Why is no one talking about how Shiro, Lance’s long time role model and hero, constantly dismisses Lance like he’s nothing.
That just sounds like it hurts
This definitely hurts… But I think it’s more complicated than that.
Like Shiro obviously doesn’t do that on purpose. The problem here is that he misunderstands what’s important to Lance because the poor kid is so good at pretending everything’s okay even when it’s not. So Shiro praises Lance just as much as he praises everyone else, but to Lance it just looks like Shiro is doing the bare minimum required of him. And meanwhile Shiro thinks they get along great.
Lance is just one of those people that doesn’t seem to need any Extra Attention because he’s so used to not getting it, so even though he’s appreciated by everyone, they don’t feel like they need to go out of their way to say anything. Because it seems like Lance has a good head on his shoulders, but all he really wants is for the others- especially Shiro– to just say one thing to show him how much they really care.
You can’t say that Shiro doesn’t know though. Shiro doesn’t do well with listening to Lance. He just doesn’t.
Lance actually told him that Keith was a hot head and would knife first and ask questions later. Shiro, not being used to that kind of outburst, just fires back with whatever reason he can gather in his head. He then proceeds to be surprised when Keith actually does try to start a fight.
The favoritism he shows towards Keith and Pidge is so big you have to remember that he’s actually intelligent. His behavior is so obvious but it’s practically normal to the rest of the team.
I think Lance really just wants to be acknowledged. Like in the “That’s why we bring our sharpshooter!” scene. It’s the fact that he’s put down more than he’s praised even if he does something good and stupid at the same time. In season one, Lance was practically begging for some type of praise and only got rejection in return.
Shiro’s attitude towards Lance is progressively getting worse. In the first episode, he thanked Lance. By the middle of the first season, Shiro was shutting him down more and more and started to look almost annoyed with Lance. In season two with the Blade of Marmora, Lance actually stood up and said that Keith was probably not the best one bc he’s hotheaded and ask questions later.
So it’s not that Shiro hasn’t been made aware, he probably just refuses to acknowledge what he’s doing and chooses to continue to show favoritism which effectively puts Lance down. Does he mean to hurt his feelings? Probably not. Is he paying attention to them? No.
This continues to fuel my reason that Lance is one of the best leaders I have seen. I had taken the liberty to re-watch the first episode over and over again, as to try to get my friends into it, and in the process I notice who Lance was before and after Keith and Shiro.
If you listen and watch carefully, Lance was the leader of their group’s space cadets in the garrison. He actively defended each of his team mates and redirected and took the harsh fire, which is generally what a team leader does. He also relies on others to see the faults in his plans and get better ideas, as he had during the first episode right before they saved Shiro.
Not only that, but through the entire season, he thinks of each team member equally, even Keith as he has put enough attention into seeing Keith’s strong suits and flaws, as he does for everyone.
He also puts everyone’s safety at top priority as shown when he wanted to live to fight another day. I dont think it was just fear and the longing of home. Only Allura knew what was happening, and the rest of them didn’t really know what they were up against. Its only natural to want to leave and gather information on the enemy before taking it head on (actually, I think what Allura did was extremely reckless and not one of her finest moments).
While I have yet to rewatch the rest of Voltron again, this is what I have gathered;
Lance’s position as Leader was ripped right from under him by Shiro. Shiro is probibly oblivious to this as he is older and used to looking down on the younger generation while mainly focusing on his own problems, as does Keith. But the way Shiro looks down at Lance is not the same way an older man looks down on someone younger than him, its judgmental and if to say ‘you know your place’, but once again, I dont think Shiro is aware of what he’s doing as he’s mainly focusing on himself.
Shiro likes the strong. Keith is strong Physically and Pidge is strong mentally, showing his favoritism. Both Lance and (most likely) Hunk are not stable in both ways from what Shiro probibly sees. Lance looks like a hot-head who wont shut up and Hunk is just a giant teddy bear.
But thats the interesting thing about Lance and Hunk. Out of everyone, they’re the only ones who dont focus on themselves for more than 5 minutes. Shiro is worried about his past. Allura is constantly obsessing over the past. Keith is just trying to find himself. Pidge is obsessing over their family. Ok. In reality, they’re all obsessing over something.
But never once have I seen Lance or Hunk obsess over personal matters. And Lance is constantly there for each and every member. Hell. Even Corran!
Being a leader is alot of work, and you often have to push your own personal matters aside and focus on the task at hand and your team. Often times, leaders can get depressed very easily as they have ignored their personal matters for too long.
For Lance, this process is sped up as the roll of Leader was ripped away from him and was forced to the back of the group where very few pay attention. This is shown in the way Lance and Hunk slowly start to become secondary characters, seeming only to exist to keep the plot going and for comic relief as the way Lance’s insecurities have grown over time.
I know that season two was based around mainly Keith and Shiro, with a bit of Allura and Pidge, but I have found often times when something like this happens, there is often times more than one reason as to why.
By Season Two, Lance and Hunk are really no more than Secondary Characters really. Their appearance, save for the rescue, was generally just to keep the plot going. And often times I wonder why Lance wont leave Voltron with the way he’s being treated.
I think it’s because Voltron is still his team, and he’s still in someway the Leader. No matter how much abuse he takes, he’s still redirecting the mental harm to him all while continuing to support his fellow teammates all he can.
I also think that now his Leader position is gone, he doesn’t really know what to do with himself, which is why he begs for praise, so then he know he can do something to aid his team. Complements is how you know your doing a good job. Lance rarely gets complements, and when he does its mainly by Hunk who seems to recognize Lance’s efforts.
Thus I think Lance is trying to re-fit himself within the universe.
If you have something to add to this conversation; please do!
We need more Lance Mcclain Love!!
Thats super great commentary omg
There is definitely a level to which Hunk realizes this is happening and he does try to help Lance but he’s only one part of the team.
I think that Lance feels that because his position was stripped from him, that he needs/wants to find legitimacy in the place he’s in right now, and he’s not getting it, well some from Hunk, but again, that only goes so far.
And it’s not like Lance has been keeping all his personal issues secret, he does make it known, but others kinda overlook it or ignore all of it.
I believe that something BIG is going to happen in the series and it’s going to push Lance one way or the other and I think it’s going to blindside the team except Hunk and possibly Coran because they never ever gave legitimacy to what Lance went through
^why Lance should pilot the black lion in season three
Published
reckless & terribly gay 