07x09 - Know Your Enemy

[bunniefuu]

[static crackling]

Dad, please respond.

Voltron is coming. Hold on.

Are we too late?

[static crackling]

[Sam] Katie? Katie, is that you?

Dad, it's me. I'm here.

Katie, I'm so glad to hear your voice.
Where are you?

We're within the Solar System.
Heading to Earth now.

Wait! You must stop!

-What? Say again.
-[Sam] Stop.

Sendak has invaded the planet.

He's taken over Earth.

If he finds out that Voltron is here,

he'll threaten the people of Earth
in exchange for the Lions.

Reverse thrusters!

Copy that. Hold tight!

[alarm beeping]

[electronic chirping]

Pick up those Galra ships' locations.

We need to scramble
any transmissions immediately.

-[keyboard clicking]
-Scanning location.

I got it.
They're opening a channel.

Triangulating position for broadcast.

Sending interference.

[static buzzing]

[Sam] Paladins, we blocked
the patrol's transmission.

You're clear.

Roger that.
Let's take 'em out!

[Lion roars]

[sonic boom]

Wait! Don't destroy that ship.
We might need it.

-Really? For what?
- I've got an idea.

[Pidge] We can't fly our Lions to Earth
without being spotted,

so they'll have to stay here
on this moon in Saturn's rings,

which should keep them hidden
from Sendak's radars.

We'll fly in another way.

[thrusters roaring]

[sonic boom]

[Allura] I hope the mice and Kaltenecker
aren't too frightened without us.

[mouse squeaking]

Hang on!
We're entering Earth's atmosphere.

This is weird.

This is almost exactly how we left Earth,
crammed in the c*ck of the Blue Lion.

[Keith] We're overweight.
I'm losing altitude.

Brace for impact!

[alarm blaring]

[thrusters boom]

Hey, I know this place.
I've been here.

This is Plaht City.

It's about a half an hour
from the garrison.

Whoa, I can't believe
this is all that's left of it.

We need to get to the garrison.

Stay together.

Let's move quick and quiet.

Whoa! Take cover!

[all shouting]

[shouts, grunts]

-[grunts]
-I'll distract it, you take the shot.

Don't miss.

[beeping]

[g*n charges up, g*nf*re]

[g*n charges up, g*nf*re]

[Keith] I wonder how many of these things
they have around here.

Pidge, any chance we could see
those things before they get to us?

[Pidge] Already on it.
Looks like four more headed our way.

-[laser blast]
-[gasps]

It's not drones. Look.

Huh?

[vehicle approaching]

Stay down, we got this!

I had it.

[Griffin] Drones send distress signals
when attacked.

Our weapons neutralize those signals.

So unless you wanna deal
with a swarm of those things,

let us handle it.

Now let's get out of here
before more show up.

[gasps]

[gasps]

-Mom!
-[both laugh]

[Colleen] Oh!

Oh, Katie, I'm so glad you're home!

[Pidge laughs]

[Veronica] Lance!

[kids] Uncle Lance!

Oh. Hey!

[Lance's family laughing]

[Lance's mom] My son.

-[Lance] It's so good to see you.
-[Veronica] We never gave up on you.

[Lance] I missed you so much.

Oh, my gosh.
You two are so much bigger now.

You're the same size.

Hey, Hunk.

We're going to miss you so much

now that you're going to be
a space explorer.

Well, I don't know about space explorer.

I was thinking more of a mechanic
for space explorers.

Can you build us a spaceship?

Uh, well, I don't need to
because we're already in one.

-[imitating spaceship]
-[girl giggling]

[Sam] It's good to have you home.

So, my family?

We'll get them back soon.

[Iverson] Officer Shirogane.

It's great to see you again.

My apologies for throwing you
in quarantine.

Ah, so you're the one
who strapped Shiro to a table.

I heard about that.

You were just following orders,
as any good soldier would.

It's great to see you, too.

Allow me to introduce you
to our Altean allies.

Meet Allura, Romelle, and Coran.

The honor is mine.

Your technology has been instrumental
in defending this small corner of Earth.

Oh, yes.
Pop-Pop was quite the genius.

And, Cadet...

Yes, sir.

I owe you an apology as well.

I've heard about all you've done.

I was wrong about you.

It's an honor and privilege
to see you again.

Thank you, sir.

I guess I wasn't exactly
the best cadet back then.

I probably owe you
a bit of an apology, too.

Ah, and who's this little fella?

Oh, Kosmo likes you.

But be careful.

If you touch it, it could zap you
to a different universe.

Hmm?

Seriously.

Adam...

I'm sorry.

It's because of them
that Earth still has a chance.

[Iverson] It's time for our debriefing.

[beeping]

Sendak's forces remain at bay,
but without a meaningful supply line,

we're slowly being suffocated.

No one else is putting up a fight
against Sendak?

Small underground pockets of resistance
have attempted to do so

with varying degrees of success.

Eventually, all were discovered
and systematically wiped out.

Earth's offensive capabilities simply
don't stand a chance against the Galra.

Why don't we bring more people
into this base?

We've had to put a halt
on our extraction ops

as they were proving to be too risky.

But there are good people out there.
They could be protected.

My family's out there.

I'm sorry, Hunk.

But if we have an opportunity now--

Hey, do Paladins not understand
the chain of command?

Your CO said it was too dangerous.

Officer Griffin, that's enough.

Believe me, I understand
what you're going through, Hunk.

We all have family out there,
but we have to weigh our options.

We can't lose ten people to save 12.

I'm sorry.

Well, then let's find out what we can do.

You said you've integrated Altean tech
with Earth weaponry?

[Sam] The Mecha-Flex-Exo fighters,
or MFEs, are extremely agile

with advanced weaponry,

but are only capable
of short-range attacks.

Sustaining power
with Altean-infused technology

is an issue we're trying to overcome.

Maybe I can help you out with that.

I do have some leftover Faunatonium.

It's an Altean fuel additive,
but also has some unexpected side effects,

so don't get any on you.

[Sam] And this is our battleship.

It's large enough to house
all of the Lions

and an entire command unit.

It's built, but it can't fly.

Everyone, there's a subject
we can't avoid any longer.

Sendak attacked Earth
because he wanted the Lions,

and now they're here.

It seems that we need to at least
discuss our options.

Are you suggesting that we willingly
hand over the Lions to the Galra?

Our supplies are gone.

We spent all our resources
on a ship that doesn't fly.

The weapons we do have
are not enough to mount an attack.

All we can do
is protect a small pocket of Earth.

But for how much longer?

The universe needs the Lions.

So does Earth.
They're our only bargaining chip.

I agree with the admiral.

Earth has been nearly destroyed.
Countless citizens have been lost.

But it could all be over
if we give up the Lions.

We have a fighting chance
now that the Lions have returned.

We need to take it.

I'll settle this argument right now.

We're not giving up the Lions
under any circumstances.

There is no negotiating with Sendak.

Maybe you should leave the matters
of Earth to the people who live here.

Please, Admiral.

I respect that you'll do anything you can
to protect Earth.

But trust us,

we've been through more
than you could ever imagine.

We have fought the Galra on the fringes
of the universe and in their very home.

I know there's a way to defeat Sendak.

How? We barely know
what we're up against.

We need intelligence,
and we just don't have it.

[Allura] Maybe we do.

That information you downloaded
from the Castle of Lions

contains Sendak's memories.

How does that help?

It might give us some insight
into Sendak's plan.

Allura, you're a genius!

We just need some time.

[beeping]

[Sablan] Everything from the castle
is stored here.

Processing the massive amount
of complex Altean data

takes nearly every node we have.

Sifting through that much information

is like trying to find a needle
in a haystack.

Then let's get started.

I'm actually quite impressed,

despite the obviously crude nature
of Earth's technological capabilities.

It has a lot of potential,

but I'm unable to recreate
the power of a Balmeran crystal.

Maybe your Faunatonium
will work for this as well?

Afraid not.

A ship like this might need two or three
battleship-class Balmeran crystals.

I don't suppose
there are any Balmera nearby?

In this young galaxy?
[guffaws]

Oh, yeah,
it's right next to the Wizblattle.

That's a no.
No Balmeras around here.

Those are Officer Holt's designs
for some of the injured soldiers.

They're extremely advanced,
but like everything else,

we don't have an adequate power source
to make them viable.

[Pidge] Here they are--
Sendak's memories.

It's just code
until we find a way to interpret it.

I might know a way.

[Hunk humming]

-Found it.
-Good job, Hunk.

Now, you remember what to do.

[Hunk grunting]

Is everything okay in here?

Yeah.

Look...

I'm not really good
at talking with people, and I...

I don't expect you
to open up to me, but...

-If there's ever anything on your mind--
-This situation stinks!

I can't believe
we finally get back to Earth

and it's taken over by Galra.

I guess there is something on your mind.

[stammering] I know it's stupid,

but I used to daydream about coming home
to a peaceful Earth.

And that would've been great.

But I realized that nothing...

Nothing would have been greater
than seeing my family.

But I can't.

And all I keep thinking about
is that I wasn't there for them.

And I don't even know if they're okay.

And I see Pidge and Lance
with their families, and--

[stammering]
I mean, I'm happy for them. I am.

But it just...
It makes me miss my family more.

I-- I just...

I've never felt so alone and scared.

Look, Hunk...

I never told you this,
but of all the Paladins,

you're the one I'm most impressed by.

It's no secret that you've been
the most scared, but...

you've never backed down.

Never.

And to be brave
is to go on in spite of fear.

And that's who you are, Hunk.

I know you're scared, but your family...

they need you to be strong right now.

-[Hunk grunts]
-Okay.

All right. Now we're huggin'.

Thank you, Keith.

Whu--

[Keith] Where are you going?

I'm going to get my family.

Not without me.

[both] Huh?

You two heading somewhere?

This doesn't concern either of you.

No, but you'll probably be concerned
with the patrol drones

that will spot you within seconds.

And you might be concerned with the blast

from Sendak's automated low-orbit,
long-range blaster satellite

that takes you out.

What's your problem?

My problem is I don't wanna see
our only hope for saving Earth get hurt.

That's why we're coming with you.

[electronic chirping]

-[beeping]
-Uploading.

And... there.

[zapping]

Whoa.

Amazing!

We're mimicking the way
the Castle of Lions

interacted with King Alfor's memories.

Test it out.

Ask him a question.

Um, all right.

What is your name?

I am Commander Sendak,
a royal officer to the Galra Empire.

[Sam] Where are you from?

I am proud to say I was born
with unquestionable Galra lineage.

[Sam] Commander, explain to me
your methods for conquering planets.

There are as many ways
to conquer a planet

as there are planets themselves.

Primitive species are the easiest.

It usually doesn't take more than
one or two waves of attack

to bring them to their knees.

What about more advanced civilizations?

[Sendak] There are always those willing
to sacrifice themselves

for the greater good.

That's why it is best to find something
they value more than themselves

and make that the target.

What do you mean?

Citizens of advanced civilizations

have the weakness
of caring for each other.

A military operation of that scale
takes immense time and resources.

[Sendak] Our operations
rely on the resources of the planet.

They become our supplies
and feed our occupation.

Have you ever failed
in overtaking a planet?

Tenacity and time conquer all foes.

What if a planet refuses to give up,
no matter the cost?

If a planet refuses to give up,
then we annihilate it.

But only one planet has ever refused.

Altea.

I'm sorry, I think I need a break.

[beeping]

[Griffin] She did it.
The signal's sent.

-Okay, now what?
-Now we wait.

Okay, just about done.

Oh, I hate waiting.

But waiting's the best part.

It's the time we get to spend together.

-[heavy footsteps approaching]
-[both gasp]

-[footsteps approach]
-[Veronica gasps]

Come with me, quickly.

Amazing.
The rumors are true.

Word of the Paladins' return
has inspired the resistance.

Thank you for your help.

Tell the resistance
we're gonna get rid of the Galra.

Words we've waited a long time to hear.

Is this where they've taken
all the prisoners?

[Keith] What are they doing down there?

[man] They have work camps
operating day and night

mining ore for Sendak.

It's been nonstop for months.

He's building something,
but no one is sure what.

I thought the labor force
was outside the encampment.

[man] They were,
but they've been moved in.

What does that mean?

It means we can't get you to your parents.

No.

No. Please.

Believe me, if there was a way,
we would do it.

Can I at least see them from here?

You wanted to see me?
I thought you were with Pidge and Sam.

Sendak's memories were hard to hear.

But it did remind me
of something my father once said.

He told me that there are those
with the power to destroy,

and those with the power to create.

[Keith] I see movement.

It looks like the workers are exiting.

[Hunk] That's them.

My mom, my dad.

Don't worry.

You just need to hang on a little longer.

We're gonna get you out.

I'm going to get you out.