THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA Recap: (S01E02) The Terror of Tal’Dorei – Part 2

Tyler Boyce

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Vox Machina fights the Terror of Tal'Dorei in The Legend of Vox Machina

Last we left off on The Legend of Vox Machina, our titular ragtag group of Critical Role adventurers discovered what is behind the devastating village attacks. The monstrous culprit is a blue dragon! To avenge the Shalesteps villagers and defend Emon, they must now find both the dragon’s lair and a way to kill the unstoppable drake!

A reminder that this recap contains SPOILERS, so continue reading at your own risk! If you haven’t gotten the chance to catch up on the action, we suggest heading over to Amazon Prime and checking it out!

RELATED: Keep up with The Legend of Vox Machina with our recap for episode one!

Still here? Then purchase some magic items and watch out for those lair actions! Because The Legend of Vox Machina continues with a quest to slay a dragon!

With the last of the Shalesteps villages destroyed, the Arms of Emon ready for battle at a camp outside Emon. It seems that Vox Machina has not yet reported back on the identity of the Terror of Tal’Dorei. General Krieg (David Tennant) does his best to inspire the guards. One of Krieg’s captains (Felicia Day) joins her general in rallying the Arms, though one nervous guard (Matthew Mercer) remains unconvinced.

That night, a thunderstorm blows through camp and the captain sees the Terror descend from the sky. The Arms hold their ground with arrows and a catapult. But when the Terror electrocutes the captain, the battle turns into a rout. Guards are picked off one by one as they flee.

At the Palace of the Sovereign, General Krieg and a few other survivors report that the Terror of Tal’Dorei is a blue dragon. Sovereign Uriel Tal’Dorei III (Khary Payton) asks for counsel, but Arcanist Allura Vysoren (Indira Varma) only has experience fighting a red dragon. The best advice she can offer is that dragons, in general, have a calculating intelligence. This dragon would not be attacking openly without some deeply-seated conspiracy already in motion.

Sir Gregory Fince (Tony Hale) arrives late to the meeting, gloating that Krieg’s “band of fools” have gone missing. But The Legend of Vox Machina isn’t ending so soon, as the group returns alive! They admit that the dragon is not yet dead, but Keyleth (Marisha Ray) and Pike Trickfoot (Ashley Johnson) assure that they are working on it. Krieg laughs as he wonders how the group survived? Percival de Rolo III (Taliesin Jaffe) bluntly states they hid until it flew away.

Keyleth (Marisha Ray), Grog (Travis Willingham), Scanlan (Sam Riegel), Percy (Taliesin Jaffe), Vax (Liam O'Brien) and Vex (Laura Bailey) in The Legend of Vox Machina.
Keyleth (Marisha Ray), Grog (Travis Willingham), Scanlan (Sam Riegel), Percy (Taliesin Jaffe), Vax (Liam O’Brien) and Vex (Laura Bailey) in The Legend of Vox Machina. Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

As Vex’ahlia (Laura Bailey) winces in pain again, Sir Fince proposes appeasing the dragon with gold? Vex insists that dragons do not barter. If the Terror truly desires Emon’s destruction, it will not stop until it succeeds. Though Lady Kima of Vord (Stephanie Beatriz) protests, Sovereign Uriel will not allow more farmlands and innocents to be razed. He orders Krieg to mobilize the Tal’Dorei military and have them march at dawn. The palace guards clear Vox Machina from the throne room.

Outside the palace, Vex shares that she felt her Primeval Awareness again. Uriel, Krieg, Allura, Fince, or Kima: one of them is working with the Terror! Vex and Percy narrow the list of suspects to the creepy Sir Gregory Fince. The party splits up with Vax’ildan (Liam O’Brien) and Pike heading to get dragon-slaying weapons from Gilmore’s Glorious Goods (given how Gilmore “dotes” on Vax). Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel) and Grog Strongjaw (Travis Willingham) form one group, while Vex, Percy and Keyleth form the other and look for Fince.

And so, Vax and Pike introduce us to the excellent and beloved Shaun Gilmore (Sunil Malhotra). A merchant of quality arcane items, Gilmore makes his debut in The Legend of Vox Machina! Originally played by Matt Mercer on Critical Role, Malhotra captures the intimacy of Mercer’s Gilmore while adding his own unique spin of mischief and confidence. I feel like Malhotra makes for the better Gilmore, but regardless, it’s good to have Gilmore back!

Vax is unable to afford Gilmore’s “bargain” of a Lance of Dragon Slaying for 20,000 gold pieces. Instead, he pays two silvers for Gilmore’s advice on a blue dragon’s weaknesses. Gilmore shares that blue dragons are tremendously vain, even when compared to the egomania of other chromatic dragons. Blue dragons HATE to be insulted.

But Gilmore confesses that most dragon-slaying tomes are just useless poetry. He reads from one such tome as proof: “The wyrm shall only find defeat, In the gorge where the twin rivers meet.” Though not particularly helpful, Vax thanks Gilmore for the information. He offers dinner to pay the magical merchant back. Gilmore flirts that Vax will owe him more than dinner before Pike drags the charming Vax out the door.

Vax (Liam O'Brien) and Gilmore (Sunil Malhotra) in The Legend of Vox Machina.
Vax (Liam O’Brien) and Gilmore (Sunil Malhotra) in The Legend of Vox Machina. Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

RELATED: Bidet Critters! Here’s a Gift Guide for the Critical Role Fan on Your List

Elsewhere in Emon, Scanlan and Grog follow Fince to a fancy manor in the upper-class Cloudtop District. They manage to stay hidden, but Fince becomes aware he is being followed. He draws a sword and enters the manor, locking the door behind him. Scanlan runs off to bring back the others (bringing back a sandwich for Grog).

Scanlan, Keyleth and Pike struggle to enter the manor before Vax finally unlocks it with Grog’s toothpick. (Doors. Am I right, Critical Role fans?) The manor belongs to General Krieg, so Fince must be here to assassinate him! Vox Machina pursues Fince into the cellar. They catch Fince stealing Krieg’s scrolls as “evidence.” But before Fince can reveal what Krieg is planning, a sword is stuck through his back.

Even though Fince is dead, Vex still feels a draconic presence. She shouts that it is Krieg! He mocks the group for taking so long to piece it together. The reason he championed Vox Machina is because they are “witless oafs” that would continue tying up the Sovereign’s time and resources. Krieg warns they have no idea what they have gotten involved in, fleeing into a back chamber. When Vox Machina pursues, they find an empty room. Percy tells the others to start searching for a secret exit or door.

Grog becomes enamored with a painting of a scantily-dressed feminine dragon. Keyleth tells Grog to stop acting creepy and throws a book at him. But it passes through the painting. This means the painting is a magic portal! Vex urges the team to come up with a plan first, but Vox Machina rushes through the portal.

On the other side of the portal, Vox Machina finds a frost-covered cavern. Based on the temperature and altitude, Vex guesses they must be high in the mountains, far from Emon? Further in the cavern, Vox Machina discovers mountainous piles of gold. However, as the party starts eagerly looting the treasure, Vex makes a horrible realization. This could only be a dragon’s hoard, which means the cavern is the lair for the Terror of Tal’Dorei!

Keyleth finds four pretty (but ominous) obsidian orbs on a nearby cavern wall. When she touches one, a giant green reptilian eye appears within. “Intruders,” a feminine Otherworldly Voice (Cree Summer) calls out! Suddenly, the four orbs crack simultaneously and become inert.

Keyleth (Marisha Ray) in The Legend of Vox Machina.
Keyleth (Marisha Ray) in The Legend of Vox Machina. Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

Krieg reveals himself, admitting he is impressed. He assumed the mighty “Brimscythe” killed Vox Machina during their first battle. Vex realizes Krieg wanted the military away from Emon so that the dragon could wipe out the defenseless city! Krieg boasts that the age of humanoids is coming to an end, for there was a time when “we” dragons ruled all of Exandria.

A stunned Vox Machina watches as the human Council member Polymorphs into an adult blue dragon. Krieg, the Terror of Tal’Dorei, and Brimscythe are all the same! Brimscythe rains death from the stalactites above and causes the massive treasure piles to conduct the lightning, discharging electricity and heating to near-molten.

The team is clearly struggling to hold their own against the blue dragon and Percy demands to know what Vax learned from Gilmore. Vax shares some small tidbits, but it’s nothing Vex hasn’t studied already. Fortunately, Vax notices how the lightning arcs up the dragon’s neck in “twin rivers!” Vax shouts that he knows where to attack it, but the others need to get the dragon on the ground. Vex has a plan.

Brimscythe taunts the party as he waits for the smoke to clear. Vox Machina bickers about getting in each other’s way, arguing who should get to kill the dragon. An insulted Brimscythe declares them nothing but pathetic insects, getting a direct hit with his lightning. Wow, that was a quicker end to The Legend of Vox Machina than I anticipated?

When the smoke clears again, the self-titled “The Iron Storm” is shocked to see the party alive and unharmed. A bardic illusion by Scanlan!

Keyleth and Percy use Grasping Vines and falling stalactites to keep the blue dragon pinned. Brimscythe tries to bring the cavern down on Vax, but a shimmering and translucent Scanlan’s Hand destroys the falling rocks and tosses Vax at Brimscythe. An expert cut across the neck opens up the dragon’s throat. Pike hits Vex’s arrow with some holy power before it finds its mark in Brimscythe’s next. Blood and lightning arc from the wound. In his death throes, Brimscythe makes one final charge at the group, but a raging Grog deals the killing blow.

Grog (Travis Willingham) in The Legend of Vox Machina.
Grog (Travis Willingham) in The Legend of Vox Machina. Image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

Grog takes a dragon tooth as proof of the kill, but the cavern begins to collapse. Vox Machina runs for the exit with as much loot as Vex and Scanlan can carry. Before going through, Vax tosses the bloodstained silver piece into the dragon’s lair.

At the Palace of the Sovereign, Sovereign Uriel rewards the party by declaring them “Protectors of the Realm” and honorary members of the Council of Tal’Dorei. The legend of Vox Machina is now a reputation for bravery, heroism, and “fucking shit up.” While Vex and Scanlan appreciate the titles, they eagerly open the chest for their pay.

They are disappointed to discover the massive chest contains merely a piece of parchment and a set of keys. Sovereign Uriel reveals that it is the keys and deed to their new castle on the outskirts of Emon. Sovereign Uriel tells Vox Machina about Allura’s theory regarding Brimscythe’s role in a larger plot. Thus, Vox Machina’s first act as Council members is to attend a meeting to discuss the safety and security of the Kingdom of Tal’Dorei. As such, dignitaries have been invited from across the continent for a formal banquet. Allura shares that several invitees are already on their way.

Elsewhere, a carriage makes its way westward. The driver, Desmond Otham (Max Mittelman), stops when a tree blocks the road. The lady within asks if he can go around, but her husband offers to investigate. A tall, handsome lord emerges from the carriage, approaching the tree. Suddenly, bandits ambush Desmond and the nobleman, demanding all their possessions.

The lord is silent. The lord rushes at him with blinding speed when the bandit leader demands again. He is so strong that he punches right through the bandit’s abdomen. The shocked bandits can barely react before the lord picks up the fallen tree and crushes them beneath it.

Blood sprays the exterior of the carriage as the noblewoman calmly sips tea. As the lord reenters the carriage, Lady Delilah Briarwood (Grey Griffin) hopes it wasn’t too much trouble? Lord Sylas Briarwood (reprised by Mercer) assures her that it was nothing. The carriage continues on to the distant Emon.

RELATED: Check out all of our recaps for The Legend of Vox Machina!

OH MY GOD. It’s happening already?!? The Briarwoods arc is coming, and if you don’t know who the Briarwoods are, you are in for a literal Hell of a ride!

What did you think of this two-part premiere? Are you excited about starting the Briarwoods arc, or do you wish we could have gotten more Critical Role pre-stream adventures first? Were you surprised by Grog being the one to slay the dragon? Do you think you know who that Otherworldly Voice was? Was Brimscythe communicating with it? Let Geek Girl Authority know what your theories are, and get ready for more Dungeons and Dragons action in the next episode!

https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/vexahlia-critical-role/

 

 

Tyler Boyce
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