Unfortunately, I can't claim credit for the names -- we're not the only ones who have noticed this pattern in various series. TV Tropes calls it a
Five Man Band. Voltron fits the pattern so perfectly that I couldn't resist doing a shoutout here. Hell, the Lancer is even
called Lance.
(A cautionary note about TVT's Five Man Band pages: there are about five times more examples than actually fit the pattern. There seems to be a collective habit of cramming every possible show in, whether it fits or not.)
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FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short
[03:17]
FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of
scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17]
IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction