VOLTRON Lion Force Chronology

Compiled by Shannon Muir

FLEET OF DOOM SPECIAL

Although "Fleet of Doom" was the last to air in the original Voltron: Defender of the Universe series, this story is clearly meant to take place between the end of Season One and the start of Season Two. The introduction clearly mentions that Planet Arus "had been enjoying peace and prosperity," which would make sense if they thought Zarkon had been beaten down forever, as is true at the end of Season One. The same introduction also says that happiness reigned in the Near Universe with the help of the Voltron Vehicle team. However, the largest clue as to its place in the series is that MERLA DOES NOT APPEAR ANYWHERE IN THE STORY. If this were truly the finale, she would be included as she is a central character.

Also, in articles I've read about VOLTRON, it indicates the one-hour special was planned to air in October to launch the second year. However, my letter from Marc Handler in March of 1986 indicates that the special was JUST COMPLETED at that point.

What follows is a scene-by-scene description of the episode, which I know many fans never saw.

• The Galaxy Alliance has a secret base at Planet Acura, located at the boundary between the Near and Far Universe. There, they are trying to find ways to create energy without waste or pollution. This base has been discovered by Zarkon and Viceroy Throk of the Drule High Command, who launch an attack on the poorly defended base. The attack force is led by COSSACK THE TERRIBLE. General Creighton, with over 50% of his base destroyed, puts out a distress call to Galaxy Garrison. Space Marshal Graham, in turn, contacts the Voltron Lion Force on Arus and Commader Hawkins' starcruiser. Both Coran and Commander Hawkins then make a "conference call" to get detailed orders from Galaxy Garrison about the Acura mission.
• The Flying Fortress (the Castle of Lions in spaceship form) heads for Acura, with the lions inside.
• Zarkon awards the Distinguished Skull Medal to Cossack for his successes at Acura. Then Zarkon calls Throk up and the two discuss their plans to divide up the universe when they succeed. Their combined armada, the Fleet of Doom, is successfully on course for Acura and they are pleased. Of course, after the transmission is cut, they talk about their plans to conquer the other next.
• Haggar arrives, offering to build a new Robeast. Zarkon says that the Drules have sent a scientist for that purpose. The scientist tells Haggar her magic is "obsolete," and she responds by turning him into a huge bug! But Zarkon still insists on letting the scientists build the new Robeast. An enraged Haggar retreats to her secret place in another dimension.
• The Lion Force members reminisce about the time they spent at the Academy with their friends (and in Pidge's case, his brother Chip). Coran suggests they sleep in shifts and sends Keith and Allura off to bed.
• Haggar re-energizes her powers to the fullest at her evil secret source then sneaks on board the Flying Fortress. Keith wakes from a bad dream while the Space Mice become aware something's not quite right. Haggar looks into Keith's dreams and sees a tramautic childhood experience Keith still dreams about. Apparently he was lost in a forest when he was young and thought the trees were demons. He never told anyone about his fears; Haggar feels she has her ace in the hole.
• The Space Mice see Haggar and try to warn Lance, Hunk, and Pidge before it's too late. Unfortunately, Haggar gets there first and "freezes" them (along with Keith, who's wondering what all the commotion is) in place as she steals Allura's spirit, leaving a gray body whose heart barely beats. Alfor comes to them and says only Keith can go to Haggar's dimension and rescue Allura. Keith, who of course will do anything for the Princess, accepts. He's dropped in a swamp and told that there are no weapons here in this place where dreams and nightmares become real -- but that "all fears can be overcome by hope, courage and imagination." [NOTE: Keith has, at various times, a total of THREE GUNS appear from out of nowhere! Alfor... um, I don't THINK that part about no weapons is true...]
• Cossack's fleet (not the Fleet of Doom armada) intercept the Flying Fortress, the three lions that can be launched are.
• Haggar talks to Allura's spirit, who pleads with the witch and says there must be some good inside her. Haggar says that she started out as good, and "used her powers for virtue and was loved by all. She says she was a beautiful woman, and that beauty got her the attention of Zarkon, who said she was pretty and "told her pretty lies." She blames him for the way things are, and now the "sight of beauty fills her with envy." Allura offers to help Haggar let the good side out, but Haggar refuses to listen any more and flies off.
• The three lions find themselves trapped in a force field.
• Keith starts to navigate the swamp, and finds himself surrounded my monsters. They remind him of the same monsters in his nightmares. He pulls out a gun he has to defend himself, and it turns into a snake!
• Haggar watches Keith's plight and relishes in his coming defeat. She throws this in Allura's face.
• After nearly drowning in swamp muck , Keith hears Alfor's voice reminding him that these monsters are created "by his deepest fears, but [he] can overcome them with courage." As Keith strongly acknowledges that the monsters are not real, they disappear! The swamp's fog clears, and he can see Haggar's fortress ahead.
• Hawkins' starcruiser carrying the Voltron Vehicle team is fighting their way through an astral-radial belt. They receive word the three lions are in trouble.
• Cossack tries reeling the trapped lions in with grapple cables. Lance uses Stingray Missles to blast away the cable holds and frees his friends. Cossack flees as Coran gets word the Fleet of Doom has reached Acura.
• Hawkins and his crew still struggle through the asteroid storm, and the Voltron Vehicle Team ready to launch, as they will be needed as soon as Acura is reached.
• Keith approaches Haggar's fortress with guns drawn and confronts Haggar. She brings out Allura's spirit, but then multiple Alluras appear -- one is real and the rest are evil witches. Keith is given one minute to choose, and the one he chooses he must keep forever. Keith hones in on Allura's goodness and the beating of her heart and chooses the correct one. Haggar doesn't keep her end of the bargain and takes off with Allura.
• Haggar tries to do Keith in, but Allura's spriit intervenes, pleading that if she hurts Keith now she'll lose ANY goodness left in her and that they can help her let her good side out. Haggar falters, tells Allura to leave her alone. Allura refuses, saying someone needs to be her friend. Haggar starts hinting how unhappy she is, how Zarkon brought her to the great power. At that moment, Haggar's "good side," a beautiful woman with blond hair and flowing robes, emerges. Haggar tells her to get back inside. The "good Haggar" says she's been locked up too long and tells Keith and Allura they are free to go. Allura offers for both of them to come along. "Bad Haggar" says it's too late for her and sends them back.
• The Flying Fortress arrives at Acura to find their contact with Hawkins is gone. They're afraid the Vehicle Force is lost forever. The lions are launched again, this time to fight a small Rhinobeast. Keith and Allura arrive back at the Fortress and join their friends. Lion Voltron is formed! Throk launches a Scorpionbeast and a Beetlebeast to join the fight. Together the three small robots pin Lion Voltron down. Armorbeast (an armadillo) is launched to help finish the job as Hawkins' spacecruiser arrives and Vehicle Voltron is formed!
• Cossack and his fleet launch a raiding party to take out what's left of the Acura base.
• It turns out the small Robeasts have a secret of their own: together they're just parts for a larger Robeast! Their head is formed by the transformed goat skull head of Lotor's ship, piloted by the Doom Prince himself! The two Voltrons fight with this menace, forming their Blazing Swords after trying lots of other stuff. [NOTE: It's Jeff, NOT Keith, who gives most of the orders at this point. Was that to give the Vehicle Force more screen time?]
• The Flying Fortress and Hawkins team up to fight off the raiding party going to the power base.
• Lotor forms the Blazing Scimitar and damages both Voltrons. They make him believe they're more injured then they are then both attack the skull on his chest (which is his power source area). Then together, they use the Blazing Swords to finish doing the Robeast in. Lotor flies away in the "head," not sure how he's going to explain the defeat to his father.
• Haggar, seeing Zarkon's defeat, feels needed agian. She overpowers her good side and sucks her back in. Then she puts on the disguise of a young, beautiful dark-haired woman and offers her services to Zarkon. It's obvious he's attracted. In his arms, the woman changes to a cackling Haggar!
• The two Voltron Forces reunite and celebrate!

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