Amac Productions

Who will you be?

No one – I repeat – no one will ever be Jester or Marion Lavorre. Those women are truly one of kind.

Uniquely, in their own way as well. There’s never been anyone like them, nor will there be again.

Marion’s performance is literally exactly what I had in mind. Maybe not the little spinning thing that Jestor tossed down to her. I don’t recall that. But everything else is exactly as I imagined it to be.

Her flirting. Everyone in the audience simply captivated by her.

It was perfect.

The voice, the accent. The actress definitely had a lot to live up to as Marion following Matt’s performance. She nailed it. Anika Noni Rose is absolutely stunning and somehow as good if not better than everything Matt gave us during the campaign. Which is impressive, because he was amazing with Marion. Amazing.

I loved it.

So much.

I even loved how torn she was between work and her daughter.

She so badly wants to be there for Jester, but she also must make a living as she does. Jester understands, but it also upsets her.

To the point where she decides to give Lord Sharpe a show.

Of which, I cannot decide which version I like better. Jester locking him out on a balcony in his underwear or humiliating him in front of everyone. Either way, the schmuck deserved it. Cannot say that enough.

I even loved that Marion was disgusted by him. But keeping on his good side is easier.

Which I can totally see why when he completely overreacts and starts beating on poor Bluud.

Just no.

Too far man.

Love that Matt does the voice for Bluud. I was going to say I was highly impressed with the voice actor mimicking Matt so well, until I checked the credits.

Matt! You’re doing an excellent job mimicking yourself! Keep up the good work.

Jester’s origin felt a bit more fast paced than her campaign version, but it works well, nonetheless. Fjord’s addition to her backstory was interesting too. Like they were supposed to have met pre campaign but not meet Marion.

Fjord doesn’t meet her until the Mighty Nein do.

Interesting change.

Not bad.

Just interesting.

I’m not unhappy with it, I’m just keeping a weird little tally in my head of all the differences because I like to. Leave me alone.

As for Fjord, we see more of his backstory as his captain saw something in him that Fjord didn’t even see in himself. Something that they’re tying more up to Jester than the campaign. His interactions with Jester and Marion lead him to embrace the man his captain believed he could be.

I also loved that the audience is in on his accent change. That he is intentionally copying his captain more than he led on in the campaign.

Those little changes add wonderful touches of compelling storytelling.

As it leads to a great build-up with the audience in on with Fjord as he journeys to understand that those qualities are within him. It’s not the voice or whether or not he mimics his former captain perfectly.

Another detail I loved was how Fjord pieced his armor together with that of his fallen sailors. It’s a nice touch that he will carry with him always.

I also do not remember if the sword Fjord carried with him at the start of the campaign was explained to be Vandran’s, but it is a perfect little touch here. I simply adore those little nods. Perhaps things they hadn’t thought of during the campaign but still fit so perfectly within the world and the characters they’ve created.

I enjoy those little changes.

There are also no words to truly express how funny and exciting it was to watch Fjord’s out of control powers manifest themselves. He had no idea what was happening or why or how. It was so damn fun to watch.

Especially when he saves Jester by complete accident and has no idea how.

Or when he changes his accent and she questions him.

‘Was that different before?’

‘No!’

‘Okay.’

Can you say failed deception roll?

Again, a lovely way to incorporate the D&D mechanics and make them feel real. I complimented The Legend of Vox Machina on this a lot, and I loved that they continued the trend.

As for my girlfriend who got mentioned a lot last review, I’m going to mention her again! She so did not want me to be right about the giant yellow eye in the sea while Fjord is sinking. I was f*cking disappointed when we didn’t get it right away.

Where was the eye?

I know there’s an eye.

Freaking Uk’otoa had to be there. Had to.

This was Fjord’s origin we’re witnessing. It’s in the opening. It was in the opening of the campaign for who knows how long where that’s the shot. The same shot! With Fjord sinking, near death, and then Uk’otoa shows up. He rescues Fjord, though he never seems to remember it.

How shitty Uk’otoa by the way! I always thought that.

Fjord could never really remember making the pact. He got blown up. Thought he was going to die. Woke up on the beach with the sword and fancy new powers.

What kind of asshole makes a deal with an unconscious dude who can’t give consent?

He needs lessons from Henry Crabgrass!

In that moment, with Fjord sinking, I was like, ‘eye, eye, eye, eye.’ Chanting it over and over like a little kid, bouncing in my seat. I wanted to see it.

Then they pull that fake on me with no eye and I’m sad as hell. However, we head back to the shot and we get Fjord sinking, dramatic music, and boom!

Giant yellow eye.

My girlfriend yells, not a fan of horror things or the ocean itself.

I’m inclined to agree with her. I mean, there’s freaking monsters in there that want to kill and if they don’t kill you, they force you into a pact with them while you’re unconscious. How lovely.

Also, there’s no way in hell I’d like to be blown up in the middle of the ocean. That in no way, sounds like a fun time. I mean, look at Fjord’s day after he was blown up and everyone he cared about seemingly perished.

Except that one dude who blew that up.

We wished he died.

He probably didn’t. Bad guys never die in these types of situations. It’s really unfortunate.

In addition to Fjord and Jester’s backstory we learn about Essek.

I do not recall ever meeting or seeing Essek’s mother in person during the campaign, so this is an interesting take. There’s also a part of me that’s super confused by this turn in the story. We’re going to learn more about Essek than ever before.

This should be fun.

We’ve also come to learn that the Bright Queen appears to look down on him for not being tied properly to the Beacon.

The Bright Queen would also just straight up kill his mother if she knew that she was sick.

Which while it sounds awful, for their culture, it’s really not. They all know that when they die within the reach of the Beacon, their souls are taken in to be reborn at a later date. They do this all the time. So, if someone was sick and dying and suffering from an illness, it would be kinder in their culture to kill them. Allow them to be reborn into a healthy body.

It’s actually nice.

Other people don’t get sick.

They return healthier than they left.

However, I could understand Essek as well. He doesn’t wish to lose his mother. While she may not be dead forever, he will still have to wait for her to be born and grow up. An entire life may pass before that happens. While Essek will live for a longtime thanks to his elvish nature, he’s also done a terrible thing that could shorten his lifespan considerably.

And he’s not attached to the Beacon. He may not return.

Not sure if that’s true given the Volstrucker who got sucked in, but whatever.

There’s also another thing that I’m not understanding. The dynasty had three Beacons – I believe – within the campaign. Do they only have one here?

Because that would certainly raise the stakes.

Essek’s mother being sick also provides a bigger motive than wanting to study the Beacon for knowledge. He may be hoping for a way to cure whatever is wrong with his mother. To help her in a way that does not involve killing her to let her grow up again.

I don’t, I’m thinking out loud here.

This is a new piece of information and I’m curious to see where we go with it.

Final thoughts!

Excellent episode. I love the backstory, though I do hope we get to meet the rest of the Mighty Nein and forge the party sooner rather than later. Their chemistry is what makes these shows so great.

Matt voicing Bluud and Uk’otoa is my favorite thing. His hissing, deep voice for Uk’otoa never fails to send shivers down my spine. I also hope the cast recorded whispers for when his name is finally said in show, because I need that running joke to continue.

It’s too good to leave it out.

Next, I think someone ought to beat Lord Sharpe. Maybe we’ll get lucky.

Beau was in this episode. She’s being trained by Dairon to stun people so she get the h*ll away from a Volstrucker should she cross one again. She’s off to collect something from some source to help Dairon uncover corruption.

More Beau please.

More Yasha as well.

When do we meet Mollymauk?

Next episode, because we’re headed to the circus!

Nott is Nott this episode and can’t help herself but steal. Apparently, Beau meets them before Jester and Fjord because the horse is stolen.

Freaking Nott.

I love Nott. Never change Nott. Never.

Caleb and Nott become friends. She doesn’t turn him in. He doesn’t let her walk-through water. But they need to go to the circus for some beetles because he still needs more components for his magic.

Always with the components.

Next thing you know, he’ll be nagging everyone, everywhere for high quality paper and ink.

Cannot wait for the rest of the series, but I’ll have to settle for a new episode a week. I think I’ll survive. You know what? To help me survive, leave a comment and chat with me about the episode! What do you Critters think?

Thanks for reading, as always! Spread the love and read on!