Clone Shiro is one of the dozens of clones of Shiro created by Haggar as part of Operation Kuron. He is the only known clone to have been activated and successfully infiltrate Team Voltron. He first appears after Shiro mysteriously vanishes following Voltron's defeat during the Season 2 finale. Apart from chronic headaches and feeling "off", he never seems aware that he's a clone; even after Haggar turns him against Team Voltron and he battles Keith. Once subdued, Allura transfers Shiro's spirit from the Black Lion into the clone's body, restoring Shiro's physical existence.
Appearance
When not on a mission, Clone Shiro's casual wear is very similar to original Shiro's, except his vest is navy blue with the collar zipped up, and his undershirt is cropped at the elbows. It's also worth noting that his white streak appears denser and more upright.
Abilities
Though his connection with the Black Lion diminished after Keith embraced his role as Black Paladin, Clone Shiro displayed piloting skills on par with Shiro. To create the highest quality replica, the advanced cloning process used by Haggar and her Druids removes many physical defects from the source material. In Shiro's case, the body of his clone shed his muscular dystrophy (the decay of muscle tissue)[1]. So if anything, Clone Shiro is able to rest less, and react quicker with more precision when flying compared with real Shiro.
Clone Shiro's reputation as a fighter cannot be overstated. He singlehandedly defeated Hunk, Pidge, Lance, and Allura while under Haggar's control, and later fought Keith to a standstill. It appeared that without restrained by his humanity and compassion, Clone Shiro proved himself to be a much more powerful and deadlier opponent.
Though it appeared that the clone's prosthetic arm similar with original Shiro's, the clone Shiro's prosthesis revealed to be much updated, as it can generate an energy sword and transform into a bestial, jagged-armoured laser blaster. Said energy weapon's firing strength is comparable to that of Galra Ion Cannon weapons tech. The prosthetic arm was sliced off by Keith, and later replaced with Altean version after Team Voltron arrived on earth.
Personality
Personality-wise, Clone Shiro behaves just like the original. Shiro's mannerisms, vocal inflexions, traits and quirks have been replicated so perfectly that none of his friends, not even Keith, can tell the difference. However, astute watchers may have felt that Season 3-6 Shiro was slightly standoffish, asserted his authority more and dismissed criticism. He yelled at the Team on multiple occasions and passed several opportunities to give sage advice and support. His biggest outburst occurred when the team was debating whether to endorse Lotor as Emperor. Lance insisted that Lotor cannot be trusted, and Clone Shiro responds, telling him "I told you to stay out of this!". This deviation from Shiro's mellow, nurturing attitude may be the result of imperfect cloning or a mental breakdown.
Upon being controlled by Haggar, Clone Shiro displays a murderous, psychotic personality. He dispatches his team and recaptures Lotor silently and remorselessly, but taunts Keith during their fight, saying that he'd killed them. He fights with precision and manic energy, weakening his opponent by telling Keith that he's worthless, and wished he'd never adopted him. This ruthless, vindictive style of combat mirrors Haggar's attack on Shiro in Season 2 when she torments him with visions of an evil version of himself.
Trivia
- Josh Keaton, the voice actor of both original and clone Shiros, wanted all versions of his character to sound different. [2] For the clone, he wanted his voice to reflect that the clone is more aggressive and not as patient, contrasting the original Shiro sounding softer and more patient.
- The clone is referred as "Kuron" by fanbase.
| V • E Team Voltron in Voltron: Legendary Defender | ||
|---|---|---|
| Voltron (Black Lion • Red Lion • Green Lion • Blue Lion • Yellow Lion) | ||
| Former Paladins | Current Generation | Keith • Pidge • Hunk • Lance • Allura • Shiro • Shiro (clone) |
| Previous Generation | Zarkon • Alfor • Trigel • Blaytz • Gyrgan | |
| Additional Members | Coran • Space Mice • Rover | |