→ This article is about "The Legend of Vox Machina" episode. For the Campaign One episode, see Those Who Walk Away. "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04) is the fourth episode of The Legend of Vox Machina, Season Two. In a desperate bid to save a team member’s life, Vax strikes a fateful deal with the Matron of Ravens, offering his life in exchange. As Vox Machina battles their way out of the sunken temple, Vax wonders what he's just signed up for.
Plot summary[]
In a memory, the young Vax'ildan sneaks through a small wagon encampment, picks a lock on one, and opens the door to reveal the captive Vex'ahlia. She had been captured by bandits, and as they try to escape, a guard is alerted. Vax quickly picks another locked wagon and they dash inside, hiding, but discover that it is occupied by a grievously wounded bear in severe pain. As Vex comforts the bear, Vax puts it out of its misery. In a corner, tied up, is a small bear cub, which Vex releases. Gathering it up, the twins rush out into the night.
Back in the present, Vox Machina is gathered around the fallen Vex. Zahra and Kashaw appear from the door through which they had disappeared, at first only seeing that the group had beat them to finding Deathwalker's Ward, but then noticing Vex's body. As Vax cries out for help, Kash moves forward despite Zahra's protest. He suggests resurrecting Vex, which Pike says she's never done. Kash casts the spell, creating a golden bubble around Vex, but nothing else happens because they are within the temple of the Matron of Ravens and her influence is too strong. As they frantically try to think of an option, Vax, off to one side, sees again the figure of the mysterious woman in black, the Matron herself. Visible only to him, she reaches toward Vex, shattering the resurrection bubble, and a golden tether forms between the twins. Vax can see his sister's spirit departing, and frantically calls, "Take me instead, you raven bitch!" The Raven Queen pauses, looking down at Vax, then reaches out and with one finger severs the thread between the twins. After a long moment looking at him, she moves off and disappears.
Suddenly, Vex draws in a breath and sits up. They tell her what happened, Percy admitting it was he who touched the armor and accidentally triggered the trap. Vex asks how she is alive, if she died, and as the group turns to Vax, they see he is now wearing the Matron's armor. He runs to Vex, hugging her. Scanlan confronts Kash and Zahra, but they deny running ahead.
Screenshot of Vax's vision of Pelor, Corellon and Torog in the Calamity from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04).[art 2]
As the group makes its way toward the exit, Zahra quietly berates Kash for helping the party. Kash is willing to let the Vestige go, but Zahra is not, and pulls him back. Vax notices a mural on the wall and recognizes it as showing the gods of the Calamity. As he studies it, he is drawn into a vision of a bloody battle, over which the gods tower. He sees a gigantic sphinx which he recognizes as the mate of Osysa. On a hillside overlooking the battle is an armored figure. Vax is suddenly drawn out of the vision back into the tomb.
Screenshot of Vox Machina facing the creature in the tomb, by Titmouse from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04).[art 3]
As the group walks, Kash tries to convince Zahra to let the Vestige go, but she magically transports them to a balcony overlooking the party. Zahra pulls out a locket and from it releases a huge, tentacled, one-eyed floating creature, which attacks Vox Machina. As they battle, Grog is petrified by the creature, and the watching Zahra notes that once the whole party is petrified, they can retrieve the armor and Kash can unfreeze the party.
Behind a boulder, Vax is drawn back into his vision. The armored figure approaches and he recognizes Purvan Suul, the former champion of the Raven Queen, who raises his sword and attacks.
In the tomb, the party is desperately battling the creature, but one by one is turned into stone. From their viewpoint, Kash tells Zahra this has gone too far, and leaps down to aid them. Frustrated, Zahra joins him and tries to return the creature to the locket, but is herself petrified. Finally, only Vex and Kash remain free to move. Vax remains frozen in his vision, where he is getting by far the worst of the battle with Purvan. Seriously wounded, he rises to his feet as the figure approaches again, and sees a vision of his young sister, who tells him, "Whatever happens, it's out of our control." As Purvan attacks, Vax closes his eyes, standing calmly, and the sword flashes through him harmlessly. Purvan's sword drops, and he kneels, hailing the new champion of the Raven Queen. The Queen appears, touching Vax'ildan with one finger, and his armor alights with runes and glowing lines.
Screenshot of Vax'ildan transformed, by Titmouse from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04).[art 4]
He wakes from his vision, back in the tomb, and sees the dire situation. Angrily, he attacks, moving with astonishing, superhuman speed to join Kash, now the only other person remaining free. Vax attacks the creature as Kash Restores the others, and they all watch in amazement as Vax singlehandedly battles the creature, eventually flinging a dagger into its eye and killing it.
Vax confronts Kash and Zahra. Zahra apologizes, explaining they couldn't let a Vestige fall into the wrong hands, but Vox Machina's hands are clearly worthy. However, water begins pouring in through the cracked walls of the tomb, and the whole group is shot up into the lake through which they entered.
Later that evening, Percy approaches Vax, who is standing alone, and apologizes, but Vax tells him he doesn't want to hear it right now. When Percy persists, Vax punches him and walks off.
Kash and Zahra say goodbye. To apologize, Zahra gives Vex the locket which had contained the creature, telling her it locks creatures into a pocket plane until needed, and she and Kash walk off. Vex tries out the locket, putting Trinket into it and returning him.
Meanwhile, Vax finds himself in another vision, of a dying man in a small, poor cottage. The Matron of Ravens reaches down to him as he dies, then looks up to see Vax. A golden tether leads from his chest and she gently pulls on it. As she does, there is a flash of a ghastly skull face and Vax snaps back to reality. Vex is gently touching his shoulder as he stands at the doorway of the now long-empty and crumbling cottage. Vex tells him he's been acting strangely since the tomb. Vax admits that when she was dead, he saw the Matron of Ravens coming for her and begged her to take him instead. Vex assures him they'll figure this out, and nothing's changed, but Vax responds, "Everything's changed."
Suddenly, the scene shifts to reveal that outside the burning ruins of Westruun, Anna Ripley has been watching this exchange through a scrying orb. She walks toward the city as a dragon flies over it.
Credits[]
Cast[]
- Laura Bailey as Vex'ahlia
- Taliesin Jaffe as Percy
- Ashley Johnson as Pike
- Matthew Mercer as Purvan Suul, Trinket, and various
- Liam O'Brien as Vax'ildan
- Marisha Ray as Keyleth
- Sam Riegel as Scanlan
- Travis Willingham as Grog
Crew[]
- Written by - Eugene Son
- Directed by - Young Heller
- Producer - Tony Salama
- Co-Producer - Eugene Son
- Art Director - Arthur Loftis
- Editor - Todd Raleigh
Featured characters[]
Quotations[]
- Vax'ildan: (to the Matron of Ravens) Take me instead, you raven bitch!
- Vex'ahlia: Brother, whatever this all mean, we'll figure it out. Nothing's changed.
Vax'ildan: Everything's changed.
Trivia[]
- The amulet from which Zahra releases the tentacled monster is similar in function to Raven's Slumber, though this version has no connection to Purvan Suul or Galdric.
- The monster that Zahra summons is similar to a Beholder, in that it has a large round body with a mass of tentacles on it and one large central eye. However, it does not have the characteristic eye-stalks or multi-functional eye rays a Beholder traditionally uses. According to Sam and Travis, it is called an "onlooker".[1]
- The husband and wife seen in Vax's vision were voiced by Matthew Mercer and Marisha Ray.[1]
- The events of this episode concerning Vex'ahlia's resurrection are mostly drawn from "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) of Campaign One.
References[]
Art:
- ↑ Screenshot of Vax'ildan, by Titmouse from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04). 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's vision of Pelor, Corellon and Torog in the Calamity from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04). 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 Vox Machina facing the creature in the tomb, by Titmouse from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04). 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 transformed, by Titmouse from "Those Who Walk Away (LoVM)" (LVM2x04). 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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