Ep 8. Rebirth

As the eighth episode of the first season of Voltron: Legendary Defender, "Rebirth" opens with team leader Shiro using his Galra technology to try and locate their missing comrade, Lance. After waiting a few minutes with no success, the rest of the team (Keith, Pidge, Hunk, and Coran) move on with their mission to rescue prisoners from a Galra prison transport.

While Coran pilots the Castle of Lions, the Paladins infiltrate the transport and swiftly take out the Galra soldiers. However, they soon realize that the "prisoners" are not what they seem - they're actually deadly creatures called Ro-beasts, which the Galra were transporting to a top-secret facility. The Paladins must fight off the Ro-beasts while simultaneously trying to figure out how to disable the ship and prevent the creatures from being unleashed on innocent civilians.

As if that weren't enough, the Paladins are also dealing with their own interpersonal issues. Keith is frustrated with Shiro for what he sees as a lack of leadership, Hunk is upset that he hasn't had a chance to prove his worth to the team, and Pidge is still struggling to find information on her missing family.

Despite all of these challenges, the Paladins manage to successfully take down the Ro-beasts and destroy the prison transport. However, their victory is short-lived - Shiro receives a message from the Galra Emperor, Zarkon, who claims to have information on why the Paladins were chosen to pilot the Lions in the first place. Shiro decides to take the risk of meeting with Zarkon, hoping to uncover the truth about his own mysterious captivity and the wider conflict with the Galra.

Meanwhile, Lance awakens in a strange alien village, having been rescued from his own near-death experience by a friendly alien named Blumfump. Lance is grateful but initially frustrated that he is unable to contact the rest of the team, and he spends some time adapting to life in the village as well as practicing his newfound diplomatic skills. Eventually, Blumfump reveals that he has a communication device that can reach the Castle of Lions, and Lance is able to check in with his teammates just as they're about to meet with Zarkon.

"Rebirth" is a thrilling episode that showcases both the action-packed battles that the Paladins are capable of and the deeper character development that is becoming a hallmark of the show. While the Paladins are still young and prone to disagreement, they're beginning to work together more effectively and understand one another's strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, the mystery surrounding the Galra's motives and Shiro's past continues to build, hinting at even more revelations to come. And with Lance separated from the team, it's clear that the stakes are only getting higher as the Paladins continue their mission to save the universe from the Galra Empire.