"Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12) is the twelfth and final episode of The Legend of Vox Machina, Season Three. Merging her soul with a red dragon corpse, Raishan becomes an unkillable, undead monstrosity. She battles Vox Machina in her lair, trying to erase them before they can foil her plans.
Plot summary[]
The undead Thordak, now controlled by Raishan's consciousness, gloats over Keyleth, telling her this is the perfect body to destroy every Ashari village. Defiantly, Keyleth hurls magic at the creature but it does nothing. Grog attacks, leaping directly at the dragon with the Titanstone Knuckles, but it feels no pain and tosses him and Keyleth both aside. Scanlan's Hand shields her and Vax'ildan as they move to cover, then Vax attacks but is paralyzed and nearly swallowed. Pike's Plate of the Dawnmartyr cannot absorb the undead flames the undead dragon now breathes and she is knocked unconscious. The dragon counterattacks the party, sending rune-carved blocks of stone flying at them, then forming a barrier of energy blocking Keyleth from the rest of the party. Vax begs her to get out of there and away, but she tells him to trust her.
Screenshot of Elemental Keyleth vs Undead Thordak, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12).[art 2]
Keyleth tells the creature the Ashari caused its disease and the dragon should let the others go, but the undead Thordak continues attacking while Grog punches fruitlessly at the force barrier blocking them from the battle. Keyleth wild shapes into first a tiger, then a fire elemental, narrowly avoiding the dragon's constant attacks, and wedges herself into the creature's mouth before being spat out in a gout of undead flame breath. Just as Thordak sends its final attack at Keyleth, Grog breaks the wall holding them back and Vax races through. In horror, the party sees Keyleth's figure crumble into dust, and Vax falls to his knees. As the dragon prepares a breath attack at him, an immense earth elemental rises from beneath the creature -- Keyleth's new form gaining power from the remains of her half-elven body. The elemental lifts the dragon from beneath, sending tendrils of disease curling into it, and as it writhes in pain and fear, Vax shoots Ripley's gun into it. Finally, it collapses to the ground in a pool of blood and ichor, wheezing, and dies. As it does, Vax hears Percy's voice calling for help again from the gun he holds. Exhausted, Keyleth collapses and Vax catches her. They kiss, but she immediately vomits from the poison.
Later, Keyleth is in bed as Vax cares for her. He prays to the Matron of Ravens for guidance, and sees her immense form hanging among the threads of fate. She tells him that saving Percy would violate the barrier between life and death, and would come with a cost. Vax demands to know the way this could be done. He wakes from the vision to see a black feather drift down upon the gun at his bedside.
The next day, the Council meets to discuss this. Keyleth is afraid of the consequences if Vax defies his god, but Pike remembers Zerxus telling her that sometimes you should go against the wishes of your deity. Vax shares that Percy's soul is imprisoned inside Orthax, which is inside the gun, and he believes he can retrieve it. They decide to proceed, and Pike heals Percy's body as best she can.
Screenshot of Orthax, Vax, and Percy, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12).[art 3]
Vax, holding the gun, lies next to Percy's body and calls to Orthax, saying he seeks vengeance, against the demon himself. He is pulled into a vision, where the demon asks why he has come. Vax demands Percy's release, although the demon says he would not be willing to come. As Vax's vision continues, Pike and Keyleth start the resurrection ritual, and Allura and Gilmore uses magical bonds to keep Vax from twisting outside the ritual circle as he struggles. Orthax offers him freedom from the Matron's control and his position as her Champion, telling him the Matron's fate cannot be changed, but Vax replies that it can certainly be bent and pulls free of Orthax's bindings. He follows Percy's voice, finding him at a forge building a gun. Percival does not recognize Vax and continues working, refusing to come or to listen to Vax, but from the ritual circle surrounding Percival's body, Vex'ahlia calls to him, telling him she needs him and he has to find his way back, because her heart belongs to him. Her teardrop falls upon the red hot gun Percival is forging and turns into a blue feather, and Percy whispers her name. He turns to Vax and Orthax screams out, ordering him back to the forge, but Vax tells him Vex loves him, and so does he. He holds out a hand and a thread of fate extends between the two, drawing Percival to take Vax's hand. As the demon shrieks in frustration, Ripley's gun rises, glowing, and as the resurrection reaches its climax it explodes, releasing Orthax into nothingness. Vax sits up, but Percy takes a bit longer. He is exhausted but alive and Vex'ahlia cradles him, then hugs him ecstatically.
Much later, the city of Emon is rebuilding and Percy is gradually regaining strength, helped by Vex'ahlia. Vax comes out to get them for dinner in Scanlan's Chateau, and after Vex and Percy go inside, pulls back his sleeve to reveal a spreading dark stain on his wrist. He notes that the Matron will not forget what he did, and as he goes into the chateau, a raven watches.
Screenshot of Grog and Pike celebrating, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12).[art 4]
Inside, however, Vox Machina and their friends are having a celebration with plenty of champagne and chicken. Shaun Gilmore arrives, inviting them to Whitestone for Winter's Crest. Scanlan toasts to their success, but then says that he likes himself better when he's with Kaylie, and he intends to leave the group and stay with her. Keyleth then tells everyone that she's been putting off her Aramenté, but she needs to complete it so she and Vax will be leaving as well. Vex congratulates them, telling Vax, "Just don't run off and get married or anything." Percy and Vex will join Gilmore in Whitestone, and Pike and Grog plan to stay together as well. Scanlan sings a song celebrating their adventures and we catch glimpses of their lives together and separately over the next months.
However, elsewhere, a group of cultists is gathered in an ominous temple, bleeding from their bandaged eyes and chanting: "We are his sight. We are his voice. We are his touch. We are his heart. We are his blood. We are his blood!" As the chant crescendos, purple lightning crackles around a spinning black orb and a horrific face briefly appears.
Credits[]
Cast[]
- Laura Bailey as Vex'ahlia
- Taliesin Jaffe as Percy
- Ashley Johnson as Pike
- Matthew Mercer as Orthax
- Liam O'Brien as Vax'ildan
- Marisha Ray as Keyleth
- Sam Riegel as Scanlan
- Travis Willingham as Grog
- Stephanie Beatriz as Kima
- LeVar Burton as Undead Thordak
- Aisling Franciosi as Kaylie
- Sunil Malhotra as Gilmore
- Cree Summer as Raishan
- Courtenay Taylor as Matron of Ravens
- Indira Varma as Allura
Crew[]
- Written by - Brandon Auman and Sam Riegel
- Directed by - Karen Guo
- Storyboard Artists - Jack Anderson, Servan Castillo, Karen Guo, Cassey Guo, Grace Mi, Isadora Morales, Aki Yun Lee
Featured characters[]
Vox Machina
- Keyleth
- Scanlan Shorthalt
- Grog Strongjaw
- Percival de Rolo
- Pike Trickfoot
- Vax'ildan
- Vex'ahlia
- Trinket
Mentioned
Returning
- Allura Vysoren
- Shaun Gilmore
- Kaylie
- Kima of Vord
- Matron of Ravens
- Orthax
- Raishan / Undead Thordak
- Syldor Vessar (non-speaking)
- Velora Vessar (non-speaking)
- The Whispered One (non-speaking)
- Byron Anders (non-speaking)
- Kerrion Stonefell (non-speaking)
Quotations[]
- Undead Thordak: Such a spell might have destroyed my old form... but I have become death, child!
- Orthax: (to Vax) Perhaps you belong here, too, a scared little boy forced into a pact with the Matron. You must serve her every whim... or she'll punish you with a ghastly future. But I can shield you from your pact. Like Percy, here you could be free, unbound to her authority. Give into your vengeful heart, Champion, for the Matron's fate cannot be changed. [...] If you alter his fate, Raven Champion, you will never be the same! Never know happiness!
- Vex'ahlia: Percy, this isn't how I wanted to do this, and gods know all this attention would appall you, but... that day with you in Syngorn, when you stood next to me and you allowed me to be part of something that you hold dearest, I... I was so proud. You stood up for me and I... I lied to you. I lied to myself. I hate that I was too afraid to admit it. You're fascinating and obstinate and the cleverest man I know. You have to find your way back to us, Percy. Because the truth is, I love you, darling. My heart... it's yours.
Trivia[]
- In the scene with Syldor Vessar at the end, Velora Vessar is reading Der Katzenprinz.
- Gilmore refers to Scanlan as "the Meat Man", which in the campaign was a pseudonym used by Scanlan in Ank'Harel.
- When Undead Thordak came to life it was mostly Cree Summer (Raishan) who did the voice. Due to Lance Reddick's passing, LeVar Burton took over the bass layer voice of Undead Thordak at the request of Lance's wife Stephanie Reddick.[1]
- LeVar Burton is also the father of the actor and freelance host Mica Burton who appeared on various Critical Role shows.
References[]
- ↑ See The Legend of Vox Machina, Season Finale Roundtable - Season 3, Episodes 7-12 at 1:13:44 on the Critical Role YouTube channel.
Art:
- ↑ Screenshot of the undead Thordak, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12). 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 Elemental Keyleth vs Undead Thordak, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12). 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 Orthax, Vax, and Percy, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12). 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 Grog and Pike celebrating, by Titmouse from "Souls in Darkness" (LVM3x12). 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.