The Legend Begins[]
[Fade in to a close-up of Zarkon's face in profile, still lying in a coma at Galra Central Command. Haggar stands watch over him.]
Haggar: Sire, forgive me for this, but ... I know no other way. [Cut to a close-up of Zarkon's face as she places her fingers on his temples, which begin to glow with dark purple magic.] Your empire needs you.
[The camera zooms in on distant memories of his past - Galra ships attacking a planet; a man being supported by a woman, both of unknown species, as they are surrounded by Galra soldiers; quick transitions between the ruins of Daibazaal and the planet when it was still the Galra home; the Voltron lions with five people, including a younger Zarkon and Alfor, standing in front of them; a younger Zarkon at his wedding to a pretty Altean woman; Zarkon standing behind Alfor as they discover the comet that created Voltron; and a last lingering shot of the Altean woman from Zarkon's perspective, smiling and laughing.
Cut to Haggar who looks up and gasps, eyes widening, before she regains her composure and continues treating Zarkon.
Cut to the bridge of the Castle of Lions, where the universe map is at full display and Pidge is marking coordinates.]
Pidge: He fought us here, his generals were here, and he stole the comet here.
[Cut to a shot of Lance, Shiro, Keith, Hunk, Coran, and Allura all standing behind Pidge.]
Lance: So ... Lotor could be anywhere.
Shiro: We'll never be able to find him unless we can figure out his plan. We're totally missing the big picture.
Pidge: How about this question: why was Voltron made out of the same material as that comet? What's so special about it?
[Cut to a medium shot of Allura, Coran, and Hunk.]
Allura: My father discovered another comet like that before I was born.
Coran: Your father ... and Zarkon.
Hunk: This is back when Zarkon was the Black Lion's paladin?
Coran: Before that. Before Alfor built the Lions.
Shiro: [Close-up] I know this is painful to talk about, but if we're going to stop Lotor, it's time we heard the rest of the story.
[The camera closes briefly to a close-up of Coran before a montage sequence begins with a quick pan upward to a profile shot of Zarkon, Alfor, the unnamed man and woman from Zarkon's memory, and another man from an unnamed species; Alfor investigating unfamiliar food with two of the unnamed leaders and four-eyed yak-like creatures behind him; close-up of a Galra sentry's helmet, then a quick dolly up to one of the unnamed leaders in the heat of battle with the Galra; Alfor negotiating a peace treaty between Zarkon and the leader who was previously battling his forces while the other two stand with them; dolly down through an image of all five leaders facing down various foes together, with Zarkon as their leader]
Coran: [V/O] In the beginning, the paladins were just five leaders, who, despite coming from cultures which were vastly divergent, and in some cases had been warring for generations, managed to look past their differences in an effort to protect their common interests. What was initially a formal agreement to work alongside each other soon blossomed into a true friendship. A warrior's bond was forged, and together they worked to rid their system of those who would do it harm.
[The scene dissolves to a group of masked bandits, two of whom run past one who is firing a blaster. Alfor gives chase, but is too late to follow them as they run into a cave and the door slides shut. The bandits wait, prepared to attack, before pebbles begin to fall from the ceiling. A bandit looks up just as Alfor drops in from above onto his head, having cut a hole through the cave roof. Alfor sweeps his cave aside and readies his sword before looking up, eyes widening as he realizes that he is badly outnumbered.]
Alfor: Oh, dear.
[The bandits charge toward him, many of them dual-wielding daggers. Alfor manages to fend some of them off before being body-checked from the side, his sword flying out of his hand. The bandit who struck him leaps on top of him, and Alfor strains to keep away the blades, which are mere centimeters from his face, before both he and the bandit look up at the sound of someone knocking people aside. Zarkon rushes forward, throwing bandits aside with a club and knocking away the one attacking Alfor in one swipe before uppercutting another.
The camera quickly pans to the two unnamed male leaders knocking bandits aside, then pans to the female leader striking three with her staff. Final cut to the last of the bandits hitting the wall and falling to the cave floor, unconscious. Zoom out to a wide shot of the cave floor, where the five leaders stand amidst the defeated bandits.]
Zarkon: I keep warning you not to break formation and run ahead, Alfor. [Cut to a shot of the other three leaders and Zarkon looking at Alfor.] You are much more knowledgable as an alchemist than a soldier.
Alfor: [Medium shot as he holds his shoulder and smiles.] That's what I keep you around for, Zarkon.
[The scene dissolves to a shot of Planet Daibazaal, not broken and decayed but crimson red and thriving. Cut to an exterior shot of Zarkon's imperial palace with warships flying overhead. Cut to a long shot of Zarkon's banquet table, where the five leaders, Alfor's wife Melenor, and Coran are all gathered and being served a meal by Galra waitstaff.]
Coran: [V/O] The original paladins were [cut to medium shot of Zarkon.] Zarkon of planet Daibazaal [cut to Alfor saying something and Coran bursting into laughter.], King Alfor from Altea [pan to the leader from the planet with strange food, who starts eating a huge drumstick.], Gyrgan from Rygnirath [cut to the female leader, who is drinking from a goblet.], Trigel of the Dalterion Belt [cut to the male leader who was being supported by Trigel in the opening flash of Zarkon's memories, who is currently leaning with one elbow on the back of his chair and the other on the table.], and Blaytz from Nalquod. [Blaytz looks up to see a Galra servant offering him a tray with a full goblet on it.]
Blaytz: [takes the goblet and speaks directly to the servant] Pull up a bench and join the feast!
[Zarkon clears his throat offscreen; Blaytz looks startled and disgruntled. Cut to a medium shot of Zarkon, who is handing his goblet to another servant.]
Zarkon: You know that fraternizing with the servant class is not permitted. It erodes discipline.
Alfor [offscreen]: Well, perhaps a little bit of [over-the-shoulder shot of Zarkon looking at Alfor] discipline erosion would do you good, Zarkon.
Zarkon: [Medium shot] Something I will consider, the next time you are surrounded by Lambonite scavengers.
[Cut to a shot of Coran, Alfor, and Melenor.]
Alfor: I was handling myself.
Gyrgan: [slides into frame with a smirk] You mean, wetting yourself?
[Alfor glares at him as Trigel, Blaytz, Gyrgan, and Coran burst out laughing, Blaytz doing a spit take and Coran hitting his head on the back of Alfor's chair. Even Melenor has a laugh at her husband's expense.]
Alfor: Why I ever joined up with this band of scoundrels, I'll never know.
Trigel: Because we're the only 'band of scoundrels' that would have you. [stands up and lifts her goblet] To us!
[Suddenly, Trigel and Blaytz look up and gasp as the ground starts to rumble and the sky above them is lit up orange. Cut to close-up of Gyrgan.]
Gyrgan: By Willow!
[The camera pans up from the table to the ceiling as the skylight gives them all a view of a comet shooting overhead. Cut to an exterior shot of Zarkon's palace and the city beyond as the comet smashes into the ground beyond the mountains, a massive dust cloud and shockwave in its wake.]
Coran: [V/O] They could have never known that that very night [shot of the five leaders standing on the mountains overlooking the crater], the fate of the universe would be changed forever.
[Wide shot of the crater, where a black comet with glowing blue cracks, exactly like the one Team Voltron retrieved from the alternate reality, stands upright in the center. Dissolve to a shot of the same crater, where a number of Altean structures have been built. The comet has been removed, and in its place a small glowing gold hole is encased in a purple transparent dome with an observation deck built within it]
Zarkon: [V/O] I've finished evacuating all Galra citizens near the crater. [Close-up of Alfor's face as he studies a piece of the comet, where blue sparks surround it as a machine gives data readouts] What have you discovered?
Alfor: We're not sure. [Shot of Zarkon observing Alfor, who is watching the piece of comet and the data on a console] This comet is like none seen before. It seems to be made of a material that can pass between realities.
Zarkon: What do you mean?
[Close-up of the comet piece]
Alfor: Well, I mean that sages have always theorized that there are many realities stacked side-by-side with each other. [Upward shot from the glowing golden hole as Zarkon and Alfor walk toward it] Whole other universes with their own histories unbeknownst to us. But we never had any proof. [Downward shot overlooking the hole and the observation deck] Until now. When we moved the comet [shot of the crack in the ground of the planet itself, with four Galrans and one Altean studying it], we found this.
Zarkon: [close-up] This is another reality?
[Zarkon suddenly cries out in horror, looking down in surprise as the camera dollies down to show a cat at his feet. It is black with white paws, blue and white markings on its head and back, and an orange tuft on its head, and the top half of its fluffy tail is orange.]
Zarkon: [offscreen] What is that?! [The cat meows happily]
Honerva: [offscreen] Do not worry.
[A woman kneels down and holds out her arms, and the cat leaps into them. The camera switches to an over-the-shoulder shot of Zarkon looking at the woman, a pretty Altean with tan skin, red facial marks, and light purple hair pulled back in a bun - it's the Altean he was shown getting married to in the opening.]
Honerva: It is only Kova. [Kova perches on her shoulder, and she scratches his chest] He is from our reality.
[Cut to a shot of the woman, Zarkon, and Alfor. Zarkon is staring at the woman, dumbstruck.]
Alfor: Zarkon, this is Honerva. She is the best alchemist on Altea. I asked her to come to Daibazaal and lead the scientific investigation. Her expertise will be invaluable.
Honerva: [Smiles brightly at Zarkon.] Isn't it exciting? It could change the way we understand our entire universe!
Zarkon: Well...find out everything you can. I will provide any support you require. I must go.
[Cut to a wide shot of Alfor and Honerva as Zarkon walks away quickly. Alfor is smirking while Honerva looks put out.]
Honerva: He didn't stay long.
[The scene dissolves to Alfor observing a piece of the comet's ore, then to Zarkon watching Honerva at her console.]
Coran: [V/O] King Alfor experimented on the comet's ore in his lab on Altea, as Honerva continued her research of the rift on Daibazaal.
[The scene dissolves to a room in Zarkon's palace, in the center of which stands something that looks like a glowing purple fountain. Galra soldiers stand guard as Zarkon, Alfor, Melenor, Coran, and a Galra servant congregate by the fountain. Alfor has a bundle in his arms.]
Coran: [V/O] But Alfor visited often as the years passed. [Overhead shot as Zarkon looks down on Alfor, his wife, and Coran, who have come to introduce him to Alfor's newborn baby]
Alfor: Zarkon, I'd like you to meet Princess Allura.
[Cut to an upward shot as baby Allura looks up at Zarkon and his servant, who holds a tray with an ornate box on top.]
Zarkon: It is my pleasure. Please accept this gift in honor of your birth, princess.
[Cut to a close-up of the box as Melenor opens it, revealing a Galran battle helmet. Cut to a close-up of baby Allura as her mother gently places it on her head; it is huge on her, but she is awed by it and lets out a tiny gasp of wonder. Back shot of Zarkon and his servant as Alfor looks up and smiles while his wife holds out a finger for Allura to investigate delightedly.]
Alfor: Honerva has really softened you up, my friend. I never thought I'd see the day the great warrior emperor Zarkon was married. [Close-up of Zarkon] And to an Altean alchemist, no less.
[The scene dissolves to a wide shot of the observation deck as Alfor and Zarkon visit Honerva, who is hard at work.]
Alfor: Honerva, working hard as always. Many thanks for the gift. Allura loves it.
[Cut to a medium shot of Honerva, who is now clothed with Galran colors bearing the seal of the empire. She does not look up from her console and appears coolly disinterested.]
Honerva: It was a customary gesture.
Alfor: [is briefly surprised by Honerva's coolness but quickly recovers] O-of course. How is our quintessence experiment?
Honerva: [points to her right without looking up] Still running.
[Cut to an overhead shot of Zarkon, Alfor, and Honerva, with a device to Honerva's right that is running at full power.]
Alfor: Running for a full year on one drop of quintessence with no decline in revolutions per dobosh. No other energy source like this exists! [Shot of Alfor and Zarkon, a tube at the left edge of the frame] The ships I'm creating for us work on the same principle, and the ore from the comet practically engineers itself. It's...frightening, in a way.
Zarkon: Endlessly powerful ships for the Galra empire!
Alfor: And an endless source of clean energy for the entire system.
Zarkon: ...Of course.
[A strange purple and red creature shoots around the tube into the frame, catching Alfor's attention. Pan over to show the full jar, with a strange amoeba-like creature floating inside of it. Downward shot of Zarkon, Alfor, and Honerva with the tube in the foreground, floating and zipping around the tube.]
Alfor: What is that?
Honerva: I sent some signals into the neighboring reality and this creature answered the call. [Cut to a close-up of the creature, which is beginning to make screeching noises.] Nothing from our universe has been able to survive the passage through the rift, but somehow, he arrived unharmed.
[Honerva places her hand on the glass. Downward shot of Zarkon, Alfor, and Honerva]
Alfor: What? I thought we discussed this; we must exercise caution. We have no idea what is out there.
Honerva: The ancients thought that lightning was shot from the bows of the gods until science proved otherwise. [Shot of Honerva standing in front of the glass container] We must always push into dangerous territory in pursuit of knowledge.
[Close-up on the rift creature, which suddenly bursts in size and lets out loud, angry screeches. Cut to the rift, which begins to glow purple until something crimson and purple like the creature shoots out of it, flooding the ground. Wide shot of the observation deck as red geysers burst through the observation deck and Alfor, Honerva, and Zarkon flee and the screen fades to black]
[Fade in to a shot of the purple dome, where the rift creature, now in a massive water-like formation, ebbs and flows around the dome. Galra soldiers and warships keep watch around it]
Coran: [V/O] King Alfor and Honerva erected a particle barrier around the crater containing the creatures, but it wouldn't hold forever.
[Pan up from a shot of Galra sentries preparing to fire to Zarkon and Honerva watching above the crater. Closer shot of Zarkon and Honerva]
Honerva: The barrier is weakening. We don't have long.
Zarkon: Once those creatures escape, my forces will quickly be overrun. My planet...my people...
[Back shot of Zarkon and Honerva with the dome in full view]
Honerva: Alfor's project will save us.
Zarkon: Let us hope.
[Cut to a downward shot of an Altean elevator shaft as an elevator shoots downward. Shot inside the elevator as Alfor, Zarkon, Gyrgan ,Blaytz, and Trigel wait]
Zarkon: I trust this plan of yours will work, Alfor.
[Suddenly a bright white flashes off the glass of the elevator, drawing all the leaders' attention. They turn to see a large, lion-like head. Shot from outside the elevator as Trigel, Blaytz, Zarkon, and Gyrgan gaze in awe, and Alfor smiles with pride]
Gyrgan: By Willow!
[Slow dollying shot of green and yellow metal lions and another of three more, blue, red, and black. Zoom out from a full shot of the front of the black lion's face, then zoom out again to see a full shot of five giant robotic lions. Pan over the five leaders, who are facing these magnificent creations]
Trigel: Incredible!
Zarkon: Alfor, they're amazing. How do they work?
Alfor: I made them from the quintessence-infused ore of the comet, which provides them with an endless supply of power.
Zarkon: Remarkable!
[Shot of the blue, red, and black lions, with the yellow lion's face close in frame and the green lion just visible behind it.]
Alfor [offscreen]: The comet alloy also renders them nearly indestructible.
Blaytz: What sort of weaponry do they have?
[Pan over the leaders]
Alfor: This is where things become more...interesting. Altean alchemy can accomplish some incredible feats of engineering, as you know [shot of Alfor standing in front of the red lion's face, his console in front of him and a white vignette around the frame], but...in testing my ship, I started to feel some sort of...psychic link. [Close-up of Alfor's face, then zoom out as his full body is lifted up against a background of stars and nebulae in which the red lion's face materializes] I'm not sure how to explain it, but the ship...it wasn't just reading my mind. [Split screen showing the Red Lion's eye and Alfor's, which both glow gold as the Red Lion growls] It was communicating with me. [Cut to the present, with Zarkon and Alfor in frame] They seem to be evolving. We don't yet know what powers these ships possess, but we may gain understanding with time.
Zarkon: Time? [Close-up of Zarkon over Alfor's shoulder] Time slips away even as we stand here! My people will soon be slaughtered by dark creatures from another realm! [Reverse shot of Alfor's face] Without these ships, all hope is lost!
Alfor: I understand. [Dissolve to the five leaders standing in a circle in the middle of the lions] It may take some doing. [Close-up of Blaytz as the Blue Lion's eyes shine gold behind him] These are not regular ships to be chosen at a whim. [Profile shot of Trigel standing before the Green Lion, which glows] You do not pick the beast; [full shot of the Yellow Lion, whose eyes glow as Gyrgan stands in front of it] the beast will choose you. [Close-up of Zarkon, who turns to see the Black Lion rumble to life behind him]
[Dissolve to the outside of Alfor's castle, where all five Lions rocket their way around its bridges and towers before launching into the atmosphere, the Blue Lion slowing down to savor the moment before shooting upward to join the rest. Inter-frame close-up Blaytz, whooping in delight. Shot of the outskirts of the rings of planet Altea, where the Lions are just barely visible as the camera tracks them upward. Closer profile shot of the Lions]
Alfor [over comms]: Now go easy at the beginning. [Close-up inside Red's cockpit] This is greater energy than you have ever worked with before.
[The Black Lion flies into frame on Alfor's right]
Zarkon [over comms]: Perhaps you should lead the formation, Alfor. [Inter-frame close-up of Zarkon] You have a greater understanding of the vessels than anyone.
[Interframe close-up of Alfor]
Alfor: I'm a better alchemist than military leader, Zarkon. I'll stick with being your right hand.
Zarkon: Very well, then. On my mark, paladins! Right flank, Alfor and Blaytz! Left flank, Trigel and Gyrgan!
[Back shot of the Lions as they shoot forward and begin to fly upward in formation. Cut to the inside of the containment dome on Daibazaal, where the rift creatures are growing stronger and more intense. As one, they rocket upward and smash their way through the barrier, becoming one to form a quadrupedal monster with a gold symbol at the head. The Galra sentries fire, but the creature fires a laser from the gold mark, destroying them. The resulting explosion can be seen over the mountains; medium shot of Honerva watching from Zarkon's palace. Suddenly the Black Lion soars above her; interframe close-up of her astonished expression. The Black Lion flies close to the ground with the others]
Zarkon: Paladins! I'll fly ahead and divert its attention! The rest of you, attack from all sides!
[The Black Lion fires its laser through a column of smoke and flies straight through the creature]
Zarkon: Fire! [The monster fires its lasers at the other four Lions as they fly around it and shoot with their lasers] Keep firing!
[Blue fires at the monster and shoots across its back; several rift creatures break off and pursue him. He evades them for a moment, but they eventually trap the whole Lion. Cut to the Blue Lion's cockpit]
Blaytz: These blasted things are covering me!
[Close-up of Alfor as he watches the creatures begin to pull the Blue Lion to the ground]
Alfor: Blaytz!
[Alfor fires the Red Lion's mouth cannon, which disperses the creatures as the monster fires its laser again. The Blue Lion is freed and flies up to join Alfor]
Blaytz: Th...thanks, Alfor!
Alfor: Anytime!
[The Yellow Lion suddenly cuts in between them as Gyrgan charges downward, screaming. He begins to spin the Yellow Lion like a drill toward the monster]
Gyrgan: Spinning head smash!
[The monster opens a hole in its back; Gyrgan panics, but it's too late; Yellow collides with the ground. Fortunately, Yellow drills through and flies out of the ground a few yards away and joins Black and Red in the sky. Inter-frame close-ups of Gyrgan and Zarkon]
Gyrgan: I can't hit it!
Zarkon: Fall back, paladins! [over comms] We must regroup!
[Shot of the Red Lion's cockpit as Alfor closes his eyes and the interior begins to glow]
Alfor: Wait! We must come together in formation!
[Interframe close-up of Trigel]
Trigel: What? Why?
Alfor: I don't know, but somehow I can feel it.
[The Lions come together in formation and begin to fly upward together. Their rocket exhausts begins to glow yellow, green, purple, red, and blue. Formation split-screen close-ups of all five paladins]
Gyrgan: Hey, I feel it!
Trigel: I do, too! What's happening?
[Shot of the Lions themselves beginning to glow. Close-up of Alfor, who hears the roar of a Lion as the glowing eyes of a face shine behind him in his mind, as he sees a vision of the Lions flying toward a massive humanoid figure comprised of all five.]
Alfor: Voltron!
[Voltron's face shines and the frame fades to white. Cut to Galra sentries, who look up at the sound of something smashing against the ground. They and the monster look up to see a brilliant blue light in the sky. Formation split-screen of the paladins, who are all shouting in determination, then zoom out as Voltron flies implacably downward and its right arm punches the rift monster downward. The creatures disperse and a shockwave sends dust and earth out over the ground. The dust parts to reveal Voltron standing tall. Inter-frame close-up of Blaytz]
Blaytz: I can't believe we did it!
[Inter-frame close up of Trigel]
Trigel: How did this come about?
[Inter-frame close-up of Gyrgan, eyes shining with joy]
Gyrgan: Am I a leg?
[Inter-frame close-up of Zarkon]
Zarkon: This power...it's unbelievable!
[Inter-frame close-up of Alfor]
Alfor: This...is Voltron.
[Close-up of Voltron, which turns as the ground begins to rumble and the rift creatures launch out of it, the monster re-formed. It fires its laser at Voltron's left side; Trigel gasps and braces for impact before looking up and realizing that Voltron has formed a shield]
Trigel: A shield!
Zarkon: Well done, Trigel!
[The monster fires two more lasers, and Voltron is overwhelmed by the force and thrown backward. The creatures swoop in and form a whirling dome around Voltron. Shot of the inside of the Black Lion's cockpit]
Zarkon: It's trying to rip into us!
[Split-screen of Blue's cockpit]
Blaytz: We have to get it off!
[Shot of Red's cockpit, where Alfor is alerted to a port on the right side of his console]
Alfor: I know what to do!
[Alfor summons the red bayard, plunges it into the port, and twists it. The Red and Green Lion's jaws meet and then slide apart to form a sword, which slices its way around the rift creatures. The monster takes one final humanoid form, full of glowing blue cuts, before exploding. Formation split-screen as the Paladins gaze in awe. Dolly up as Voltron lands, its left eye shining. Dissolve to a downward shot of the destroyed observation deck overlooking the rift, where Zarkon, Alfor, and Honerva are standing]
Alfor: We must find a way to seal up this rift.
[Medium shot of Alfor, Honerva, and Zarkon]
Honerva: Seal the rift? Why?!
[Shot of Alfor over Honerva's shoulder]
Alfor: It nearly destroyed Daibazaal!
[Back shot of Zarkon's head and shoulders with Alfor on his left and Honerva on his right]
Honerva: Those creatures nearly destroyed Daibazaal and you found a way to defeat them!
Alfor: Zarkon, surely you agree with me. It must be closed!
[Shot of Zarkon and Honerva over Alfor's shoulder]
Zarkon: Perhaps not. Look at what we've gained, Alfor. Your ships are the most powerful machines ever created. Who knows what else may be discovered if we continue working?
[Wide shot of Alfor, Zarkon, and Honerva with the rift in the foreground]
Alfor: You would risk your entire planet, the entire solar system, for what? For more power?
Zarkon: You know it's more than that.
Alfor: [close-up] We already have Voltron! You have to know when it's enough!
[The camera quickly pans over to a close-up of Zarkon, Honerva at his side.]
Zarkon: I'll decide what's enough on my planet! [Close-up of Alfor over Zarkon's shoulder, his eyes wide with shock at the outburst. Reverse shot of Zarkon and Honerva. Zarkon takes a calming breath] I'm sorry, Alfor. The work will continue.
[Dissolve to a rebuilt observation deck, Honerva and a Galra sentry at a console. Montage of the paladins running through the corridors of an Altean ship; the lions flying over the mountains of a planet; Galra warships flying through space; and an upward shot of Voltron standing in the center of a crowd of cheering people]
Coran [V/O]: Honerva continued her experiments on the rift. Despite their differences, Zarkon and Alfor, along with the other paladins, established a new era of peace and prosperity. It was an age of exploration, and Voltron became known as the Defender of the Universe, establishing the legend that would live on to this day.
[Dissolve to a shot of Daibazaal, the surface of which is a rich red, then dissolve again to show it a dull greenish-yellow. The Red Lion flies toward it]
Alfor [V/O]: I heard there were three more earthquakes this movement.
[Dissolve to a shot of Alfor and Zarkon with the Red Lion behind them. Alfor has aged visibly, with a fuller beard and his hair down]
Zarkon: Don't worry. I'm installing stabilizers to strengthen the planet's cohesion.
Alfor: Zarkon, my scientists have scanned Daibazaal. [Shot of Alfor over Zarkon's shoulder] It is fracturing. Soon, the structural integrity will—
Zarkon [turning away]: I can't stop Honerva's work now! She's discovering more every day!
[The scene dissolves to the observation deck, where Honerva stands alone at her console overlooking the rift as Zarkon and Alfor walk in.]
Zarkon: Her team has developed a space cruiser five times the size of our current largest ship. [Cut to a medium shot of Zarkon and Alfor] But that's nothing.
Alfor: Hello, Honerva. It's been decaphoebs.
[The camera cuts to a back shot of Honerva, now wearing a dark purple robe over her Galra clothing with her hair hanging down. She does not look up from her console and when she speaks, her tone is sharp and cold.]
Honerva: I hope you haven't come to try to shut down my work. There is more hidden knowledge and power in this tiny fissure than you can possibly understand.
[Cut to a shot of Zarkon and Alfor, the console and Honerva's shoulder in the extreme foreground.]
Alfor: I'm only worried about the stability of— [Suddenly, Kova keaps up onto the console, now looking much scrawnier and having lost much of his fluff.] Is that Kova? How old is he?
[Cut to an overhead shot of Kova with Honerva's back and right arm in frame. As Honerva speaks, he leaps to the other side of the console.]
Honerva: Twenty-eight decaphoebs old. Shortly after the creatures attacked, he fell ill. [Cut to a medium shot of Alfor and Zarkon as Honerva continues talking offscreen.] But then I began treating him with quintessence.
Alfor: No...!
[Cut to a shot of Kova, who arches his back and hisses at Alfor.]
Honerva: He revealed the truth to us. Quintessence is so much more than you can understand. [Shot of Alfor and Zarkon with the top of Honerva's head in frame] It is life itself.
Alfor: You've gone too far!
[Honerva whips around and the camera cuts to a close-up of her face. She is hunched over, hair now hanging lank and bedraggled in her face. Her eyes and cheeks are hollowed and sunken, her nose is hooked, and her Altean marks run unnaturally down her face.]
Honerva: You've always been a coward!
Alfor: [Close-up of his face which looks horrified] Honerva, you...!
Honerva: [Close-up] You wish to close off our gateway to enlightenment; we should be expanding it!
[The camera dollies up as Zarkon walks into frame to stand behind his wife.]
Zarkon: If we use Voltron, we can enlarge the opening to the other reality!
Alfor: [close-up] It's madness. [The camera changes to a shot of Zarkon and Honerva over Alfor's shoulder.] This prolonged exposure to quintessence has poisoned your minds!
Zarkon: We've only scratched the surface! We can rule this entire universe! [Cut to a close-up of Alfor, who has gone from alarmed to furious.] We can live forever! All of us!
Alfor: [turns and begins to walk away.] I cannot be a part of this.
[Cut to a wide shot of the opening to the rift as Alfor walks away from Zarkon and Honerva.]
Zarkon: You are only one part of Voltron, Alfor! You cannot hold us all back because of your fear! [Cut to a close-up of Zarkon] Alfor! I lead the paladins! [Back shot of Zarkon and Honerva as the doors shut behind Alfor] I command you! ALFOR!
[Honerva lets out a groan before she suddenly collapses. Zarkon whips around in alarm]
Zarkon: Honerva? [Cut to a full shot of the observation deck as Zarkon runs to tend to his wife.] Honerva!
[The scene fades to an exterior shot of Zarkon's palace, now standing against gray and decaying rock and sky. Cut to a close-up of Honerva's hand, clawed and wrinkled, clutching at her blanket and shivering.]
Honerva: [breathes heavily] We mu—we must—we must have i—we must have it—[Zarkon's hand enters the frame and takes hers. Cut to a profile close-up of her face with Zarkon crouched next to her as she lies on their bed, eyes wide and unfocused, irises jittering. Her hair has turned completely white.] get back—get ba—get ba—
Zarkon: What is it, my love?
Honerva: Get back—[close-up of her face, hollowed and shrunken] quinte—quintessence—[gasps] quintessence is life! [eyebrows twitch] Into th—into the rift!
[Profile shot of her face, which Zarkon turns to look at him]
Zarkon: How?
[Close up of Honerva's face, looking even more hollowed and skull-like. Her eyes begin to roll back into her head]
Honerva: We mu—we must—we must ha—Voltro—Voltron! Voltron! [Slow zoom out from a full shot of Zarkon and Honerva's bedroom, Zarkon's side empty as he kneels next to Honerva, whose voice echoes around the room] Voltron! Voltron! Voltron! It is the only way!
[Dissolve to the Castle of Lions]
Zarkon [V/O]: Alfor tried to warn me, but I would not listen. [Overhead shot of the five paladins as Zarkon stands at the head of the dining table] Now my wife has fallen ill and my planet is on the brink of collapse! So I must beg you—[Close-up of Alfor] my trusted comrades—to join me on a most dangerous quest! [Medium shot of Blaytz, Gyrgan, and Trigel] We must close the rift, and I need Voltron to do it.
[Blaytz, Gyrgan, and Trigel exchange looks, Gyrgan nods, then they turn to face Zarkon]
Trigel: We will help you.
[Upward shot of Zarkon with Alfor's left arm in the foreground]
Zarkon: I only hope it is not too late to heal the rift and my planet—[turns and extends his arm to Alfor] and our friendship.
[Reverse shot of Alfor, who looks down at the proffered arm. Close-up of Alfor grabbing Zarkon's forearm]
Coran [V/O]: Alfor's compassion for his old comrade blinded him to Zarkon's true plans.
[Dissolve to the observation building above the rift as Voltron lands next to it. Voltron picks up the entire building and rips it off of the rift, sending it flying. Overhead shot of Voltron looking down into the rift]
Zarkon: Honerva told me the only way to close the rift was to use the power of the quintessence. We must make the opening bigger first to gather the power.
[Inter-frame close-up of Gyrgan, then Alfor]
Gyrgan: How do we do that?
Alfor: We use the sword!
[Close-up of Zarkon]
Zarkon: Form sword!
[Alfor plunges his bayard into the Red Lion's port and twists it. The Red and Green Lions come together and slide apart to form the sword, which Voltron plunges into the rift. The crater begins to fill with a blue glowing light. Split-screen of all five paladins straining with the effort]
Gyrgan: It's...too...much!
Alfor: Stay...focused!
[Suddenly the screen floods with white light, and Voltron tumbles into view, floating in the quintessence field. Close-ups of Alfor, Gyrgan, Trigel, and Blaytz, groaning as they come to]
Blaytz: Where are we?
[Profile close-up of Alfor]
Alfor: We've entered the rift. [An alarm sounds; Alfor looks out to see two figures floating out in the middle of the rift] No! Zarkon! What are you doing?!
[Medium shot of Zarkon, carrying Honerva bridal style and lifting her up to be fully exposed to the rift. Back shot of Alfor looking at his instrument panel]
Alfor: We have to get them out of here!
[Split screen to show Blaytz]
Blaytz: We must hurry. [Distant shot of Voltron in the rift as the rift creatures shoot up toward them] The creatures have returned!
[Full shot of Zarkon and Honerva, who are quickly enveloped by the creatures. Back shot of Trigel in Green's cockpit as the creatures collide with her windows]
Trigel: They're everywhere!
[Close-up of Honerva surrounded by the rift creatures, hair flying and teeth clenched, crying out as she is overwhelmed. Close-up of Zarkon, whose eyes glow purple as he lets out a scream. Close-up of Alfor]
Alfor: Fire all lasers!
[Full shot of the creatures whirling around Voltron, which begins firing its lasers in every direction, eventually dispelling the creatures. Close-up of Trigel]
Alfor [over comms]: Trigel, grab them! [Shot of Zarkon and Honerva floating lifeless in the rift as the Green Lion opens its jaws and closes them around them. Split screen showing Gyrgan and Blaytz] Gyrgan! Blaytz! Fire your thrusters, we must leave!
[Upward shot of Voltron as the Blue and Yellow Lion's thrusters fire and lift Voltron up and out of the rift. Montage of Voltron kneeling outside the rift; Alfor, Trigel, Gyrgan, and Blaytz grieving over Zarkon and Honerva, whose hands are the only parts of them in frame; a wide shot of the now-enlarged rift and Voltron kneeling beside it; a shot of Daibazaal covered in glowing gold fissures as Galra cruisers evacuate the planet; the Red, Green, Yellow, and Blue Lions surrounding the planet, the center of which explodes, leaving behind only a fraction of what the planet used to be; a pan down of the entry to the Castle of Lions as people enter to pay their respects to Zarkon and Honerva; Zarkon and Honerva's funeral chamber aboard Zarkon's ship]
Coran [V/O]: Zarkon's attempt to save Honerva was in vain. They both succumbed to overexposure of quintessence. The Paladins had been deceived by Zarkon. They had unwittingly enlarged the rift, which further destabilized planet Daibazaal. King Alfor was forced to evacuate the planet. He then closed the rift the only way he knew how—by destroying the Galran homeworld. King Alfor held a state funeral for Zarkon and Honerva in his royal hall. But what happened next, he could never have guessed.
[Close-up of Zarkon as he sits up, the shroud falling from his face. He breathes out slowly, his voice sounding much deeper and more menacing. His eyes now glow purple and he turns to see Honerva's empty stretcher. Pan down from a full shot of Zarkon to the hooded figure crouched on the floor and shivering. Close-up of Honerva, her face blue and her Altean facial marks running down over her mouth, her cloak over her head, fully transformed into the witch Haggar. Medium shot of a Galra soldier as the doors slide open behind him; he turns, startled, as the camera zooms out and Zarkon looms over him]
Zarkon: Where am I?
Galra Soldier: Aboard your ship, sir.
[Profile close-up of Zarkon]
Zarkon: Take us home.
Medium shot of the soldier]
Galra soldier: I-I...can't, sir. Daibazaal...[close up of Zarkon's glowing eye] has been destroyed. [Zarkon's eye narrows]
[Montage as Zarkon makes an announcement to the Galra. Wide shot of a room on board a Galra ship as the soldiers turn to look at him, stunned; a crowd of what appears to be Galrans and Alteans watching in horror; Upward shot of Trigel's people looking up at screens broadcasting the announcement in a city; and Zarkon, Gyrgan, Blaytz, and Trigel staring up, shocked and horrified, at a screen in the dining room]
Zarkon: My fellow Galra, King Alfor of Altea has destroyed our planet. He must pay dearly for his crimes. Rise up and join your emperor! Revenge will be ours!
[Montage of Zarkon seated on his throne, Haggar at his left side; Zarkon and Haggar looking up at a screen showing an image of Voltron and its data; Galra cruisers attacking a planet; Blaytz and Trigel watching Galra cruisers flying overhead as the world around them is lit aflame and a pan upward showing the multitudes of warships; a dissolve to a shot of space as pueple, green, blue, red, and yellow streaks of light indicate the five lions being sent away; a wide shot of Zarkon and Alfor on a bridge on Altea, Zarkon having struck the killing blow and Alfor collapsing; and the Castle of Lions flying through space as Altea explodes]
Coran [V/O]: Zarkon had become pure evil, obsessed only with quintessence. In order to open a new rift between the realities, he needed Voltron. And so the war began. The Galra immediately responded to their leader and attacked. The peaceful planets of our system were not prepared. Soon they had all fallen except for Altea. In a final attempt to keep Voltron from Zarkon's hands, the Lions were sent to the far corners of the universe. Zarkon flew into a rage. He killed King Alfor, then avenged the loss of Daibazaal with the destruction of Altea.
[Cut to the present in a shot of Keith, Lance, Shiro, Pidge, Allura, and Hunk over Coran's shoulder]
Pidge: So that's Lotor's plan—to cross into other universes and get the purest quintessence possible!
Keith: No matter what [wide shot of the bridge with Team Voltron gathered at the center], we have to stop him.
[Cut to an over-the-shoulder shot of the room where Haggar is tending to Zarkon. A small shockwave fills the room and Haggar is thrown backward, panting. Close-up of Haggar]
Haggar: Husband...how could I have forgotten? [Pan over to Zarkon. As Haggar continues to speak, her voice begins to meld with the one she had before the rift] You brought me back to life long ago. Now...come back for me.
[Extreme close-up and zoom in on Zarkon's face as his eyes open, purple, glowing, and very much alive]