In an effort to find his place and learn more about his Galran heritage, Keith has been training and going on missions with the Blade of Marmora. However, this causes tension between himself and the rest of the team becaust they can't form Voltron when he's off with Kolivan.
Tropes featured in this episode:
- Booby Trap: The supply ship Keith and the Blade of Marmora board is empty and rigged to self-destruct.
- Both Sides Have a Point: Shiro is right that Keith needs to put his role as a Paladin ahead of the Blade of Marmora, but Keith's argument that they need to focus on taking down Lotor and gathering intel on the empire is also equally valid.
- Chekhov's Gun: Keith mentions that Kolivan and the Blade of Marmora have been tracking a unique source of quintessence which they believe might lead them to Lotor.
- Code of Honour: Not only similar to this episodes title, but Kolivan bitterly tries to drill this in to Keith, letting him know that the Blades do not operate the same as team Voltron.
- Death Glare: The entire team gives Keith one after his last mission causes him to be absent during a critical battle.
- Death Trap: The abandoned supply ship that the Blade of Marmora board.
- Escort Mission: The other Paladins are spending most of the episodes escorting refugees to Olkarion.
- Fatal Flaw: Keith's Determinator qualities mean that he prioritizes the Marmora missions over Voltron Public Relations and call to duty. It culminates in him deciding to leave Team Voltron to go on a dangerous stealth mission.
- Godzilla Threshold: Keith's continued absences force Shiro to step back into the Black Lion even as he tries to adjust to a supporting role.
- Group Hug: The team shares one before Keith leaves to be with the Blade of Marmora full time.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Regris stays behind to delay the battle cruiser's self destruct so that Keith and Kolivan can get away.
- Idiot Ball: As soon as they saw that there was no one on board the mysterious supply ship, it should have been obvious to Keith and the other Blades of Marmora that it was a trap and they should abort the mission immediately. Instead, they stay on the ship to search for clues, triggering the trap resulting in Regris's death and very nearly the deaths of Keith and Kolivan, as well.
- The Obi-Wan: Kolivan appears to have taken this role in regards to Keith's training with the Blades.
- The Needs of the Many: Kolivan tells off Keith for not adhering to this, and going back for a Marmora member. When Regris pulls his Heroic Sacrifice, Kolivan picks up Keith and drags him away.
- No One Gets Left Behind: Keith believes in this as a Marmora member. Kolivan tries to disavow him of the notion to the best of his ability.
- No Sympathy: Averted; Allura says she knows that Regris's death was traumatic for Keith before asking him to spend more time with Voltron, because the team needs him. She doesn't mention, however, that Keith also nearly died thanks to the decoy ship.
- Put on a Bus: Keith leaves for a long term mission with the Blade of Marmora.
- Sacrificial Lamb: Regris, a Blade of Marmora introduced in this episode.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Keith rescues Regris even though it's against protocol. He tries to justify it by claiming that recovering the intel Regris downloaded was worth the risk.
- So Much for Stealth: The Blade of Marmora mission quickly goes awry.
- Stealth Mentor: Implied when Keith says that Shiro needs to be the leader of Voltron. Allura asks if that's why Keith has been pulling away; Keith answers that he can do more good helping stop Lotor than standing in Shiro's away.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: The other Paladins are quickly growing frustrated with Keith prioritizing his training with the Blade of Marmora over his duties as a paladin.
- Time Skip: It's established that it's been months since the Paladins last encountered Lotor.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Allura tells Keith that despite his desire to train with the Blade of Marmora, Voltron cannot go on without him, while the Blade can.
