"Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05) is the fifth episode of The Legend of Vox Machina, Season Two. While traveling to find the next Vestige of Divergence, Vox Machina passes by Pyrah, home to the Fire Ashari people. Discovering that the village is in distress, Vox Machina must help them, battling fire creatures that are spilling out into the world through a portal to another dimension. As they try to close the portal, Keyleth learns more about the power that lies within her.
Plot summary[]
In the Air Ashari village of Zephrah, Vilya is leaving home on her Aramenté. Her young daughter Keyleth runs after her, shouting, "Don't go!" Vilya hugs her, promising to return. She tells Keyleth to listen to her own power in the wind, then summons fire. When Keyleth is burned touching it, Vilya tells her to "Never pull back," and that flame cannot live without air. They are the Air Ashari, made to pass through fire. Flame can only hurt her if she lets it. Korrin scoops Keyleth into his arms and Vilya lovingly says goodbye, telling Keyleth that one day she'll be ready for her own journey. She strides out the gates as Keyleth and Korrin watch.
In the present, Vox Machina are camped in a snowy wilderness. Keyleth is disturbed, realizing they are very close to Pyrah, home of the Fire Ashari who guard a rift to the Elemental Plane of Fire where her mother Vilya was last seen alive. Keyleth needs to visit it as part of her own Aramenté but doesn't want to delay the group's mission.
They realize Grog has disappeared, and Scanlan goes in search after tossing Vex the broom he picked up in the ruins of Gilmore's Glorious Goods. She notices runes carved along its handle.
Meanwhile, Grog is crouched pooping behind a boulder, talking to his sword Craven Edge, who repeats, "I hunger." Grog loves the way Craven Edge carves people up, but wonders if the sword can ever be full. Scanlan finds them and serenades at Grog's request to cover any noise he may produce. Grog wants to know what's in this for Craven Edge, who responds, "The blood of your enemies feeds me. Their strength becomes yours." Grog is slightly hesitant but enjoys the power of the sword.
Screenshot of Vax'ildan's vision, by Titmouse from "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05).[art 2]
Back at the campsite, Vax sees the face of the Matron of Ravens while taking watch, and enters a vision of the fall of a great city in flames. He picks up a black feather and finds himself at a mysterious carved door, which swings open to the sound of whispered voices and a hideous skull. He cries out, waking the party, and explains he must have dozed off. As he walks off, he realizes he cannot remove his new armor, Deathwalker's Ward. Keyleth watches from a distance in concern.
The next day, as the party travels, Vex asks Scanlan to read the runes on the broom, and when he does it rises into the air. He offers to tell her the magic word in exchange for a favor to be named later. To demonstrate the broom, he takes off, seeing a volcano erupting not far off. Keyleth tells them the volcano should be dormant, and if it is erupting, Pyrah is in danger. Vax wants to continue on their own path, but a frustrated Keyleth wildshapes into a hawk and takes off toward it. The others convince Vax to follow her and aid the Ashari.
The flying Keyleth finds Pyrah in flames with lava flowing through, and under attack by flying salamander-like creatures. She finds her father Korrin aiding the citizens. He explains the rift has been torn open, and the Fire Ashari headmaster Cerkonos tells her that a dragon laid waste to their people and that if the rift isn't closed soon, it will remain open forever. Korrin explains that the dragon destroyed the lodestones keeping the rift sealed, releasing the flying fire creatures. The only way to close it is by controlling the flames themselves. Korrin and Keyleth join the Ashari Firetamers attempting to close the rift. Among them are Lady Kima and Allura Vysoren.
The rest of Vox Machina are walking through the flaming town, searching for Keyleth, when they are attacked by the fire creatures. Vex releases Trinket from Raven's Slumber and asks Scanlan for the trigger word for the broom, but he reminds her she must agree to grant him a favor first. Grog attacks with Craven Edge, but the creatures are fire, not flesh and blood. Allura and Kima arrive, explaining that they escaped death in Emon through Allura's magic. They knew that if Thordak was free, it meant the rift was open. Years ago, they had battled Thordak, binding him to an ancient artifact implanted in his chest, the Soul Anchor, which pulled him into the Fire Plane.
Meanwhile, Korrin and Keyleth arrive at the rift. Keyleth is afraid, but Korrin assures her she is perhaps even stronger than her mother. Working together, they attempt and fail to seal the rift, and are attacked by the fire creature as the rift widens further.
Craven Edge is growing increasingly insistent for blood, since the fire creatures contain none. Vex'ahlia again demands the broom's command word, and Scanlan tells her it's "Volantire". She flies into the air, attacking the creatures from above.
Screenshot of Keyleth at the rift to the Fire Plane, by Titmouse from "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05).[art 3]
At the rift, Keyleth and Korrin are joined by Allura and Pike, but even their combined efforts are not enough to close the widening gateway. Korrin is struck down, and aided by Pike, as Keyleth tearfully confesses she has not finished her Aramenté because she is afraid. She hears the voice of her mother in memory, telling her to listen to her power, and approaches the rift. Hesitantly, she touches it, pushing through into the Fire Plane. Surrounded and consumed by flames, she finds her power, exploding into a huge fire elemental which destroys the flying flaming creatures and implodes the rift. As Vox Machina watches in horror from the Prime Material Plane, the rift closes. Keyleth suddenly appears, transformed and stronger, and embraces her father. She approaches Vax, who hands her the staff she had dropped as she entered the rift, and they smile at each other.
That evening, Cerkonos formally gives Keyleth the blessing of Pyrah. Her water and earth trials still await her on her Aramenté. He warns her that Thordak had escaped with the aid of one posing as their own, and she should be sure she trusts those around her.
Keyleth tells Vax that when the fire took her, she could feel the connection between the planes. Korrin bids them all farewell, telling them to take care of each other, and in an aside indicating to Keyleth, "Especially that one," as he looks at Vax. She and Vax both blush and look away.
They say goodbye to Kima and Allura, who plan to help rebuild Pyrah then head to Whitestone. The two kiss, mentioning that they also need to check on what's happened to the elven city of Syngorn, which appears to have vanished when the dragons showed up. Vex thanks Scanlan for the broom, and Vex agrees she now owes him a favor.
Meanwhile, at the flaming Westruun, a gang of Goliaths is terrorizing the city, led by Thunderlord Kevdak who has sworn fealty to the now-ruling Umbrasyl. As the Goliaths deliver treasure to the dragon, Zanror kneels and promises to keep paying. Anna Ripley approaches, telling them the dragons' reign will be short-lived unless they listen to her, as she holds out the scrying orb.
Credits[]
Cast[]
- Aimee Carrero as Ashari Girl
- Abubakar Salim as Zanror
- Stephanie Beatriz as Kima
- Robbie Daymond as Cerkonos
- Kelly Hu as Anna Ripley
- Kestrel Riegel as Young Keyleth
- Fred Tatasciore as Korrin
- Janet Varney as Vilya
- Indira Varma as Allura
Crew[]
- Written by - Meredith Kecskemety
- Directed by - Alicia Chan
- Producer - Tony Salama
- Co-Producer - Eugene Son
- Art Director - Arthur Loftis
- Editor - Todd Raleigh
Featured characters[]
Vox Machina[]
- Keyleth
- Percival de Rolo
- Scanlan Shorthalt
- Grog Strongjaw
- Pike Trickfoot
- Trinket
- Vax'ildan
- Vex'ahlia
New[]
- Cerkonos
- Korrin
- Vilya
- Zanror
- Gern Blanston (Written/Cameo)
- Allura and Kima's old group
Returning[]
Mentioned[]
Quotations[]
- Allura: Keyleth, if we fetch your friends, can you buy us some time?
Keyleth: I mean, we can certainly try.[1] - Pike: (greeting Allura) Allura fucking Vysoren!
Allura: Not my middle name, but I'm pleased to see you as well.[2] - Keyleth: (struggling to push through the rift) I was made to pass through fire.[3]
Trivia[]
- This episode is adapted from "Aramente to Pyrah" (1x22) and "Cindergrove Revisited" (1x46), with additional plot elements such as the reveal of Allura and Kima’s involvement in sealing Thordak away.
- The runes on the broom can be decoded as "Valentia" which is a transliteration of its trigger word "Volantire." Using the same decoding key, the phrases written on the stones in the following episode read "Fear, mortals. Beware the sphinx and his riddles," "The Knowing Mistress," "Take the ski-," and "Beware the Gate."[4] Alternatively, some have suggested the runes on the broom read "Is Gern's" since in Campaign One, Vex purloined the broom from Gern Blanston.[5]
- According to Sam and Travis, the flying creatures in this episode are "fire gilas".[6]
References[]
- ↑ See "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05) at 13:14.
- ↑ See "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05) at 14:08.
- ↑ See "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05) at 18:50.
- ↑ See the Reddit thread on the subject.
- ↑ See "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05) at 4:28.
- ↑ The creatures were named in a question during the Watch Party for this episode. See "The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2, Episodes 4-6 Q&A" at 0:19:02.
Art:
- ↑ Screenshot of Allura Vysoren, Kima of Vord, Grog Strongjaw, Percival de Rolo and Vax'ildan, by Titmouse from "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Screenshot of Vax'ildan's vision, by Titmouse from "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Screenshot of Keyleth at the rift to the Fire Plane, by Titmouse from "Pass Through Fire" (LVM2x05). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
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