Shadows is the second episode of the eighth season of Voltron: Legendary Defender. It was released on Netflix along with the rest of the season on December 14th, 2018.
Synopsis[]
Flashbacks shine a light on Honerva's past with Lotor and Zarkon, revealing the motivation for her recent actions.
Plot[]
Told entirely through flashbacks, the episode begins with the scene from 'The Black Paladins' when Acxa failed to hit Honerva with her energy blaster. After materialising in the control room, Honerva shapeshifts her appearance into the witch Haggar and orders Commander Mar to find Lotor and bring him back to her. After communication with Commander Mar goes silent, Honerva searches the galaxy until she reaches the ruined planet Daibazaal and finds both a broken Sincline ship and Kova, her former pet cat.
Through Kova's eyes, a flashback is shown of when Honerva - her appearance beginning to change from all the exposure of Quintessence - revealed to her husband Zarkon that she was pregnant. Husband and wife are delighted by this news with Zarkon declaring their child will be the best of both their people. Saddened as she remembers that happy day, Honerva in the present vows to find her son.
Some time passes, and the Druid Macidus informs Honerva that no one knows what has become of Lotor, Commander Mar or Voltron. The Galra Empire is in chaos with the Blade of Marmora still challenging and so the Druids look to Honerva for leadership, but she refuses.
In the past, Zarkon and Honerva consider names for their unborn son: Honerva thinks of 'Lotarius' for an Altean explorer while Zarkon considers 'Koltor' for a Galra conqueror. The happy mother-to-be suggests they could honor both traditions, resulting with the name 'Lotor'.
Honerva is informed that Commander Mar has been found, near death with his vitals weak. Using her dark magic to force through Mar's mind, Honerva learns of Lotor's success accessing the Quintessence field and of his fight with Voltron that resulted in the three year time gap. After her interrogation of Mar kills him, Honerva orders that the Kral Zera be called forth.
A flashback to the past reveals that after Zarkon and Honerva came back to life after their overexposure of Quintessence, Honerva no longer recognised her husband and even who she was. When a doctor named Haggar came to examine her, Honerva killed her by grabbing her arm and draining her of her Quintessence. Some time later, Honerva successfully gave birth to Lotor, but with no memory of wanting a child she rejected the infant. When asked who she was by Zarkon, Honerva answered 'Haggar'.
At the Kral Zera, Honerva kills all the attending commanders and through a spell that sacrifices Kova learns of Lotor perishing in the Quintessence field.
Honerva builds an army from the remaining Altean colony, leveraging their (misplaced) love for Lotor and blaming Voltron for his death and the loss of the non-existent second colony. She brings together the remnants of the Galra Empire and the Altean colony, ultimately resulting in the creation and launch of the Altean-piloted mech.
Featured Characters[]
Quotes[]
"I wil find you, my son."
—Honerva's vow
"I would like to know about my mother. Please Father, what happened to her?"
"I will tell you this, and no more. She was my only weakness - but now she is gone."
—a sad conversation between child Lotor and his father about his alive but absent mother
"Today, the light of the universe shines inside our most brave. The dream of life is realized through her actions. For Luka, the first acolyte, we shine in Lotor's bright luminosity."
—Honerva's motivation speech to the Alteas
Notes[]
- This episode is notable for featuring none of the Lion Force or heroic characters whatsoever, with none of the regular cast members credited.