Things We Want To See In The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 2

Nearly 50 years after its original publication, the tabletop role-playing game "Dungeons & Dragons" has become more relevant than ever. Once thought to be a hobby for only the socially awkward, shows like Netflix's "Stranger Things" have thrust the fantasy game of magic and mayhem into the mainstream consciousness. It won't be long before phrases like "nat 20" and "critical fail" make it into the everyday vernacular — or, at least, we hope.

But before the show made a big splash on the streaming platform, there was a group of voice actors who were already rolling the dice. "Critical Role" first streamed on Twitch in 2015, and saw a group of close friends and fellow actors playing a legendary game of D&D. Calling their group "Vox Machina" (Latin for Voice Machine), the Critical Role crew has since gained almost two million subscribers on their YouTube channel.

In 2019, over $11 million dollars was raised on Kickstarter to begin work on an animated series based on the D&D campaign, "The Legend of Vox Machina" (via CNBC). The first season aired on Amazon Prime in January 2022 to rave reviews, earning a 100% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, while also being considered one of the best TV shows of 2022 so far. With Season 2 set to premiere in early 2023, we're eager to see what our favorite outcast mercenaries will get up to next. Here are just some of the things we hope to see in Season 2.

Season 1 ended with an epic cliffhanger. The council of Emon gathers in the courtyard as Sovereign Uriel (Khary Payton) is about to make an important announcement. Suddenly, a group of dragons is seen flying toward the city with an ominous sense of foreboding. In a preview clip that was first shared at the 2022 New York Comic Con, the dragons are seen wreaking havoc on the city. The stunned faces of the crowd watch in horror as one attacks a tower with its icy breath, killing the soldiers and causing the tower to collapse.

This moment begins the Chroma Conclave story arc from the original Critical Role series. During this stretch of the campaign, the heroes of Vox Machina learn that an accord was struck between a group of ancient dragons. The alliance proves to be devastating to the entire continent of Tal'Dorei, as the dragons enslave its people and leave destruction in their wake. Of course, it's up to the team to defeat the Chroma Conclave and save the kingdom.

In Season 1, the Vox Machina crew fight against a dragon named Brimscythe (voiced by "Doctor Who" star, David Tennant). They manage to outwit and defeat the creature, but it wasn't easy. As if one wasn't hard enough, they will have four more dragons to contend with in Season 2. Things are about to get even wilder, and with higher stakes, and we can't wait to watch it.

Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (Taliesin Jaffe) knew a life of privilege before his family was murdered in a plot conducted by Sylas Briarwood (Matthew Mercer) and his wife Delilah (Grey Griffin). The main plot of Season 1 centers around Percy's tragic past and his search for vengeance, however, in the Whitestone castle dungeon in Episode 9, the group finds a lone prisoner in one of the jail cells.

Percy recognizes the woman as Dr. Anna Ripley (Kelly Hu), an ally of the Briarwoods who was partly responsible for the deaths of his family members. Percy remembers her torturing him years before, and is eager to return the favor at the behest of the demon that possesses him. However, the rest of the group convinces Percy to spare Ripley so she can help them. When the crew finally reaches the ziggurat, Vox Machina's focus turns to fight the Briarwoods and Ripley uses the distraction to escape. Though the demon inside him is eager for revenge, Percy manages to keep control and stays to aid his friends instead of chasing after her. 

Although the season ends with Percy at peace with his past and no longer under the demon's sway, we can't help but feel a bit cheated that Ripley managed to escape relatively unscathed. But don't worry; if the second season follows the storyline of the original Critical Role campaign, then Vox Machina is sure to run into Ripley again.

Grog Strongjaw (Travis Willingham) may not be the smartest of the group, but he might be the sweetest. Whether he's chugging an ale or going into a rage, the goliath barbarian is a valued member of the Vox Machina crew. The first season of "The Legend of Vox Machina" doesn't go much into Grog's backstory, but there is one major aspect of his origins that hopefully will make its way into Season 2.

In the Critical Role campaign, while visiting Pike and Grog's hometown of Westruun, Vox Machina discovers that the town has been taken over by a group of goliath bandits. It just so happens that this particular group was once Grog's own tribe, and his uncle, Kevdak, is their leader. In an effort to free the citizens from Kevdak's reign of terror, Grog challenges him to one-on-one combat. The fight is an excruciating one, which tests the limits of Grog's strength — both existentially and physically.

This epic battle not only proves Grog's physical prowess but also shows that he is more than just a simple-minded gentle giant. Not only is Grog's honor at stake, but the well-being of Tal'Dorei and its people rests on his massive shoulders with the conflict's outcome. Grog's fight against Kevdak was one of the highlights of the Critical Role Vox Machina campaign, and we can't wait to see it brought to life in upcoming episodes of "The Legend of Vox Machina."

Part of the fun of playing "Dungeons & Dragons" is earning unique magical items. It could be a legendary weapon, a piece of jewelry, a cloak, or even a bag with near-infinite carrying space. At times, these artifacts can be worked into the story in entertaining and crucial ways. One such item made its way into the original Critical Role campaign, and there's a good chance it might show up in Season 2.

During their travels throughout Exandria, Vex (Laura Bailey) comes into possession of a magical flying broom. Though it was procured by, let's say, less-than-honest means, the broom becomes one of Vex's iconic trademarks during the Chroma Conclave arc. Naming the broom "Death From Above," Vex is able to shoot arrows while sitting astride the flying broom from high in the air. Percy further develops the broom in his workshop, making it more functional for riding into battle.

Besides being able to soar through the sky, Vex also uses Death From Above to aid Vox Machina in some of their most crucial moments. The broom became essential in various scraps throughout their adventure, and Vex finds creative uses for it in strategic combat situations. It saved the players on more than one occasion during their campaign, and it would be remiss of them to omit it from "The Legend of Vox Machina" Season 2, but we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

One particularly handy spell in "Dungeons & Dragons" that should be in every magic user's repertoire is Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion. The spell allows the conjurer to create an interior space of up to 50,000 cubic feet, which they can then design in any way they choose. Vox Machina's resident gnome bard, Scanlan Shorthalt (Sam Riegel), just so happens to have this spell at his disposal during the Critical Role campaign. Renaming the enchanted abode Scanlan's magnificent mansion, the gnome is able to house himself and his fellow adventurers in luxurious comfort and safety from the elements.

Scanlan tailors his magnificent mansion not only with rooms for each member of Vox Machina but also with 100 servants to tend to his every whim. There are exuberant feasts (made up mainly of variously cooked chicken) to keep their bellies full, as well as a spa for the gang to relax in. In one Critical Role episode, the group holds a cannonball contest in the mansion's spa room. The team also uses the mansion as a strategy in their fight against one of the dragons of the Chroma Conclave.

There are plenty of hilarious shenanigans that take place inside the mansion, but there are also quiet moments among the members of the group to reflect and bond with one another. We really hope we get to see Scanlan's magnificent mansion, and these iconic moments from the web series, in Season 2.

During the fight with the Briarwoods in Season 1, Grog goes head-to-head against Sylas in an intense face-off. The barbarian goliath finds that his strength is evenly matched by the vampire lord — specifically due to the magical sword Sylas possesses. Every time Sylas lands a blow against Grog, the blood seeps into the blade and it grows larger. Even Grog seems to be impressed by the arcane greatsword, nearly letting his guard down to gawk over the impressive weaponry.

The sword that Sylas wields is called Craven Edge. Those who have seen campaign 1 of Critical Role will recall that Craven Edge not only contains perilous dark magic but is also sentient. When Vox Machina defeats the Briarwoods in Episode 11, the team begins to leave the underground temple when Grog spots the discarded sword. He declares, "finders keepers" and straps it to his back.

In the original campaign, Grog finds himself entranced by the sword, which continually thirsts for blood. Of course, the barbarian is all too eager to oblige. However, the more he uses it, the more he is in danger of losing his soul. There are also a few hilarious moments when Grog talks to the sword, making for some awkward moments with his team. Since we see Grog leave with the sword in Season 1, it seems likely that this intriguing subplot from the campaign will probably find its way into Season 2.

Percy is the only member of Vox Machina that uses a firearm rather than a medieval fantasy weapon. During the original episodes of Critical Role, dungeon master Matthew Mercer made sure to implement certain rules which required Percy to maintain constant upkeep for his trusty rifle, "Bad News," and his pistol, "The List." Though Percy's pistol was destroyed in a vat of acid at the end of Season 1, the show hints that there is a good chance that he will make another one. The trouble is that in a fantasy world where most people have never even seen a gun before, it can be very difficult to find things like bullets and gunpowder at your typical general store.

Enter Victor (played by Mercer), one of the best characters to come out of the "Vox Machina" storyline. Victor is a wild-eyed, eccentric black powder salesman, and a mad genius. The visits to his shop are always entertaining, though, at times, a bit perilous. His experiments tend to literally blow up in his face, but he is never deterred by the setbacks. Though he started out as an impromptu NPC created by Mercer, Victor was such a hit with both players and Critical Role fans that he ended up having a recurring role in the show. Next to Gilmore, Victor is our favorite shopkeep in the world of "Vox Machina," and we are crossing our fingers that he makes an appearance in Season 2. 

During their mission to destroy the Chroma Conclave in the original campaign, Vox Machina manages to gather all sorts of allies to aid them in their journey. Eventually, they find themselves in the city of Ank'Harel, far on the southwestern shores of Exandria. Ank'Harel is a thriving city in the center of a vast desert, and the group is a bit out of their depth as they explore the wonders of this foreign land.

The leader of Ank'Harel is a mysterious figure named J'mon Sa Ord. J'mon's background is such a mystery that even the citizens of Ank'Harel have various theories regarding their identity. Eventually, Vox Machina earns a meet-and-greet with J'mon, finding a beautiful and androgynous humanoid surrounded by an eerie aura. J'mon agrees to help Vox Machina against the dragons, but not before testing their skills in battle. After Vox Machina earns J'mon's trust, the Ank'Harel leader reveals a tremendous secret that is pivotal in their war against the Conclave. Since we don't want to give away any huge spoilers, let's just say that J'mon could manage to turn the tide in Vox Machina's favor.

This intriguing character is an essential part of the Chroma Conclave arc, and will no doubt appear at some point in "The Legend of Vox Machina," if not in Season 2. Though Mercer played the character in episodes of Critical Role, we're excited to see who is cast for the part in the animated series.

Throughout the original Critical Role campaign, guest stars were often invited onto the show to perform as one-off characters. At times, these temporary players would leave such an impact on the story that they would return to play them a few times. Two such guests were actors Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Will Friedle, playing a tiefling sorcerer, Zahra, and a human cleric, Kashaw, respectively.

Both Kashaw and Zahra are members of a mercenary group called the Slayer's Take, whom Vox Machina meet during their travels. Zahra wields powerful magic and has a sweet and motherly disposition, while Kashaw is a healer with a gruff attitude toward pretty much everything. The pair ended up having important roles during the events of the Chroma Conclave, as well as one of the most pivotal battles toward the final episodes.

Sadly, Zahra and Kashaw are absent from "The Legend of Vox Machina" Season 1, but we still hold out hope that they might make appearances in Season 2 — and that McGlynn and Friedle will return to voice the beloved characters.

When a group of adventurers spends enough time together, it's not unusual for romance to bloom among them. In the early episodes of "The Legend of Vox Machina," we begin to see signs of an attraction between the half-elf rogue, Vax (Liam O'Brien), and half-elf druid, Keyleth (Marisha Ray). Though his twin sister, Vex, warns Vax that his romantic pursuits can only lead to heartache, Vax believes that it is worth the risk. Unfortunately, Vax confesses his feelings for Keyleth at the worst possible moment — when they are surrounded by an army of undead zombies.

When the two finally do get a moment alone together after the fray has passed, Vax reiterates his declaration of love to Keyleth only to be rejected. It's a disappointing moment for sure, not only for Vax, but for fans who have been rooting for them to get together since the beginning.

However, though Keyleth has decided to put romance on hold, fans still have reason to be optimistic. There is a good chance that we will see her and Vax rekindle their spark in Season 2 — especially since the characters did eventually become a couple in the Critical Role campaign. In fact, their relationship is one of the biggest highlights of the original episodes. Timing is an important factor in many romantic relationships, and Keyleth and Vax are no different.