Volume VIII
The End of Vox Machina, Episode 7:
The Endless Atheneeum
"The Endless Atheneeum" is the seventh episode of Chapter 8, The End of Vox Machina.Starring:
- Liam O'Brien as Vax'ildan note
- Laura Bailey as Vex'ahlia note
- Ashley Johnson as Pike Trickfoot note
- Taliesin Jaffe as Percival de Rolo note
- Marisha Ray as Keyleth note
- Sam Riegel as Scanlan Shorthalt note
- Travis Willingham as Grog Strongjaw note
- Matthew Mercer as the Dungeon Master
Guest starring:
- Darin De Paul as Sprigg note
Tropes in this episode:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Sprigg's joke to Ioun:Sprigg: Knock knock?Ioun: Who's there?Sprigg: You'd know.
- Blank Book: The Tome of Isolation turns out to be one. Text only appears when magic of a high-enough level is cast on it.
- Brick Joke: As Vox Machina prepares to leave the Atheneeum, Sprigg starts devising a mnemonic device so he and Ioun can capture one of the library's spectral servants—just in case.Ioun: [smiling] This is going to be a very interesting conversation to have.
- The Chosen One: Scanlan emerges as Ioun's.
- "Flowers for Algernon" Syndrome: Ioun gives Grog and Percy the knowledge required to forge the prime trammels, but with the caveat that the knowledge will be lost to them when the forging is complete.
- Great Big Library of Everything: The Atheneeum, of course, with hundreds of thousands of books. Scanlan has to find one specific book to earn Ioun's favor.
- How Do I Shot Web?: Ioun says that despite Vecna's ascension, Vox Machina may still have enough time to stop him as he is new to his godly powers.
- I Choose to Stay: Sprigg stays in the Atheneeum with Ioun to help her recover.
- I'm Having Soul Pains: Ioun is still recovering from her wounds from battling Tharizdun, and using her divine power takes a notable amount of effort.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!":
- Ioun, Sprigg, and Vox Machina when Ioun realizes that Vecna has ascended to godhood.
- Vox Machina, again, when Vecna appears to them in the ruins of Sprigg's house.
- Mr. Exposition: Ioun lays out what history of Vecna she knows to Vox Machina.
- Needle in a Stack of Needles: To earn Ioun's blessing, Scanlan has to find one book in the enormous library.
- Shout-Out:
- Scanlan's songs, as usual; he pulls from, among others, Reading Rainbow, Hamilton, Les Misérables, and Mike Posner.
- Sprigg quotes the Doctor, saying "We're all stories in the end—just make sure it's a good one."
- As Vex and Scanlan race back through the library to reach Ioun, Matt at one point compares the broom's maneuvering through the bookcases to the Death Star run in A New Hope.
- Third Eye: Ioun has one, and Scanlan gains one with her blessing.
- Timed Mission: To earn Ioun's blessing, Scanlan is given one hour to find a tome needed to seal Vecna away and present it to Ioun.
- Wham Line: "...And then there was one more. The ritual is complete. I can sense his ascension."