Speaking of beautifully rendered, some of the gentler moments between certain characters is heartwarming in every way imaginable. Lance and Allura, that’s all I’ll say.

Oh, and as for the humor, I’ve been one of the biggest critics of Voltron Legendary Defender in this department since the beginning. Because at times they’re trying to make too many characters the comedy relief. Thankfully, Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 does a MUCH better balancing act. Caran isn’t just a fool this time, he has one of the most important moments in the season, and I’m grateful.

All of that being said, Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 still falls prey to one of the biggest flaws in the season…filler episodes. To be fair, it was one episode, “Monsters And Mana”. The previous episode delivered a twist that I couldn’t wait to see expanded upon…and then this episode arrived and it’s basically the Paladins and Caran playing D&D. Really? REALLY?!?! Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine to have a light-hearted episode, but there was literally no progression storywise here. And it came at absolutely the worst point possible given the twist in the previous episode and the follow-up episode that basically made “Monsters And Mana” irrelevant to watch. You can literally skip that episode and not miss a thing. Which is a problem because…

…the “season” is only 7 episodes! I’ve hated this ever since it started with Season 03. Fans can be patient! We’ll wait for the full season! WE KNOW HOW NETFLIX WORKS!!!! But no, instead we get a 7-episode season and it stinks because that means that “season 07” is only going to be 6 episodes. It will not take you long to blast through these, I did it in less than 3 hours. To be fair, unlike previous seasons, it’s obvious they built the season around the cliffhanger, and it works, but it still stinks.

Finally, while it was great meeting Keith’s mother, and another key character who comes on board the Castle of Lions, after their “breakout episode”, they’re basically background characters. And it’s very noticeable. Oh, and as for Haggar, she gets a MAJOR transformation in this season…and then is whisked away never to be seen again this season. Really? And she’s not the only major villain to do that, and it’s really obvious.

Other minor gripes is two episodes ending with Voltron’s transformation, and a betrayal that already happened in a previous season, yet the people seem surprised when it happens. Short-term memory anyone?

In the end though, Voltron Legendary Defender Season 6 is a highlight of the series, and though it will be short when it arrives, I can’t wait for season 7.