Amac Productions

Scanlan somehow reads my mind. Or hears me.

Because his little challenge to make him feel pain, he never said it had to be a physical pain they caused. An emotional one should work as well, and it did.

And it does.

Scanlan is the oddest of the group for me. Sometimes, I like him. Sometimes, he bugs the shit out of me.

Here, however, he does exactly as he should and gives the best he could. Realizing that if the rest of the group wasn’t able to hurt him physically, he won’t either.

What he can do, is use his words and his magic to conjure painful emotions.

And make a friend in the process.

I love the group’s utter confusion at Scanlan somehow pulling off the victory to get the vestige, while also becoming a friend to this giant. Who gives him compliments and thinks the world of Scanlan now.

It is pretty impressive for a guy who never seems to take anything seriously.

Except, he does.

After the song and when the sphinx says that Scanlan must have known true love, Scanlan reveals the truth. Instead of carrying on with his usual bluster, he simply offers the truth. He’s never really been in love. But that he wants it.

I think this might be the most honest Scanlan has ever been with himself.

His line about never being able to get things right, is also pretty moving. Because he does tend to put his foot in his mouth.

He might be more appealing to women, if he didn’t step in it, every time he opens his mouth.

For example, he clearly has a connection to Pike. However, his obnoxious flirting and screwing around tends to put her off. Maybe if he calmed down for a moment, he’d have a shot.

Maybe if he had more sincere moments like the song or how open and honest he was with the sphinx, he might have more luck.

However, I love the advice as well was to stop looking and let it find him. Maybe if he relaxed a little, something real might find him. I do think he needs to be more real as well for it to work.

Overall, this episode is really well done.

Vox Machina debating what challenge to take and settling on hurting him because how hard could that be – is very on brand. Idiots. If it was easy – would it be a challenge?

No!

Clearly.

All of them taking turns and then saying screw it and attacking together. Only that doesn’t work either.

He’s not even moving! He’s sitting atop his perch, just chilling like it’s a nice day with flies attacking him. Because he swats them away that easily.

However, he truly loves his mate. Which is probably the only reason he doesn’t squash them immediately after they ignore his warning to flee. I loved the artwork that accompanied the music.

So good.

Seriously, this show is so good.

Oh, and he doesn’t reveal the locations of the vestiges. The sword does. One of which is in the Fey Realm.

Which I do not want to go to. No. The waterfalls are upside down. Any place that does not obey the laws of physics is not a place I wish to go. We’re definitely going to encounter some strange ass shit there and we have enough problems.

Yet, somehow, I doubt we’re going to avoid it.

Considering the ending.

Spirited away by Keyleth off to the Fey Realm. Well, for some of them. We lost a few in transit.

You know, nothing important. Except the wounded healer and the psycho member of the group who just stabbed her in his bloodlust addled brain via sword.

I love how the convert the mechanics of the game into the show.

Like Marisha may not have rolled well. Instead of losing everyone or leaving them behind, we see Keyleth struggling to keep everyone together and headed to the same place. Everyone is transported out. But only some reach the intended destination.

Unfortunately, that includes the wounded healer.

Hopefully she’s awake and can heal herself. Or maybe is dropped right next to another healer. That would be convenient.

One thing is for sure though, wherever they arrive, they need to do something about that freaking sword.

I’ve only been flipping out about that sword for the entirety of season two thus far and its thirst for blood. Which we see in this episode is unfolding in terrible ways.

Grog starts off by having terrible dreams that he has murdered all his friends with the sword to feed it. Including his buddies Pike.

Then we have him arguing with the sword as they face the sphinx that it wants blood and if he does not give it blood, it will take it. From Grog. Which takes his strength from his arm to prove its point.

Truly a lovely sword.

We should break it or melt it or throw it into a void, another plane, space, I don’t care but it’s got to go.

Because then we lost Grog to its bloodlust. He become so consumed by the power the sword is drugging him with that he couldn’t hear his friends shouting for him. Didn’t realize that Keyleth was holding the spell far longer than she should have been.

And he especially did not hear Pike calling for him until it was too late.

Grog’s face when he realized what he had done was shattering.

So well done.

I love these people as storytellers.

I knew the sword would end badly, but it’s still terribly gut-wrenching when it happened. Pike injured. Keyleth exhausted and unsure where she lost her friends in the spell. All of them confused and probably a little terrified.

Although, I’d be concerned about the Fey Realm you’ve just landed in and hope the others can take care of themselves because yeah. You’re in a weird place that plays by its own rules.

Yeah. Good luck with that.

Lastly, I’m not happy the sphinx died. Not in the slightest. He seemed like a chill dude. Like maybe one day he and his mate could find a way to be together again. However, now that is lost and who is going to tell her?

I don’t want to deliver that death notification. Not that I want to deliver any. But especially not to a goddess. No thank you.

I also feel bad for Scanlan losing his newfound friend. Someone he felt comfortable with to open up about the things he’s scared of or wishing for.

So mean.

Onto next week’s episode. Hopefully the big mean dragons will die soon. Or maybe just leave. Maybe we can convince them to return to their cages. Wouldn’t that be nice?

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