The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 10 kicks off this outing's three-part ending, picking up on the heels of the fantasy show's tragic cliffhanger in Episode 9. With Grog dead and Pike in Thar Amphala, Vox Machina races to save the latter. It means making difficult choices that put them at odds with their allies — and, in Percy's case, with his own sister. SPOILERS ahead for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10.
Speaking of choices, "The Poisoned Ear" presents Pike with one as well. Given her crisis of faith this season, it's a true test for her character. The Whispered One finally introduces himself, and his human form is one we've seen before (it's hinted at in season 4 episode 6). The villain paints a compelling picture of the world he wants to build, poisoning Pike's ear in precisely the way this chapter's title suggests. His official introduction gives the Prime Video series a truly well-crafted villain. It shines a spotlight on how complicated the members of Vox Machina are as well.
"The Poisoned Ear" questions what kind of heroes Vox Machina want to be
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10 opens outside the now-destroyed Temple of Truth, with Vox Machina still processing what happened in the prior installment. Their panic is understandable, as is Taryon Darrington's conclusion that things are "hopeless." But just because they look that way doesn't make it so. Percy's the first to recover and come up with a logical plan: using the orb at Whitestone to get to Thar Amphala and save Pike.
Like most of Percy's plans in the Prime Video series, it's simpler in theory than in practice. Upon returning to Whitestone, it's clear their allies aren't on the same page. Characters like Allura, Shaun, and even Percy's sister may find Pike's loss sad. However, they're not gutted enough to risk reactivating the orb to save her. This presents Vox Machina with a hard choice: go against their allies and the good of Exandria to save Pike, or prioritize the safety of their world on a larger scale.
They choose Pike. Their decision is a testament to the group's bonds, but it also raises hard questions about what it means to be a hero. Is saving one person worth it, if you risk condemning countless more? And can you comfortably call yourself a hero if you're willing to sacrifice even one life, especially one belonging to someone you care about?
These are the questions The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10 grapples with, and it sets up an intriguing narrative going forward. Vox Machina starts this outing as uncontested heroes, but their fight to reach Thar Amphala may leave Exandria looking at them differently if they return. (We already see hints of this after their heist in season 4 episode 5, and that adventure is for the greater good.) It doesn't help that Pike is facing her own moral predicament in Thar Amphala, where the Whispered One makes a tempting pitch.
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10 makes the Whispered One an all too compelling villain
Vox Machina's efforts to reach Pike in Thar Amphala set up an interesting challenge for them. However, the true highlight of The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10 is Pike's storyline. Early in "The Poisoned Ear," we catch up with Pike in Thar Amphala and learn the true identity of the Whispered One, at least in his human form: Gideon. He may seem like the most level-headed person Pike and Grog meet during their trip home in episode 6, but there's clearly a reason for that: he needs Pike's support to complete his ascension.
And Gideon does his best to sell Pike on his mission in this installment, with season 4 demonstrating what a persuasive villain he is. He pulls at Pike's doubts about the Everlight, affirming the idea that the gods are rigid and uncaring. The Whispered One claims he values choice and granting people "power over their own fate." Pike's right that he "has nice words" — and after seeing what the gods allow and facilitate throughout the series, it's no wonder he's accumulated such a following.
Of course, any well-written villain claims they want to make the world better, and Pike is still on high alert. The villain knows exactly how to sway her, however: by promising he can "cure" death. He's already restored Grog's body by the time Pike arrives, and he claims that he can bring him back entirely. It convinces Pike to hear him out.
He also reveals another shocking truth, one that explains why he's so desperate for Pike's support. She's the descendant of a celestial line, and her blood can fuel his ascension. With Pike holding Mythcarver and possessing celestial blood, everything is quite literally in her hands when episode 10 close. It's another cliffhanger, as it's unclear what she'll do.
Verdict
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 episode 10 is a compelling build-up to the finale, presenting the show's heroes with some major moral dilemmas. Pike's encounter with the Whispered One doesn't exactly leave us rooting for him to win, but it won't see fans siding with the gods either. Keyleth and Vax's narrative throughout the episode complements this nicely. The former is as desperate to save Vax as Pike is to revive Grog. And because we want our heroes to survive, we're all for defying the gods...which leaves everyone, viewers included, in a crisis of faith.
The choice to make the Whispered One so compelling is clever on The Legend of Vox Machina's part. For an episode with minimal action, this one will leave fans hanging on every word. The emotional stakes and tensions are expertly handled in that regard. Plus, everything from the score to the color palette of Thar Amphala helps capture episode 10's tonal shift.
It does feel like "The Poisoned Ear" is feeding us exposition at times, but it manages to make even that feel engaging. And the episode's final moments continue to showcase this show's skill at maintaining momentum, leaving the gang — minus Taryon, whose final stand is also a nice touch — in enemy territory while Pike stands between two momentous choices.
Episode Grade: A
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