History Recap / TheLegendOfVoxMachinas02E02TheTrialsOfVasselheim

* RightForTheWrongReasons: Grog correctly guesses that Groon's ArmourPiercingQuestion is a trick one, but misjudges the answer as coming from his heart. Once the answer is revealed, it's shown that he wasn't exactly ''wrong'' per se, just incorrect in his phrasing.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a BareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasizing how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a dose of BreakThemByTalking that is combined with DareToBeBadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a BareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasizing how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a BreakingSpeech that is combined with DareToBeBadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* PerspectiveMagic: The opening apparently has Keyleth's exit portal being on a tree in the middle of nowhere in a rocky terrain, before Scanlan fully exits the portal and is abruptly dragged sideways, with the camera rotating 90 degrees to reveal that the tree is actually growing horizontally on a steep cliff, the portal pointing straight towards the far-away ground, which Scanlan apparently didn't realize what he was looking at. A similar thing happens when Osysa gives Vox Machina her BreakingSpeech, the various members getting grabbed or tossed away into the shifting darkness of the chamber, with the camera rotating wildly to indicate there's also an element of GravityScrew going on as they're flung against or off the pillars and floor of the room depending on the camera angle.

* MythologyGag: During the establishing shot of the different temples, two members of the Mighty Nein can be seen briefly in the background -- Caduceus giving a sermon in front of the Wildmother's temple, and Yasha talking to two other NPCs in front of the Storm Lord's domain.

* ShoutOut: Red Monika and Garrison from ComicBook/BattleChasers can be seen [[https://twitter.com/phil_bourassa/status/1616966147374747649 amongst the membership of the Slayer's Take.]]
* WrongForTheRightReasons: Grog correctly guesses that Groon's ArmourPiercingQuestion is a trick one, but misjudges the answer as coming from his heart. Once the answer is revealed, it's shown that he wasn't exactly ''wrong'' per se, just incorrect in his phrasing.

* AlienBlood: The Snail-like creature Zahra stabs in her introductory scene, bleeds blue blood.

* RevengeBeforeReason: Vex offers up the entire collective hoard of all four dragons if The Slayer's Take helps kill them, an amount that makes the 12,000 gold she owes look like pocket change. They still refuse to help and pick a fight instead.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: The episode ends with Percy visiting a black powder shop, and the vendor noting that only one other recent customer had come by, a woman with only one arm: Dr. Ripley...

* YouOweMe: Zahra still holds a grudge against Vex for running off with one of Slayer's Take's bounties and demands payment in either 12.000 gold pieces or a hydra's head. Which unfortunately, neither of which Vex has on hand.

* ShoutOut: Red Monika and Garrison from ComicBook/BattleChasers can be seen amongst the membership of the Slayer's Take.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a BareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasizing how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a BreakingSpeech that is combined with DareToBebadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a BareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasising how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a BreakingSpeech that is combined with DareToBebadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* PerspectiveMagic: The opening apparently has Keylyth's exit portal being on a tree in the middle of nowhere in a rocky terrain, before Scanlan fully exits the portal and is abruptly dragged sideways, with the camera rotating 90 degrees to reveal that the tree is actually growing horizontally on a steep cliff, the portal pointing straight towards the far-away ground, which Scanlan apparently didn't realise what he was looking at. A similar thing happens when Osysa gives Vox Machina her BreakingSpeech, the various members getting grabbed or tossed away into the shifting darkness of the chamber, with the camera rotating wildly to indicate there's also an element of GravityScrew going on as they're flung against or off the pillars and floor of the room depending on the camera angle.

* FlippingTheBird: The WantedPoster of Vex and Vax shows her giving the finger. Since it's a hand drawn poster, one has to conclude she did the gesture often.

* ShoutOut: Two of the Slayer's Take members look exactly like Red Monika and Garrison from ComicBook/BattleChasers.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a bareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasising how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a BreakingSpeech that is combined with DareToBebadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* CoolOldGuy: [[AwesomeMccoolname Earthbreaker Groon]], natch. He not only handily kicks Grog's ass repeatedly despite being unarmed, barely getting scratched at all until he does a bareHandedBladeBlock, he also uses this as a learning experience for Grog, emphasising how his weak mindset will allow [[EvilWeapon his weapon]] to overtake him eventually until he masters himself and learns where he draws his strength from. Pointedly, he's presented as a counterpart to Osysa giving the more intelligent members of Vox Machina a BreakingSeech that is combined with DareToBebadass, dumbing down his lesson to one Grog can understand through the beating.

* FlippingTheBird: The WantedPoster of Vex and Vax shows her giving the figure. Since it's a hand drawn poster, one has to conclude she did the gesture often.
* ShoutOut: Two of the Slayer's Take members look exactly like Red Monika and Garrison from ComicBook/BattleChasers.

!!Contains Examples Of
* FlippingTheBird: The WantedPoster of Vex and Vax shows her giving the figure. Since it's a hand drawn poster, one has to conclude she did the gesture often.
* ShoutOut: Two of the Slayer's Take members look exactly like Red Monika and Garrison from ComicBook/BattleChasers.

In the distant city of Vasselheim, Vox Machina seeks help. When the city's rulers turn them away, however, their only hope lies in some old "friends" with a grudge against Vex and Vax.