The Legend of Vox Machina – Season 2 Episode 8 “Echo Tree” Recap & Review

Echo Tree

In The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2 Episode 8, half of Vox Machina treks through Syngorn. Vex informs them that the elven nobility can transport the city in times of danger. Once in the heart of the city, Vex and Vax request an audience with their father, Ambassador Syldor Vassar. 

Vex confesses her insecurities about not being enough of a noble to Percy. The twins then encounter their stepmother Devana and her daughter Velora, their young sister.

Their father informs them they are amassing arms and planning to join in the fight against the dragons. They share with him their plans to find the Fenthras Bow. He knows of its power, but only scoffs at them, believing its existence to be a rumor.

Syldor gives them a decree guaranteeing safe passage for them, but warns them they won’t be as safe beyond their walls. Percy makes him change Vex’ahlia’s name on the document to “Lady” Vex’ahlia, claiming she is a noble of Whitestone. When her father refuses to amend it for what he sees as a meaningless title, Vex stands up to him for insulting her and her friends.

He tells her she’ll have to prove him wrong. If they can show him the Fenthras Bow, he’ll give them a proper welcome. Until then, he’s not going to give them anything he thinks they don’t deserve.

Percy apologizes to Vex later for springing that title on her, but she doesn’t mind. She thanks him. That’s the only time anyone but her brother has stood up for her. She then tells him about their childhood–how they spent it with their mother until Syldor took them away from her. Percy then gifts her with a gold grappling hook he made for her.

As they get closer to the vestige, Keyleth senses sadness from the plants. Garmelie tells them they’re entering the home of a cursed archfey named Saundor. They must not submit to his voice, or his sadness will take hold of them.

Guided by Garmelie, they start walking through the Shademurk Bog. Saundor whispers for Vex to come closer, and she walks forward. He tells her he understands her pain, and he can give her the approval she seeks. She leaves behind the others to approach Saundor. When the others catch up, he binds them with roots and vines.

When Vex grabs his hand, he shows her memories of her father, but changes them so that Syldor shows her love instead of judgment. Saundor then shows her the Fenthras Bow, claiming it would grant her Syldor’s respect.

He will give it to her if she gives him her heart. At that, she pushes him away. Telling him her heart is someone else’s, she punches him. He goes after her, but Keyleth is able to free the others.

Saudnor fights Vex, causing her to fall into the pits of his lair. He gets her alone, grasping her inside of his roots. He tells her she now realizes the truth.

But what she realizes is that his words are empty. She takes Percy’s grappling hook and plunges it into his heart, killing him.

Vex takes Fenthras, and the party leaves. Percy suggests they go show the bow to her father, but Vex claims she isn’t ready.

Garmelie returns to create a portal for Vox Machina to get home. He tells them they’ve given him so much entertainment, so he’s going to take them back to Tal’Dorei. They walk through. Once they’re gone, Garmelie transforms from a satyr into an Archfey. “Travel safe friends,” he says. “Stay alive.”

Back in Tal’Dorei, Pike leads the others to her great great grandfather Wilhand’s place. He creates an elixir for Grog, which gets rid of his corruption, but not his weakness. Wilhand informs him his muscles still need a jolt to start working again.

Wilhand encourages Grog without much progress. Pike thinks it’s about time to go to Westruun for the next vestige. Grog says if the gauntlet is in Westruun, he knows who has it: his uncle. He once killed Grog with it.

The Episode Review

The Legend of Vox Machina just never misses when it comes to brilliantly staged fights that incorporate heart-wrenching emotional arcs and character insights.

If there’s one thing to complain about it’s that there’s little build-up to the run-in with Saundor. Who is he and why has his sadness corrupted him in such a way that he’s taking it out on others? The episode takes little time to explain his purpose, so his presence ends up little else but a catalyst for Vex’s dealing with her trauma. The face-off does conclude a moving arc for Vex, however, and this episode does well to explore what the half-elf is going through and why Saundor would single her out.

The plot thickens as the party is staged to reunite in Westruun. And the fact that Grog may have to not only confront his family, but do so in his weakened state has me on the edge of my seat.