“Voltron” Season 5 Review: Hopes, Future Predictions and Lessons

*Light Spoilers Up Ahead* Season 5 of Netflix’s “Voltron: The Legendary Defender” anime reboot dropped on March 2 and drives the series deep into the realm of galactic political thriller and sci-fi space opera.  Knowledge (Alchemy), resources (Quintessence), and bloodlines serve as the balancers of war and peace in this expanded take of the Voltron force. The original Voltron series was actually an American licensed re-edit and overdubbing of two different Japanese series – BeastKingGoLion (1981) for the first season and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV (1982) for the second. A third installment was planned using yet another series’ content (1983’s Lightspeed Elecroid Albegas), but the GoLion version became so iconic and connected to the Voltron brand that production on the new interpretation was halted. Thus far, the Netflix adaptation pulls primarily from the mythology and imagery of BeastKingGoLion, and avoids the mishaps of previous failed reboots  – “Voltron: The Third Dimension” & “Voltron Force”. The series starts off limply with the first episode (“The Prisoner”), focusing on Pidge’s (Katie, actually) quest to save her father. By episode’s end, all of the pieces are in place for the season’s primary conflict.  Prince Lotor is a prisoner of the Paladins while the galaxy’s rebel factions stand with Voltron against the Galra’s imperial expansion. In order to prove his desire to bring peace to the universe by usurping his father, Emperor Zarkon, Lotor feeds the Paladins int…