Lance Mcclain Character Analysis

What makes a character in modern media likable? Most people would say it’s a combination of appearance and personality and they aren't wrong, a consistently nice person with a good design can make a splendid character. However, Lance McClain has his best traits develop from negative to positive over the course of Voltron Legendary Defender. The best kind of character is one that can show their worst traits develop into the best parts of them. Lance McClain demonstrates growth through mental health issues, vulnerability, and sympathy over the course of the show.

Dreamworks makes Lance a character who can show positive and negative effects of mental health issues without villainizing anyone in the process. ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity
Lance is seen as a flirt and is set aside as a goofball for seeking attention through the beginning of the series. It’s been proven that self-conscious people are more likely to seek attention. Lance, often being the one show others that he's the limelight of the situation the paladins are in. One example that carries through the series is how Lance was only good enough to be a fighter pilot because Keith left the school. Lance is harassed by his teacher, Iverson, and told to stay in his place. Through the rest of the series, he is reminded of this and is taught to think he isn't worth his position. This results in Lance starting a one-sided rivalry with Keith to prove himself as worthy to be a paladin. Season two’s escape from beta traz has Lance talk about his newfound realization of another way the team might look down on him.Ten minutes through the episode, he tells the “yupper” about the positions each person has on the team. “I thought I was the team sharpshooter but I guess no one else thinks that. maybe I don't have a thing”. This branches from Lance clinging to a skill no one else has because as a pilot he his skills are shared among everyone else. In season 3 episode 6 Lance has a conversation with Keith about leaving the group. The return of former black lion pilot has left one person in a position to leave. Lance
sympathy allowed him to realize he's in a safe place with his teammates. Before becoming the well-known support class of the team he often hurt people in ways he didn't quite understand. When fellow paladin, Pidge, came out as female shortly after Lance awoke from a coma he reacted dramatically as he tried to take in new information the others had time to think about. Lance was supportive of his teammate and didn't care what gender she was but because he was in shock of the sudden danger he was pushed in and barely just came out of he hurt her and seemed insensitive. In more recent episodes Lance has acted as the person that always comes forward to support his teammates, between being Keith's impulse control and Allura's motivation, Lance has developed the way he acts in the face of danger. In season three the red paladin, the musical chairs of lions, happens in which Lance, Keith, and Allura must adjust to new lions. Keith is put in the black lion to lead the team, much to Lance’s displeasure but after seeing a parallel between Lance and his family and Keith and Shiro after his disappearance Lance is pulled into a situation where he must support Keith or watch the team crumble. After this point in the series, Lance has turned from a stubborn yet positive character to a paladin ready to adapt to any situation in