Last episode, Vax’ildan, Vex’ahlia, Keyleth, and Percy retrieved the Fenthras Bow from the Fey Realm while Grog, Pike, and Scanlan smuggled survivors out of the goliath-held ruins of Westruun. Once the innocents were safe, Grog decided to stay. He has a score to settle, and another vestige to retrieve. Will he succeed? Read on for a recap of episode 10, “The Killbox,” to find out!
It’s Really Not Funny
The episode opens with Vax, Vex, Keyleth, and Percy returning to Tal’Dorei via Garmelie’s portal from the Fey Realm. They arrive in the valley where Whitestone should be, but the city doesn’t seem to be where they left it. Ever observant, Vax realizes there’s a magical wall in front of them, and Whitestone hasn’t moved. It’s been hidden.
As Vox Machina walk through the shield spell and into the city, we see the inside of a formal council chamber. Cassandra, Allura, Kima, Keeper Yennen, and Gilmore sit around a table, peering down at a map of the continent. Kima tells them that the dragons are on the move. Allura confirms that Whitestone’s magical defenses are holding steady, but she and Gilmore will need help soon — a sentiment that a sweating Gilmore confirms. But, for now, concealing Whitestone is the only way to protect it.
Vox Machina enter the chamber and are warmly greeted by their friends. They’d started to give up hope, Allura tells them, when they hadn’t returned after three weeks. Vox Machina thought they’d only been away three days — damn the Fey Realm and its tricks! Keyleth confesses to their allies that she lost Grog, Pike, and Scanlan.
Allura casts a spell to show them their lost friends. Through a swirling, magical window, Vox Machina see the rest of their group in Westruun. Pike and Scanlan are hiding and Grog, still smaller than usual, is walking through a gathering of goliaths. Cassandra tells Vox Machina that Umbrasyl has overtaken Westruun.
Where Does Your Strength Come From?
Over in Westruun, Grog confronts his uncle, Kevdak, leader of the Herd of Storms. Kevdak points out how puny Grog is, and the Herd laugh, which only angers Grog further. Kevdak throws his weight around and tries to belittle Grog, but Grog isn’t the young, unseasoned goliath he once was.
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“I’m told a dragon made the mighty Kevdak, wielder of the Titanstone Knuckles, bend the knee. So tell me, Uncle, do you still have your shriveled nutsack or did you give that to the dragon too?”
Grog challenges Kevdak to single combat. There’s only one rule: the one who lives, wins. Which is good, because Grog can’t keep track of numbers higher than one.
Hidden behind crates at the side of the square, Pike and Scanlan watch, cursing Grog for going in alone. They’re working out what to do when Kaylie appears. Scanlan told her to leave with the rest of the survivors, but she didn’t want to miss all the fun.
Since Grog got an ugly divorce from Craven Edge, he doesn’t have a weapon. So, the fight will be a fistfight. Unfortunately, Kevdak’s fists have a little help in the form of the Titanstone Knuckles. Grog pulls out all his best moves, but he’s not getting far against a vestige-wearing Kevdak. Grog’s blood sprays the crowd.
While Grog is getting tossed around, Pike watches in horror. They have to help. She ducks forward, approaching under cover. Scanlan tries to get Kaylie to stay back, but she isn’t letting him out of her sight. Kevdak punches Grog in their direction, and as he approaches to follow up the hit, spots Pike behind a crate.
Goliaths grab Pike, Scanlan, and Kaylie. Held in place they watch helplessly as Kevdak impales Grog on a thick stake. Leaving him run through, Kevdak turns his attention to Pike. He tells Grog that this is his fault; he brought death to his friends. Pike cries out for help, and Grog strains against the stake through his torso, screaming her name.
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In a vision, or hallucination, Grog hears Earthbreaker Groon: “Where does your strength come from?”
Grog finally understands. His strength doesn’t come from his muscles. It comes from his friends.
In the most epic “I…would like…to…rage!” of the season, Grog smashes the stake into twigs and launches himself at Kevdak.
You can insult him, you can hit him, you run him through — but nobody hurts his Pike.
As Grog grows, so does Kevdak. The Titanstone Knuckles are enough to still give him the upper hand, and despite Grog’s valiant efforts, he is overpowered. As he gazes blearily up at Kevdak, Grog spots movement on the roofs behind him. His friends have come. Getting a second wind, Grog lets out a battlecry.
“Vox Machina…f*ck shit up!”
– Grog
Thunderlord
Rallied, Pike and Scanlan break free. Scanlan soars up on his floating pink hand, playing a heavy metal song to bolster Vox Machina. From above, Vox Machina rain down pain: Percy with his long musket, Bad News, and Vex with the Fenthras Bow. On the ground, Keyleth transforms into her tiger form, and Vax is a whirlwind in the Deathwalker’s Ward. It’s a gory fight. Grog cuts off Kevdak’s arm; Kevdak grabs it and beats Grog with it. Kevdak rallies his herd and Vox Machina begin to struggle — until Zanror steps in. Grog’s cousin, still in shackles, takes his own revenge on his father. He distracts him long enough for Vex to fly up on her broom and slingshot Grog down atop Kevdak, landing a killing blow.
Pike rushes in to heal Grog, and once he’s done bleeding, he pulls the Titanstone Knuckles from Kevdak’s corpse. A chant rises through the herd: “Strongjaw! Strongjaw! Strongjaw!”
Grog has no interest in leading the Herd of Storms. He turns leadership over to Zanror, making peace with him after many years. Then, of course, it’s party time.
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Scanlan and Kaylie sing “Make the Bald Man Cry” as the Herd parties. Keyleth updates Pike on their trip to the Fey Realm, and then gets up the courage to ask Vax to dance. Vax is too in his own head, thinking about the Matron of Ravens, and declines.
Amid the drinking, Grog negotiates the Herd’s assistance killing Umbrasyl. Percy will build a trap to keep the dragon on the ground for them to attack.
I Got it From My Daddy
After wrapping up their song, Kaylie suggests Scanlan take her upstairs. Never one to turn down an obvious seduction, he follows, missing the disappointed look on Pike’s face. Upstairs, though, things take a turn. Kaylie ties Scanlan to the bed — which he is totally down for, she can call him daddy too if she likes — and talks about her mother. In fact, she talks about her mother a lot. Finally, she reveals her reason for hanging around…her father, Scanlan. The “silver-tongued devil” who left her mother with nothing but empty promises.
Tied up in his skivvies and suddenly at the end of a blade, Scanlan can do nothing but shriek in shock, “Wait…I’m daddy?”
Don’t forget to check back soon for a recap of episode 11, “Belly of the Beast.”
