While Dungeons & Dragons have been around since the 70s, it seems that there has been a renewed focus and excitement for the Table Top Roleplaying Game, TTRP for short. Media, such as Stranger Things and the upcoming Dungeons & Dragons film, has placed the TTRG at the forefront of people’s minds and the game has gone from nerdy to cool. However, mainstream media isn’t the only way that the gospel of D&D has begun to spread, with plenty of streamers across all platforms singing its praise. The latter is how The Legend of Vox Machina was born.
Based on the first campaign of Critical Role, a wildly popular web series, The Legend of Vox Machina follows the adventures of twins Vex (Laura Bailey) and Vax (Liam O’Brien), Percy (Taliesin Jaffe), Pike (Ashley Johnson), Trinket (Matthew Mercer), Keyleth (Marisha Ray), Scanlan (Sam Riegel), and Grog (Travis Willingham), collectively known as the group Vox Machina. The show features the voice actors who brought these characters to life on Critical Role, adding another layer to this already well-crafted animated series.
In true D&D fashion, each member of the group is a different class from the game, with each adding value to the group and story. Separately they may struggle, but together Vox Machina might just save the world. Season 2 of the series has finally arrived on Prime Video with the first three episodes of the next chapter in this group’s adventures and weekly episodes to follow. So is The Legend of Vox Machina season 2 worth your time? Let’s roll some die and see what the first three episodes of the season have in store for viewers.
[Warning: Spoilers from The Legend of Vox Machina season 2 premiere episodes are below!]
The Chroma Conclave: dragons in the sky and a kingdom in ruin
Season 2 of The Legend of Vox Machina picks up right where the first season leaves off, with our band of heroes celebrating the abdication of Sovereign Uriel in Emon, the capital city of Tal’Dorei. Gathered at the steps where Uriel is giving his speech, passing the governmental torch to the Tal’Dorei Council, the group seems in good spirits. However, that moment doesn’t last long before the sky becomes draped in shadow, signaling a change of fate.
Four dragons, referred to as The Chroma Conclave, descend on Tal’Dorei, bringing with them absolute destruction and massacre. These aren’t your typical dragons either, with some of them exhibiting powers of ice and acid, not just fire. Together these monsters lay waste to the entire capital, taking for themselves the seat of power, and causing fear throughout the kingdom.
The first episode becomes a scramble to survive, as the entire capital city is encapsulated in fire, ice, poison, and death. Eventually, the team is able to escape but is pursued by the dragons for quite a bit before they can reach safety. This episode is intense in that it was mostly one big action scene, with people dying left in right in a horrific manner. Literally, there was blood everywhere. However, it ends with a bit of hope, and the next journey for Vox Machina to set off on, all in the name of saving Tal’Dorei.
Vox Machina’s desperate journey for help for Tal’Dorei
Having finally arrived someplace safe, the Vox Machina team is instructed to travel to Vasselheim. The goal is that the band of mercenaries turned heroes will be able to gather support and forces to save Tal’Dorei from The Chroma Conclave. The journey to the city is a short one, just a quick hop through a tree portal and a fall down the mountain. Reaching Vasselheim, the group is denied the help that they so desperately need, with those in charge seemingly uninterested in joining the fight.
However, their journey is not over, as they are encouraged to find the patron of the Slayer’s Take, a local guild. The leader of the guild, Zahra, a red tiefling that is as scary as she is beautiful, is a frenemie of Vex, who stole a Monster Zahra was hunting, which would have been the prized head in her Gaston-inspired lodge. Vox Machina begs for help and is sent through a trap door to talk with the Patron, a mesmerizing sphinx Osysa.
The group, sans Grog, is confronted with their flaws but is able to earn the respect of Osysa after Pike stands her ground, saying she nor her compatriots would give in when it came to this fight. The sphinx reveals that there is a way for Vox Machina to defeat the dragons, indicating that the group must collect the Vestiges of Divergence, which are powerful weapons from the dawn of time.
Together, the group sets off to find the first one The Deathwalkers’ Ward. Their journey takes them to a frozen lake, which houses secrets and dangers. It’s safe to say that the task of retrieving this Vestige will change the group forever, in a moment that will make fans of the series have a lot of emotion.
The good of The Legend of Vox Machina season 2 so far
The first thing that struck me about this series is the animation. The Legend of Vox Machina uses an interesting blend of traditional animation styles for the main characters, which certain aspects of the series an impressive-looking CGI. The CGI was mostly with the dragons and the magic used by Vox Machina, with the use of this against the more standard animation added more depth than I expected from the series. It definitely stood out as unique to me, which heightened my excitement for the series almost immediately.
The level and layers of humor in this series are some of the best I have seen in animated series. I enjoyed that Vox Machina has both low-level humor that the young adult in me could laugh at. But there was also some sophisticated humor that I also appreciated. It shows that the creators understand that people of all kinds enjoy playing D&D, therefore the humor should appeal to all. But also, everyone enjoys laughing at dick jokes, right? I wasn’t expecting the series to be so humorous, because in my head it was on par with Invincible or Avatar: The Last Airbender. However, The Legend of Vox Machina doesn’t attempt to take itself seriously, and for that, the show is all the better.
I was also pleasantly surprised but the inclusiveness of the world in the show. In many fantasy worlds, there isn’t a ton of inclusivity, but The Legend of Vox Machina blew the standard away. There were tons of powerful women, people of color featured in the series as well, same-sex couples, as well as the inclusion of individuals in wheelchairs.
This was extraordinary to see, as I haven’t seen this before in a fantasy series. There’s one scene where an individual in a wheelchair is heavily involved in a fight against the heroes, with knives in the footrest and everything. It warmed my heart to see such a gigantic step forward for inclusion and representation in media for all.
Final thoughts on The Legend of Vox Machina season 2 premiere episodes
Overall, the second season premiere of this series is exciting and fantastic and I can’t wait to see what other hijinks and adventures the gang get into. I wasn’t quite sure of what to expect prior to going into the second season, but it was everything I wanted and more. I definitely need more Vox Machina in my life!
The Legend of Vox Machina season one and season 2 premiere episodes are available on Amazon Prime Video. Have you watched it yet? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter or in The Cosmic Circus Discord. And if you haven’t already, check out our review of Crescent City Monsters!
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