The Legend of Vox Machina – Season 2 Episode 10 “The Killbox” Recap & Review

The Killbox

In The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2 Episode 10, Keyleth leads half of the party back to Whitestone. At first, they don’t see the city, but it’s been placed under a protective cloaking spell.

There they find Cassandra, Allura, Kima, and Gilmore, who inform them they’ve been gone not 3 days, but 3 weeks. Allura says they can help them find their friends. Through her vision, they see them in Westruun.

In Westruun, Grog confronts his uncle Kevdak. He challenges him to single combat, and Kevdak accepts. Pike, Scanlan, and even Kaylie stay back to think of a plan to help Grog, who prepares to face his uncle in hand-to-hand combat.

But with Kevdak’s gauntlet in play, Grog can’t get the upper hand. Kevdak catches sight of the gnomes spying on them and sets his men on them. They’re all captured and made to watch Grog fight.

Kevdak incapacitates Grog and brings Pike into the ring. He puts his foot on Pike, readying to crush her underneath his foot.

Grog suddenly remembers Groon from the Storm Lord’s ring asking him where his strength comes from. He doesn’t think he has any strength, but then he realizes what he’s missing. Suddenly, he rages, filing himself with strength and breaking himself free. He rushes Kevdak, but he still has the gauntlets and grows in size with their power. 

Kevdak pins Grog to the ground and tells him nothing has changed. He’s still a coward. When he asked him what made him think he could win, Grog’s only answer is “friends.”

“My strength comes from my friends,” he tells Kevdak, who has no idea that the rest of Vox Machina waits in the shadows. On Grog’s call, they attack, going up against Kevdak and all of his Herd.

They take care of his men pretty easily, but Kevdak is another matter. The Herd eventually takes back the upper hand. Grog’s cousin joins in the fight against his father, however. 

Vex releases Trinket from her locket to capture Grog in it, then releases him from high in the air. He comes down on Kevdak with his ax, splitting the man in two. After some healing from Pike, Grog pulls the gauntlets off his uncle’s arms, then walks forward to greet the Herd, who chant his name.

Grog addresses them, telling them they are free from Kevdak. He then releases Zanror from his shackles and tells him he has greater strength than his father. He raises his arm and announces him as the new Thunderlord of the Herd of Storms.

Now that the Herd is free from Kevdak tyranny, they pledge to help Vox Machina in their goal to kill Umbrasyl. But for tonight, they celebrate.

Keyleth interrupts a vision Vax has of The Matron of Ravens by asking Vax to dance with her. But too distracted by the matron, he declines, causing Keyleth to sadly make her way back to the table. There, Pike jealously watches Kaylie sing with Scanlan.

While Grog, Zanror, and Percy talk about a potential trap for Umbrasyl, Kaylie takes Scanlan upstairs–but not for what he thinks. She binds him to a bed and tells him about her childhood, about how her mom raised her on her own. 

She then pulls her sword on him for disappearing from her mother and leaving her with empty promises–and Kaylie. Scanlan is Kaylie’s father.

The Episode Review

While there’s a bit of D&D fan service here in Grog’s “I would like to rage,” the high-stakes battle and emotional character arc for the lovable goliath make for a rousing installment of Vox Machina most any viewer should enjoy. I can’t forget to mention Scanlan’s epic battle song either (you just know Sam Riegel gets to have the most fun behind the scenes).

It’s a bit of a saccharine conclusion for the Herd to come around to Vox Machina’s side so easily. But their discontent with Kevdak has been pretty well established, so it all works out in the end. 

Grog has found his strength in Vox Machina–but is it enough for them to take down Umbrasyl, and eventually the rest of the Chroma Conclave?