[ It's difficult to change what people believe. Harder still to change what people believe about themselves, and that's one of the few aspects in which Shiro feels he and Keith are worlds apart. Shiro has always dealt with his doubts about himself by looking at them head on and telling them no, loudly and clearly, until he believed himself. Keith... Keith doesn't quit, Keith is one of the most driven people Shiro's ever known when he sets his mind to a purpose, but Keith also seems painfully ready to take every unkind thought anyone's ever had about him on board and carry them with him, like his very existence is something he has to do penance for. And now that he knows he's part Galra it's easy to see him latching on to that, using that as the justification for his willingness to bear every burden placed upon him. Shiro doesn't know where to start disproving that, so... he defaults to what he's always done for himself. ]

No.

From a practical perspective, we have no idea how long it would take to find someone else who could both pilot the Red lion and mesh with the team well enough to be a part of it. However long it is, that's time we don't have to waste. And as for you not being special -

Keith, I'm here because of you. Don't forget that you're the one who made it possible to get me out of quarantine. You're also the person who did the work that let us find the Blue lion, without the benefit of Altean technology. Without even knowing what Voltron is. That's special. You do more to protect the things that are important to you than anyone else I know, and you've taken all the pain in your life and turned it into drive. And despite all of that, you're still... you. Beautiful and funny and kind, even if you try to keep that part quiet.

That seems pretty damn special to me.