List of The Legend of Vox Machina characters

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The main characters of the series with character design by Phil Bourassa. Left to right: Percy, Pike, Grog, Scanlan, Keyleth, Vax and Vex. The Legend of Vox Machina, season one wallpaper.jpg
The main characters of the series with character design by Phil Bourassa. Left to right: Percy, Pike, Grog, Scanlan, Keyleth, Vax and Vex.

The Legend of Vox Machina is an adult animated fantasy television series based on campaign one of the web series Critical Role . The series mainly follows the titular Vox Machina, a party of adventurers known primarily for their exploits across the continent of Tal'Dorei.

Contents

The cast reprising their roles from the web series are Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson, Liam O'Brien, Marisha Ray, Sam Riegel and Travis Willingham. Matthew Mercer, the Dungeon Master of the campaign, also stars as Trinket, Lord Sylas Briarwood, Umbrasyl and voices a number of background characters. Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is voice director for seasons 1 and 2. [1]

The series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on January 28, 2022; the second season premiered on January 20, 2023. [2] Season 3 premiered on October 17, 2024, with season 4 currently in production.

Overview

List indicators
  = Main cast (credited)
  = Recurring cast (3+ episodes in season)
  = Guest cast (1-2 episodes in season)
CharacterPortrayed byAppearances [3]
Season 1Season 2Season 3
Main characters
Vex'ahlia "Vex" Vessar Laura Bailey Main
Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III Taliesin Jaffe Main
Pike Trickfoot Ashley Johnson Main
Trinket Matthew Mercer [a] [b] Main
Vax'ildan "Vax" Vessar Liam O'Brien Main
Keyleth of the Air Ashari Marisha Ray Main
Scanlan Shorthalt Sam Riegel Main
Grog Strongjaw Travis Willingham Main
Recurring characters
Lady Kima of Vord Stephanie Beatriz Recurring
Sovereign Uriel Tal'Dorei Khary Payton RecurringGuestDoes not appear
Lady Allura Vysoren Indira Varma Recurring
Lord Sylas BriarwoodMatthew MercerRecurringDoes not appear
Lady Delilah Briarwood Grey Griffin RecurringDoes not appear
Shaun GilmoreSunil MalhotraRecurring
Kerrion Stonefell Darin De Paul RecurringDoes not appear
Head Cleric Anjali Bhimani RecurringDoes not appear
Professor Anders Stephen Root RecurringDoes not appear
Archibald Desnay Dominic Monaghan RecurringDoes not appear
Duke Vedmire Rory McCann RecurringDoes not appear
Keeper Yennen Gina Torres Recurring
Lord de RoloTaliesin JaffeRecurringDoes not appear
Cassandra de Rolo Esmé Creed-Miles Recurring
Dr. Anna Ripley Kelly Hu [c] Recurring
Thordak Lance Reddick Does not appearRecurring [d]
UmbrasylMatthew MercerDoes not appearRecurringDoes not appear
Raishan Cree Summer Guest [e] Recurring
Craven EdgeMatthew MercerDoes not appearRecurringDoes not appear
Kashaw Will Friedle Does not appearRecurringGuest
Zahra Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Does not appearRecurringGuest
Zanror Abubakar Salim Does not appearRecurringDoes not appear
Kevdak Ralph Ineson Does not appearRecurringDoes not appear
Kaylie Aisling Franciosi Does not appearRecurring
OrthaxMatthew MercerGuestDoes not appearRecurring
VorugalLiam O'BrienDoes not appearGuestRecurring
Earthbreaker Groon Ike Amadi Does not appearGuestRecurring
Zerxus IlerezLuis CarazoDoes not appearRecurring
Guest characters [f]
Jarrett Howarth Eugene Byrd Guest
The Everlight Tracie Thoms GuestDoes not appearGuest
Syldor Vessar Troy Baker Does not appearGuest
Vilya Janet Varney Does not appearGuest
Korrin Fred Tatasciore Does not appearGuest
Cerkonos Robbie Daymond Does not appearGuest
Dr. DranzelMatthew MercerDoes not appearGuest
Matron of Ravens Courtenay Taylor Does not appearGuest

Vox Machina

The characters have been adapted from campaign one of the web series Critical Role . [5] [6] [7]

Vex'ahlia Vessar

Vex'ahlia "Vex" Vessar (voiced by Laura Bailey), is a half-elf ranger and the twin sister of Vax'ildan. [5] [8] She studied dragons in the hope of eventually finding the one that killed her and Vax's mother when they were children. Vex feels a shooting pain in her head whenever a dragon is close by. [9] [10] She is accompanied by Trinket (voiced by Matthew Mercer; Cheech Marin in Vex's Fey Realm hallucination), an armored bear companion she found as a cub and raised. Vex and her brother were treated poorly by her elven father Syldor due to her mixed heritage and Vax pushes her to run away with him following years of mistreatment by Syldor. This act brings the twins closer than ever before, having only the other the rely upon. Once returning to Syngorn as an adult, Syldor continues to dismiss both the twin's accomplishments and their quest for Fenthras, a Vestige of Divergence and Vex "defers to his anger" and even chides Vax when he attempts to rebuke him". [11] In an attempt to stand up for Vex, Percy informs Syldor that Vex is in fact titled as Lady Vex'ahlia, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Gray Hunt, which Syldor also dismisses, even though Percy does legitimize this title later. This prompts Vex to stand up for her friends and herself – when Syldor smugly rebukes her, she continues. 'We won't fail, which is more than I can say about you as a father.'" [11] After recovering and claiming Fenthras, Vex decides she's not ready to face her father again. [11] In season 3, Vex and Percy admit their feelings for one another, and after a few trysts together, decide to not pursue a romantic relationship at Vex's insistence, but stay as "teammates with benefits". This, obviously, does not work out.

Percival de Rolo

Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, Third Son of the House of Whitestone (voiced by Taliesin Jaffe) is a human gunslinger. [5] [12] Percival hails from the noble de Rolo family, rulers of Whitestone, until his family was massacred by the Briarwoods, a vampiric couple who usurped control of the city. Percy barely escaped with his life, but the trauma of his family's death left him vengeful and haunted.

Driven by a desire for revenge, Percy uses his intellect to create firearms, becoming a skilled marksman and inventor, effectively inventing the first gun created in Exandria. His personal quest to reclaim Whitestone and destroy the Briarwoods becomes a major arc in the series. Along the way, Percy struggles with a dark force tied to his thirst for vengeance, manifesting in a demon called Orthax, who offers him power in exchange for his soul.

As Percy confronts his past and seeks justice for his family, he must also grapple with the consequences of his actions and the darkness within himself. He is the paramour of Vex’ahlia.

Pike Trickfoot

Pike Trickfoot (voiced by Ashley Johnson) is a gnome cleric [5] [8] of the goddess Everlight. [13] She's been a companion of Grog's for many years, and the two have a deep, caring friendship. Pike's faith sometimes gets challenged by what she feels she has to do to help her teammates and friends. In season 3, Pike obtains the Plate of the Dawnmartyr, a special magical armor that can turn a dragon's fire attack back against them.

Vax'ildan Vessar

Vax'ildan "Vax" Vessar (voiced by Liam O'Brien) is a rogue and is the twin brother of Vex'ahlia, and their close bond is central to their characters. After their mother's death at the hands of a dragon, Vax and Vex became inseparable, relying on each other as they navigated a dangerous world.

In the series, Vax is depicted as the group's agile scout, skilled in stealth and subterfuge. His quick thinking and ability to outmaneuver enemies often help the team out of perilous situations. Vax struggles with feelings of vulnerability and a deep fear of losing his loved ones, which motivates his fierce protectiveness toward Vex and the rest of the group.

A major turning point for Vax's character comes when he encounters the Matron of Ravens, the goddess of death. After a fateful encounter, Vax becomes her chosen champion, which grants him supernatural abilities but also binds him to her service. This connection to the Matron of Death introduces a darker, more introspective side to Vax, as he grapples with the weight of his new responsibilities and his role in guiding souls to the afterlife.

Vax is a romantic interest to Keyleth, and while he shares the same feelings, some of the effects of his new powers, including his ability to see the future fates of others, causes him to not act on his feelings for Keyleth.

Keyleth of the Air Ashari

Keyleth of the Air Ashari (voiced by Marisha Ray) is a half-elf druid [5] [14] who is currently undergoing her Aramenté – a quest which acts as the Ashari trial of leadership. [15] [16] Keyleth, or "Keykey" as she's sometimes called, is initially apprehensive and doubting of her abilities, but slowly gains confidence throughout the series' first two seasons. As of season 3, she can control wind, fire, and plant attacks. Keyleth has feelings for Vax, which he also has for her but doesn't want to pursue them, as Vax worries that his own powers and visions could pull them away.

Scanlan Shorthalt

Scanlan Shorthalt (voiced by Sam Riegel) is a gnome bard [5] [8] known for his music and innuendo. He is not shy about his promiscuity. Scanlan is able to use his lyre to cast different spells. Scanlan has an illegitimate daughter, Kaylie, who was born out of a one-night-stand Scanlan had with her mother. Scanlan tries to reconnect with her but fails when he is torn between patching things up with her and helping his team out. Scanlan also seems to have feelings for Pike, in spite of his promiscuous attitude, though she only seems to care for him as a friend and teammate.

Grog Strongjaw

Grog Strongjaw (voiced by Travis Willingham) is a goliath barbarian, [5] [8] who is always ready to fight. Grog and Pike have been friends for many years, with Grog usually needing Pike to keep him focused. Simple-minded, Grog can sometimes take things too literally or not literally enough. Initially bare-faced, Grog grows a beard in season 2.

Other characters by fictional location

Ank'Harel

Ank'Harel is a desert city in Marquet, a continent of Exanndria.

Dis

Dis is a city in the Hell of Despath.

Draconia

Draconia is a city of dragon-born in Wildemount.

Emon

Emon is the capital of the Kingdom of Tal'Dorei and is located on the continent's western shore. [17] The city is attacked by the dragons of the Chroma Conclave at the end of the first season. [18] [2]

The Fey Realm

Syngorn

Syngorn is a city of elves – it was teleported to the Fey Realm after the Chroma Conclave attacked Emon.

Vasselheim

Vasselheim is the capital of the continent of Issylra. It is predominantly a religious city with several districts, each dedicated to a patron deity.

Westruun

Whitestone

Whitestone is an independent city-state located on the continent's northeastern edge. It was ruled by the de Rolo family until a coup d'état led by the Briarwoods; the first season focuses on Vox Machina's fight with the Briarwoods and their reclamation of the city. [29] [30] [31]

Other characters by fictional organization

Ashari

Chroma Conclave

A group of powerful dragons who have come together to conquer Tal'Dorei; this is unusual as dragons don't normally get along.

Slayer's Take

Temple of the Everlight

Additional characters

Reception

Madison Durham, for Polygon in 2022, wrote that "the characterization of Keyleth in the animated series is entirely consistent with how Ray played her in the show, refined and honed for this new format" and acts as "redemption" for the character. [14] During the first season, Durham comments that the audience "not only to see Keyleth overcome small moments of uncertainty, but are also treated to the visualization of her power — power she wields first as small blooms of flowers or vines, that blossoms into blazing orbs of pure sunlight and towering walls of ice. Members of her own party are forced to acknowledge her prowess". [14] She also highlighted the changes to Keyleth and Vax's romance and called it a "deft move on the part of the writers and animators". [14] Andrea Towers, for TV Insider in 2023, wrote that "the animated series is doing something remarkable: it's opening up Keyleth to an entirely new segment of fans, both new and old, who are falling in love with her endearing nature and struggles with self-confidence and seeing her in an entirely different way than people did a few years ago. The narrative of the show — especially the second season, which is allowing the character to come into her own and take on more responsibility — is proving that the very things that made the character so contentious in the first place are the things that make her one of, if not the most, valuable and relatable character in the adventuring group". [40]

Brenton Stewart, for CBR in 2022, commented that while many members of Vox Machina fit "classical fantasy tropes," Percy resists "almost any box of a fantasy archetype fans might try to fit him into" which makes him "more unique and interesting each time his backstory unravels". [12] Stewart wrote that "part of The Legend of Vox Machina's fun is that the characters are so diverse, there is something different for everyone and a little something to enjoy in each of them. The show would not be the same if it focused on Percy alone, yet it's hard to make any comparisons where he does not stand out as the most unique character worthy of focus". [12]

Madison Durham, for Polygon during the show's second season, wrote that "Vex'ahlia is not on the surface someone who is in any way fragile. She is bold, and self-confident, and unremorseful about the things she wants. She can also be prickly and stubborn. Beneath her bravado, though, lurks a very big heart. Big enough to rescue an orphaned bear cub, fierce enough to protect her brother and her friends, and kind enough to welcome a half-sister with open arms". [11] Durham highlighted the adaptation of Vex's conflict with her father and her fight with Saundor. She commented that "the animated series has done an amazing job at allowing all the characters in the show to stand on their own feet — in particular, they've been writing the women of the show beautifully". [11]

James Grebey, for Vulture in 2023, commented on the character design of the Chroma Conclave – "the stylistic choice to make the dragons computer generated, rather than the more traditional-looking animation of the human characters and backgrounds, sometimes sticks out, but it only makes [the Chroma Conclave's invasion of Emon] sequence even more effective. The Chroma Conclave is not normal. It is out of Vox Machina's league by an unfathomable degree". [28] Grebey highlighted the abilities of each dragon and on Thordak, he wrote "lest you think a normal fire-breathing dragon seems generic after his fellow dragons' unique, gruesome abilities, the series does something new and awe inspiring when the Thordak's fire turns into a brilliant white beam that instantly levels the city". [28]

Notes

  1. Mercer is a member of the main cast and is credited in every episode, but not always as Trinket. He also voices several other recurring characters in the series, as well as background characters in most episodes, but Trinket is the character with the most appearances.
  2. Trinket is also voiced by Cheech Marin in a hallucination in season 2.
  3. A young Anna Ripley is voiced by Kimiko Glenn in season 3.
  4. Levar Burton voiced undead Thordak in the last two episodes of season 3.
  5. Credited as "Otherworldly Voice" in the first season. [4]
  6. For the sake of brevity, only characters who have appeared in multiple seasons are listed here.
  7. 1 2 3 Reprises the role from the Critical Role webseries.
  8. It is revealed in the credits of "The Echo Tree" that this creature is in fact the archfey Artagan (voiced by Mercer), a character who was more prominently featured in Critical Role's second campaign. [26]

References

  1. Hoffer, Christopher (July 29, 2021). "Critical Role: "The Legend of Vox Machina" Taps Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Voice Director". Gaming. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Moreau, Jordan (2022-12-15). "'Legend of Vox Machina' Season 2 Trailer: Critical Role's Chroma Conclave Comes to Life". Variety. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  3. "The Legend of Vox Machina (2022)". Behind the Voice Actors. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Legend of Vox Machina Has Already Set Up Its Season 2 Villain". ComicBook.com. January 28, 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Razak, Matthew (January 26, 2022). "The Legend of Vox Machina Will Satisfy People Who Have No Idea What Critical Role Is". The Escapist. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
  6. Stewart, Brenton (2022-02-21). "Legend of Vox Machina Proves the Importance of Backstory & Shared Connections". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  7. Roth, Julia (2022-01-28). "What To Know Before THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA Drops". Geek Girl Authority. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Fitzpatrick, Olivia (2022-01-31). "'The Legend of Vox Machina' Cast and Character Guide". Collider. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  9. Towers, Andrea (2022-01-21). "The Legend of Vox Machina Premiere Review – First 3 Episodes". IGN. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  10. Field, James (2022-02-01). "'The Legend of Vox Machina' Brings Tabletop Roleplaying to Glorious Life on Prime". Pajiba. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Durham, Madison (2023-02-03). "The Legend of Vox Machina made one of Critical Role's biggest moments even better". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  12. 1 2 3 Stewart, Brenton (2022-02-17). "The Legend of Vox Machina's Percival de Rolo Is the Most Unique Fantasy Hero in Years". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  13. Stewart, Brenton (2022-03-02). "The Legend of Vox Machina: Who Is The Team's Most Powerful Member?". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Durham, Madison (2022-02-18). "Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina offers justice for Keyleth". Polygon. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  15. "Legend of Vox Machina: Every Character's Powers & Backstory Explained". Screen Rant. 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  16. Bridges, Ryan (2022-02-26). "The Legend of Vox Machina: Keyleth's Aramenté Is More Than a Copy of Avatar". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  17. Durham, Madison (2022-01-13). "Critical Role's Vox Machina animated series is a hit, so go back to where it all started". Polygon. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  18. 1 2 "Critical Role Season 1 Finale Recap: Vox Machina Rises to the Occasion". Gizmodo. 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hoffer, Christian (January 1, 2022). "The Legend of Vox Machina Recruits David Tennant, Dominic Monaghan, and More as Guest Stars". ComicBook.com. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Moreau, Jordan (2022-01-20). "Critical Role's 'Legend of Vox Machina' Adds Stephanie Beatriz, David Tennant, Tony Hale and More as Guest Stars". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-20.
  21. Elvy, Craig (2022-01-31). "Legend of Vox Machina Does Witcher's Season 1 Dragon Twist Right". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  22. Edwards, Belen (2022-02-03). "The dragon battle in 'The Legend of Vox Machina' is fantasy perfection". Mashable. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  23. Lerner, Jamie (2022-01-27). "There's More to General Krieg in 'The Legend of Vox Machina' Than Meets the Eye". Distractify. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  24. 1 2 "Pride Month Spotlight: 'The Legends of Vox Machina'". Nerds & Beyond. June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  25. 1 2 3 "The Legend of the Cast of The Legend of Vox Machina". Critical Role. January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022 via YouTube.
  26. Anderson, Julia (February 3, 2023). "Legend of Vox Machina Just Referenced a MAJOR Critical Role Hero". CBR. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  27. "The Legend of Vox Machina Sneak Peek Teases Tense Showdown Between Vax, Vex, and Syldor". ComicBook.com . February 2, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Grebey, James (2023-01-20). "The Legend of Vox Machina Season-Premiere Recap: Dragons and a Dungeon". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  29. Elvy, Craig (2022-02-21). "The Legend Of Vox Machina Ending Explained & Shocking Season 2 Set-Up". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  30. "Mapping the City of Whitestone in Tal'Dorei Reborn". Darrington Press. February 23, 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  31. "The Legend Of Vox Machina Unveils New Locations!". That Hashtag Show. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  32. "Critical Role: "The Legend of Vox Machina" Taps Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Voice Director". ComicBook.com. July 29, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  33. Lerner, Jamie (2022-02-04). "Keeper Yennen Is Gender-Swapped in 'The Legend of Vox Machina' and We're Here for It". Distractify. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  34. "New Details for Legend of Vox Machina Season 2 Revealed, First Look at Beloved Critical Role Characters". ComicBook.com . January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 "Vox Machina — Who are the Dragons of the Chroma Conclave?". Sideshow Collectibles. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  36. "We Finally Meet the Everlight in 'The Legend of Vox Machina,' and She Is Multi-Talented". Distractify. 2022-02-11. Retrieved 2022-02-14. Sarenrae is a prime deity in many Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, so to avoid any copyright issues, she has always been referred to as the Everlight in Critical Role.
  37. Binette, Arianne (June 17, 2022). "'Ms. Marvel': Here's Where You Know Anjali Bhimani From". Collider. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  38. Bridges, Ryan (2022-02-25). "The Legend of Vox Machina: What Is Orthax - and Is the Demon Gone For Good?". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  39. Anderson, Julia (2022-12-07). "The Legend of Vox Machina Casts Henry Winkler, Cheech Marin in Key Season 2 Roles". CBR. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  40. Towers, Andrea (January 27, 2023). "Why 'Legend of Vox Machina's Keyleth Is the Flawed Character We Need Right Now". TV Insider . Retrieved February 3, 2023.