“why not join me instead?” akechi’s “invitation” in conf 7
People come and go on whether this question of Akechi’s is genuine or not. Opinions run the gamut from “I hate him for trying to take you away from your friends” to “Akechi wants Joker to be his accomplice”.
Myself, I don’t think Akechi means this as a serious question, for a number of reasons. I think this question is rhetorical.
Quick summary:
Conf 7 illustrates the similarity between Joker and Akechi, and that they’re both committed to the showdown between them;
Rather than being an invitation, Akechi’s question again illustrates that parallel—that neither of them will give up the things that matter to them to join the other, as Joker has asked him to do;
“I’ll think about it” does not count towards the third awakening—and I can prove it. Rather, Akechi can’t conceive that Joker would ever abandon his friends, and uses it as an outrageous example of something Joker would never do;
Joker’s loyalty not only to his principles but to his friends is something Akechi values so much that he won’t let Joker sacrifice it;
Akechi is not so much offering Joker a way out in conf 7 (there is no way out) as he’s confirming for his own sake that Joker is still in the game. Is this still a battle between rivals, or is it an execution?
I know its been like 10 million years but I’m. Still. Not. Over. This. Crap!
and I need to make this post about it.
“Lance will end up with someone he needs rather than wants”
He clearly doesn’t WANT Keith but he does go to Keith when he’s uncertain about himself or needs reassurance:
Keith reassures him of course:
And he leaves feeling reassured and confident about himself:
And sometimes Keith goes to him:
And reassures him once again:
And he leaves feeling sure of himself and confident again:
“Lance will end up at the opposite of where he started”
Do I even need to explain this one?
He starts off hating and arguing with Keith, who he treats as his rival:
But eventually learns to respect and care for Keith as his leader and friend:
It was also mentioned by one of the producers of Voltron that the relationship between Keith and Lance is probably the one that develops the most out of any other in the show.
“Lance will end up with someone who is self assured and knows herself so that he can become that same person and know himself too”
I’m aware that Allura is self assured and knows herself but I definitely don’t think that she makes Lance sure of himself in any way, shape or form. In fact he often feels unsure of himself and insecure when he thinks about Allura:
He doesn’t feel good enough for her:
“And I can’t tell her how I feel. She wouldn’t take me seriously anyway. I don’t have anything to offer. I’m just a boy from Cuba not a space prince like Lotor”
Heck even when he wants to ask her out he’s unsure:
“Maybe this just isn’t the right time”
Even on their date this is the face he makes?:
But Lance literally becomes the paladin of the red lion, Keith’s lion and becomes Keith’s right hand man:
“And we’re gonna do it with the Lance that’s the paladin of the RED lion…”
AND we get an actual quote from Keith where he says:
“I don’t care where I come from, I KNOW WHO I AM.”
when he unlocks his marmora sword
“so that he can become that same person…”:
“…and know himself too”:
“…and the Lance WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHO HE IS and what he’s got to offer”
“Lance will be someone’s first choice”
The mice tell Allura that Lance has feelings for her:
Two episodes later she kisses Lotor:
“Lance will be someone’s first choice”
Keith chooses Lance to live and Lance chooses Keith:
Keith sees Lance first when Shiro tells him that he needs to see the paladins in order to get to them:
He chooses Lance out of everyone to lead when he’s leaving:
“Lance, lead the way, keep the team together”
He calls out to Lance first when he’s in trouble:
“Lance’s endgame will be a slow burn”
Now I know that Allurance may have been a slow burn to an extent but typically a slow burn involves a romance that is slowly built up for both individuals. While Lance’s feelings for Allura was shown throughout the series, her feelings toward him were only ever made clear within the space of maybe 3 or 4 episodes. Their relationship only ever had a beginning and an end, there wasn’t really any in between. Plus to add onto that Lance never really developed his feelings for Allura, which is what typically happens in slow burn romances, he always liked her from the minute she fell into his arms, those feelings weren’t something he had to slowly become aware of or accept they were just there.
Unlike:
Starting out as rivals:
Having a bonding moment that shows that they don’t entirely hate each other and that they can work together:
But still having their ups and downs and being put into uncomfortable situations where they’re forced to work together:
but then their relationship gets a little deeper and they have to support one another even if it makes them feel uncomfortable or makes them sacrifice something so that the other is happy:
and then there’s a tear in their developing relationship:
aka Keith leaves and Lance is lonely even though he may not know why:
“yeah who am I gonna make fun of?”
But then they’re reunited:
But there’s still some tension and old hurt there:
“Keith. You ran away. Maybe you should have just stayed away.”
Lance is clearly hurt by Keith’s absence and doesn’t want it to happen again:
“Wait. Where are you going?”
But they still work well together because they’re in sync and a pretty good team:
And then they talk to each other again and share moments together when things are quiet:
and are slowly helping each other heal together:
and they recall old times and their journey continues:
Klance is so slow burn that 8 seasons of Voltron plus time skips weren’t even enough to show their entire build up and relationship growth. This isn’t how their story ends, its still developing. They end up together in the future but their entire story is like a million word slow burn fanfic.
Sorry for the long post but I had to put all these thoughts together in one place. Thanks for reading. Love y’all and all that’s left to say is KLANCE IS CANON KING!
