Jaith

Jaith is the slash ship between James and Keith from the Voltron: Legendary Defender fandom.

Season 7
A LITTLE ADVENTURE

During a flashback, Keith and James are classmates in their formal operational years. Shiro comes to their school looking for “the next generation of astroexplores.” James is excited, while Keith only stares out a window. Soon Shiro has them and the rest of their class outside at a flight simulator. James and others complete the simulator, with no one making it past level 3. Only Keith left, he excels and completes level 5. James looks over Keith’s shoulder, exclaiming, ''“No way! Keith made it past level 5! Thing’s gotta be broken…”'' Shiro is impressed, asking if Keith is on the list of students that his teacher made. He is not; instead she introduces James as he has the highest grades. Moments later Keith steals Shiro’s car, with James looking on in absolute shock.

Sometime later, Keith and James are now cadets at the Galaxy Garrison. It's during a simulation flight that Keith gets bored and starts “showing off.” After Lance tells Keith to quit it, James speaks up too, telling him, “Yeah, Keith, you're gonna get us in trouble.” Not caring of the repercussions, Keith flies off, resulting in the simulation coming to an end. Following this, the entire group is in trouble. As the group is lined up, James looks to Keith, sarcastically saying,“Thanks a lot.” Not missing a beat, Keith quips back, “My pleasure.” James and Keith got at it for a moment before James brings up Keith's parents. Keith immediately punches James, knocking him down. Before Keith could land another blow, Commander Iverson picks Keith up off of James, thus breaking up their fight.

Soon after, Keith and James are sitting outside an administers office, James is frowning right at Keith as Keith looks down. Shiro comes out of the office after speaking with the woman inside. As Shiro opens the door, James continues looking at Keith, never reverting his eyes until he's inside the office.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY

After a long journey, Keith and team finally arrive to Earth. As they’re making their way through the destroyed Plaht City, they’re spotted by Galra droids. As they work at taking them down, more keep coming. Suddenly a jeep plows into one and two people emerge firing at the droids as well. Keith is quick to call out one of them as “he had it.” The other, James, informs him sternly that droids send out distress signals, so let them “handle it.” Keith isn’t sure what to think, so he stays silent as he merely stares at the man.

Soon, back at the Garrison, James leans against his jeep, eyeing Keith. Keith turns his attention toward him as James removes his helmet. The two keep a prolong eye contact before James walks away with Keith still staring.

Later, as Keith and Hunk are attempting to quietly steal a Garrison jeep for their own little mission. James, along with Veronica, startle them by flashing highbeams. James asks where they’re going, to which Keith answers it doesn’t concern them. James lists reasons why it does “concern them,” followed with them saying they’re coming with them. James becomes aware that their mission is about Hunk’s parents, and he helps getting Keith and Hunk to them, enough for them to see them through binoculars.

HEART OF THE LION

Keith and James, along with Pidge and Allura discover Sendak is building six Zaiforge cannons–planet killers, which are ready to launch at any time. Back at the Garrison it’s discussed that ideally all six are attacked at once. James comments that he and his pilots can fly out four paladins. It’s implied that each MFE pilot was able to pick and choose which paladin they flew–James flew Keith.

Fanon
Jaith was seen as a crack paring in the beginning, when it was revealed James was the boy Keith punched in the flashback of season six’s The Black Paladins. It wasn’t until the release of season 7 that the ship began taking off. Keith and James have yet to have any real connection, but with their own personal character growth, people think there’s a chance of a true developing relationship as friends and allies. Many fans are hoping for them to talk about their past. Fans are also saying with James having a full name and him and Keith having some history and a slight acknowledgment of each other that the ship is no longer considered a crack ship.

In the beginning, almost all Jaith shippers were Sheith shippers first. Fan works would frequently feature Shiro with endgame Sheith, with James pining for Keith. Over time, Jaith has proven itself to be its “own” ship where people only ship Keith/James, where Sheith isn’t endgame, or leave Shiro out completely. Jaith has also been compared to Klance, being the “original rival ship.”

A popular headcanon for Jaith is that they were together during their Garrison days as cadets; them being exes in present day.

Jaith has had two dedicated weeks on Tumblr:
 * James and Keith Week — September 10th - 17th, 2018
 * Jaith Fluff Week — October 22nd - October 28th, 2018

Fandom
FAN FICTION

TUMBLR

Variations

 * Jeiro refers to the ship between Shiro, Keith and James