[birds chirping]
[principal] I've brought a special guest with me today.
I'm sure you recognize him.
He's the youngest pilot ever to lead a mission into space, Takashi Shirogane!
- [class applauding] - Thanks for having me.
[boy] Wow, it's really Takashi! I'm excited!
[principal] Shiro broke the record for the fastest orbital velocity,
beating the old heliocentric speed by about 50 kilometers per second.
[class applauding]
The Galaxy Garrison sent me to schools in the area
to help find the next generation of astroexplorers.
Who's ready to find out if they've got what it takes?
[all yelling]
All right, all right. To do that, we're going to give you a test.
- [all moan] - A test?
Not a test.
By playing a video game.
[students' voices overlapping]
Introducing the Orbit Axiom X,
the Galaxy Garrison's most advanced flight simulator.
Cadets not much older than you use simulators just like this
to train to become the next generation of space explorers.
- Let's see what you got. - Wow!
[simulator rumbles]
[laughter]
Cool! You made it through the first checkpoint!
[bangs, buzzes]
- Oh, man! - Sorry, man, good luck next time.
[bangs, buzzes]
[boy] Oh, no, dude. Really?
[buzzing]
[all groaning]
- What? - Oh, I'm so bad at this!
We've had some great tries, but nobody's made it past the third level.
Looks like you're the only one who's left.
Think you got what it takes?
[classmates gasp]
- That emo kid's doing it! - [grunts]
- [girl] Look at that! - [girl 2] So cool!
No way! Keith made it past level five? Thing's gotta be broken.
I've compiled a list of students
I think would make the best candidates for the Garrison.
[tablet beeps]
Is this guy on there?
Looks like he's just about ready to fly the real thing.
Keith? He's a bit of a discipline case.
I don't think he'd necessarily fit in with the rigid Garrison culture.
This is James Griffin. He has the highest grades in school.
It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Shirogane.
[simulator whines]
[engine roaring]
Is that your car?
[Keith] I don't get it.
I steal your car and you respond by helping me out?
Yeah, so you owe me one.
Be at this address tomorrow at 0800 hours.
You're getting a second chance.
[Hunk] Is... is he gonna be okay?
[Allura] Only time will tell if this body will accept Shiro's consciousness.
[Lance] Is there anything we can do to help?
[Pidge] I've tried contacting the Voltron Coalition,
but I can't get through to anyone. It doesn't make any sense.
There might be some distortion I'm not picking up on.
Maybe we need to get into the upper atmosphere for a better signal?
The lions aren't going anywhere without recharging their power cores.
The battle with Lotor severely depleted them.
If we had the Castle of Lions we could recharge them, but...
Is there another way to recharge them?
They can recharge naturally given enough time and ambient energy,
- but that might take phoebs. - There's gotta be something we can do.
We are on the Dalterian Belt, home to the element faunatonium.
We may be able to use it as a temporary solution.
Faunatonium? How will that charge the power cores?
- It involves gluon field fluctuations... - You know what? Never mind.
Magic or something? Sure.
Not far off. We're going to use the element
to expand the energy particles within the cores.
- But first, we need a yalmor. - Wait, there are yalmors on this planet?
How do you think we find the faunatonium? Yalmors have a nose for the stuff.
Okay. You guys find a yalmor and get this faunatonium.
I'll stay with Shiro.
[Allura] I'll stay as well.
I may have exhausted the limits of what I learned on Oriande,
but I still might be able to help in some way.
All right, then, we'll get started.
Wait, you just fought Lotor,
defeated him, stopped an explosion that could have destroyed reality,
took your friend's consciousness
from the Black Lion of Voltron, and put it inside his clone,
and now we're simply moving on?
Trust me, I'm always saying the exact same thing,
but these guys like to move on.
He's going to be okay, Keith.
I hope so.
You can't imagine all he's done for me.
[jet engine roars above]
That's the Calypso, the first ship to carry astronauts to the moons of Jupiter.
It took them three years to get there. Longest voyage of its kind.
[chuckles] That's right.
[Shiro] Reading about that mission is what made me wanna be a pilot.
Those astronauts braved the unknown.
People can accomplish incredible things
if they're willing to put in the time and effort.
I wanna help you, Keith.
I think you've got a lot of potential.
But what you decide to do with that potential is up to you.
[Hunk] Wow!
[Hunk] Whoa...!
[sniffs]
[sneezes]
This looks like a yalmor patch.
[slurps]
Yep, yalmors definitely sprayed here.
[all groan]
[screeches]
- [faint grunting] - [gasps]
[Coran] There's a yalmor!
Wow. They're a lot uglier than I thought they'd be.
I think it's cute,
you know, in a creepy, hideous sort of way.
- Like you, Lance. - [growls]
Shh! Yalmors are extremely aggressive. Any sign of weakness and they attack.
You've gotta corner it, and make it think you're the bigger, meaner yalmor.
Alfor and I used the Squelzian Technique to wrangle up some yalmors.
- Are all ancient Alteans like this? - Well, we only know two.
[squealing]
[growls, trunk snaps]
[screams]
[yells, screams]
Ow! Ugh!
[screams, gasps]
- Oh, hi, there, little fella. - [chirping]
[shrieking]
What the quizacker just happened?
Uh, it's pronounced "quiznak," and I have no idea.
- [thumping] - Uh, what's that sound?
- Lance, what did you do? - Nothing! I just bumped into...
What's that?
[growls]
- [all screaming] - Oh, no! It's the yalmor!
[Allura] His levels are getting dangerously low.
Fight. I won't give up on you.
[Shiro on speaker] Bank right and maintain heading at 0.27 degrees.
Increase throttle by 35 percent and bank left.
[yawns]
Increase elevation, 15 degrees.
[Hunk] I'm getting dizzy. I knew I shouldn't have eaten so much.
Oh, make it stop.
[gasps]
[growls]
Fall in line, cadet.
Just testing my controls. Stick's loose.
Keep this up, and you'll be stuck a cargo pilot.
Yeah, Keith, you're gonna get us in trouble.
Decrease elevation by 22 degrees.
[cadets] Keith!
Looks like we've got a show-off.
[Commander] Hope you all like it in the simulator.
You can thank Pilot Fancypants over there for the privilege
of spending the next three weekends in here running drills!
- Thanks a lot. - My pleasure.
We all know the only reason you're here is because of Shiro.
I can outfly anyone in this building.
Oh, yeah? Is that what Mommy and Daddy told you before...
[grunts]
[Commander] Hey! Hey, break it up!
[Shiro] Understood. I'll handle it.
- Hey. - Look, I know I messed up.
You should send me back to the home already.
This place isn't for me.
Keith, you can do this. I will never give up on you.
But, more importantly, you can't give up on yourself.
- You don't even know me. - You're right. I don't.
But sometimes, we all need a hand.
[all screaming]
Adventures are not fun!
Thank you! That's what I'm always saying!
[all screaming]
[bellows]
- [Coran] Watch out for that grass! - [Romelle screaming]
- We're not running fast enough! - Run at an angle!
- How can I run at a...? - [screams]
Oh.
[panting] Ugh! Huh?
[Romelle screams] We're trapped!
[roars]
[drips]
Huh?
[groaning]
[gurgles]
Huh? Keith, do you copy?
Allura? Krolia? Anyone?
The miniaturization must've caused
our communicators' range to drop exponentially.
Nothing's getting through.
We're so small. It'll take us forever to get back to the rest of the crew.
What are we going to do?
[chuckles] Come on, catch up!
[bangs]
Whoa...!
Whoo! [Chuckles]
All right. You won this round,
but I'll get you in the next race, old timer.
[laughs] I don't doubt it.
How'd you do that dive, anyway?
You liked that one, huh? It's all about timing.
Pull up too soon, you won't have the momentum needed to create lift.
Too late, there won't be enough lift to avoid the crash.
You think I'm ready to try that?
What do you think?
Maybe I should be patient and keep focusing on the basics first.
You're learning.
So you grew up out here?
[Keith] Yep. Just me and my pop.
He was a fireman, right?
Yeah. He was a real hero.
Hmm. Everyone told him not to run back into that building,
but you couldn't tell him anything.
Sounds like someone I know.
- [faint beep] - Oh.
What are those?
Oh... these are just some electro-stimulators
to keep my muscles loose.
- What's wrong with your muscles? - Ah, nothing.
This is just what happens when you get to be an "old-timer."
Come on. We should get back to the base.
[engine starts]
[thumping]
[snorting]
What if we're this "quizacking" small forever?
It's "quiznaking," and yes, thank you, Romelle. What if?
[pops, splashes]
Coran, you said the faunatonium works on gluon field fluctuations, right?
Correct. It expands atomic distance.
- Maybe it'll work to make us bigger. - You might be on to something.
But how are we gonna find the faunatonium?
With a yalmor. We'll lure one back here.
Lure a yalmor? To us? Like this?
I mean, it's like, I think it and you say it.
It will be incredibly dangerous, and Hunk's our only hope.
[Admiral] No, absolutely not!
Why not? He's cleared all his physicals.
I don't care what the doctor says.
This man is sick and he shouldn't be sent on another mission,
especially as far away as Kerberos.
[Admiral] I have to report this to Flight Command.
Shiro is the best pilot in the Garrison by far.
He's saved my bacon in deep space more times than I can count.
If he doesn't go on this mission, neither do I.
Everything okay?
Iverson thinks I shouldn't go on the mission.
Called in the big guns.
Admiral Sanda showed up
and tried to convince Sam to remove me from the crew.
Well, maybe he's right.
Maybe you shouldn't go on the mission.
You'll only be putting yourself at risk.
You know how important this is to me. It's worth the risk.
[clinks]
[Adam] Takashi, how important am I to you?
Every mission, every drill, I've been right there with you.
But this is more than a mission. This is your life at stake.
Don't start that again, Adam. You don't need to protect me.
This is something I need to do for myself.
There's nothing left for you to prove.
You've broken every record there is to break.
I know I can't stop you...
but I won't go through this again.
So, if you decide to go...
don't expect me to be here when you get back.
I've got a class to teach.
[group grunting]
I can't believe we're doing this.
You can't believe it? I am literal bait!
How could I possibly let this happen?
I told you, Hunk. You're the biggest meal
and you scream the loudest.
- I don't care that I... okay! - [roaring]
[grass rustling]
[Coran] Keep up that panicked yelling.
That's what we need to attract the yalmor.
- Seriously, guys...! - [yalmor stomping]
[gasps, yells] Oh! Oh! Oh, no! Oh, no!
[roars]
[screaming]
Now!
[all screaming]
We've made it much further than seems possible!
[Hunk yelling]
[yelling] Oh, no!
[gasps] Oh...!
- This is going well. - [babbling]
[rumbling]
[sniffing]
[all screaming]
[faint whirring, squeaking]
[sighs]
- When were you gonna tell me? - Oh. Hey, Keith.
So, what is it? Are you sick or something?
- I'm not sure I follow... - I was outside your office.
I overheard you and Commander Holt talking with Admiral Sanda.
Tell me the truth. Tell me what's wrong. I'm not a little kid. I can handle it.
[sighs]
I have a disease...
and it's getting worse.
I'll only be able to maintain my peak condition for a couple more years.
After that...
The Garrison doesn't want me up there. Neither does Adam.
So, what are you gonna do?
I'm going on the mission.
[Hunk] This is worse than being bait!
Yes! At least then you were the only one in danger!
- [Hunk] Hey, Romelle! - [screams]
[bellows]
- What's going on? - More yalmors!
[Coran] If they link at the ears, we're sitting on a faunatonium wizplute!
[sucking]
[bellowing]
Whoo-hoo! Yalmor time!
Pay attention, Paladins! This is how you work together!
- All right, let's go. - Wait. What?
Look, if we wanna get back to our regular size,
we have to jump in there. [Grunts]
Are we actually going to do this?
Unless you wanna spend the rest of your tiny life on the back of a yalmor.
Wait for me!
[grunts]
[all yelling]
[screaming]
[bubbling]
[screaming]
Oh, man!
[screaming]
[Romelle gasps]
[all grunt]
- [Romelle moans] Oh, quiznak. - [Hunk] My back.
[Allura] I'm afraid the clone body is rejecting Shiro's consciousness.
There must be some way you can help!
There's nothing I can do.
[bangs] Shiro, please. Fight!
[sobs]
[Keith] You can't do this to me again.
[beeps]
[faint coughing]
Shiro!
Keith...? I was dreaming.
Keith... you saved me.
We saved each other.
Shiro's looking better. All right!
Where were you guys? We couldn't get ahold of you.
Well, we were shrunk by a magic skunk, but we ended up using that sparkly dust
that makes electricity bigger or whatever. Used it to unshrink ourselves.
[Lance] So, ready to charge up the lions?
[sighs, chuckles]
[Shiro] It's good to be back.