Enter Merla, Queen of Darkness

Enter Merla, Queen of Darkness

For some reason, in the time between seeing this as a sprout and indulging in it in my adultolescence, I thought this was the first new episode.

Optimus Prime tells us that Zarkon is amassing a new army with new allies: Merla and Stryde the Tiger Fighter.  Haggar asks him about it, but he's vague.

Meanwhile, on Arus, the team is reusing the Judo footage from the forest fire episode.  And hilarity ensues.  And a lot of mentions of the space academy.  And a decent loophole to mention the Astro-Knights, and the Tiger Fighters.  Guess who'll we be meeting in the next scene, kiddies?

A Tiger ship encroaches on Doom airspace and Cossack arms the snake lasers while Zarkon looks on, amused.  The tiger fighter fights it's way through the defenses, humiliating Cossack.  His tiger's mecha design is pretty cool for this being a second season episode.  At least Anatole Leonard won't be wondering where his mecha went.  Unfortunately, the color choices for Stryde's uniform isn't so good . . .  Zarkon and Stryde trade words, and Zarks convinces him that Arus now threatens his honor.  Stryde's father had fought alongside King Alfor in the last generation.

Lotor mocks Zarkon's new plan.  Zarkon gives him the "be on your best behavior for our guests" talk.

A fleet of ships land on planet Doom, and Cossack wonders who they all are.  And then Merla arrives and controls everyone with her telepathy.  And Lotor likes how people bow.  And there's a confrontation between Lotor and Merla.  Her henchmen look like rejected Lunattacks from the later Thundercats episodes.  Merla also is upset that Stryde will get all the glory for vanquishing the Voltron force.  She's puts the wammy on him and convinces him to let her go help, along with the new ultra-robeast.

Castle Control alerts the team to the arrival of Stryde.  Allura recognizes him, and challenges them.  Keith accepts.  They break black lion out of the lion statue again (?!) and Keith launches.

They meet among some asteroids.  Keith tries one last time to get out of the hostilities, but Stryde starts the fight.  They trade shots.  Pidge and Hunk are all set to interfere, but Keith turns the tables on Stryde with his harpoon.  The two mecha animals charge each other.

Merla is watching and decides to get rid of both of them. 

Black lion crashes into the tiger fighter and they both crash on the asteroid.  The lions and Merla follow.  Keith and Stryde have emerged from their mecha and face each other with swords.  Stryde has Keith at swordpoint, and then his code of honor wins out and he stops the fighting.  They're about to part ways when Merla appears.  Her lady elven shock troops surround them.  Fortunately, the lions intervene just in time.  Stryde and Keith run to their mecha.  Merla takes off in her star cutter and releases the robeast.

The lions and tiger are leaving the asteroid field when they're ambushed by the robeast mutant turtle.  Stryde holds the robeast off, but the team forms Voltron.  They form the blazing sword pretty much right away.  Wow, that was fast.  The robeast explodes and Merla leaves in disgrace.  And she threatens her dwarf. 

Allura bandages Stryde, and Keith acts all designated flyer.  Keith tries to convince him to join the Galaxy Garrision, but Stryde is all not so fast.

One of my friends and I were both surprised to realize that Stryde wasn't introduced until now.  Apparently, he seemed so badass when we were 8 that he had to have come from the good season of Voltron.  Oh well.