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The Colony[]
[Fade in on an overhead shot of the ship Lotor and Allura have been preparing as they stand in front of it]
Lotor: I've waited an eternity for this.
[Pan up a medium shot of Lotor and Allura]
Allura: We've done everything we can to prepare us for this moment. [She and Lotor turn to face each other] We're ready.
[Cut to a back shot of Lotor and Allura standing in front of this ship]
Lotor: It means so much to me to share this with you.
[Shots of the ship powering up. Lotor sits in front and Allura in back; their consoles activate in front of them]
Lotor: Beginning system check. [He presses buttons on the console] Front and rear stabilizers.
[Cut to the bridge as Lance, Pidge, Coran, Shiro, and Hunk watch from the hangar cameras]
Allura: Front and rear stabilizers are go.
Lotor: Quintessence collection array.
Allura: Quintessence collection array is go.
[Cut to shots of Coran, Shiro, and Hunk, then Pidge and Lance]
Lotor: Infracells.
Allura: Infracells up.
Lotor: Dynotherms.
Allura: Dynotherms connected.
[Cut to a front view of the ship]
Lotor [over comms]: Switching on mega-thrusters.
Allura [over comms]: Mega-thrusters are go.
[Cut to a wide shot of the hangar as the ship prepares for liftoff. Cut to the bridge as the camera pans over Shiro, Hunk, Coran, Pidge, and Lance]
Hunk: Okay, I can't be the only one who sees that this is nuts, right? I mean, just getting in there is a long shot. Then they have to make it out again?
Coran: I agree with Hunk. This plan is a foolhardy and unnecessary risk.
Pidge: I don't know. I mean, we've traveled through the quintessence field to another reality. This isn't just theoretical physics; mathematically, we know it's possible.
Coran [jumping over to lean next to her]: Well, it is hard to argue with math. Believe me, I've tried.
Lance: But even if they do reach the quintessence field, then what? The last time anyone got in there, it turned Zarkon evil.
Coran [jumping over to put his hand on Lance's shoulder, one finger in the air]: Lance makes a fine point! Take that, math!
[Cut to Shiro]
Shiro: Zarkon fell prey to his own evil instincts. The quintessence field didn't create them, it revealed them.
[Cut to the podbay doors opening and the ship lifting off. Lotor pushes the controls forward and the ship flies out of the Castle toward the ruins of Daibazaal. Cut to the bridge, in a panning shot over Team Voltron's profiles]
Coran [leaning over the console]: So this is goodbye...for now.
Lance: Allura?
[Cut to the screen view of the ship's cockpit]
Allura: Yes, Lance?
Lance: ...Get back safe.
Allura: I will.
[Cut to the ship approaching the rift portal. Cut back the bridge, the camera slowly dollying out from Coran's face]
Coran: T-minus ten ticks to gate entry.
[Cut to an over-the-shoulder shot of Lotor's cockpit]
Coran: Nine...
[The rift gate begins to glow blue]
Coran: Eight...
[Front view of Lotor and Allura's ship as it glows blue]
Coran: Seven...
[Close-up of Hunk]
Coran: Six...
[Close-up of Pidge]
Coran: Five...
[Close-up of Shiro]
Coran: Four...
[Close-up of Lance]
Coran: Three...
[Close-up of Lotor]
Coran: Two...
[Close-up of Lotor's console directly in front of the gate]
Coran: One.
[Frontal close-up of Lotor]
Lotor: Are you ready?
[Dissolve to close-up of Allura]
Allura: Here we go.
[The ship enters the gate and it glows blue-white on contact. Fade from white into the quintessence field, where the ship has entered successfully and Allura and Lotor look around]
Allura: Extraordinary!
[Extreme close-up of Lotor in profile. Back shot of the ship floating through the quintessence field]
[Wide shot of the bridge of the castle, where the alarm sounds and the windows glow red. Hunk moves toward the console]
Hunk: What is that?
[Close-up of the console over Pidge and Coran's shoulders]
Coran: I've got an incoming craft.
Shiro: Shields up. And pull it up on-screen.
[Coran presses a button on the console; the screen shows that it is an Altean ship]
Coran: That...that can't be. [Profile shot of Coran] It's an Altean pod! A really old one!
[Zoom out to Lance's profile]
Lance: What's it doin' out here?
[Close-up of Shiro]
Shiro: Let's find out. Attention Altean pod! [Cut to full view of the screen] Identify yourself!
[The screen flips to reveal Keith piloting the pod]
Keith: Shiro, it's Keith.
[Medium shot of the team, astonished]
Shiro: Keith! A-are you okay?
Pidge: Where have you been?
Coran: And how did you get your hands on that pod?
Lance: Does he look...bigger to you guys? He's bigger, right?
[Cut to the inside of Keith's cockpit]
Lance [over comms]: No?
Keith: Where's Lotor?
Hunk [over comms]: He's in the quintessence field.
Keith: Oh, no.
[Wide shot of the ship inside the quintessence field. Close up shot of Lotor's consoles]
Lotor: Readings are beyond anything I could have imagined. [Cut to medium shot of Lotor] What we do here today will change the course of the universe forever.
[Close-up of Allura, with a tiny sample of quintessence in her hand]
Allura: In the hands of the wrong person, this power could easily corrupt.
[Cut to a front shot of Lotor, with Allura behind him]
Lotor: Together we'll see it never does, and continue the work your father started so long ago. [Close-up of Allura, who smiles in awe and honor] Now [Cut back to Lotor], let's see if we can collect some samples.
[Wide shot of the podbay as Keith lands inside, the team waiting for him. He jumps out and the camera pans up to reveal him, taller and wider, but worried. Cut to the team]
Shiro [bewildered]: Keith, i-it's so good to see you.
Lance [walking forward]: Hold on. [Wide shot as he walks toward Keith, who is walking toward the team] How do we know you're the real Keith and not his bigger, cooler, grizzled older brother?
[Close-up of Keith and Lance as Keith walks past him]
Keith: I don't have time for this, Lance! [walks offscreen]
Lance: Hey, everybody, Keith's back!
[Shot of Shiro, Pidge, Coran, Keith, and Lance]
Keith: We need to stop Lotor. He's been lying to all of us!
[Profile shot of Coran, Pidge, Shiro, and Hunk]
Shiro: Wh—lying about what?
Girl [offscreen]: Everything!
[Cut to an over-the-shoulder shot of Keith, behind whom stand Krolia, the space pupper, and the unnamed Altean they found. Medium shot of the Altean girl]
Coran [offscreen]: You're...you're Altean!
[Camera pans to the left to include Krolia]
Lance [offscreen]: And who's the Galran?
[Camera pans over to space pupper]
Hunk [offscreen]: Is that a wolf?
[Shot of the paladins, Keith, and Coran]
Coran: Where did you come from?
Keith: I promise, I'll explain everything once we get to Lotor.
Pidge: We can't get to him. He just entered the quintessence field with Allura.
[Medium close-up of Keith]
Keith: We traveled through realities before. Can't we fly in there and attack?
Lance [walking up to Keith]: She said Allura is with him. We can't risk hurting her!
[Shot of Pidge, Shiro, Hunk, Lance, and Keith]
Hunk: Why are we even attacking?
Shiro: Look, Keith--everyone, calm down. [Shot of Keith with Krolia, the Altean, and the space pupper in the background] When they return, we'll get this all sorted out. [Keith nods in wary assent]
[Wide shot of the ship in the quintessence field. Overhead full shot of Lotor looking up at the sparks of blue energy flying past him]
Lotor: I can feel the quintessence coursing through me.
[Close-up of Allura]
Allura: It's like my spirit, my whole being, is more alive.
[Fade to white, dissolve to Haggar's chambers as she watches Team Voltron through Shiro's vision]
Shiro [voice distorted through the portal]: Lance is right. You have changed.
Keith: Time is different where I've been.
Krolia [walking forward]: Shiro, I am Krolia.
[Shot of the team inside the bridge]
Krolia: Keith has told me all about you. [Krolia holds out her arm and Shiro takes it] Thank you for raising him to be the man he is today.
Keith: Krolia is with the Blade of Marmora. Also...she's my mother.
[Close-up of Shiro]
Shiro: It's an honor to meet you.
Lance [bursting into frame]: WHAT?! Okay, this is nuts! You come back with [pointing to each in turn] your Galra mom, a wolf, and an Altean?!
[Shot of Hunk, Pidge, and Coran]
Coran: Yes, I'm still waiting to hear the story of how you found this Altean.
Hunk: And why we're supposed to be attacking Lotor.
[Profile shot of Keith and Romelle]
Keith: This is Romelle. And I think she should tell her own story.
Romelle: I come from a planet where there are thousands of Alteans. We have lived there since the war with Zarkon began.
Coran: What? That's impossible! Altea was destroyed! Allura and I were the only survivors!
Romelle: Every Altean child knows the story of how Lotor saved us from destruction. When Zarkon attacked, many were off-planet on trading expeditions. [Fade to flashbacks showing Alteans using their shapeshifting abilities in hiding as Romelle narrates] When news spread about the destruction of our home, those of us who remained went into hiding for decaphoebs. [Cut to Lotor's hand pushing aside a drape leading into a tavern on an unknown planet] But Lotor, with his deep knowledge of Altean culture, managed to track some of them down.
[Lotor approaches a table where two Alteans sit hunched over. They rise to their feet, but he puts his hand up.]
Lotor: Hear me out! I know who you are. I come in peace. [The two Alteans look at each other and lower their defenses] I have come to save the noble Altean people, to preserve your customs and traditions before they are destroyed like Altea itself. Please, come with me. I have created a haven where the Galra will never find you. It may not be Altea, but it will keep you safe. [Upward shot of Lotor's face framed in shadow] If my intention were to kill you, then you would be dead already.
[The Alteans look at each other, then shift from their tall green-skinned camouflage to their normal forms. Fade to black, then fade to a series of stills showing Lotor showing a crowd of Altean refugees their new colony]
Romelle [V/O]: To keep the Alteans secure, Lotor hid them on a remote planet beyond the Quantum Abyss.
Coran [V/O]: So Lotor...saved Alteans?
Hunk [V/O]: Man, Lotor is even nicer than we thought.
[Dissolve through stills showing the landscape evolving and new structures being built, including a massive statue of Lotor]
Romelle [V/O]: And over time, the Alteans came to worship Lotor as their savior. Generations ago, in an effort to increase our odds of survival, Lotor announced that he was creating another colony far from our own. But in order to do so, he needed to assess which Alteans were viable candidates to survive the journey. [Cut to different lines of Alteans, each being screened by one of Lotor's soldiers] One by one, every Altean in the colony was given a series of tests. Those who were deemed fit for the journey were loaded onto a cargo ship and taken to the second colony. It was considered the highest honor. Any communication between the colonies was strictly prohibited, for fear that it would compromise the other's location.
[Cut to a dolly down from the top of Lotor's statue to Romelle looking at its base, on which names are inscribed in Altean as a kind of memorial]
Romelle [V/O]: This is the world I was born into, one of unquestioning devotion to a supposed messiah. My brother Bandor was always faithful, but I had questions.
[Romelle walks toward the base of the statue and places her hand on the names]
Romelle [flashback]: So many of our people gone to the new colony. Petrulius, Gnautu, Rahz, and of course, Mother and Father. I miss them all so much.
Bandor: I'm sure we'll have a chance to see them again when we're chosen to travel to the new colony.
Romelle: But why can't we talk to them now? Lotor must have a way of communicating with them. He travels there all the time. So why does he keep us in the dark?
Bandor: You know why. Communication with the other colony would risk discovery by the Galra.
Romelle: So we're told.
[Cut to another screening of Alteans, where Romelle is deemed unfit]
Romelle [V/O]: Eventually Bandor grew old enough to be assessed for the journey to the other colony, and he was selected to leave immediately.
[Bandor walks eagerly to the cargo ship; Romelle runs after him]
Romelle [flashback, in tears]: Don't do this!
Bandor: It is Lotor's will.
Romelle: I'll never see you again! [Romelle runs forward and hugs Bandor] Don't let him tear our family apart!
Bandor: Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be selected to come to the colony soon. In the meantime, I made you something. [Bandor transfers something to Romelle's hand] It's a communicator.
[Romelle clutches it to her chest, making sure the soldiers aren't looking, then turns back to Bandor]
Romelle: Will I be able to talk to you on the other colony?
Bandor: I haven't had a chance to test it yet, but...I hope so. Just remember, we suffer this isolation so the next generation may not have to. Goodbye, Romelle.
[The camera focuses on their hands as Bandor slowly lets go and walks onto the ship, leaving a grieving Romelle behind. Cut to her watching the ship leave, then sitting on a hill overlooking the colony with the communicator in her hands.]
Romelle [V/O]: When Bandor left, I felt completely alone. I tried to use the communicator he had given me, but it never worked.
[Dissolve from the sunny hilltop to Romelle's house at night. Cut to a pan along Romelle's bedroom as she sleeps, before the communicator goes off on her bedside table]
Romelle [flashback]: Bandor!
Bandor [through communicator]: Romelle! You were right!
Romelle: Where are you?
Bandor: The forest...outside town. [V/O as Romelle runs through the woods] Hurry!
[Romelle runs toward a column of smoke in the forest, with a particle barrier sparking and fraying above it showing a strange blue glow beyond the sky. Cut to Romelle standing on the edge of a hollow, where an Altean pod has crashed and caught fire. Romelle gasps and runs toward the pilot, Bandor, who is hunched over the console. She lifts up his shoulders and is horrified to see his face, now emaciated and scarred]
Romelle: Bandor...
Bandor [weakly]: Lotor...the other...colony...it's all a lie...[His head collapses onto Romelle's arms and lies still]
Romelle [tearfully]: No!
Lotor [offscreen]: Over here!
[Romelle looks up sharply at the distant voice and the sound of a gun being cocked. Cut to Lotor and two of his soldiers walking toward the crashed ship]
Lotor [in the distance]: Clean up the wreckage. Leave no evidence this ever happened.
[His words echo off the trees as the camera pulls back to reveal Romelle hiding behind a large tree trunk before running off. Cut to Lotor frowning, then setting his face determinedly. Fade to the top of Lotor's statue against another blue sunny sky as leaves blow gently in the breeze. Romelle gazes coldly up at the statue]
Romelle [V/O]: My brother was dead. I knew the truth, or at least part of it, but I also knew that no one would believe me without proof. [Dissolve to Romelle looking up from her washing at the river in the forest at Keith, Krolia, and the space pupper, then to her telling them her story] When Keith and Krolia arrived, they were my last chance at finding it. I told them what had happened to my brother, and, as it turned out, so many Alteans that had been taken before him. As they explained their mission to me, we knew there must have been a connection between the missing Alteans and the pure strain of quintessence.
[Cut to an exterior shot of Romelle's house that night]
Keith [V/O, flashback]: Given your brother's weakened state [cut to Romelle's room where the four have gathered], he couldn't have piloted his ship for very long. The other colony has to be somewhere nearby.
Krolia: There is a moon orbiting this planet that could house a colony.
Keith: Well, it's our only lead. But how will we get there?
Romelle: I have an idea.
[Dissolve to the four walking down a catwalk to another building against the light of a full moon. Romelle opens the sliding doors]
Romelle: These transports haven't been used in generations. None of the Alteans in the colony would know how to fly one, even if we desired to.
[The hangar inside reveals an Altean ship, exactly like the ones in the Castle of Lions]
Keith [smiling]: I think I got us covered there.
[Cut to a shot of the planet as the Altean ship leaves its atmosphere and flies toward the moon. Cut to a wide exterior shot of a Galra base of some kind]
Krolia: There's something down there.
[The pod flies toward the Galra base. Cut to a shot of Keith, Krolia, and Romelle exiting their ship, preparing to infiltrate. Cut to Keith, Krolia, and Romelle running quickly and quietly to the entrance, crouching by the architrave to watch for any passing guards. Finding none, Keith leads the way in. Cut to a shot of sliding doors, which are forced open by Keith's blade, as the three force their way into a room full of large metal tubes. Keith, Krolia, and Romelle walk across the room, passing a jar in shadow that seems to house a body with tubes connected to it. Romelle walks over to one and rubs her hand over the glass to clear the fog, and is horrified to see the dessicated, dead-eyed face of an Altean]
Romelle: No! Petrulius! [Orbiting shot of Romelle, Keith, and Krolia standing in a triangle] What's happening to them? These people were supposed to be headed to the colony!
Keith: Lotor is harvesting their quintessence!
[Cut back to the present, as Shiro, Coran, Pidge, Lance, Hunk, Krolia, and Keith are gathered in a circle around Romelle]
Coran: That's...horrifying!
Pidge: All this time...
Lance: I can't believe he fooled us.
Keith: He's a monster. Huh?
[Keith looks up as the Castle's sensors alert them to the ship's return]
Coran: They're back!
Romelle: What are you waiting for? Open fire!
Lance: No! Princess Allura is with him!
Hunk: We're gonna let him back on board?!
Coran: We must! As long as the princess is with him, we cannot risk any sort of attack!
Shiro: Coran and Lance are right. We can't do anything until the princess is safe. Once Allura is secure, we will take Lotor down!
[Cut to Lotor helping Allura by the hand out of the ship. They remain pressed against each other]
Lotor: We accomplished something amazing today, and it would have never happened had it not been for you.
Allura: It is a moment that I truly will never forget.
[Lotor leans in, closing his eyes. They meet in the middle with a kiss. Cut to the doors to the bridge opening as Allura and Lotor walk in, and the camera immediately zooms in on a furious Coran, and everyone else surrounding him]
Allura: What's going on?
[Krolia and Keith silently move in to surround Lotor, Krolia with her pistol and Keith with his blade. Lance pulls out his bayard, ready to fire]
Lance: Allura, step away from Lotor.
Allura [standing in front of him, arms to either side in defense]: I will do no such thing. Tell me what's happening here!
Romelle [offscreen]: Lotor is a monster [zoom in on Lotor's face, eyes widening with shock], and has been harvesting Altean quintessence for generations!
Allura [facing Romelle]: An Altean! [turns to Lotor]
[Cut to a close-up of Romelle]
Romelle: You killed my brother and thousands of others!
Pidge: Lotor has been lying to us the whole time! He's a murderer, just like his father!
[Cut to a close-up of Allura, with Lotor framed behind her to her left. He straightens up]
Lotor: You know nothing about what you speak!
Allura: What are they talking about?
Lotor: Allura, listen to me. [Allura turns back to face him] I've dedicated my life to preserving Altean culture. Now that we have unlocked the quintessence field, all of your people, who would have been hunted down long ago had it not been for my intervention, can live in peace. [Camera looks over Lotor's shoulder at Allura's shocked expression] Were some lives lost in the process? Yes. [Allura turns to face Romelle. Cut to Romelle's angry and distraught face] But they were martyrs to a noble cause. I sacrificed a few to preserve the future for millions. [Cut back to Allura's face, with Lotor behind her] Allura, do not let this ruin everything we've worked for! Think of what we experienced in the quintessence field.
[Lotor grabs her hand, but Allura has heard enough. She grabs his hand, picks him up, and hurls him toward the ground so hard he bounces twice off the floor and is knocked unconscious. Close-up of Allura, whose eyes are full of heartbreak and rage. Suddenly, an alarm sounds. Cut to the main screen of the bridge, showing the hangar and shots of Acxa and Ezor breaking in]
Coran: The hangar's been breached! [Coran runs forward offscreen]
Hunk: It's Lotor's troops. They're stealing the ships!
[Suddenly, Shiro falls to the ground, crying out in pain, flashes of Haggar's face flickering in front of him. He clutches his head, eyes wide with fear]
Keith: Shiro?
[Close-up of Shiro's face flickering back and forth from Haggar's, which is at the same angle. Her voice echoes in his mind as he grunts with the effort of trying to push her out]
Haggar: Give in. You cannot resist.
[Shiro cries out, gritting his teeth, as the sounds of the room he's in become faint and muffled, replaced by ominous whispers]
Coran: What's happening to him?!
[Cut to Shiro's POV, outlined in purple, looking up at the concerned and frightened Lance and Pidge. Rapid zoom to Haggar, standing in her chamber, arms raised]
Haggar: You are mine now. [spreads out her fingers] Give in!
[Close-up of Shiro's eyes as the pupils suddenly burn scarlet. Cut to a medium shot of Lance, angled to look down on Shiro with Hunk's hand on his shoulder]
Lance: Allura and I will secure Lotor! Hunk, help Shiro! Everyone else, get down to the hangar and stop those guys!
[Keith, Pidge, Krolia, and space pupper bolt from the room. Over-the-shoulder shot of Hunk facing Shiro, still clutching his head]
Hunk: Shiro...?
[Shiro looks up with red-pupiled eyes full of rage. Extreme close-up of Hunk's alarmed face as Shiro punches him straight into Coran, knocking them both aside.]
Lance: Shiro! What are you—
[Shiro punches him, throwing him backward]
Allura: Lance!
[Shiro's hand glows vibrant purple as he summons the black bayard, which takes the form of Zarkon's, an angular and menacing sword. He throws it at Allura, who dodges and moves protectively toward Romelle. The last shot is of Shiro's fist colliding with the camera. Cut to the outside of the bridge doors, which open to reveal that Shiro has knocked Allura and Romelle unconscious and slung Lotor over his shoulders. Allura comes to only in enough time to watch Shiro walk down the hallway]
[Cut to Keith, Pidge, Krolia, and space pupper outside the podbay doors, which slide open just as a Sincline ship shoots out into space. The three look up as the second begins takeoff with Ezor in the cockpit. Close-up on her face as she grins, then quick fade out to the outside of the ship where she fires. Everyone runs for cover, Pidge hiding behind the doors. Ezor turns the ship around and flies out of the podbay]
[Cut to Pidge in her hiding place as Shiro runs past her. Allura's voice is heard over the intercoms]
Allura: Shiro's gone mad! He's escaping with Lotor! Stop him before he leaves the ship!
[Pidge runs after them. Shiro puts the still-unconscious Lotor in the passenger seat of a pod and jumps in to take the helm. Pidge summons her bayard, preparing to fire, before Shiro meets her eyes. She falters, and the pod's shields activate. Cut to the outside of the Castle of Lions as the pod flies away. Cut to Shiro in the pilot seat, then fade to Haggar's face]
Haggar: Good. Now bring him to me.
[Cut to the podbay, where Pidge helps Keith up and Krolia is supported by space pupper]
Pidge: What do we do?!
Keith: We have to stay focused. [over comms; cut to the bridge, where Coran kneels next to Hunk, Allura holds up Lance, and Romelle sits against the wall] Lance, Hunk, can you still pilot your Lions?
Hunk: Yeah, I'll manage.
Lance: We've got this.
[Cut to the podbay]
Keith: Then let's go! If we're gonna fight Lotor's ships, we'll need Voltron!
Pidge: Shiro's gone; who's gonna pilot the Black Lion?
Keith [walking forward]: I will.
[Cut to the Black Lion's hangar as Keith runs toward it, back in his red armor. Close-up of the Black Lion's eyes, which glow gold before the camera zooms out and the Lion roars, its paladin returned]
[Cut to a profile shot of the Sincline ships and the Altean pod flying through space before a shot strikes Acxa's ship. She turns, furious, to see the Voltron Lions in pursuit, Keith flying the Black Lion forward to chase after Shiro. Cut to the cockpit of the Altean pod]
Keith [over comms]: Shiro, it's Keith! Shiro, it's gonna be okay. We just have—
[Shiro coldly raises his finger and taps the screen, cutting off communications. Cut to the Black Lion's cockpit, where Keith sits aghast before his transmissions notify him of the other paladins]
Hunk [over comms]: I can't take them!
Pidge [over comms]: KEITH!
[Keith turns the Black Lion around, away from the Altean pod and back toward the fight. Cut to a shot of a Sincline ship as a Lion's lasers fire, missing it, before it fires its lasers up at the Red Lion. The Yellow and Blue Lions weave around the shot before Hunk is hit; Red turns to check on him but quickly launches upward to avoid another shot. Lance prepares to fire the mouth cannon, but another Sincline ship strikes him from behind and knocks him sideways. Blue flies through as a Sincline ship fires lasers, and Green attempts to fire before being struck by a Sincline shot. Pidge looks up from the cockpit to see a Sincline ship's laser headed straight for her before it's cut off by a laser shot. Green turns and Black flies in front of her, coming in the center of the Lions' formation]
Keith: Guys, we're no match for them in our Lions! FORM VOLTRON!
[Form Voltron sequence]
[Voltron turns to face the Sincline ships. The screen splits between the five paladins on the left and Zethrid, Ezor, and Acxa on the right. Cut to Shiro, face set as he flies the Altean ship toward Haggar]