#( && I was made to pass through fire ;; keyleth says )

[hcpefuldreaming]

@hxlcycnx (Keyleth & Vax)

Of the people in Keyleth's life that she cared deeply about, the friends she had made at the Slayer's Cake were rather high up there, especially Vax. He was incredible in her eyes, but she kept quiet about her thoughts as she entered the bakery and waved in greeting to a regular she usually had at her floral shop before she walked over to the counter and smiled warmly at the familiar face. "Vax, I'm glad you're here because I have something for you." She muses, holding out a pot with a snapdragon standing in the middle of it. "It's just a little thank you for the kindness you give me, and to everyone else, I'm sure." She quickly adds with a blush as she puts it down gently. "If you don't like it, that's also okay, I just wanted to repay you in some way."

[hcpefuldreaming]

Keyleth stares at the other in confusion when she realizes that they had said her name. "Sorry, do I.." She pauses at the name as recognition flickers in her expression. "Oh, Percy! Yeah, he works at the bakery, right? I own a flower shop nearby." Keyleth explains with a warm smile. "Seems like I've been apparently talked about, which is..nice actually, when I really think about it, but it's nice to meet you!"

for a moment, all cassandra could do was stare. she felt a little bit like she was hallucinating, her brows furrowing in both confusion and a small amount of frustration, and when she let out a puff of air like a tiny sigh, they murmured, " keyleth? what... shit, you might not know who i am. cassandra. de rolo. percy's my brother... " a short pause. " ... you do know who percival is, right? this will be a really odd conversation otherwise. "

[your-turn-to-role]

also. i absolutely adored what lovm did with the pass through fire quote

but then it makes me emotional about the original context, so i have to share that too (minor plot spoilers ahead)

because it wasn't originally to do with the ashari at all. it was from patrick rothfuss' guest character, a blacksmith named kerrek, who helped vox machina fight against the dragon in westruun, and helped keyleth personally through some difficult stuff (he may yet appear on lovm, but given the context of the quote now i doubt we'll get all of it)

and a little after kerrek's episode, patrick rothfuss actually made a legit letter from kerrek to keyleth, with a present inside, and left it with matt until whatever point in the plot she was able to recieve it

which by coincidence was one of the hardest moments in the whole campaign for her

and this letter had marisha legit crying in the episode, because it's just. so beautiful, and so needed. and it goes:

Keyleth,

I write to let you and your companions know that the repair of Westruun is proceeding well. I will not bore you with the details. Suffice to say that our children are well-fed and safe, our elderly and infirm are cared for and comfortable. Without the help of you and yours, this would not be the case.

The folk in charge argue constantly, but that is to be expected, and it is no bad thing. They all want the same good things in different ways. I listen, mostly, and do what I can to make sure that they listen to each other. Without listening, nothing good can happen.

The town... when I say the repair is going well, it is a hard thing for me to talk about. I am not a particularly clever man, and much of this is new to me. When you make a mistake with metal, you can melt things down and start afresh. It is irritating, and it costs in time and soot and sweat, but it can be done. There is a comfort in iron, knowing that a fresh start is always possible. But a city is not a sword. It is a living thing, and living things defy simple fixing. Roots cannot be reforged. They scar, and broken branches must be cut and sealed with tar, and this makes me angry, as it always has, and my anger has no place to go.

It was easier when I was young. I could use my anger like a hammer against the world. I was so sure of myself and my friends and my rightness. I would hammer at the world, and breaking felt like making to me, and I was good at it. And while I was not wrong, neither was I entirely right. Nothing is simple.

I do not work in wood. I am not brave enough for that. There is a comfort in iron, a promise of safety, a second chance if mistakes are made. But a city is more a forest than a sword. No, it needs more tending than that.

Perhaps a city is like a garden, then. So these days, it seems I have become a gardener. I dig foundations in the earth. I sow rows of houses. I plan and plant. I watch the skies for rain and ruin. I cannot help but think that you would be better at this, but circumstance has put both of us in our own odd place. You are forced to be a hammer in the world, and my ungentle hands are learning how to tend a plot of land. We must do what we can do.

Did you know that there are some seeds that cannot sprout unless they are first burned? A friend once told me that. She was... she was a bookish sort. I think of gardening constantly these days. I wear your gift, and I think of you, and I think it is interesting that there are some living things that need to pass through fire before they flourish.

I ramble. You have the heart of a gardener, and because of this, you think of consequence, and your current path pains you. I am not wise, and I do not give advice, but I have come to know a few things: sometimes breaking is making. Even iron can start again. And there are many things that move through fire and find themselves much better for it afterward.

I have enclosed a gift. Once it was a sword, but it has changed. It is a small thing, and silly. Please forgive an old man for his foolishness. Still, I hope it brings you some small comfort.

Kindly, Kerr.

and the present inside the envelope? a ring, engraved with the phrase "I have passed through fire."

[innocent-cat]

May I request an angsty Vax (vox machina) x reader, where the reader likes Vax but he doesn't know it especially paired with his feeling for Keyleth at the time. But when he figures out he rethinks his feelings, but by then the reader feels like the Second pick. (It can have a happy or angsty ending, whatever feels right to you)

GUYS IM BACK!!!! have this and two others im keeping on the burner to write. There were five, so if you don't see your's pop up anytime soon, its because I didn't know how to write it. Loved the ideas, though◡̈

Vax'ildan Vessar x Reader

Warnings - None

"An option, never his priority.", Vax x Reader

.·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻¨*:·..·:*¨༺༻

The fire whips in the direction of the wind and crackles in defiance against the small pellets of snow fall onto it, burning the firewood, which was already charred on nearly every side.

You sat next to your best friend, Vex, who had known about your love for Vax for months now. All she could feel was pity for you when she watches you stare off into the dark and starry night, looking anywhere except the two people in front of you.

Vax and Keyleth. Vax shot empty flirts at Keyleth without any reaction from her, as she blankly looks into the fire uninterested in him.

From the corner of your own eyes, you can feel Vex looking at you with a look on her face that you hated. It felt embarrassing for her to give you that look of empathy for so long, and it brought you back to the moment.

Taking a deep breath in through your nose, you held it for just a second. You let it out through your mouth and watch the air fog for just a moment. You look at Vex through the side of your eye, making eye contact, and she quickly looks away.

You sigh. The silence between the entire group was killing you, and you caught second hand embarrassment from Vax flirting with Keyleth like no one could hear them.

To be fair, no one but you and Vex were paying attention. Percy was tinkering with something that you couldn't be bothered enough to ask about, Pike and Grog were fast asleep. How could they fall asleep so quickly in this cold?

You slid off the log you sat on, the rough texture of the bark along it pushed against you and the snow crunched under your feet when you stood. Without looking around, you simply walk away into the snowed in forest.

"If you get lost just give us a shout." Vex's voice ringed through your ears, and you gave her a nod without turning to look at her.

Snow continued to crunch under your feet as you trudged into the forest. It was extremely dark, and the trees made you feel crowded. The trees rock as you push the pines out of the way, feeling the snow piled on them seep into your mittens, creating a soggy feeling on your hands.

Turning to an opening, you see a few logs turned to one another. It seems another group of travelers had passed through here once or twice before too. The world is really small, anyway. Not too hard to think about. You cast a fire spell on their old fire pit, watching the charcoal burn again. You sit down on a log, and stare into the sky, enjoying lonesomeness.

//////////////

(third person POV switch)

Keyleth awkwardly stood up and followed you after a few minutes of awkwardness with Vax. She tightly gripped and wrapped her faux coat around herself. Vex and Vax make eye contact, and glance between themselves and Percy. Vex shrugs and speaks.

"You know she doesn't love you. Quit bothering the poor girl, Vax."

Percy glances up at the siblings, but opts to continue fixing and cleaning his trinket.

Vax sighs, and turns his face away from Vex, not saying a word, waiting for her to say something he would choose to continue off of.

Vex scoffs at his stubbornness to the conversation. "Have you ever paid attention to how they look at you? YOU guys would work out. Not you and Keyleth!" Vex's accent gets thicker as she continues to voice her complaints about Vax's irony to not notice anything around him.

Vax pauses, and looks as if he's thinking to himself and piecing together evidence in his head.

"...You mean to tell me, that this whole time, all those gifts, and all the times they've been flustered without reason, was because they're in love with me?" Vax mumbled to Vex, still putting it together.

Out of the corner of her eye, Vex could see Percy rolling his eyes to their conversation. It was obvious he could tell too, in fact, him and Vex had spoken about it a few times when they had nothing better to do.

Now, it's Vex's turn to roll her eyes. And that she did. "What do you think I just said to you?" She scoffs after her sentence is stated.

Silence falls over the two and only the wind, the crackling fire, and Percy's tinkering can be heard. Soft crunching and talking can be heard from the forest.

(3rd person POV switch)

I softly laugh with Keyleth as we step back to the group's makeshift firepit. Before I can sit, Keyleth sits next to Vex, which forces me to sit next to Vax. Before I do, Vex waves me over and whispers into my ear.

"I told him"

I give her an annoyed look and she smiles smugly at me. I quickly turn before anything can be insinuated between the others and sit next to Vax.

This time, Vax seemed to be nervous to sit next to me. He was drooling over Keyleth just a second ago, You couldn't understand how he could change his mind so fast.

You close your eyes and decide not to think about it, trying to sleep quietly. It was late, and you were too tired to talk after the grueling work done today, which had to be followed with miles of walking to do the next morning.

When Vax notices this, he wraps his arm around you and pulls you in to rest on his shoulder. While his touch his warm, and something you've yearned for, you didn't like it. You didn't welcome it.

It wasn't what you yearned for. It felt forced.

The vibrations of his voice rumbles on his chest, and you could feel it in your head, but your hearing was muffled. It felt like you could hear their conversation in another room. You felt him hesitate when talking to Keyleth, but he spoke to her in that same tone.

He was settling for you.

You could feel an unsettling sense in your stomach, it made you uncomfortable, and it made you squirm.

You didn't want to be his second choice.

[bananathebookworm]

TLOVM S3 Eps 7-9 Ramblings

Ep. 7

Oh boy... Anna backstory... that can't mean anything important is about to happen...

Aw, poor Trinket

I love that Vex and Percy think they're successfully hiding but everyone else just wants them to stop fucking in the shared spaces of the mansion

Pike is killing me this episode. I love that they've been able to fill out more of her personality and we can see more of the goofy side. Makes me wish we'd had her/Ashley for all of campaign one.

Oh good. Trauma for everyone.

I love Orthax's design.

Always here for more Zerxus. And Luis.

Oh shit. Orthax arm.

Anna's movements are so cool.

Oh this slow-mo stand-off is so cool.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. No.

Okay. Cool. I'm fine.

Scanlan's gone. Percy's dead. Everything is pain. Holy fuck.

I'm very looking forward to whenever the "How do you, Vox Machina, want to do this?" moment happens. I'll say right now though that it was so beautiful in it's original form because their triumph over Ripley wasn't really a triumph.

Ep. 8

Percy backstory.

Uh... are they not resurrecting him? The fuck?

Well at least Scanlan's back. Hope this doesn't lead to resentment that he was gone.

Twins backstory

I love when Grog has his random moment of intelligence

Love a good "Rallying the troops" montage.

Zahra and Kash!

Remember when this whole plan was created because Kash/Will was like "You all suck at war, this is how you're supposed to do this." and everyone was in awe?

Ep. 9

Better late than never I guess? Glad to see Zahra and Kash joining the fray.

"Ive never mad a plan before" "Neither has anyone else" D&D in a nutshell.

Um. Kash wasn't supposed to die. What the fuck.

Taking "I have passed through fire" a little too literally.

"Make the fucker bleed for it." Fuck yes.

Welp. Shit. Babies are hatching.

"Fix him." Oh my heart. Though again, the original hit a lot harder for me.

Fuck. Yes. Pike. Taking a page out of Grog's book and raging.

And this entire moment with Vax is gorgeous.

So... about Raishan... Keyleth please trust your instincts more.

General

Are resurrections still going to happen? I feel like they'll have to. Unless they're going to make a completely new, original to the story character for Taliesin for some reason. Though I do like that Percy's death is given time to settle in before he's brought back.

I am curious, since this season seems to (arguably) deviate the most from the original material... Have certain changes been made because they aren't guaranteed a season 4 and they needed to make sure if this is the last season everything has finality?

[hcpefuldreaming]

Keyleth smiles and shrugs her shoulders at his question. "It just comes from kindness to thank someone, especially if they were the first person to give you at least a smile in the entire day, but that might just be how I think, not everyone is the same way."

"No, they aren't" that he knew too well. He'd seen too much, lived through too much to be ignorant of that. Not something he was willing to share with anyone, who'd believe him? "You shouldn't need to thank someone for being nice... should you?" that seemed a sad prospect, although he supposed different people had different outlooks.

[softlighter]

Pass Through Fire

rewatching The Legend of Vox Machina season 2, episode 5, "Pass Through Fire," and having some Thoughts.

Every time I rewatch this episode, start to finish, I can't help but pay attention. I rewatch tlovm quite frequently, but this episode is goddamn gift and a spectacular feat of animation, script, everything. From the start, with the meta-theme of the voice of Korra the Avatar as Keyleth's mom's voice actor, and the setting of the episode theme and how it's not just about power, it's about her mom, this episode just starts and it doesn't stop. It might honestly be my favorite episode of the whole series, for so many reasons, but to specifically analyze in regards to Kiki, it's a goddamn gift.

So, let's talk about it! Let's talk about the score and the motifs repeating from during her last conversation with her mother into Keyleth then hearing the wind and then transforming into a fire elemental. I'm not qualified to discuss musical score as a factor, I really am musically illiterate, but you can hear the repeated notes and sections throughout the episode, which makes the final "Pass Through Fire" score all the more powerful. You hear it in "Wind" on the soundtrack as well, which is what plays during her goodbye with her mother, and which is beautiful but ends with this emptiness, this solemnity. You hear the motif on the wind, calling her to Pyrah, but the final "Pass Through Fire" is triumphant and powerful, above all else. It's not this just major triumph in battle as a victory, it is a personal triumph, it's Keyleth recalling her mother's last lesson to her and being able to finally actively internalize it. It's self-actualization and self-acceptance after so much self doubt. It's empowerment, not just power. It is her mother, it is the memory of her mother, and it is Kiki herself.

And, on every rewatch, this effect only becomes more pronounced because you notice the repeated motif, even if only unconsciously, and it's staggering. This past rewatch, the scene of Keyleth transforming and passing through fire genuinely brought me to tears, which I do not say lightly! Even before this, I always got chills when watching this episode, and so much of that, for me at least, is from the thematic impact of the score.

But enough about music which, again, I am not qualified to talk about, let's talk about character analysis!

Keyleth as a young child, an Air Ashari. Her mother's final lesson to her is that it only hurts if you let it, and let's examine that. Fire needs air to live, pain needs us in order to be felt by us, but it only hurts if you let it. Her mother is saying, you are not wood or timber, you were not meant to be consumed by pain, you were made to continue through it, to persevere. And then when we look at Keyleth at the end of campaign one, in the smallest nods we see in campaign two, in the published books from CR, and now in campaign three, I think we can definitively say she is someone who perseveres. She goes on, however painful it is. Keyleth is endurance, Keyleth is inner strength.

Throughout the episode, we see her fighting. Not just physically, but fighting internally, finding the strength. She's fighting to follow the wind, fighting to go to Pyrah and help, fighting to tell her father that her mastery is not where she thinks it should be, but she ends the episode having completed the fire trial. What does this say, what does this tell us? Keyleth is a surviver. She's a fighter, and she's a qualified one. Marisha has said she was inspired by Avatar The Last Airbender, and I especially see allusions to the Book One, episode fourteen, "The Fortuneteller," in this episode and its effect, specifically as to when Sokka says he forgets what a powerful bender Aang is.

Keyleth, mechanically, is a prime choice for considering who is the most powerful member of Vox Machina, and I'm not saying she is or isn't, what I'm saying is this episode was a reminder to her and to us the audience how powerful she is. She carries the heaviest burden out of Vox Machina by the end, save perhaps for Vax, in that she has to lead for the thousands of years that she will live, and she will see everyone she loves die as she barely ages. She is powerful, she perseveres, she continues onward.

This episode brings to tears to my eyes because Keyleth is strong. Her strength is not her druidic might, although that is one path for its expression. She's strong because she perseveres, because she passes through fire, because she has the inner will to continue on.

[tiamat-zx]

So… Season 2 began. And I know, a lot of folks were upset that there was barely any Vaxleth in those first three episodes.

But I’m fine with that… as shocking as that may sound to those who know me.

That’s because of how Season 1 ended with Keyleth very aware that Vax is in love with her… but had to gently turn him down because she has to worry about her own responsibilities first. And he understands that, but still can’t help but be a little mopey about it.

That, and he’s still very much ride-or-die with Vex.

They took how things ended in Season 1 and carried it forward with Vax still quietly pining for her, showing visible sadness whenever Kash tries wooing her.

It’s establishing continuity between seasons and how he’s exercising restraint by keeping his distance. He knows where there are boundaries.

It’s why I, for one, actually approve of the change made in Season 1 where they did NOT kiss during the Whitestone rebellion. While at the same time, Keyleth at the end of Season 1 not only acknowledged Vax’s feelings for her, but also didn’t say anything to suggest that she did not feel the same. She’s keeping her distance just as Vax is keeping his.

And the encounter with Osysa definitely hit Kiki point-blank regarding her fears: not only of failing her Aramente, but also that no one will leave to see her rise up. Thus only further making her want to maintain her distance from Vax.

That being said… the next three episodes might change that.

“Those Who Walk Away”

“Pass Through Fire”

“Into Rimecleft”

We’re going to deal not only with the aftermath of the Sunken Tomb, but also the events that occur in Pyrah. It’s quite clear that “Pass Through Fire” will be Kiki’s own episode this season, as we will certainly encounter not only Korrin, but also a flashback of her mother Vilya, which I’m still happy that they got Janet Varney (Korra herself) to play her, along with Kestrel Riegel playing Kiki as a child.

Along with that particular episode, we might yet see a moment between them. One that may or may not turn out the way we’re expecting.

We’ll just have to find out for sure next week.

We’ve only just started, after all.

[hcpefuldreaming]

@hxlcycnx

vax smiled softly, slightly amused. he had never been called pretty before, it was nice. the rouge tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, just taking a moment to appreciate her. he knew she wasn’t always confident in herself, he wanted her to know that he was in her corner, always. “you always look beautiful too, green is just a really good color on you.” it was so fun, making her blush, seeing the pink dust across her cheeks. “keyleth…do you really not remember anything? about your life before ivy cove?”

Her blush only darkens at the soft gesture as her lips part and she glances down at his lips for a lingering minute before his comment makes her look back up and she smiles. "Thank you. I love it because it reminds me so much of the nature around us, black certainly suits you well." She admits, blinking in confusion at the question. "Oh, um, no? I mean, sometimes I have these funny dreams about having powers in relation to nature and a few nightmare ones, but I might just be overthinking it, I'm scared of everything honestly."

[hcpefuldreaming]

Blushing at the kiss to her palm, Keyleth softly smiles up at him and leans up, pressing a quick enough kiss to his lips that it's almost a brush, and as he mentions Percy, her shoulders sag a little more in relief to know that another part of the team is here. "I'm honestly really glad that he's here too, but that also has me worrying about Vex, Pike, Scanlan, and Grog." She admits though that doesn't dull the excitement she feels at the suggestion of blowing up the barrier. "Hell yeah! Have you looked over the landscape to make sure that there isn't anyone nearby when we blow it up, or should I?"

“i’m fine, i’m more than fine.” vax smiled, placing one of the hand over one of the hands that were on his cheek. he turned his head to place a kiss to her palm. he suddenly felt like things would be okay, like vox machina would find one another again and they would all be together again. he felt like he could do anything with her.

“percy is here. he wants to blow up the barrier. i don’t have any better ideas, and for better or for worse, most of percy’s ideas go rather well. you feel like blowing it up with us?” he asked with a laugh.

[thequeenofmyownscreen]

A few notes about episode 2.05 of The Legend of Vox Machina :

I'd like to imagine that Travis and Sam approached Janet Varney and said "Hey, would you like to be a voice in our cool show, and also briefly be the Avatar once more ?" and I'd like to imagine that Janet Varney's response was an immediate "Fuck yes !".

Love LOVE that Vex's reponse to her death is to be more joyful, she makes jokes and is silly ('more mature" yes right) !

YES they integrated the outhouse discussion between Grog and Craven Edge. A perfect bland of crass humour and creepy foreshadowing and music and silliness because Grog.

I also apprecitate the fact that, like in the original story, Vax is, on the long-term, perturbed by Raven Queen dreams and rejects his fate. The change is not immediate ! The boy asked for something, and he's just discovering what was given to him...

"What did you say ? Vertuna ? Viridian ? Voluptuous ?" Me, who has watched a certain moment of Campaign 2 : oh no they DIDN'T

I found Vax particularly harsh towards Keyleth, when twice he denies her the idea that they could go check Pyrah. I know he has issues, but still !

Keyleth's dad ! KIMA AND ALLURA ! everybod's coming up Pyrah !

I am a Keyleth stan first and a human second, so you can imagine my sheer JOY at the whole Keyleth transformation scene. No notes. Perfection.

"I am Keyleth, an Air Ashari. Like my mother before me. I was made to pass through fire."

we got a Kima & Allura kiss !!

I hate that I love the "Outhouse Song", it is so good though...

[waltwhitmansbeard]

loosing your mind when they tilt your chin to look you in the eye + Perc’ahlia

loosing your mind when they tilt your chin to look you in the eye set in tlovm!

Vex is deep her cups, the kind of dangerous inebriation that entails reviewing every poor decision one has ever made ad nauseum. Tonight, in this dingy bar filled with loud goliaths and Scanlan's god-awful call-and-response, it's her dismal display in the Feywild, how easily she let that bastard of an archfey get to her. Fuck, to be so quickly taken in, so quickly read and dissected and spat out by a loser of a tree—it's like he saw her coming a mile off and just knew what delicious misery she'd deliver him.

Keyleth's passed out on the table and Pike has fucked off to some arm-wrestling competition with a tattooed orc four times her size, so Vex drinks alone, a battalion of empty tankards surrounding her. She has no idea where her brother is, and she can only imagine how plastered Grog, even with his hearty constitution, has gotten at this point. She know it's not good, to drink so much and let her thoughts swirl around, biting and caustic, but after the day, week, month they've had? She's earned a bit of wallowing.

Her reflexes are dulled to the point where she doesn't even flinch when a familiar posh voice to her side drawls, "Well you look miserable."

"Fuck off." She downs half of the tankard in her hands.

Percy slides onto the barstool beside her. "You really need to drink like this to steel yourself for a dragon fight?"

Gods above, she'd forgotten about the dragon. "No." She slams the tankard down. "At this point, I welcome the chance to skin one of those lizards alive."

She's still not looking at him, but his hand comes into view as it waves toward the evidence of her evening. "Then why the sudden onset alcoholism?"

Her head hangs low, eyes fixed on the table. What the hell does she say to that? What the hell does she say to him? What a fool she must have looked, Saundor's twiggy finger caressing her chin, his saccharine voice in her ear telling her all the things she's longed to hear, like a child clinging onto an imaginary friend. She must seem like such a little girl, so desperate for her father's love, which any idiot with a few brain cells to rub together could have seen in Syngorn that she's never going to get. She's embarrassed to even look at him, much less confess the maelstrom she's been caught up in ever since they left her father's house.

"Vex'ahlia." There's another finger beneath her chin now, this one warm, soft. It pulls her face toward his, and oh. There he is, not nearly as intoxicated as the rest of this tavern, looking at her as if all of the Herd and Vox Machina and Westruun had disappeared into thin air, and only they two were left in this ransacked town. The swirling, drunken thoughts come to a violent halt as her eyes meet his, and even through the din of the revelry around them, his low voice cuts through, an arrow through the air. "You were a force of nature back in the Feywild. I hope you know how proud we are of you. How proud I am."

It ignites instantaneously, a fire so crackling and hot in her belly she cannot believe she hasn't burst into flames before his very eyes. It is only by the grace of her drunken limbs that she does not snatch him by the collar and yank his mouth to hers, sloppy and hungry and so very, very needy. If she manages a response, she has no idea what it is. But he smiles at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling, and then gently pries the nearly empty tankard from her hand. "I think it's time you had enough."

Except oh, no, she has not had nearly enough, she thinks as he walks away. Not yet.

[ravenclawdreamer]

I loved getting to see more of Keyleth coming into her power with the recent Legend of Vox Machina episodes but I’ve had an itch in the back of my mind about the different context of passing through fire so here’s some rambling.

In episode 5, we see Keyleth’s mom telling her she’s made to pass through fire as an Air Ashari and how Keyleth taps into that at the fire plane and becomes a fire elemental. It seemed odd to me that it was in reference to something she was born as, some innate thing. So I went back and read the letter Keyleth received from Ker with the ring that says I have passed through fire.

In the letter Ker talks about how governing and rebuilding is harder than being a soldier and how he was having to be a gardener in contrast to Keyleth being the hammer now perhaps against her nature. He talks about how some seeds need fire sprout and iron is reformed by fire. To me this seemed more about how people can survive and be shaped by something painful.

I think both messages are beautiful about not letting the painful things hurt us and knowing ourselves so we can pass through and letting ourselves thrive from the fire but they do seem different and there was definitely something that resonated to me in Ker’s letter about sometimes breaking is making and I hope we still get to see more of that struggle of Keyleth’s later especially around her anger and Raishan and about being reshaped by fire not just it not hurting.

[hcpefuldreaming]

Keyleth frowns as she puts her bag down and listens to Vex. "I will never understand some people like that, ones that get upset even though you did exactly as they asked." She shakes her head, but her smile widens at Vex liking the idea. "Oh, this is gonna be so fun! I have heard nothing but good things about this place. If Trinket were here, we could pamper him as well after." Keyleth pauses and frowns for a moment. "I don't know where that came from."

continued  from  here! @hcpefuldreaming

                  vex   had  been  happy  to  find  keyleth  again  ,  even  if  she  didnt  totally  remember  just  yet.  she  helped  percy  with  it  and  she  would  help  keyleth  too  if  she  wanted  her  to.  ‘  its  not  you  ,  i  had  like  six  i  had  to  decorate  and  one  of  them  complained  even  though  it  was  done  how  it  was  requested  so  i  had  to  scrape  it  and  start  over.  ‘  vex  explained  since  she  didnt  want  keyleth  to  think   otherwise.  but  she  did  perk  up  when  at  the  mention  of  a  spa.  ‘  a  spa  sounds  amazing  actually.  ‘

[starchildghost]

look I like tlovm and I find it interesting the way they take some of the original gameplay and condense it into their cartoon to make it fit and not rely so much on what the gameplay naturally relies on - its narration and exposition.

But they won’t ever be able to take Kerrek’s passed through fire letter from me and here’s an excerpt of it because I truly love it:

“The town... when I say the repair is going well... it is a hard thing for me to talk about. I am not a particularly clever man, and much of this is new to me. When you make a mistake with metal, you can melt things down and start fresh. It is irritating, and it costs in time and soot and sweat, but it can be done. There is a comfort in iron, knowing that a fresh start is always possible. But a city is not a sword. It is a living thing, and living things defy simple fixing. Roots cannot be reforged. They scar, and broken branches must be cut and sealed with tar. And this makes me angry, as it always has, and my anger has no place to go.

It was easier when I was young. I could use my anger like a hammer against the world. I was so sure of myself, and my friends, and my rightness. I would hammer at the world, and breaking felt like making to me, and I was good at it. And while I was not wrong, neither was I entirely right. Nothing is simple.

I do not work in wood. I am not brave enough for that. There is a comfort in iron. A promise of safety. A second chance if mistakes are made. But a city is more a forest than a sword. No... it needs more tending than that. Perhaps a city is like a garden, then.

So these days it seems that I have become a gardener. I dig foundations in the earth. I sow rows of houses. I plan and plant. I watch the skies for rain and ruin. I cannot help but think that you would be better at this. But circumstance has put both of us in our own odd place. You are forced to be a hammer in the world, and my ungentle hands are learning how to tend a plot of land. We must do what we can do.

Did you know that there are some seeds that cannot sprout unless they are first burned? A friend once told me that. She was... she was a bookish sort. I think of gardening constantly these days. I wear your gift, and I think of you. And I think it is interesting that there are some living things that need to pass through fire before they flourish.”

So many people overlook Keyleth’s anger (especially if you’re only watching the cartoon, and that’s not your fault), but it’s one of my favorite things about her, and here Kerr is acknowledging it in both himself and in Keyleth. She is after all the druid who nearly gave up functional immortality and so much power to take a level in barbarian - to have a place to channel her rage. She heals, and her hands are gentle, but she’s still so, so angry. And, like some seeds she might tend and grow, she has to pass through fire before she can flourish. She becomes the leader her people need, even though she loses her love and she will watch her friends grow old and die around her, and some total strangers to her give her her mom back, and she helps bring a woman who died because of herself and her friends back to life. but first, she needed to feel that rage, she needed to be burned, to become sure of herself and her abilities and her love for her people and her friends, and I love her so

[nellie-elizabeth]

The Legend of Vox Machina: Pass Through Fire (2x05)

KEYLETH MY BEST FRIEND KEYLETH. I love her so much. She was made to pass through fire! I'm weeping!

Cons:

Okay, okay, I loved this episode, but I do have to say this: people are always joking about Keyleth basically just... being the Avatar from The Last Airbender, and... yeah. The fact that her eyes glowed a solid white before she entered the Avatar State - I mean, became a Fire Elemental for the first time - didn't really help with that comparison. It's a little much, I'll admit. Still cool, but c'mon. I was thinking on this, and I think part of the problem was that while in isolation, Keyleth's big moment passing through fire was perfect and I genuinely adored it, it felt like a culmination with very little build. I don't know how they would have done this pacing-wise, but maybe one more scene in an earlier episode where Keyleth is talking about her Aramente, mentioning how she needs to figure out how to face it, would have led to this better. I also might have liked this better if her dad hadn't been around? This is a small thing, but I feel like we almost played our cards too soon, giving Kiki this glow-up, when her true culminating moment taking place with her people comes much further down the line. If they had maybe saved having her dad around for that later moment, that could have been cool.

This is a tiny thing but I don't like how Pike calls Grog "buddies" like... in the plural? Why isn't it just "buddy"? Drives me a little crazy every time.

I was not into Trinket peeing on Scanlan. I just... can't with the potty humor. Never been my thing. By contrast, Grog talking to Craven Edge while taking a shit was positively tasteful.

Pros:

But this is our first truly big Keyleth episode and I love it so much, despite maybe wishing it had been built up slightly differently. That flashback at the beginning... little Keyleth, and her mother Vilya going off on her Aramente... I cry. I will say this without spoiling anything, I guess, but I'm just... super happy that we're getting to see more stories told in the Critical Role universe, because... yeah. Because. Then there's Pyrah. We're not seeing it at its best, but I was so impressed with what we did have of it. The colorful animation, the fight sequence once again kicking ass, all the flames everywhere looking so seriously cool... plus the introduction of Keyleth's father, connecting with Allura and Kima again... so much going on, and as always, I'm impressed by how they fit it all in. If every episode was just three minutes longer, I think I'd be happier, but ah, well.

As I said, this is a Keyleth episode, but I continue to be impressed by how much all of our core characters get their moments to shine, and check in with their story-lines. Like Vax brooding about the Matron of Ravens, wondering what it all means. We see Grog still curious about Craven Edge, and we get cute buddy moments with him and Pike. Then there's Scanlan, ignored and pushed aside as usual, but also we see him have a fun little quippy subplot with Vex over the flying broom. There's room for so much, and I feel like even those unfamiliar with the campaign are getting the chance to really know this band of misfits.

The Matron of Ravens visuals get even more cool in this one! Vax's vision/dream, the undead emerging to attack... so chilling. Hearing his impatience with Keyleth, and the way he refuses to join in with the general group banter, it's really sinking in how much he's struggling with what's happening with him. This already hurts, and it's going to keep getting worse...

Kima and Allura did a smooch! We love it. Let's go lesbians! But also, I loved getting a glimpse of their backstory, having them fill in the gaps about Thordak and where he came from. I think that helps this episode from feeling disconnected to the rest of the main story. The hunt for Vestiges is already a side-quest for the dragon-killing goal, then diverting to Pyrah is yet another diversion from the diversion. So having it tie back in with the dragon story is smart, and it also gives us a chance to remember that Vox Machina still have allies back in Emon, even if Uriel is gone.

I don't even know how to describe to you how happy I was when Keyleth heard her mother's voice in her head, gained her strength, her confidence, and walked through fire just as she always should have done. This sequence replaces a whole-ass fight in the Fire Plane itself for all of Vox Machina, but I like how they kept the focus on protecting Pyrah, and then had Keyleth get the solo bad-ass moment she deserves. Seeing her turn into a Fire Elemental was so dope! Hopefully we'll get to see her use that in another fight, maybe against a dragon... And her little ceremony, completing that part of her Aramente, was such a beautiful visual too. I'm so proud of her I could cry.

Lots of little moments to shout out. I'm constantly impressed by the detail and love put into every scene of this show. Keyleth saying "we can certainly try" made me laugh so much. Vax's line delivery on Keyleth - when he thinks she's gone, that was really fucking good, and I think cuts through some of his depression about the whole Raven situation. Vex's joy at being up in the air on her broom was so fun! I know there's a lot of "discourse" about the broom from the original stream, but I personally love seeing it make its appearance, and I'm so glad she gets to have it now. Wondering how that favor she owes Scanlan will be used to hurt me later. Wink.

And then we get to Westrunn, where we see Umbrasyl holding court. A hoard of Barbarians are paying tribute to him... and then a certain Anna Ripley arrives, bearing news of Vox Machina's hunt for the Vestiges... uh oh...

First off, Umbrasyl looks AMAZING. I'm so impressed by the glow-up in the way the dragons look in season two, from what we had in season one. His design is so chilling, and so specifically him. If I'm reading the episode titles right, he's kind of our main adversary for the endgame of this season, and they've done a great job making him look properly menacing. And then there's Ripley. I still feel kind of question mark-ish about Ripley's involvement here, but I'm excited to find out more.

And that's that! Every episode of this show, I am just on the edge of my seat enjoying every second and getting ready to weep at the big moments. If someone listed out all the stuff that was going to happen in each episode, I feel like I would worry it was too crowded... and in some sense, yeah, as I keep saying, I do wish there was just slightly longer in each installment for catching our breath. But the other consequence of that is that every episode is so exciting, with so much to talk about, and I'm not complaining about that either!

8.5/10