Voltron: Defender of the Universe

One of my favorite childhood TV shows was Voltron: Defender of the Universe. The basis of the show was a team of five heroes who each commanded a robot lion. The five lions would combine to form a large ass-kicking robot named Voltron, smiting bad guys with his gigantic sword (see picture). Each episode the Voltron team would fight to protect the planet Arus, usually from the evil galactic ruler King Zarkon, his son Lotor, or the witch Haggar.

According to earlier comics, Voltron used to be a wholly intelligent entity not the five piece robot I’m used to. This fact I did not know. Apparently, Voltron was tricked, by the scheming Haggar, into landing on a black comet, in which she subsequently attacked and blew him into five pieces (five lions). The five lions each have a distinctive personality, along with the heroes who piloted them. Captain Keith pilots the Black lion, and is the leader of the Voltron force and does leader-like stuff. Lance Charles McClain pilots the Red Lion, and is the second in command and the reckless ladies-man of the group. Darell “Pidge” Stoker pilots the Green Lion, and is the scientist and academic of the group. Princess Allura, of the planet Arus, pilots the Blue Lion, and is the beauty and can also raise the dead (Nice combo). Tsuyoshi “Hunk” Garett pilots the Yellow Lion, and is the strong-man of the group but with a soft heart and an affinity towards Fruit Loops.

Anyways, when this show appeared on TV, I would watch every minute of the show including commercials. I cried out when I found VHS tapes of the show, and would watch them repeatedly. One of my favorite toys was the Black Lion and the Yellow Lion. I sadly never completed the entire set. Luckily, other people shared my enthusiasm. I recently found the Reebok Voltron pack. With each shoe comes a Lion, so after getting all five shoes I could form Voltron: Defender of the Universe. Too bad the shoes are so terrible, even though the Voltron robot might be worth it.