‘Voltron’: What Coran’s Only Line in the Latest Trailer Could Mean for Season 3

Astro
TV Animation
TV Animation

As the premiere of season 3 of Voltron: Legendary Defender draws near, the angst levels continue to rise. Keith brings the lion’s share based on the first episode that played at San Diego Comic-Con. And judging by the latest trailer, Prince Lotor is bound to be a primary source of angst this season as well. But there is one often-overlooked character who may be the biggest indicator of angst for the team this season: Coran.

At the end of the trailer, amid a series of space battles, we see Coran yell “No!” It’s just one line, one brief moment. We saw Allura shout the exact same line in a similar way at the end of season 2. It’s a throwaway line while we get hyped for Lotor, right?

Wrong.

Like the Coran of Old

Season 3 is primed to draw inspiration from the 1984 Voltron: Defender of the Universe. When Lotor is introduced this season, it seems like we’ll see a lion swap that mirrors the original series – Keith in the Black Lion, Lance in Red, and Allura in Blue. If Allura becomes a paladin, that means Coran’s protective instincts might also flare up. The 1984 Coran was always trying to stop Allura from doing anything dangerous, but it would fall on deaf ears.

By the looks of things, this over-protectiveness will kick in for the modern Coran as well. In his shout in the trailer, you can feel the concern in his voice. He cares for Allura and all the paladins. But the stronger that concern, the more painful the hurt is when things eventually fail.

He Lost Everything

Listen to that “No!” again. So far it’s Coran’s only line in any of the season 3 trailers released. Why this one? When you really break the line down and listen to the anguish in his voice, a theory starts to form.

Even before the series begins, Coran has already had enough heartbreak for one lifetime. Zarkon destroyed his planet leaving him and Allura as the only two survivors. On top of that, Zarkon murdered Allura’s father and Coran’s friend, idol, and king, Alfor. Allura is all Coran has left, and he’s like a second father to her.

Will a Paladin Die in Season 3?

voltron s3 trailer

This leads to the theory that Coran’s reaction in the trailer is to the death of a paladin (or at least a presumed death). More specifically, Allura’s death. He sounds devastated yet helpless, like he can’t lose her too. And if he’s assuming that she is dead, then there’s no telling what kind of battle Team Voltron is involved in, but it’s probably intense.

While less likely, there is an alternate theory: Coran’s reaction is to Alfor’s murder. An exclusive trailer at San Diego Comic-Con revealed that we will see this moment in Season 3. The only thing that disproves this is the lack of mood lighting over Coran that’s been consistent in previous flashbacks.

The team behind Legendary Defender has brought a refreshing twist to Voltron, so there’s bound to be surprises in the upcoming season. But if you pay attention to the smaller moments, you may just find some telltale clues.

Voltron Season 3 is available on Netflix from August 4.

In the meantime, check out our Voltron Q&A with Tyler Labine (Hunk) and Bex Taylor-Klaus (Pidge) from the FANDOM Fest live stage at San Diego Comic-Con.

Astro
Chrissie "Astro" Miille is a Fan Contributor for FANDOM and a former admin on the Danny Phantom Wiki. When not watching animated shows or Star Trek, they're usually neck-deep in another fandom, listening to Michael Jackson, creating, or stargazing.