The gang does a heist in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 5 — and the cleverly named "De Rolo's Eleven" is a masterclass in structuring such a narrative. It opens with a strong hook, making the smart choice to kick off after the disastrous mission unfolds. The installment fills in the pieces from there, marking another genuinely fun addition to The Legend of Vox Machina season 4. SPOILERS ahead for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 5.
With The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 4's trip to Deastok identifying the larger threat of the Whispered One, the characters start looking for leads on the villain. Unfortunately, there aren't many to be found. Percy concludes they'll only be able to locate information in one place: the Cobalt Archive, a library containing sacred texts.
As Shaun Gilmore more adequately puts it, it's a "highly protected vault, guarded by a millennia-old sect of warrior monks" — a setup that complicates our heroes gaining access. Vox Machina won't be stopped by pesky things like high-level security measures and deadly monks, though. They make plans to break in, and it goes...as chaotically as you'd expect.
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 5 features a high-stakes fantasy heist
Fantasy heists are a fun time when constructed well, and The Legend of Vox Machina knows precisely how to approach Episode 5's story. First, it pulls us in with its perplexing opening. "De Rolo's Eleven" kicks off with Vox Machina yelling and throwing blame at one another, leaving us to wonder what they're so angry about. Then, in a fantastic transition from one shot to the next, Percy wonders aloud, "How did you screw this all up so badly? It was..."
The end of that sentence (..."the perfect heist") brings us back in time, to when Vox Machina starts planning their mission. With a score perfectly suited for sneaking and sleuthing, Percy lays out his plan to break into and out of the Cobalt Archive's core vault.
That plan goes something like this. Newcomer Taryon Darrington will pose as a benefactor, distracting the monks with the promise of a donation. He'll hand over Pike's Plate of the Dawnmartyr, which she and Grog (courtesy of Vex's amulet) will stow away with. This will take them directly into the vault, and the others will be tasked with getting them out.
Percy charges Vex and Vax with using a Talisman of Truth to extract the vault's combination from the monks. Meanwhile, Keyleth and Percy plan to take down its anti-magic field. Once they do this, Grog can emerge from the amulet and operate the vault, and Pike can consume a Potion of Comprehension to understand the ancient text within it. Once they have what they're looking for, they're to make a quiet exit.
It's a complex plan that depends on everything going right — and in typical Vox Machina fashion, the exact opposite happens. The group is repeatedly forced to improvise, resulting in a suspenseful mission that keeps viewers on their toes. Of course, this also makes it one of the team's most fun outings yet.
Vox Machina's heist is as chaotic and delightful as you'd expect
After hearing Percy's plans, it's no surprise that they rapidly go awry. Taryon successfully makes his donation, even if he's acting suspicious the entire time. He does manage to get Pike and Grog past the Cobalt Soul, however, which the entire plan hinges on.
Keyleth also brings down the anti-magic field, despite Percy getting held up by one of Scanlan's super fans. However, that's where the cracks in the group's plan start to show. The archive has a secondary security system, which activates when the barrier is removed. And Keyleth unknowingly sets that off, alerting the order of monks to their presence.
Vex and Vax's portion of the mission also starts off well, then goes off the rails. Using the Talisman of Truth, they get the information they need to open the vault. The problem? Its power isn't limited to their targets. The twins are soon spilling their own secrets, with Vex admitting that she and Percy got married in secret and Vax revealing that he's dying from the Blight. And once they run into another monk, they instantly admit they're breaking into the vault. Even disguises can't help them after that.
Taryon also caves under questioning, and Grog drinks the Potion of Comprehension meant for Pike. The latter is a comical addition for anyone who's ever wondered what Grog would be like if he was smarter. The two switch roles when the secondary security system kicks in, with Pike fighting the statue that guards the vault while Grog hunts for knowledge about the Whispered One.
With everything falling apart at once, Vox Machina must fight their way out of the Cobalt Archive. And to their credit, their teamwork is still strong enough to pull that off. They leave plenty of destruction in their wake, but they escape the Cobalt Soul's clutches. And their efforts aren't totally wasted; in a well-played twist, The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 5's opening proves intentionally misleading.
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 5's opening is intentionally misleading
Although Vox Machina's mission goes terribly in Episode 5, the opening of "De Rolo's Eleven" is actually misleading. The characters may all be frustrated with one another — and they'll likely never be welcome back in the city of Rexxentrum — but they're still somewhat successful. They break in and out of the vault without any arrests or deaths, albeit at the cost of their reputation.
And a cliffhanger ending reveals that Grog actually has the information they need. He wakes up from his fight with the statue and dramatically admits, "I know what happened to the Whispered One." The Legend of Vox Machina continues to prove that it knows how to end an episode. It's a good thing Prime Video is releasing three every week.
Verdict
"De Rolo's Eleven" may feel like a side quest compared to something like The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 3, even with its focus on finding information about the Whispered One. However, it's easily one of The Legend of Vox Machina season 4's most entertaining installments so far — and possibly one of the strongest of the entire fantasy series.
This chapter juggles multiple characters and narratives well, bringing them together seamlessly. More impressive, it pulls this off with pizzazz. The music's on-point, the animation is strong, and the messy energy of the heist is palpable. This is one episode fans will fly through, and it still finds time to work intimate character moments in with its frenetic pacing. It's the definition of firing on all cylinders.
Episode Grade: A+
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