DISCLAIMER: This recap of The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 Episode 2, “Prisoners of Ank’Harel,” contains spoilers.
The Legend of Vox Machina, “Prisoners of Ank’Harel”
An unconscious Percy awakens chained to a chair while a demonic voice says it could feed so easily because his soul is ripe for the taking. The large crow-faced demon looks on as Dr. Anna Ripley welds on something we cannot see. Anna notices Percy has awakened and the demon rushes Percy and snaps its jaw right in front of his face. Anna apologizes and says surely Percy remembers how eager Orthax can be.
She explains that Orthax was not completely destroyed and what was left visited her with blueprints of Percy’s gun. This allowed Anna to make upgrades to the original design. When asked what she plans on doing with Percy and his blueprints, Anna says she intends on sharing these gifts with the world as the demon rises around her.
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Back in Ank’Harel, the rest of Vox Machina try to figure out a way to find Percy since Scanlan is gone with Mythcarver and Vex’s broom. Vax suggests that maybe the burglar left something behind in the archives. At the archives, the building is now swarming with guards from the Hand of Ord looking for Vox Machina. After some coaxing from Vax, Shaun disguises himself as one of the guards. He orders the guards at the door away long enough for Vex and Vax to sneak in.
Chaos or Equality?
Cut to Anna who tells Percy to imagine what would happen if there were thousands of his pepperbox. Percy calls it chaos but Anna calls it equality. She says that those weaker ones who have been oppressed will no longer be victims. A revolution with no more tyrants. No more conclaves. When Percy asks why they need him, she reveals the Plate of Dawnmartyr which has been hooked up to a mechanism. Then, Anna says the vestiges are a power supply.
The Twins Find a Lead
Meanwhile, Vax and Vex investigate a now abandoned crime scene back at the archives. They deduce that the burglar used a very specific type of acid to come through the window. Then, they ask Shaun to show them where they could find such acid in the city.
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Scanlan watches his daughter, Kaylie, perform a tune on her flute in a bar. He charges several of his drinks to the tab of the unfortunate orc passed out next to him. When Kaylie comes to the bar for a break she sees Scanlan and greets him with, “Motherf*****.”
An Arcane Factory
Cut to Anna as she explains to Percy that the Plate of Dawnmartyr absorbs fire. Her cloak is called Cabal’s Ruin and can control and redirect magic. Percy realizes Anna intends to combine the vestiges and create an arcane factory to mass-produce magical weapons. Percy warns this could release untold violence into the world. What would stop the oppressed from becoming the oppressors?
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Anna explains that she needs Percy because he better understands humanity. She tells him that her factory is inevitable, wouldn’t he rather be the one at the controls? The Plate of Dawnmartyr reflects in Percy’s glasses as he says, “I’ll need my hands.”
Shubad’s Sensational Sundries
Outside of Shubad’s Sensational Sundries, Vax apologizes to Keyleth for not believing her. She says it is ok because no one ever believes her. Vox Machina finds that the owner of the shop has been murdered. Pages from his ledger have been torn out and most of his inventory is gone. Vex panics about not finding Percy while the others look around the shop.
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Just as Grog is about to pick up a fancy cup from Tastes of Tal’dorei, he hears kids playing outside. When he joins them, he sees one of the kids playing with a stick that looks a lot like a pepperbox. The kids tell Grog they have seen the weapon before and lead the group through the city.
However, on the way, they are confronted by a couple of guards. Pike blocks an attack from them and a few blows are exchanged before the group runs. Shaun offers to stay behind and is captured by the guards who send a distress signal into the air. Vex, Vax, and Keyleth are chased and then cornered by guards. It looks like they may have been caught.
Back at the bar, Scanlan pleads with Kaylie for a chance to explain himself. She reluctantly agrees to a chat and then leaves to put her things away. While Scanlan waits, he overhears bar patrons talking about the break-in at the archives and the foreigners who are now wanted for murder.
I’d Take A Bullet For You
Anna and Orthax look on as Percy works on the machine. Orthax whispers ominous things in the background like he will have Percy’s soul and the forge calls to him, its heat fueling a world at war. Anna says Orthax only mirrors her own excitement. Then, Percy asks what the smoke demon gets out of all of this but Anna says he can ask them himself when he is finished.
Percy says he is finished and as Anna steps up to get a closer look, he says you can also use her theory to incinerate a maniac. He then pushes a detonator that sets off an electrically charged explosion that he jumps from just in time.
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Percy falls to the ground and the Plate lands in front of him. Before he can act, a combination of Orthax and Anna grab Percy by the throat and holds him up. As Anna and Orthax debate on whether or not to kill Percy, Vex bursts through a wall and shoots an arrow at Orthax, scaring them away.
Anna scoops up the plate and runs like a shadow through the dark room as members of Vox Machina try to catch her. In response, Anna shoots at the group and Vax takes a bullet to the chest that takes her down. Keyleth casts a light spell but not before Anna slips away into the shadows telling Percy to find them when he is ready to accept. Pike heals Vex right before guards from the Hand of Ord rush in and arrest Vox Machina.
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Straight Fire on Stage
A quick scene shows a nervous Scanlan trying to avoid being seen by the guards while having a meaningful conversation with Kaylie. Scanlan admits to Kaylie that while he is straight fire on stage, he doesn’t know who he is without his lute. Consequently, he hopes Kaylie can help him discover who he truly is. He then drags her back to the bar, narrowly escaping being seen by guards.
A Death Sentence
Vox Machina is taken to the gorgeous and elaborate throne room of Emperex J’mon Sa Ord. When Sa Ord walks in with a small dragon around their shoulders, Vex’s dragon sense hits her hard. The emperex charges the group with royal theft and the murder of Sa Ord’s friend Mistress Asharru. Members of the group try to explain what happened but the evidence is stacked against them.
Before the entire group is sentenced to death, Percy says that he is the murderer and takes full responsibility. Vox Machina is banished from Ank’Harel and Percy is to be prepped for some sort of transformation.
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A Drunken Scanlan Saves the Day
An extremely inebriated Scanlan and an angry Kaylie emerge from a bar. While Scanlan holds back vomit, Kaylie says she should have known he would never change then tells him to leave her alone before walking away. As the rest of Vox Machina is being marched out of town by guards, they see Scanlan face down in vomit. He begins to ramble about blowing it with Kaylie when Vex screams out, “Who gives a shit? They are going to kill Percy!”
Back at the palace, Emperex Sa Ord explains to Percy that they will transform him into something honorable. They place a crown on a bound Percy’s head similar to those on the large golems that serve Sa Ord. When the crown is placed on his head, a magical energy surges through Percy and he screams in pain. His skin begins to peel away as he is transformed into one of the servants. Vox Machina flashes before him as he closes his eyes.
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Just in time, Scanlan bursts through the door and yells, “Objection!” The rest of Vox Machina wait in the doorway, still chained by the guards. Scanlan presents Mythcarver to Sa Ord which shows Anna and Orthax currently escaping with the stolen vestiges. Sa Ord clears Vox Machina of all charges and the group embraces after the close call.
Go to Hell, Vox Machina
Vex and Percy have a heartfelt conversation in which she tries to convince him that none of this is his fault. Luckily, Sa Ord reveals that Ripley had only stolen a forgery of the Plate, and the real vestige is hidden in the Hells of Despath. The Plate is with a demon called Zerxus Ilerez, an antiquities collector in the City of Dis. Looks like Vox Machina is going to Hell.
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