Amac Productions

Nothing good happens in this episode.

Seven people are killed and hung from a tree as a warning to Vox Machina who dare to take on the Briarwoods in Whitestone.

The Briarwoods invited these people to dinner. To be fair, I also know way more about how this plays out than an average viewer of this show might. One who has no context of the campaign or subsequent campaigns that flesh this out even further.

But the horrible part is this happens at the end of the episode.

Other horrid things have already happened.

They were attacked by some horrible looking wolf things that might already be dead. Deliah has some domain over the dead, which she is clearly using to fetch her book.

Which she manages.

To Percy’s anger.

Got to say, Percy, a bit of buzz kill.

Even in the lighter moments of the episode, he drags it right back down. The group is sharing stories around the campfire, getting to know each other better. When it comes to Percy, he brings the mood down by mentioning his worst nightmare are the people they’re about to face.

There’s a sweet moment of the group sleeping peacefully by the fire.

What’s Percy doing? Stewing in his own anger and vengeance while he smokes a bit more. You know, like he did when he shot a man’s hand off just for associating with the Briarwoods. As Percy claimed, no one in league with them can possibly be innocent.

I have a feeling that the smoke is not a good thing. Don’t know why.

Just thinking out loud in my writing here – that black smoke around an angry dude seems like something we out to pay closer attention to.

Anyone?

Well, I hope someone thinks about addressing the smoke in the room sooner than later.

In fact, Percy manages to bring the mood down again following this, though it is completely unintentional as he describes what Whitestone was like. Before the Briarwoods took it.

Then we see it.

We walk through it for the briefest of moments. It is nothing like he described. The sun tree is dying. Everything is in a state of utter decay and rot. People hide at the sight of other people, wearing what appear to be rags.

Everyone looks terrified.

Whitestone is no longer the great place it once was. Now it is a dead shell, and an heir has returned to claim it.

With all his friends, who vow in this episode that they will all help him get it back.

Lovely moment between people who earlier in the episode did their best to save their friend and not die in the process. A specific request of Percy’s. One they all sort of agreed with as well.

It gives a great sense where this group is in their friendships to one another.

Vex and Keyleth aren’t close. Vex gives her shit, in fact. Even warning her brother to stay away from Keyleth because of potential pitfalls.

It places Vex and Vax against everyone else. If push comes to shove.

They’re willing to help each other. They’re willing to travel together and even share stories and the battlefield together. But how close are they?

Would they die for each other? Kill for each other? Understand each other?

Because Percy is clearly going through something and none of them have truly dug into it to help him. They just nod and let him sort it out because it’s not really their problem. Not yet.

They haven’t made that choice yet.

Where whatever is bothering their friend, will become their burden too.

There are threads of it beginning to pull together. The moment in the woods when they all promise to help Percy get his home back and for the first time, he realizes he’s not really alone anymore.

There’s still so much to go though.

More binding together to do before they realize their family. They would do anything. Go anywhere. Take on anyone for each other.

I’m enjoying the moment of selfishness though.

That even though her brother is interested in Keyleth, it could be good for him, she insists it’s not. Their bond is the only one that matters. A stance she takes because she doesn’t want to lose her brother. She’d be alone.

Even if she isn’t anymore.

Vax is too terrified to say anything to Keyleth about what he feels.

Keyleth is oblivious to his feelings and even her own to an extent. She’s trying to figure out her powers and prove herself. Especially to Vex, who keeps giving her shit about one day ‘she’ll get her shit together.’

Grog is upset Pike isn’t with them.

Scanlan is Scanlan.

Though I appreciated he tried everything he could to keep the book. I have no doubt he’ll die the way he wishes to at this rate.

I loved that they were sad, but not at a devastated level. Again, giving us so much room for them to grow together into their group dynamic. I’m excited to see how it all unfolds.

Because as of right now, they feel like a bunch of separate people who happen to be going the same way. Not a group of family walking the path because they can’t imagine separating yet.

It’s really interesting.

On the flip side of the good and decent characters who can be a little bit bad, like stealing a cart, there’s the villains. Oh boy, the villains.

The Briarwoods are a special sort of a*shole, I got to say. They just straight-up murdered people for no reason. There was a child in that group of people. Deliah stopped and spoke to the young girl. Gave her some lie and smiled like everything was going to be okay at her.

How?

She makes me sick.

Her and her husband.

Truly awful people.

I understand as well that they murdered all of Percy’s family after gaining their trust. But there was an endgame to that I can understand. They wanted Whitestone for whatever purpose, and they needed the De Rolos out of the way. Okay, I get it. I don’t have to like it.

But killing seven people to dress them up and hang them from a tree to send a message to your enemies who may or may not be coming… that’s just cruel. Cold. Sick. Unforgivable.

You just didn’t have to take it that far.

Yet you did.

I hope the Briarwoods get effed up.

Lastly, Pike.

Pike.

I don’t think the Everlight has abandoned you. I just don’t. Gods are weird, but they typically don’t just leave their followers hanging without their powers.

Maybe Deliah did something. I could see that.

But it seems to me that you were already struggling before she came along. Like there was some hint of doubt to your beliefs. Maybe it has nothing to do with the evil lady and everything to do with you.

Not that you’re doing anything wrong, Pike.

Maybe you’re just questioning your own faith. Things happen. It’s understandable.

I just hope Pike can find the answers she’s searching for. For herself. And for the group of idiots who are probably going to die without her.

Oh man, they’re going to die without her. Aren’t they?

Anyway, onto the next!

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