Netflix's Voltron Ending Explained In Detail

Warning! MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for Voltron: Legendary Defender season 8!

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Voltron: Legendary Defender season 8 is now available on Netflix, and its ending concludes the series in dramatic fashion with a finale that's sure to thrill some fans while disappointing others. For a show as popular and beloved as Voltron, it's impossible to please everyone, but for the most part, Voltron season 8 builds to an ending that's shocking, emotional, and a fitting conclusion for what has been a truly excellent series.

Voltron season 8 sees the Paladins and their coalition of allies depart Earth to bring the battle straight to Honerva (formerly, the Witch Haggar) and the rest of the Galra Empire. However, the ensuing conflict turns out to be far more complicated than anyone could have guessed. Honerva's plan is not simply to conquer the universe, but rather to tear apart reality in search of a universe where she can be reunited with versions of Zarkon and Lotor who haven't been corrupted by Quintessence.

Related: Voltron Final Season Trailer Teases A Fight For All Of Existence

To accomplish this, Honerva needs to wield immense amounts of energy, so she creates a mech capable of blowing a hole in the fabric of reality and traveling between universes. To fight this threat, Voltron also gets an upgrade, combining with the IGF Atlas into their own super mech - the Atlas-Voltron. Now equipped to do battle with Honerva, the Paladins set off in pursuit, prepared to defeat Honerva and defend not just their universe - but all universes.

• This Page: What Happens At The End Of Voltron Season 8
• Page 2: Allura's Sacrifice Explained
• Page 3: What Happens To Voltron's Paladins

What Happens At The End of Voltron

With all six Paladins piloting the Atlas-Voltron, they chase Honerva across reality, witnessing the death of one universe after another. When they finally catch up with her, Honerva's mech proves too much for even this souped-up Voltron and she escapes. Finally arriving in her perfect universe, it appears as if Honerva has gotten her wish as she is welcomed by this reality's Zarkon. He presents her at court, she's greeted by the smiling faces of King Alfor, his wife, Melonor, and their daughter Allura, and everything is just as Honerva wanted - perfect. Then Zarkon brings Honerva to Lotor, explaining to the young boy that his mother has returned. But Lotor won't accept this Honerva, recognizing that some other universe's Honerva can't simply show up and expect to be his new mother. The rejection crushes Honerva and she lashes out, declaring "If there is no place in this universe for me, then there will be no universe at all."

The Atlas-Voltron arrives and again battles with Honerva, now back in her own mech suit. Fueled by grief and rage, Honerva is still too powerful and she escapes into another tear in reality. The Paladins follow, entering a dimension that is the origin of all time and space, with each alternate universe appearing as a tendril of light extending out from a blinding white core. Honerva is severing one after another, and with each tendril cut, the Paladins are hit with a shockwave as another reality blinks out of existence. Reeling from the sensation of experiencing those countless deaths, Voltron makes a final stand to defend the last remaining universe. Together, the Paladins harness the last of their strength to manifest an enormous thruster, grabbing hold of Honerva and pushing them both into the blinding white core.

Crossing the event horizon takes them all to a strange realm which Allura describes as the "connected consciousness of all existence." Inside this dimensional space, there are no mech suits or weapons, just Honerva and the Paladins. In turn, they convince her that though life can be cruel and sometimes hard, that doesn't erase the happier times when life is beautiful and vibrant. Allura then reminds Honerva of the good in her own life, sharing the happy memories they unearthed when exploring Honerva's consciousness. This transforms Honerva back in to her true, Altean self, healing the corruption caused by the Quintessence. Allura then implores Honerva to "honor her son," explaining that though Lotor was misguided he ultimately wanted to preserve life, and that for him, Honerva should help her reverse the damage that's been done.

Allura then explains that she, with Honerva's help, will transform the Quintessence inside Honerva's mech from a destructive force into a life-giving one - a technique she learned from Lotor, but one that will inevitably cost her her life. Allura shares a tearful goodbye with each Paladin - especially Lance, professing her love for him and bestowing on him his own Altean markings - before she harnesses the Quintessence and restarts all of existence. Allura and Honerva - as well as the spirits of King Alfor, the original Paladains, Zarkon, and Lotor - all disappear in a flash of light as tendrils sprout forth from the core of all existence, restoring each universe that was previously severed and destroyed. When the Paladins return to their universe, they discover that Allura also created a New Altea.

Page 2 of 3: Allura's Sacrifice Explained

Allura's Sacrifice Explained

Allura's decision to give her life to save the lives of everyone in existence is the ultimate sacrifice play, and it's a testament to the selfless and courageous woman Allura has become across all eight seasons of Voltron: Legendary Defender. That she knowingly sacrifices herself is noble, bringing to a close the conflict that began between her family and Zarkon's over 10,000 years ago. Like her father before her, Allura makes the choice to risk her life because she sees no other option - and with the situation as dire as it becomes, her solution is arguably the only one that makes any sense.

Throughout the series, Allura has grown more knowledgeable of Altean alchemy, learning a tremendous amount during her time studying with Lotor. When they visit Oriande in season 5, Allura's full potential is unlocked, allowing her to later perform incredible feats like reviving Lance from the brink of death and transferring Shiro's consciousness into his clone's body. So when it comes to channeling enough Quintessence to reboot of all existence, the only one capable of pulling it off is Allura. No one else has the knowledge or power necessary, and Allura knows this, choosing the only path open to her.

And yet, the decision to kill Allura and only Allura is for some a controversial one. Apart from being the only Paladin who is killed, in doing so the series ostensibly kills its only woman of color in the main cast. And while the finale makes a case for it being Allura who must sacrifice herself, the decision is ultimately a creative one and not the only possible outcome. Previously, Voltron: Legendary Defender came under fire for mishandling its LGBTQ representation, and it's almost certain the decision to kill Allura will cause a similar backlash.

Voltron's season 8 finale does, though, kind of hint at Allura continuing to exist in some form. When the Lions are departing at the end of the episode, the Blue Lion, the one that Allura piloted, is front and center with its eyes glowing unnaturally bright. In response, Lance's Altean markings glow, suggesting that Allura's spirit might be nearby, possibly even within the consciousness of the Blue Lion. Voltron has shown previously that when a Paladin is near death, their consciousness can be saved within their Lion, as Shiro's was within the Black Lion. So it isn't that hard to believe something similar could have happened to Allura. There's even a short post-credits scene that depicts a starry nebula in the shape of Allura with the Lions flying straight for it, hinting at Allura now being a part of some larger, cosmic force.

This is all, of course, little comfort to those still angry at the decision to kill Allura, but it's hard not to feel proud when the statue erected in her honor is unveiled on New Altea. It shows Allura standing firm, dressed in her Paladin armor, and with her long hair flowing behind her. It's a powerful image and one that reminds us of who Allura was - a princess, a Paladin, but most importantly, someone who overcame her own pain and grief to fight for those she loves. Allura is a hero in every sense of the word, and for Voltron: Legendary Defender to end with this incredible woman becoming the defender of every universe in existence is absolutely worth celebrating.

In the wake of Allura's sacrifice, the Voltron season 8 finale jumps ahead for a one year later epilogue. In it, the five surviving Paladins of Voltron have each discovered their next calling, and it's easy to see Allura's influence on the path each Paladin has chosen. It's true that some are more well-suited to their new vocation than others, and at least one feels simply out of character, but overall the impact Allura has had on their lives in undeniable.

Page 3 of 3: The Future of Each Paladin Explained

Keith Unites The Galra Empire

While they're all sitting around the table remembering Allura at the end of the episode, Coran tells Keith that Allura believed he would be the key to the Galra's future. Now having seen what Keith's future holds, Allura was absolutely right. In the year following Allura's sacrifice, Keith brings together the remnants of the Galra Empire, uniting them with a call to do away with their "survive at all cost" mentality and join the Galactic Coalition. A year later, they're holding elections on Daibazaal (seemingly restored alongside Altea) and Keith's mother, Krolia and his mentor, Kolivan are elected as the Galra's first representatives to the Galactic Coalition.

Keith, meanwhile, ignoring those who wish him to become the Galra's new leader ("Typical Keith."), transforms the Blade of Marmora into a humanitarian relief organization. It's the perfect avenue for Keith to help those affected by the war, delivering aide right to those who need it most. And for someone who was always willing to charge straight in to battle, attacking any problem head on, this is an ideal way for Keith to share Allura's message of peace. Not too mention, repairing some of the damage done by the Galra is sure to soothe Keith's inner turmoil over being part-Galra himself - something Allura also helped Keith to accept.

Pidge Creates The New Defenders

When Allura says goodbye to Pidge, she tells her to remain "curious and fearless," which as we see in the year since their battle with Honerva, is exactly what Pidge does. In the epilogue, Pidge is installing the A.I. on a robot of her own creation, naming it Chip. It's a neat Easter egg for longtime Voltron fans as Chip was Pidge's twin brother in the original cartoon. But the creation of Chip here also hints at how Pidge will continue protecting Earth and the rest of the universe. In that original cartoon, Chip was a pilot on a team called Vehicle Voltron, where 15 vehicles of land, sea, and air combined into one ginormous robot. And seeing as it's the Holt Family who establish the next generation of Legendary Defenders, it's entirely possible that they do so with Chip and something similar to Vehicle Voltron.

Pidge is someone who will always chart her own course, so it's exciting to see her take what she's learned traveling all across the universe and apply that knowledge to improving the lives of those on Earth and beyond. The creation of Chip in particular feels like a natural progression of what she learned from the Olkari, using technology in brand new ways. Without having become a Paladin and meeting Allura, Pidge couldn't have achieved any of this, and it's phenomenal that Voltron is showing how one woman can inspire another to accomplish so much with science and technology.

Hunk Feeds The Universe

Of all the Voltron Paladins, Hunk's future feels not only the most appropriate but the most satisfying. By far the most sensitive of the Paladins, it absolutely suits Hunk to use his love of cooking to connect and strengthen the bonds between the many different races and cultures of the Galactic Coalition. No one understands the importance of a good meal like Hunk, recognizing how food can remind people of home and that a full stomach can make them more open to new ideas. That he's using this talent of his to help in the diplomatic negotiations for the Coalition makes it all the more impressive, putting Hunk in a position of leadership he rarely saw during the series.

Hunk always felt like the Paladin who was most comfortable with himself from the get-go, and after he got over his initial fear at being thrust into a galactic war, he often took a backseat to the struggles of the other Paladins. However, the epilogue is certainly consistent with Hunk's character, crafting for him a meaningful and fitting way to carry on Allura's core belief that people are stronger when they work together.

Shiro Marries & Leaves The Battle

While there is sure to be controversy over the decision to kill off Allura, the future shown for Shiro will likely receive even more backlash. Already, there was the earlier controversy over the decision to kill Adam, Shiro's previous partner, immediately after introducing him, calling to mind the trope, "Bury Your Gays." Voltron creators Joaquim Dos Santos and Lauren Montgomery wrote a letter to fans, apologizing and expressing that it was never their intention to offend or disrespect anyone. And with that in mind, many were hopeful for how Voltron season 8 would take care to better handle their queer representation.

And for the most part, Shiro's sexuality plays little to no role in season 8, with the focus instead on how Shiro is a natural leader, a steady and calming presence on the bridge of the Atlas, and a true friend to his fellow Paladins. That he just also happens to be gay is remarkably refreshing, making it just a single aspect of his overall character and not his sole, defining trait. Which then makes it especially frustrating for Shiro's final moment to be a scene of him marrying some ancillary male character with whom he had zero romantic development of explored chemistry. It's disingenuous, as if DreamWorks was only interested in scoring PR points instead of actually including a queer romance. Lance and Allura's relationship was a focal point of season 8, why must Shiro settle for a tacked on, five second blip of a wedding to a character audiences know nothing about?

Together with the implication that he then just up and "leaves the battlefield" after devoting his life to protecting others, Shiro's future just doesn't fit with what we know of the character. And it's a shame, too, because as the final scene of the episode, it spoils what is an otherwise near perfect end to a spectacular series.

Lance Keeps Allura's Memory Alive

No character matured more than Lance did in Voltron's eight seasons, growing from a cocky pilot into an insightful and fiercely devoted Paladin. He never loses his sense of humor, either, instead coming to better understand the right and wrong times to crack a joke. The final season saw him take his biggest leap when he professes his love to Allura, allowing himself to be open and vulnerable around her. There's no doubt that Allura's death hits Lance the hardest, but despite his grief, it's Lance more than anyone who champions Allura's belief that there is good inside everyone.

With his Paladin days behind him, Lance returns to his family farm to live a simple life. Family was always important to Lance, often coming up as what he missed most about Earth. It's why it was equally important to Lance that Allura feel she was a part of his family, hoping to return to her something she lost long ago. And it's this compassion that makes Lance the ideal choice to carry Allura's message of peace and love forward.

When Allura says goodbye to Lance in Voltron season 8, she bestows on him the Altean markings, and while it's unclear what these markings really mean - are they simply meant as a symbol of her love or do they imply Lance is now part Altean? - they do suggest that Lance now has a place within Altean society. Perhaps, then, what the future really holds for Lance is for him to split his time between Earth and New Altea, helping Coran to restore the world Allura loved so much.

More: Will There Be A Voltron Season 9?

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