The BEST episodes of Voltron: Legendary Defender

Every episode of Voltron: Legendary Defender ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Voltron: Legendary Defender!

For millennia, the evil Galra Empire has plagued the universe by conquering planets and destroying their inhabitants. The only known threat to the empire's power and plans is the legendary "Defender of the Universe," Voltron, a 100-meter-tall robot warrior composed of five lion mechas whose whereabouts are presumed to be unknown. The Galra Empire's path of conquest and search for Voltron has led them to Earth's solar system. A group of space pilots-Shiro, Keith, Lance, Pidge, and Hunk-discover the blue lion and immediately get swept up into the Galran War. They meet Princess Allura, become the next Paladins, and reunite the five lions to form Voltron and free the universe from the Galra Empire.

Last Updated: 8/12/2024Network: NetflixStatus: Ended
Share:
Blackout
star
8.69
235 votes

#1 - Blackout

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/20/2017

The Paladins fight to systematically destroy the base to prevent Zarkon's return. As Zarkon himself goes to battle Voltron, Haggar & her Druids go to protect their emperor as he readies his armor, which untested could kill him as well as Voltron. Before Zarkon can do anything, Haggar uses her dark magic to forcefully remove the Quintessence from Voltron, but is overloaded by the purity of Volton. While the Lions are unresponsive, their Paladins still live, but Zarkon arrives in a Ro-beast in his image. Allura uses whatever power she can to stall Zarkon to allow the Paladins to recover and battle Zarkon's Ro-beast. Allura, Kolivan and Antok go to battle Haggar to keep her from using her witchcraft from delaying Voltron. As their battles rage, Zarkon splits Voltron back to the individual Lions; Allura and Kolivan triumph in their fights, while Antok perishes at the hand of Haggar and another Druid. Shiro awakens to see his team being beaten, and the Bayard access port in his Black Lion activates, activating its Transcendent Wings to phase through Zarkon's Ro-Beast and reclaimg the original Black Bayard. As their fight continues, Haggar is revealed to be Altaean, and Allura learns she has the power to command Quintessence, which she uses to defeat Haggar and Kolivan avenges Antok. Forming Voltron, the Paladins fight with new strength and Shiro uses his Bayard to supercharge the Voltron Sword and destroy Zarkon's Ro-Beast armor. After the battle, back in the Castle hangar, the Paladins discover that Shiro has vanished from the Black Lion leaving the bayard behind. On Zarkon's ship, Zarkon is on life support, prompting Haggar to summon Prince Lotor.

Directors: Eugene Lee
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Lions' Pride (2)
star
8.63
94 votes

#2 - Lions' Pride (2)

Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 8/10/2018

A mysterious foe acts out and the future of planet Earth is in the balance. Now more than ever its up to Voltron, the Paladins and Shiro with the Atlas to save the day.

Watch Now:Amazon
Defender of All Universes
star
8.61
97 votes

#3 - Defender of All Universes

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 6/15/2018

An epic battle leaves the universe in a state of chaos, threatening to destroy all life unless a sacrifice is made.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Black Paladin
star
8.36
328 votes

#4 - The Black Paladin

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/10/2016

Zarkon lures Voltron into a battle on his ship, and when one of the lions is captured the team must get creative to defeat the Galra and return home.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Hunted
star
8.32
200 votes

#5 - The Hunted

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/4/2017

Keith's reckless choice leads the team into a dangerous situation. Allura needs to channel one of the Paladins to get out of trouble.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Black Paladins
star
8.31
100 votes

#6 - The Black Paladins

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 6/15/2018

As one Paladin takes on a dangerous mission through a wormhole, the others contend with failing controls on the castle.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Blade of Marmora
star
8.29
229 votes

#7 - The Blade of Marmora

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/20/2017

Upon reaching the HQ of the Blade of Marmora, it is located in a safe spot between two black holes and a blue Supergiant star. Keith and Shiro travel to their base in an effort to align with the Blade of Marmora led by Kolivan and his lieutenant Antok. But Keith's possession of one of their blades causes immediate friction with the Trials of Marmora to resolve them one of two results: knowledge or death. Keith must fight to unlock about his past, and with each fight exhausts himself more and more. When entering a vision of his old home with his father, the outside of the house shows a Galra invasion, giving Keith a choice: stay and learn, or leave and rescue. The Red Lion attacks the base sensing Keith's endangerment, and upon deciding to end this mistrust and gain their alliance, Keith relents his dagger, only for it to awaken its true form of a saber upon his enlightened decision and revealing a truth: Keith has part Galra ancestry. Meanwhile, Commander Thace (the Marmora spy who shutdown the Solar Shield) alerts the Order that the investigation is increasing and the timetable must escalate to now!

Directors: Steve Ahn
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
All Good Things
star
8.27
89 votes

#8 - All Good Things

Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/15/2018

A metaphysical encounter shines light on a Paladin's fate. Lance and Allura console each other about their past judgments. Lotor makes a plea.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Best Laid Plans
star
8.26
227 votes

#9 - Best Laid Plans

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/20/2017

After acquiring the teludav from Olkari, the team prepares to launch the operation to defeat Zarkon and bring peace to the universe. When the Marmorans haven't heard from Thace, they urge a delay in action, while Allura argues they continue. Keith plans to infiltrate the main ship of the Galra Fleet, but before leaving Allura stops him to explain that since waking up she views the Paladins as her new family and his being part Galra made her unsure. Following Thace's capture, the Druids interrogate him, and allow him to escape. Haggar helps Zarkon find the Black Lion, Zarkon's fleet arrives, Shiro distracts while Keith sneaks aboard. Despite that the battle is a trap, Zarkon is too engrossed in reclaiming the black Lion. Since the Druids rewrote the shield codes, their plan adapts to turn the core room into a bomb and cripple Zarkon's ship. When the Druids are sent after Thace while Zarkon has a rematch with Team Voltron. Thace sacrifices himself to cause the power core to overload and explode, just as the cloak teludav loses its cloak, and Zarkon's ship loses power. As Zarkon's ship is wormholed to another reach of the universe far away, the Paladins pursue to finally end Zarkon.

Directors: Chris Palmer
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Blood Duel
star
8.25
119 votes

#10 - Blood Duel

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/2/2018

Faced with a painful decision, the Paladins reluctantly come to an agreement with Zarkon. Haggar comes to grips with memories from the past.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Changing of the Guard
star
8.24
217 votes

#11 - Changing of the Guard

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/4/2017

In the wake of Zarkon’s defeat and Shiro’s disappearance, the paladins struggle to move forward with no one able to pilot the black lion or the ability to form Voltron. The team must quickly devise a plan as the ascension of Prince Lotor and his generals pulls the team into a perilous game of cat-and-mouse that tests their unity and abilities more than ever before.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Legend Begins
star
8.23
170 votes

#12 - The Legend Begins

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 8/4/2017

As the team try to decipher Lotor's plan for the comet, Coran gives the Paladins a history lesson about the origins of Voltron and the ongoing war.

Watch Now:Amazon
Red Paladin
star
8.21
209 votes

#13 - Red Paladin

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/4/2017

Keith begrudgingly assumes Shiro’s position as pilot of the Black Lion, Lance switches to the Red Lion, and Allura steps in to fill Lance’s place as pilot of the Blue Lion.

Watch Now:Amazon
Stayin' Alive
star
8.21
231 votes

#14 - Stayin' Alive

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/20/2017

Allura travels to the Balmera to acquire a powerful crystal. When she is about to leave with the crystal, the panoptic Ro-Beast from their last encounter prompts her to call on the Paladins for help. The creature, now merged with part of the encasing crystal it was once in, makes its way to the Castle as Allura goes skyward to protect the Balmera. Allura warps in the Paladins who regroup to their Lions to form Voltron. As they fight it, the team utilize their new weapons to subdue the Robeast and form Voltron to finally destroy the monster. Back on board the Castle, it is more apparent that since learning Keith's part Galra, Allura has a cold attitude to him. On the Olkarian home world, the super teludav is operational, and the team reminisce about their time since coming together. Meanwhile, Thace makes the error of returning for a spy device he planted, only for the Druids to intercept and capture him.

Directors: Steve Ahn
Writer: May Chan
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A New Defender
star
8.20
139 votes

#15 - A New Defender

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/13/2017

Forces of good and evil converge on the planet Naxzela, where Voltron faces unforeseen danger only one Paladin can help them escape.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Lions' Pride (1)
star
8.15
87 votes

#16 - Lions' Pride (1)

Season 7 - Episode 12 - Aired 8/10/2018

Shiro goes on a solo mission to try to find a way to defeat Sendak and ensure the safety of his friends and the Planet Earth.

Watch Now:Amazon
Shiro's Escape
star
8.12
292 votes

#17 - Shiro's Escape

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/20/2017

Following the teams reformation after the corrupted wormhole, Shiro is in a recovery pod and vividly dreams the day he escaped- Galra scientist Ulaz releases Shiro, instructs him to get back to Earth and find Voltron. Shiro also expresses that not all Galra are evil as a Galra (Zarkon) was the privious Black Paladin of Voltron. Finding space coordinates in Shiro's artificial arm, the Paladins find Ulaz, who reveals he is part of an order known as the Blade of Marmora who are hidden within many ranks of Zarkon's Empire. Praxas, who is remade into a Ro-Beast, finds the Paladins and quickly gains the upperhand, until Ulaz sacrifices himself to destroy the monster and let Voltron find the HQ of the Blade of Marmora. Shiro and the group decide to wait until they learn how Zarkon is beginning to track them. In his room, Keith holds a small dagger he has had since childhood which bares the crest of Marmora.

Directors: Chris Palmer
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Colony
star
8.11
101 votes

#18 - The Colony

Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 6/15/2018

After Lotor and Allura head off in the new ship, the remaining Paladins get a dire warning that could change everything.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Collection and Extraction
star
8.09
309 votes

#19 - Collection and Extraction

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/10/2016

The team stops at an isolated and seemingly insignificant Galra space station and discovers how the empire is gathering its energy from the universe.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Heart of the Lion
star
8.08
86 votes

#20 - Heart of the Lion

Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 8/10/2018

The Paladins work with the Garrison pilots on a mission that could provide more clues about how to take down Sendak's operation.

Watch Now:Amazon
White Lion
star
8.08
113 votes

#21 - White Lion

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/2/2018

The team searches for a portal to a mysterious, fabled Altean land called Oriande. Shiro starts to feel like there's something wrong with him.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Space Mall
star
8.08
238 votes

#22 - Space Mall

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/20/2017

Shiro attempts to create a deeper bond with the Black Lion, while Coran takes the others to a swap meet, where they have some strange adventures. After Coran details his time in the swap meets as edgy and filled with space pirates, they arrive and find it to resemble an average mall on Earth. Varkon, a bumbling mall rent-a-cop, sees the four Paladins drop their terrible disguises and pursues them through the mall. Keith goes to a knife salesman for information on the blade he has, but learns it is from an extinct people before the salesman tries to steal it from him. Hunk is made to work off a tab for Sal, the owner of Vrepit Sal's diner, and earns a mass customer following with his gourmet skills. Varkon finds Hunk and he races out. Pidge and Lance find a shop which sells Earth material from the 1980's. Hunk meets up with Keith, then Pidge with Lance (after they bought everything in the store) and finally meet up with Coran who has the lenses. Meanwhile, the Black Lion reveals how it was created, and how Zarkon & Alfor were once friends. Zarkon then connects to Shiro on the psychic plane where the difference in power is vast, but Shiro's words of trusting his Lion earn its protection and defeat of Zarkon in the psychic plane. Waking up, Zarkon loses more connection to the Black Lion and Shiro is now more connected to the Black Lion. Afterwards, knowing Zarkon can't track them, Shiro orders the Castle to the HQ of the Blade of Marmora.

Directors: Eugene Lee
Writer: Tim Hedrick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Trial by Fire
star
8.07
90 votes

#23 - Trial by Fire

Season 7 - Episode 11 - Aired 8/10/2018

Sanda's revelation shakes the Paladins, who are separated from the Lions. On Earth, Shiro, Sam and Coran attempt to get the Atlas powered up.

Watch Now:Amazon
Escape from Beta Traz
star
8.06
232 votes

#24 - Escape from Beta Traz

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/20/2017

By the information provided by the Blade of Marmora, Lance, Pidge and Shiro infiltrate a facility to free the only prisoner of the Galra Space Station Beta Traz. Upon successful infiltration, Pidge locates two cells instead of the one they were informed of. Pidge stays in the Main Command Center, but Lance and Shiro must reach and connect to the isolated Third level holding the two prisoners. Lance gains a 3D render of a Galra officer for the facial recognition. They each think they've found the right inmate, but it gets harder to tell as Pidge goes radio silent when the station warden goes to the Command Center. Lance escorts his choice out, while Shiro deals with his being impossible because of his predicting statistical improbabilities of his death from the smallest thing. When Pidge is disabling the remaining security features, she finds footage of her brother Matt's escape. When the gravity is shut off, Shiro with Slav regroups with Lance, who learns he actually has the warden's personal pet Laika. In the hangar, everyone is regrouped but the Warden overpowers them until Slav opens the hangar doors to save the Paladins. Lance uses his aim to save Slav from the Warden and the mission is a success.

Directors: Eugene Lee
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Rebirth
star
8.06
365 votes

#25 - Rebirth

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 6/10/2016

As the Paladins scramble to ward off a Galra monster, Allura hopes that her ancient powers can heal the Balmera and save its people.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV