Netflix's Voltron Legendary Defender surprised fans with the news that Seasons 3 and 4 would be dropping in the same year, but that each would be on the shorter side of the episode number. Season 3 clocked in with seven episodes while Season 4, now available on the streaming content provider, is a franchise low with only six. However, those six episodes pack in plenty of mythology, epic battles, some very silly humor, and surprising changes in leadership and alliances; the show does a lot with little real estate to work in.

(If you're not caught up with Season 3, now's the time to quit reading since this review will now dip into last season's spoilers.) When last we left Voltron, the Paladins had experienced a bit of a shake-up in their leadership with Keith replacing Shiro as the leader and pilot of the Black Lion. Shiro eventually rejoined the team but assumed a more strategic role back in the Castle of Lions. But while the new Voltron Force struggled to work together, a new threat reared its head: Prince Lotor and his four half-Galra generals. Season 3 also introduced the origins of Voltron itself, as well as the heart-wrenching backstory of Zarkon and his Altean partner Honerva, better known as the witch Haggar. That episode, "The Legend Begins", was a highlight of the season since it deepened the show's mythology, while the rest of the season served to introduce Lotor and his mysterious plan. And as we saw in the waning moments of that episode, Emperor Zarkon was about to get back in the game.

Season 4 picks up where Season 3 left off, which makes sense considering that these seasons were basically one planned season of 13 episodes split into two. The major arcs in this short season see the Voltron Force attempting to bring more allies into the coalition in order to bolster the rebellion against the Galra Empire. But even though there are only six episodes to enjoy, Voltron puts some major twists and turns into the telling of the tale. Spoilers follow!

Keith's Decision

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Image via DreamWorks Animation, Netflix

The shake-up in leadership, as it pertains to piloting the Black Lion and leading the Paladins, never sat well with Keith. He wasn't in the pilot's seat long but he never warmed to it; his moody temperament and inability to listen to reason proved to be too volatile for a leadership role. However, the Black Lion ultimately decides who its pilot will be, though its decisive powers seem to be either wishy-washy or as easily influenced as the Sorting Hat. The biggest change on the side of our heroes comes early on in the season, in the premiere "Code of Honor."

The Voltron team splits their time between battling the forces of the Galra Empire to defend those suffering under its oppression, and doing promotional appearances in order to rally more support to their cause. It turns out Keith is none too interested in the latter, especially as he is spending much of his time with the Galra resistance fighters, the Blades of Marmora. Keith is a member of the Blade both through inheritance and ritual, making him a legacy member who's also earned his way into the ranks. In a shocking turn of events, it seems that Keith's heart is set on battling alongside the Blades rather than the Paladins; he leaves the Voltron team amicably to follow through on his mission. It's a stunner of a change--less surprising is Shiro resuming a leadership role as the pilot of the Black Lion--but don't worry, Keith returns by the season's end to play a pivotal role in Voltron's ultimate success.

Pidge's Quest

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Image via Netflix

The emotional core of the early part of this season revolves around Pidge, a.k.a. Katie Holt, and her quest to reunite with her lost brother, Matt. The previous three seasons have metered out little bits and pieces of information as to the whereabouts of Matt Holt and their father, Sam. We finally get a payout on all this patience in Season 4 as Pidge goes out in search of Matt in earnest, following up on all the intel she's gathered so far.

Some things complicate her quest, such as the Galra attacking a group of freedom fighters along her path and a bounty hunter hot on her tail, but the biggest deterrent to her search is a memorial marking the apparent death of Matt. It's a heartbreaking scene. Luckily, it's not the end of her search. Thanks to a series of flashbacks showing the code-breaking pastime of the Holt siblings, Pidge quickly figures out that Matt has left her a clue to his location. I'm happy to say that, ultimately, she's able to reunite with her long-lost brother! It's a wonderful bit of payoff for the Holts and for fans who have been waiting for this moment for three seasons. It's also a boost to the rebellion since the Holts and Hunk are able to develop a method for tracking the Galra fleet and intercepting their radio messages. It's a big win for math and science!

Lotor and Zarkon

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Image via Netflix, DreamWorks TV

As great as the introduction of Prince Lotor and his generals was in the last season, the return of Emperor Zarkon in this season is even more impressive. Now out of his coma and apparently either fully mended or on his way to being so, Zarkon is sporting a new suit of armor that appears to be keeping him going thanks to quintessence. While Lotor has been out of the game a bit after attacking the base on Ulippa, parts of his plan are being revealed: He built not just one, but two of a planned three ships from the trans-reality comet material he obtained. (He calls them Sincline ships, a nod back to his character's name of Prince Imperial Sincline in the original anime series.) A third ship is planned but Zarkon's own machinations interrupt that.

While Haggar tortures/interrogates Throk for his failure at the Ulippa base, both the evil witch and Zarkon turn their attention to the rogue Lotor. Before long, the prince is blacklisted and marked as an enemy of the state. This power play is a bit surprising, but Lotor's behavior in the season is the wildest thing yet. Strong spoiler warning here.

When Lotor discovers that one of his generals has been compromised and is allowing Haggar to spy on them, he ruthlessly kills her. This does not sit well with the other generals who ultimately turn on their leader once his plan to pass into another reality and obtain more quintessence fails. Other than Keith leaving, this was the biggest shock of the season right up until the final moments of the epic battle that closes things out.

Voltron Leads the Rebellion

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Image via Netflix

While one of the six episodes of this season is dedicated to a very silly sort of side-plot (and a weird drug-themed story, to boot), the unconventional attempts to rally support to the coalition have worked. The Voltron Force now anchors a multi-planetary collection of resistance fighters with enough skill, resources, and manpower to mount a decent fight against the Galra. That major battle takes place on and around a planet named Naxzela. The three-pronged attack uses Voltron's allies, including the Blades of Marmora, to take out massive Galra weapons dubbed Zaiforge Cannons. This is a thrilling two-episode sequence that offers up some of the best space-based battles since Star Wars.

However, Haggar has one last trick up her sleeve. It seems that a planet-wide trap exists on and beneath the surface of Nexzela that nearly snatches the hard-fought victory from the Voltron Coalition. It's too good of a plot twist to spoil here, but it suffices to say that it's a moment of storytelling that condenses everything that's great about Voltron Legendary Defender into one tense scene. It's got heart, it's got peril, it's got just enough humor to keep the anxiety at bay, and ultimately, it leads to an uplifting resolution. However, the field of battle soon receives an unexpected savior in the form of an enemy now looking to be an ally. It's a crazy twist to the end of Season 4 and makes the wait for Season 5 all the more difficult to bear.

Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the latest season of Voltron once you've had a chance to check it out!

Rating: ★★★★★ Excellent

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Image via Netflix