The Legend of Vox Machina: 2023-02-03 drop: The Fey Realm (7), Echo Tree (8), A Test of Pride (9)
February 6, 2023 11:55 AM - Season 2, Episode 9 - Subscribe
(This is a three episode omnibus post as all three dropped at the same time) Our heroes split the party, although at least not on purpose. In the Feywild Fey Realm, Vax, Vex, Percy and Keyleth find the place trippy and annoying, with a side order of daddy issues. Dropped ahead near Westruun, Grog is faced with the repercussions of his actions, both recent and rising from his past, while Pike and Scanlan do what they can to help him and the local civilians.
(We should probably do a Fanfare talk about how to handle shows that drop in small batches like this. I decided to pick the last episode in the list and backfill to indicate the thread may have spoilers for any of the three episodes.)
The Fey Realm: After fleeing from the black dragon Umbrasyl, the team split up, with half of them becoming lost in the mysterious Fey Realm.
Echo Tree: In the Fey Realm, half of Vox Machina stumble upon the Elven city of Syngorn, where they run into Vax and Vex's father Syldor.
A Test of Pride: Pike and Scanlan head to the city of Westruun in search of the Titanstone Knuckles. They must take them from their current owner: Kevdak, Grog's uncle. But Grog, still weakened by Craven Edge's curse, balks at the idea, feeling weak and useless.
(We should probably do a Fanfare talk about how to handle shows that drop in small batches like this. I decided to pick the last episode in the list and backfill to indicate the thread may have spoilers for any of the three episodes.)
The Fey Realm: After fleeing from the black dragon Umbrasyl, the team split up, with half of them becoming lost in the mysterious Fey Realm.
Echo Tree: In the Fey Realm, half of Vox Machina stumble upon the Elven city of Syngorn, where they run into Vax and Vex's father Syldor.
A Test of Pride: Pike and Scanlan head to the city of Westruun in search of the Titanstone Knuckles. They must take them from their current owner: Kevdak, Grog's uncle. But Grog, still weakened by Craven Edge's curse, balks at the idea, feeling weak and useless.
Scanlan seems to be growing into his role and isn't quite the "horny bard" one-note he was at the start of the season, to be sure.
posted by SPrintF at 12:01 PM on February 6, 2023
posted by SPrintF at 12:01 PM on February 6, 2023
Yeah.. single episodes was an okay format wasn't it? I mean not everyone will watch it in batches of three just because that's the way they originally aired?
::shrug::
I liked all three of these episodes very much, even though it really altered the timings of certain events from how they occurred in the Actual Play, but that was inevitable when you boil a 600+ (?) hour story down to 12 hours.
The animation of Vex's big fight was sublime. It really feels like the entire animation team are just having so much fun and flexing with what can be achieved in the medium.
Not sure why but I really felt the tone/mood whiplash in these three episodes more than previous ones. It felt like I barely had time to reflect on any dramatic beats before a comedic one would swoop in to undercut it.
posted by Faintdreams at 2:42 PM on February 6, 2023
::shrug::
I liked all three of these episodes very much, even though it really altered the timings of certain events from how they occurred in the Actual Play, but that was inevitable when you boil a 600+ (?) hour story down to 12 hours.
The animation of Vex's big fight was sublime. It really feels like the entire animation team are just having so much fun and flexing with what can be achieved in the medium.
Not sure why but I really felt the tone/mood whiplash in these three episodes more than previous ones. It felt like I barely had time to reflect on any dramatic beats before a comedic one would swoop in to undercut it.
posted by Faintdreams at 2:42 PM on February 6, 2023
It's been a while* since I listened to C1, but Vax sure seems like a much jerkier jerk than I recall. So crankypants all the damned time, dude needs to chill the fuck out a bit.
I've been trying to decide whether Garmelie was a powerful Fey lord or the diety associated with the bow, having some fun slumming.
Uh, this is a Known Thing, hmu if you want the answer cos spoilers for The Mighty Nein, I guess?
Yeah.. single episodes was an okay format wasn't it?
There was a request for this to be batched up to improve engagement, as the individual eps are quite weak on commentary. I, for one, appreciate this batched post!
* < obiligatory echo >
posted by coriolisdave at 4:35 PM on February 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've been trying to decide whether Garmelie was a powerful Fey lord or the diety associated with the bow, having some fun slumming.
Uh, this is a Known Thing, hmu if you want the answer cos spoilers for The Mighty Nein, I guess?
Yeah.. single episodes was an okay format wasn't it?
There was a request for this to be batched up to improve engagement, as the individual eps are quite weak on commentary. I, for one, appreciate this batched post!
* < obiligatory echo >
posted by coriolisdave at 4:35 PM on February 6, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm a cartoon-only fan (there are dozens of us. dozens!), and I asked a friend who is familiar with the podcasts if all the inter-character flirting/romance and pining stuff was added for the Amazon show, because I assumed there was NO WAY all of that was role-played at the table.
His reply was "No, they role-played it all." This confirms that cartoon-only is the absolute right move for me and my lack of cringe-tolerance.
I enjoyed last season, but I am much more into it this season, tearing through the 3 weekly episodes as soon as my schedule allows.
posted by joelhunt at 8:52 AM on February 7, 2023
His reply was "No, they role-played it all." This confirms that cartoon-only is the absolute right move for me and my lack of cringe-tolerance.
I enjoyed last season, but I am much more into it this season, tearing through the 3 weekly episodes as soon as my schedule allows.
posted by joelhunt at 8:52 AM on February 7, 2023
This confirms that cartoon-only is the absolute right move for me and my lack of cringe-tolerance.
I feel you with the low cringe-tolerance - I cannot stand cringe, or cringe humour (The Office, I'm looking at you) etc.
This wasn't that, though. And there are many geniunely touching and hilarious parts of the flirting/romance parts of all three campaigns.
It probably helps that this is a group of very close friends, with very strong bonds, trust, and safety systems in place. A lot of this absolutely would not work without any single one of these elements.
It's also a lot more diluted IRL than 12 30-minute cartoons allows for.
posted by coriolisdave at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2023
I feel you with the low cringe-tolerance - I cannot stand cringe, or cringe humour (The Office, I'm looking at you) etc.
This wasn't that, though. And there are many geniunely touching and hilarious parts of the flirting/romance parts of all three campaigns.
It probably helps that this is a group of very close friends, with very strong bonds, trust, and safety systems in place. A lot of this absolutely would not work without any single one of these elements.
It's also a lot more diluted IRL than 12 30-minute cartoons allows for.
posted by coriolisdave at 7:05 PM on February 7, 2023
I love that they made a "makin my way" song!!!
This show, A LOT A LOT, uses bad guys who they don't know how to fight, and they have to figure out some special weakness, often it was Keyleth Believing In Herself. Also the very vague magic use interesting. Like sustained magic beams to do things or various magic shields, a ton of off-book magic. These are fine! I just think they are interesting from the point of view is, maybe it would be cool if the D&D rules were more explicitly like that.
Also it's interesting how the show has no qualms about being R rated in its violence and humor, but there's no like prurient T&A like yaknow Heavy Metal.
Watching this has made me think about actually watching S1 of the streams. Then I go back and it's bad AV quality and That Guy is there and it's sloowww. I DO also think maybe I should try to pick up S3 again where I left off....
posted by fleacircus at 1:16 AM on February 15, 2023
This show, A LOT A LOT, uses bad guys who they don't know how to fight, and they have to figure out some special weakness, often it was Keyleth Believing In Herself. Also the very vague magic use interesting. Like sustained magic beams to do things or various magic shields, a ton of off-book magic. These are fine! I just think they are interesting from the point of view is, maybe it would be cool if the D&D rules were more explicitly like that.
Also it's interesting how the show has no qualms about being R rated in its violence and humor, but there's no like prurient T&A like yaknow Heavy Metal.
Watching this has made me think about actually watching S1 of the streams. Then I go back and it's bad AV quality and That Guy is there and it's sloowww. I DO also think maybe I should try to pick up S3 again where I left off....
posted by fleacircus at 1:16 AM on February 15, 2023
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Scanlon manages to be at his least annoying when he's kept too busy to have time for creeping.
posted by Karmakaze at 12:00 PM on February 6, 2023