application for futurology

[ceruleo]

APPLICANT INFO.
NAME: Luna
CONTACT: plurk @ lunation or discord @ lune#3029

CHARACTER INFO.
NAME: Lance
CANON: Voltron: Legendary Defender
AGE: 18ish
APPEARANCE: this is what he looks like.
CANON POINT: Right after Season 3, before Keith really starts pulling away from the team.

BACKGROUND:

A wiki entry on Lance can be found here, however seeing as there hasn't been much in-canon focus on Lance's backstory, here's what we do know: Lance comes from a very large Cuban family that he is close to and misses terribly. They're in his thoughts enough that it keeps him from focusing during a mind-meld exercise, and he gets homesick enough for his mother's hugs to break down into tears at a party. In the same scene, it's implied he lived in Cuba or at least visited enough to be familiar—when he reminisces about Earth, Varadero beach is the first thing he mentions. Rain comes in a close second; water is his element, after all.

In this version of Earth, set in the "near-ish" future, humans are visiting the edges of their own solar system and performing scientific studies, and those expeditions need pilots. The Galaxy Garrison, where Lance trained before becoming a member of Voltron, is a cadet academy for space exploration, churning out scientists, pilots and engineers. Originally in the cargo pilot class, the expulsion of another student allowed Lance to get bumped into fighter class, implying he'd been at the top of his cohort.

A summary of the actual events of canon can be found here (short) and here (long!), for added background if necessary.

PERSONALITY:

It's easy to wonder how someone like Lance made it into a high-calibre space exploration program, much less a military space exploration program. Lance wears his flaws like the latest fashion: with pride, and plainly visible to everyone around him.

Chief among these is vanity; even without his Lion, Lance could probably take flight from all his hot air. He thinks he's pretty awesome and doesn't hesitate to let everyone know it. That's precisely how the audience meets him, too busy bragging about his ~incredible piloting skills~ to actually pilot and promptly crashing his flight simulator test. Following that shining start, the impression we get of Lance isn't much better: he encourages his friends Pidge and Hunk to break curfew and go into town to pick up chicks with him. Lance has never met a pretty girl he didn't like, in fact, and in combination with his planet-sized ego means he hits on just about anything that moves, no matter how out of his league, from mermaids to cat ladies. Given any reason to put himself in the spotlight, Lance will take it, whether that's a galaxy-wide broadcast or selfies and autographs with fans.

Originally the pilot of the Blue Lion, one of Voltron's legs, Lance symbolically and literally supports the team. Lance fills a niche of emotional work none of the others can: as the resident "funny man", his capricious antics and outgoing nature almost always contrast with the serious situations the team finds itself in. He's the first to defuse or de-escalate, often in way that dramatically cuts through the other Paladins' focus, like farting....on purpose lance no...to break up a tense conversation, or interrupting a panicking Hunk with a pointed question about whether or not Allura likes him back. Of course these actions aren't necessarily calculated, but they are a natural byproduct of Lance being gregarious and people-oriented. Though he has a tendency to miss the forest for the trees, he does pay a surprising amount of attention to what goes on around him: see recognizing that Pidge's robot was not acting within parameters in a split-second moment, but not recognizing Pidge herself was a girl...

Though Lance's boisterous nature can't be overstated because it's the loudest, most immediate part of his personality, it's also mostly a front. The cocky veneer hides a nugget of insecurity, made obvious by the way Lance jumps at every given chance to prove himself, to gain attention and prestige. This is most apparent with the alleged "rivalry" he entertains with his teammate Keith, the very same student whose removal from the Garrison gave Lance the chance to hop into Fighter class. Acutely aware of his shortcomings and frequently reminded that Keith's expulsion is the only reason he got the opportunity, frustration boils over. Lance is nowhere near the natural Keith is, and the ongoing disparity between their skillsets means Lance actively goes looking for ways to push Keith's buttons, hoping to trip the Red Paladin up. It's certainly petty, but their ability to goad each other is mutual; despite Keith being easily able to yank Lance's chain (even unintentionally), Lance is surprisingly capable of restraint when push comes to shove. It's Lance who stops Keith from harming the "living planet" Balmera during a mission and develops an alternative, safer strategy on the fly. When the Black Lion is in need of a pilot, Lance spends a solid half hour trying to coax Voltron's head to let him in--to no avail. It's a bitter pill for him to swallow when Black chooses Keith, instead.

When Lance overcomes his pride and puts aside his own needs, however, he is accepted as pilot to the Red Lion, making him the metaphorical and literal 'right hand' of the new formation. With hotheaded, impulsive Keith at the helm, it's Lance who needs to step up and provide some much-needed restraint. Here Lance's soft skills shine: he's the one who coaxes Keith away from anger and into accepting his new role, towards more productive outlets for dealing with the change.

Highly aware of his 'image', Lance is much more introspective when he's away from an audience. Much as he tries to hide it behind bluster, Lance feels deeply, as proven when he admits to Coran that he misses his mother and his home planet despite feeling the burden of responsibility. To anyone who gives him genuine attention, Lance opens himself up wholly: unprompted, he regales an alien dog of the tales of his team's exploits, revealing how lowly he thinks of his own skills in contrast. With the team so full of masterful flyers, space ninjas, leaders and tech prodigies, Lance has real difficulty seeing the impact of his own skills, especially when those skills can't really translate to anything someone might be 'best' at. He puts tremendous weight on his measurable skill (as the team's resident sniper) rather than the aspects of his personality that make him a core team player. For example, Lance is baffled when mermaid resistance fighters approach him as their 'saviour', but his shooting skills are limited on the snakelike Baku monster they hope to defeat; instead, it's his capacity to observe and adapt that saves the day.

That isn't to say he's prone to self-destruction: while many of the other Paladins might give themselves over to the cause completely, Lance maintains his own emotional and psychological health by talking over his issues. He even goes to Keith for advice, trusting the former Red Paladin's blunt honesty. Intensely loyal, Lance goes to great lengths for those he cares about, both emotionally (as when he takes the heat for Pidge when she openly defies Garrison staff), and physically (as when he shields Coran from a bomb with his own body, getting himself knocked unconscious). And if ever you weren't sure just how awesome Team Voltron is, boy, Lance has got you covered.

Ultimately, Lance may be a braggart and a diva, but his heart is always in the right place; he'll always put his loved ones and the universe first...just as soon as his face mask is done. (Please tell him he's pretty.)

ABILITIES:

piloting — Lance is a trained pilot, and for all his exaggerating, he's actually shown to be proficient at it, especially by the time the later seasons roll around.

marksmanship — Lance's bayard (his Paladin weapon) is a rifle that can extend to full-on sniper length; in combat, Lance lays cover fire for the other Paladins and is shown to be able to reach even small, moving targets several dozen feet away, while floating in the void of space.

strategy — Lance is a quick thinker and capable of strategizing on his feet, even in a combat situation.

endurance — Despite looking like a noodle, Lance is surprisingly durable; KO'd by a Galra bomb, he manages to emerge from his coma at a critical juncture and use his Bayard to blast an enemy in the back. Lance is otherwise in all respects a regular human at this time.

INVENTORY:

• black Paladin bodysuit
  
• Blue Paladin armor plating
  
• red bayard
  
• earth clothing set
  
• Blue Lion pyjama set

HATHAWAY.
SUITABILITY:

As a Paladin of Voltron, Lance is very aware of the Herculean task laid out for him and his teammates, and all the sacrifices that come along with it. He's taken down his fair share of Galra battle cruisers, drone ships and outposts. While he's far from hard-hearted, he understands that he's just as likely to get his hands dirty accomplishing good for Hathaway as for Voltron. That isn't to say he's looking forward to it, but he knows his own weaknesses will need to be put aside if he wants to grow, which is why he's here.

Lance sees Hathaway as an opportunity, not just for employment but as a chance to better himself as a Paladin. With their team now with (presumably) one too many members, Lance feels he's the weakest link, and if he wants to put all chances of victory on Voltron's side, he's going to have to put his nose to the grindstone.

INCENTIVE: Lance wants to keep all the (non-innate) powers, skills and tech he gains as a Hathaway employee after his contract ends.

SPECIALIZATION:

1. negotiator — Lance is a fast-talking attention hog. Being a Negotiator would let him hone the talents he already has and let him run his mouth for the greater good. Being able to literally heal others with words would go a long way towards making him see the value in soft skills and communication.

2. sentinel — For a Defender of the Universe, Lance often fails to see the value in the 'supportive' roles he's good at. Being able to protect others would suit his nurturing side while giving him a lot to consider on the value of "helping".

WRITING SAMPLES.
NETWORK SAMPLE: Network sample with Veronica.

ACTION SAMPLE: Action sample with Aloy.