One of many elements that distinguish Voltron Force from other iterations of our favorite Defender of the Universe is the Nexus. It’s kind of cool, but it’a also kind of confusing.
What Is the Nexus?
We first see the Nexus at the end of the feature-length premiere, “The New Defenders Trilogy.” In other markets, this feature aired as three regular-length episodes, and in that context we first see the Nexus in the third episode, “Defenders of the Universe.”
After the five Lions take a pounding from a Haggarium-powered Robeast, the Voltron Force decides that they’re ready to form Voltron. Keith gives the classic “Activate interlocks” preamble, and the Lions connect as Keith orders them to “form feet and legs” and “form arms and body.” Just before Voltron’s head is formed, there is a quick cutaway shot.
The star is a nod to Voltron: Defender of the Universe. In that program, inside each Lion’s cockpit, just above the slot in which the pilot inserts the Lion’s key, a display panel features a star comprised of six lights. The panel becomes visible and lights up just after the pilot inserts the Lion’s key, and when the pilot goes through the “Activate interlocks” routine in preparation to form Voltron.
The Lion cockpits in Voltron: The Third Dimension have a similar display panel.
The Stealth Lion cockpits in Voltron: The Third Dimension have a star-shaped display on a flat, touchscreen interface.
In Voltron Force, once the star is formed, the person in the “center Lion” tells everyone that he or she will form Voltron’s head.
This star is the Nexus — although this and other information about the Nexus aren’t revealed until the 13th episode, “Clash of the Lions,” which we’ll get to later.
The star is shown each time Voltron is formed using the “standard formation sequence.” We’ll probably explore the other formation sequence, “Flash Form,” in a future article.
The positions of the five “Nexus pieces” match the positions of the Lions when they are combined as Voltron, when viewed from the front. The upward point corresponds to the “center” Lion — the one that forms Voltron’s head and body. The upper left point and upper right point represent the “right arm Lion” and “left arm Lion,” respectively. The lower left point and lower right point represent the “right leg Lion” and “left leg Lion,” respectively.
Black Center
Red Center
Green Center
Blue Center
Yellow Center
In “Hungry for Voltron,” Blue Lion is separated from the others by a planetary force field, and the other four Lions are forced to form Voltron with a missing right leg. Correspondingly, the Nexus has only four of its five pieces. In the episode we see a four-Lion Voltron in both Black Center and Yellow Center configurations. We’re treated to a four-piece Black Center configuration of the Nexus. We aren’t shown the four-piece Yellow Center configuration of the Nexus, but we can assume it happens off-screen.
Four-Lion Voltron (Black Center)
Four-Lion Voltron (Yellow Center)
The episode “Clash of the Lions” finally reveals more about the Nexus. Sky Marshall Wade fires a Corite charge at the center of Voltron’s chest.
After Voltron is returned to the Castle of Lions, Pidge assesses the damage to the robot.
PIDGE
The Corite pierced something inside Voltron that we’ve never been able to crack before. The Lions each have one in their chest – like a heart-slash-hard drive – and they all come together when Voltron forms.VINCE
Kinda like a Nexus!PIDGE
Hmmm. Yeah. A Nexus. That’s exactly what it is. And now that there’s a hole in the Black Lion’s piece of the…Nexus, it’s releasing all kinds of strange data, things I can’t even begin to decipher. Whatever it is, access to this Nexus could change the entire way Voltron works.
In “Inside the Music,” Pidge explains more about his attempts to decipher the aforementioned “strange data.”
PIDGE
The hole Wade shot in the Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus has given me access to copious amounts of new data…but it all seems to be encrypted with some code so ancient, it’s…it’s almost like I need to create a new branch of science to understand it.
Later in the episode, Voltron battles a Robeast that can fire blasts of “Sonic Haggarium.”
KEITH
It’s like Haggarium is leaching in!PIDGE
It must be penetrating the Nexus through that hole!
In “Rogue Trip,” in the hangar in the Castle of Lions, Pidge takes his research a bit too far.
PIDGE
I’ve been studying the Black Lion’s Nexus relentlessly, but I still can’t decipher the code. It’s based on ancient, but highly advanced, mathematical algorithm. If I’m going to have any hope of making progress, I’ll need to extract the Nexus and analyze it in the control room. Can you help me do some heavy metal surgery?
Hunk uses what looks like a blowtorch and cuts into Black Lion, but mere inches from the Nexus, Black Lion activates, roars, shakes Pidge and Hunk loose, and exits the hangar of the Castle of Lions.
The Voltron Force soon discusses Black Lion’s departure.
PIDGE
It’s as if Black sensed the Nexus was being threatened, and it triggered some kind of security response.KEITH
But the Lions bond with their pilots, so how could they possibly consider us a threat?PIDGE
I don’t know. But one thing is certain — the Nexus modules are far more important to Voltron than I ever suspected. I have to do more research.
The Voltron Force locates and approaches Black Lion. In response, Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus flashes — and this triggers the Nexus pieces in the other four Lions to flash. The other four Lions eject their pilots and side with Black Lion as they stare down their much smaller pilots. Keith later “tames” all five Lions by behaving like a new Alpha to which Black Lion submits.
In “Gary” Hunk and Pidge continue their repair efforts.
HUNK
All right, Pidge. Hopefully this will fix this hole in Black’s Nexus.
A Space Mouse takes Hunk’s torque wrench, interrupting his and Pidge’s work. Soon afterward a group of Garys does much worse. Several Garys enter Black Lion and began to take control of it. One of them discovers Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus.
Although Keith drives out the other Garys, the one near Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus remains inside even during Voltron’s subsequent battle with a Robeast-sized Gary.
The Voltron Force tries to form Voltron in its traditional, “Black Center” configuration, but before the formation sequence completes, Voltron forms Yellow Center. Pidge quickly realizes why this happened.
PIDGE
It’s the Nexus! It’s got one of those things in it! It must have… gotten into the Nexus through the hole in Black’s piece!
Voltron then forms Red Center, although Keith somehow regains control and forms Black Center.
The Gary in the Nexus continues to make Voltron unstable. At multiple times its arms and legs begin to pull away from the torso, as if the Lions are about to separate or change configuration again.
After the Garys are defeated, Hunk is more determined to fix Black Lion.
HUNK
All right, I think now we REALLY gotta figure out how to fix that hole in you.
The Voltron Force discusses its next step in “Five Forged.”
KEITH
Every time we mess with the Black Lion’s broken Nexus, bad things happen.PIDGE
True, but even worse things are going to happen if we don’t do something. There’s Haggarium in there now, spreading like an infection. We’re leaking power at an alarming rate. If we don’t repair this Nexus soon, we could lose the Black Lion.
Vince tries to use his “finger wires” to hack into Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus, but Black Lion comes to life, frees itself from the finger-wires, and flees Arus — followed by the other four Lions. The Lions fly to the planet Ariel, where they stand just outside the entrance to what looks like a temple. The Voltron Force pilots and cadets arrive and pass a sequence of five challenges, after which five Krelshi converge above their heads, to be replaced by an apparition of a kind but tough-looking blacksmith.
PIDGE
You’re the blacksmith. The one who forged Voltron.BLACKSMITH
I had my part, yes.PIDGE
I have so many questions.BLACKSMITH
I’m certain you do. But I’m afraid I have a very limited role. And to much time to do it in. I understand your Black Lion has a Nexus problem.
After the blacksmith uses some exotic tools, Black Lion stands and roars, and all is right with Voltron once more.
Interestingly, when the Voltron Force is in the workshop of the blacksmith, before the blacksmith appears, they examine artwork on the walls, but they don’t mention one that would let them know, beyond any doubt, that they were in the right place.
After Black Lion’s piece of the Nexus is repaired in “Five Forged,” the Nexus isn’t directly mentioned again for the rest of the program, although it is still shown each time Voltron is formed.
Unanswered Questions
When exactly do the five Lions’ Nexus pieces combine?
In a typical formation sequence, the Nexus pieces are shown to combine after the Lions combine, but before the operator of the “center” Lion announces that he or she will form the head.
On relatively few occasions, the Nexus pieces are shown to combine before the Lions combine.
I assume the Nexus pieces “really” combine after the Lions combine, but this isn’t entirely clear. I suppose it’s possible that each Nexus piece teleports from its Lion’s chest to Voltron’s chest before the Lions combine, but the Lions themselves aren’t shown to have teleportation capability, so this seems unlikely.
Where exactly do the five Lions’ Nexus pieces combine?
- Do the Lions’ Nexus pieces always combine inside Black Lion, regardless of whether Black Lion is the center Lion?
- Do the Lions’ Nexus pieces always combine in the center Lion?
What happens to the Nexus when Voltron reconfigures?
When Voltron reconfigures, such as from changing from Black Center to Red Center, a sequence of operations occurs:
- Voltron’s limbs detach from the “old” center Lion
- Simultaneously…
- The “old” center Lion moves from head/torso position to its position in Black Center configuration, while transforming from head/torso mode to its mode in Black Center configuration
- The “new” center Lion moves from its position in Black Center configuration to head/torso position, while transforming from its mode in Black Center configuration to head/torso mode
- If Black Lion is neither the “old” center Lion nor the “new” center Lion, then it moves from the “old” center Lion’s position in Black Center configuration to the “new” center Lion’s position in Black Center configuration, while transforming from the mode of the “old” center Lion in Black Center configuration to the mode of the “new” center Lion in Black Center configuration
- Voltron’s limbs attach to the “new” center Lion
Example: When Voltron changes from Black Center to Green Center…
- Voltron’s limbs detach from Black Lion
- Simultaneously…
- Black Lion moves from head/torso position to left arm position, while transforming from head/torso mode to arm mode
- Green Lion moves from left arm position to head/torso position, while transforming from arm mode to head/torso mode
- Voltron’s limbs attach to Green Lion
Example: When Voltron changes from Blue Center to Yellow Center…
- Voltron’s limbs detach from Blue Lion
- Simultaneously…
- Blue Lion moves from head/torso position to right leg position, while transforming from head/torso mode to leg mode
- Yellow Lion moves from left leg position to head/torso position, while transforming from leg mode to head/torso mode
- Black Lion moves from right leg position to left leg position, while transforming from leg mode to… leg mode
- Voltron’s limbs attach to Yellow Lion
While all this is happening to the Lions, what happens to the five pieces of the Nexus?
- Do they remain inside Black Lion the whole time, even if Black Lion isn’t the center Lion?
- Do they move as a combined whole from the old center Lion to the new center Lion? If so, then when during the reconfiguration process does this happen?
- Does each piece return to its Lion before the Lions separate, and then re-combine after the Lions re-combine? If so, then do they always combine/re-combine inside Black Lion, or do they re-combine in the new center Lion?
What happens to the Nexus when Voltron “Flash Forms?”
When the Lions “Flash Form” into Voltron, they transform and combine very quickly, bypassing the “Activate interlocks” preamble. During a Flash Form, the Nexus pieces aren’t shown. Do they also “Flash Form,” or do they combine at their regular speed, which is still pretty darn fast, although it might lag Voltron’s formation by a short duration?
What happens to the Nexus when Voltron is forcibly separated into the five Lions?
In the final episode, “Black,” Maahox’s Castle Doom Robeast wraps a tentacle around each of Voltron’s limbs and pulls it apart. Each part crashes to the planet below. In such a scenario, do the Nexus pieces similarly separate, with each piece very quickly snapping back into the chest of its respective Lion? Or do they remain stuck inside the “center” Lion? In “Black” the Lions are shown to fight after Maahox pulls them apart, which would suggest that each Lion got its Nexus piece back, but it’s not entirely clear.
In Closing
Like Voltron’s reconfiguration power, the Nexus is a fun aspect of Voltron that distinguishes the Defender of the Universe in Voltron Force from its incarnations in other Voltron programs.