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CharAllura This is the transcript of the episode "Return of the Gladiator". Feel free to edit or add to this page, as long as it's officially coming from the episode.
Previous: Some Assembly Required Next: The Fall of the Castle of Lions

Return of the Gladiator[]

Calm Before the Storm[]

The Witch and the Emperor[]

[At the Galra Empire's Central Command, ZARKON absorbs Quintessence as HAGGAR watches.]

  • HAGGAR: "There is no need. My creature will destroy them and capture the Voltron Lions for you. Then, the most powerful weapon in the universe will be ours."

A Paladin Lunch[]

[The Galactic Gladiator heads towards Arus. Meanwhile, the Paladins enter the dinning hall of the Castle of Lions.]

  • SHIRO: "Great job training today, guys. We're really getting the hang of Voltron."
  • LANCE: "Seriously, how far do you think my Lion kicked that broken alien ship? Must have been like a mile!"
  • KEITH: "Yeah, that'll come in handy when the Galra challenges Voltron to a soccer match."
  • LANCE: "Hey, I did something cool and you can't handle it. I get it."
  • KEITH: "Your kick ruined our balance. We fell."
  • LANCE: "Well that falling part was Hunk's fault."
  • SHIRO: "All right, save your energy for fighting Zarkon."

[The Paladins sit at the table. CORAN enters.]

  • SHIRO: "We're getting there. Are you and Allura almost done fixing the Castle so we can leave this planet? I feel like we're sitting ducks here on Arus."
  • CORAN: "Just about. In the meantime, to get your minds off those duck seats you're worried about, I made you guys an authentic ancient Paladin lunch!"

[CORAN reveals an abomination he cooked up. Everyone is disgusted.]

  • HUNK: "Coran, you just got me hooked on that goo and now you're switching it up?"
  • CORAN: "This is packed with nutrients."

[HUNK and CORAN sniff the strange food.]

  • HUNK: "Oh, it smells disgusting!"
  • CORAN: "I know! That's how you know it's healthy!"

[HUNK has an alien plant in hand.]

  • HUNK: "Coran, we're on a planet now with fresh herbs, spices, and... whatever this thing is. A tuber? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to head back to the kitchen and spice things up."

[HUNK leaves. LANCE and KEITH sit at the other end of the table to wait.]

[CORAN eats the strange food and speaks with a mouthful.]

  • CORAN: "—He's probably checking on those... prisoners we rescued from Zarkon. They'll all be waking soon in the infirmary."

[SHIRO stands to leave; CORAN offers him a spork full of yellow nastiness.]

  • CORAN: "Open the hatch. Food Lion coming in!"

[CORAN makes jet sounds.]

[SHIRO leaves.]

  • CORAN: "You don't know what you're missing!"

[SHIRO enters the Sleep Chamber; PIDGE is impatiently waiting, tapping a leg on the floor.]

  • SHIRO: "You're as anxious as me."
  • PIDGE: "These aliens we saved know something about my family. They have to!"
  • PIDGE: "They recognized you, didn't they? They called you "Champion." What does that even mean?"
  • SHIRO: "I don't know. I can't remember very much from that time. But the way those guys looked at me when we freed them... I don't know if I want to find out."

[The pod containing the Xi, who recognized SHIRO, opens. In the dining hall, HUNK brings KEITH and LANCE visibly appealing and tastier food. The two Paladins wolf the food down while CORAN watches. ALLURA enters.]

[CORAN is offended.]

  • CORAN: "I don't want to talk about it."
  • ALLURA: "I just got the final nebulon booster working. We should be able to leave Planet Arus tomorrow and take the fight to Zarkon."

[The Castleship alarms blare. KEITH and LANCE stop eating. ALLURA brings up a screen showing KLAIZAP approaching the Castle.]

  • ALLURA: "I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a local Arusian. He's approaching the Castle."

[KLAIZAP yells as he comes closer and hides behind rocks.]

  • LANCE: "Doesn't look too dangerous."

[KEITH summons his Bayard.]

  • ALLURA: "No. Alteans believe in peace first. Let's go welcome them."

[ALLURA leaves with CORAN.]

  • HUNK: "That's adorable."
  • LANCE: "Hey, maybe we can knit him a little sweater!"
  • KEITH: "I'm not taking any chances."

[LANCE, HUNK, and KEITH follow ALLURA and CORAN.]

The Arusians[]

Bravest of Warriors[]

[KLAIZAP flees and hides as everyone exits the Castle. They approach where he is hiding.]

  • ALLURA: "Greetings. We know you're there. No harm will come to you."

[KLAIZAP jumps out and brandishes his sword.]

[KEITH stands between KLAIZAP and ALLURA with his Bayard ready.]

  • KEITH: "Wait! He could be dangerous. Drop your weapon!"
  • ALLURA: "Keith, put that away! Please, kind sir, accept my most humble apologies."

[KEITH relents. KLAIZAP is calmed.]

  • KLAIZAP: "I am Klaizap, bravest of our warriors. Our village is over Gazrel Hill. I come seeking answers as to why the Lion Goddess is angered with her followers."
  • HUNK: "Lion Goddess?"
  • KLAIZAP: "The one the ancients spoke of."

[KLAIZAP gestures to a carving of a Lion-headed deity being worshiped by Arusians.]

  • ALLURA: "What makes you think she's angered?"
  • KLAIZAP: "Destruction is everywhere. In the past few suns, fire has rained from the heavens and a giant has danced in the sky."

[HUNK whispers to LANCE.]

  • LANCE: "Yeah, I got that."
  • ALLURA: "You have not angered the Lion Goddess."

[KLAIZAP bows.]

  • ALLURA: "Please, bravest warrior, take us to your village so that we may meet our neighbors."
  • KEITH: "What about our mission to get off this planet and fight Zarkon?"
  • ALLURA: "Part of the Paladins' mission is to spread peace and diplomacy. Arus has been our host for 10,000 years. These people deserve our thanks."

Shiro the Champion[]

[SHIRO and PIDGE tend to the awakened prisoners in the Castle's Sleep Chamber.]

  • XI: "Some for years. Decades, maybe. It's hard to tell. Time becomes a blur."
  • PIDGE: "Then you must have been there when my dad and brother arrived. Sam and Matt Holt?"
  • XI: "I never knew their names, but I certainly remember the other two Earthlings that arrived with Champion."
  • SHIRO: ""Champion." Why do you keep calling me that?"
  • XI: "You really don't remember? Unbelievable! You were a legendary gladiator, undefeated in the ring. You defeated an infamous Galra gladiator known as Myzax. That was the day you earned the name "Champion." I was there, as was the young Earthling."

[XI recounts his memories of the Arena. SHIRO and MATT were lined up with other prisoners ready to fight MYZAX.]

  • XI: "We were all prisoners, forced to fight for the entertainment of Zarkon. That day, we were set to fight Myzax, a vile beast many thought could never be defeated. Slaughter awaited us all. This 'Matt' was the first of us sent to fight. But fate had other plans."

[A Galra Sentry offered MATT a blade; SHIRO was seen to steal the blade and attack MATT.]

  • XI: "You were so thirsty for blood, you injured your fellow Earthling."

[The scene returns to present. PIDGE is enraged at SHIRO.]

  • PIDGE: "You attacked my brother? Why?!"
  • SHIRO: "No... it can't be true."
  • XI: "I was there. We all were."
  • PIDGE: "After my brother was injured, where was he taken?"
  • XI: "I know not."
  • SHIRO: "I don't believe it. There's got to be more to the story. I-I couldn't have hurt my friend. Wait. That ship we were held captive on crash-landed on this planet. They'll have logs of prisoners, some... information."
  • PIDGE: "I'm coming with you."

Dance of Apology[]

  • ARUSIAN KING: "Oh, Lion Goddess, I, King of the Arusians, formally beg your forgiveness. Please have mercy on us and accept our traditional Dance of Apology as atonement for our wrongdoings."

[The ARUSIAN KING claps to summon MOONTOW to dance.]

[MOONTOW dances to music.]

  • ALLURA: "Please, there's no need for this."

[MOONTOW freezes on one foot.]

  • ARUSIAN KING: "The Goddess has refused the apology. Start the sacrificial fire. We must throw ourselves in."

[The Arusians light an enormous pyre.]

[The Arusians are about to burn one of their own.]

  • ALLURA: "That's a better alternative."

[MOONTOW dances and the Arusians bow to ALLURA.]

  • ALLURA: "Oh, my! Please, please, rise. Thank you for that, but I am not a great being worthy of your worship. I accidentally put you all in danger. It is I who should be apologizing to you. I am Princess Allura and these are the Voltron Paladins. Although we originally came from different worlds... and have very, very, very different traditions, we wish to live alongside you as friends."
  • ARUSIAN KING: "But the mighty robotic angel... has it not come to destroy us because of our immoral ways?"
  • ALLURA: "Voltron? No. In fact, that mighty robot is here to protect you. Let it be known that Voltron will protect every innocent being throughout the universe!"

[The Arusians cheer and celebrate by hugging the team. KEITH tries to leave but an Arusian clings to him.]

  • KEITH: "I don't... usually hug strangers, but, uh... Man, you are cuddly."

[The Arusian speaks in a contrastingly deep voice.]

  • ARUSIAN: "Thank you."

[KEITH is shocked.]

The Galactic Gladiator[]

Arrival[]

[SHIRO and PIDGE investigate SENDAK's fallen warship.]

  • PIDGE: "This looks like the master control board, but there's no power."
  • ALLURA: "All you need is power?"
  • PIDGE: "Yeah, but one that's compatible with Galra tech."

[SHIRO activates his prosthetic arm and powers up the computer by touching it.]

  • PIDGE: "Whoa... I can't believe you got this to work."

[PIDGE starts downloading the data.]

  • PIDGE: "My dad's and Matt's whereabouts must be logged in here somewhere. Once I download this information, I'll find some way to decode it back at the Castle."

[SHIRO hears a rumbling.]

[The ship carrying the Galactic Gladiator appears in the sky.]

  • SHIRO: "Something just entered the atmosphere. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it's big, it's Galra, and it's coming right for us. We gotta go!"

[SHIRO tries to leave, lifting his hand. PIDGE slams it down.]

  • PIDGE: "Shiro, don't. Move. I'm only 15 percent done. I'm not going anywhere."

[SHIRO eyes the incoming spacecraft and cannot wait for the download to finish.]

[SHIRO grabs PIDGE and uses his jetpack to escape.]

  • SHIRO: "Team, come in! We need backup!"

[ALLURA is with KEITH and the Arusians. SHIRO's voice relays over her communication earrings.]

  • SHIRO: "Where is everyone?"
  • KEITH: "What's going on?"

[The incoming spacecraft causes rumbling across the surface of Arus. KEITH and ALLURA finally see the threat.]

  • KEITH: "Oh, no. We gotta get to our Lions!"

[The Arusians start running to hide.]

  • ALLURA: "Everyone get inside and stay down!"

[HUNK tries to flee with the Arusians; KEITH drags him back towards the Lions.]

[SHIRO and PIDGE are still by the fallen warship.]

[SHIRO sees the Galra spacecraft is on a collision course with the warship.]

[SHIRO and PIDGE use their jetpacks to escape the collision; The Green Lion and Black Lion suddenly appear to protect them from the blast.]

A Galactic Threat[]

[The Green Lion and Black Lion move away to reveal their Paladins are safe.]

  • SHIRO: "Our Lions just saved us."
  • PIDGE: "I didn't know they could do that. Huh? Um... Shiro?!"

[PIDGE points to the Galra spacecraft. The Galactic Gladiator starts up and notices SHIRO.]

  • SHIRO: "Get in your Lion!"

[The Paladins enter their Lions and dodge the Galactic Gladiator's attacks. The Robeast can control an energy orb remotely and the Green Lion's mouth cannon is not powerful enough to stop it; the Green Lion is hit and falls to the surface. The Galactic Gladiator charges at the fallen Lion. SHIRO tries to stop it but fails. The other Lions arrive and fire at the Robeast.]

  • KEITH: "Lay down some covering fire so they can get out of there!"

[KEITH fires the Red Lion's mouth cannon.]

[LANCE fires the Blue Lion's tail cannon. The Galactic Gladiator is stalled under the fire.]

  • HUNK: "Check this out! Battle-Lion head-butt!"

[HUNK charges the Yellow Lion at the Robeast and knocks it forward.]

  • KEITH: "You guys okay down there?"
  • SHIRO: "Still alive for now."

[SHIRO, HUNK, and PIDGE group with the other Lions.]

  • HUNK: "Are the Galra behind this?"
  • SHIRO: "I think so, but I've never seen anything like it."
  • LANCE: "So, what's the plan? Shoot at it with everything we've got? Take out its weapon? Call it names?"
  • SHIRO: "If we want to take this monster down, there's only one way to do it. Form Voltron!"

[The team forms Voltron.]

  • SHIRO: "Remember, we are one unit, fighting with one goal."

[The Galactic Gladiator and Voltron fight, seemingly at equal strength until Voltron is hit by the Robeast's energy orb.]

  • ALL: "Huh?!"

[Pancked, Voltron narrowly dodges the attacks.]

  • KEITH: "I thought Voltron was the most powerful weapon in the universe!"
  • HUNK: "Yeah, so how is this monster kicking our butts?"

[Distracted by the orb, Voltron is hit by the Galactic Gladiator and thrown near the Arusian village.]

  • SHIRO: "Oh, no! The village! We have to protect those people!"

[The Galactic Gladiator fires an energy orb. Voltron takes the hit, narrowly misses landing on the village, and flies off to lure the Robeast away from the village.]

Clues in Memories[]

[The Galactic Gladiator follows Voltron.]

  • PIDGE: "We got him away from the Arusians, but we can't take him down!"
  • LANCE: "I got it! I'm going to power-kick that orb thing!"
  • KEITH: "No! The last time you did a kick, we fell!"
  • LANCE: "Stop living in the past!"

[LANCE has Voltron charge at the Robeast and perform a flying kick at an energy orb. The kick misses the orb.]

[The orb hits Voltron out of the air.]

[PIDGE summons Voltron's shield instead.]

[PIDGE scrambles to dismiss the shield.]

  • SHIRO: "No! Lasers! Lasers!"

[The Galactic Gladiator hits Voltron twice.]

  • HUNK: "Every time we focus on that orb, we're blindsided by the monster, and every time we focus on the monster, the orb hits us!"
  • LANCE: "Then what do we do?"

[An energy orb blindsides Voltron, knocking them into a cliff.]

[SHIRO recalls memories and recognizes the Robeast as Myzax.]

  • SHIRO: "That sound... I recognize this monster from my time in Zarkon's prison. I know how to beat him!"

[The Galactic Gladiator strikes but Shiro recognizes the attack and easily dodges with Voltron.]

  • SHIRO: "Listen, there's a loud sound when the orb returns to the base of the weapon, and every third time, that orb needs to charge up. That's this monster's weakest point. That's when we strike."
  • HUNK: "Okay, so what do we do in the meantime?"

[The Galactic Gladiator throws an energy orb.]

[The energy orb strikes Voltron's shield.]

  • SHIRO: "That's one. Two more to go!"

[Another strike hits the shield.]

  • HUNK: "We can't take much more!"
  • SHIRO: "Last one! Everyone brace for impact!"

[KEITH fires the Red Lion's mouth cannon. The strike lands but the Galactic Gladiator still stands.]

[An energy orb hits Voltron.]

  • SHIRO: "When I attacked him before, I had a sword!"

[A second strike from the orb hits.]

  • PIDGE: "We can't take another shot like that!"

[The Red Lion communicates with KEITH and displays the Bayard keyhole.]

  • KEITH: "Wait a second, guys! I think my Lion's telling me what to do."
  • LANCE: "Well whatever it is, hurry up and do it! He's about to fire his third shot!"

[KEITH tries to use his Bayard but the energy orb hits a third time, shaking Voltron. The Galactic Gladiator jumps in the air to deliver a final blow but KEITH inserts his Bayard into the Red Lion's keyhole console and summons a saber for Voltron to wield, slicing the Robeast once so it explodes.]

  • ALL (sans KEITH): "Yeah!"
  • HUNK: "How did you do that?"

[KEITH is stunned and looks at his Bayard, but smiles.]

  • KEITH: "Whoa... Heheh. Thanks, Red."

Sunset on Arus[]

The Galra Plot[]

[At the Galra Empire's Central Command, HAGGAR witnesses her Robeast fail thanks to a drone.]

  • HAGGAR: "No! I'll make another, more powerful."
  • ZARKON: "That won't be necessary. Sendak is still alive on Arus. I've given him instructions for how to proceed."
  • ZARKON: "I trained him and he has his mission. He fights in the name of Galra. Only success or death will stop him."

[On Arus, Sentries gather supply crates for SENDAK and HAXUS near the Arusian village.]

  • SENDAK: "Zarkon has challenged us to rise from the mud and prove our worth. We will not let him down."
  • HAXUS: "Sir, how are we going to take the Castle with just the two of us and five damaged Sentries?"
  • SENDAK: "By exploiting our enemy's weaknesses."
  • HAXUS: "What weaknesses?"
  • SENDAK: "The worst weakness of all: they value the lives of others."

Secrets Safe[]

[Inside the Castle of Lions, the former Galra prisoners prepare to leave in a flight pod. Everyone but SHIRO and PIDGE see them leave.]

  • LANCE: "Good luck out there."
  • XI: "Thank you all for everything. We never dreamed we'd see our families again. But you gave us hope. You gave the universe hope."

[PIDGE sits outside the Castle with the Altean Mice. SHIRO approaches.]

  • PIDGE: "Why would you hurt my brother? You were friends."
  • SHIRO: "I did it to save him."
  • SHIRO: "My memory of the event came back when we were fighting the monster. Your dad was being sent off with the weaker prisoners to a work camp. Meanwhile, Matt and I were forced to fight in the gladiator Arena. Matt was going to fight first, but he was scared. We all were."

[SHIRO recalls the past.]

  • Matt: "I'm not going to make it. I'll never see my family again!"
  • SHIRO: "You can do this."

[A Sentry offered MATT a sword; Matt recoiled in fear. SHIRO stole the blade.]

  • SHIRO: "This is my fight!"

[SHIRO injured MATT and tackled him.]

[SHIRO whispered to MATT.]

  • SHIRO: "Take care of your father."

[SHIRO is dragged away to fight. SHIRO's memories end. The scene returns to the present.]

  • PIDGE: "You saved him? You attacked him so they would choose you instead."

[PIDGE hugs SHIRO.]

  • PIDGE: "I'm so sorry I doubted you! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

[SHIRO returns the hug.]

  • SHIRO: "I can tell you really miss them. I know they miss you, too. Your brother and father would be proud of you, Katie."

[PIDGE is surprised her secret is known.]

  • SHIRO: "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

[SHIRO and PIDGE watch the sunset together.]

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