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Season 1
Episode 1: The Terror of Tal'Dorei: Part 1
- Keyleth nearly having a panic attack, believing the dragon getting away was her fault. Even during the fight, she seems unsure of herself and worries she's just The Load for her friends.
- Vex gets horrible headaches when she senses the dragon. Vax and Percy immediately want to call off the mission when they notice how much pain it's causing Vex.
- Pike, the only one who wants to still fight back, is left behind as the group slowly turn their backs. All Grog can do is quietly pick her up and place her on his shoulders.
- Vox Machina seeing the aftermath of the dragon's destruction of the village and coming across the bodies of the family they met. Adding insult to injury, the mother is cradling her daughter in death, and they find the son barely alive but Pike can't heal him because she's too drained from healing Grog's major wound earlier.
- A blink and you'll miss it moment if you don't watch the episode with subtitles, but when Vax enters the village, one of the subtitles is 'Stifles sobs'. It's a stark reminder that this is probably the twins' worst nightmare come back to haunt them, given what happened to their mother and village years ago.
- This is enough to make Scanlan realize what's at stake as he strums up his lute. When Vax angrily asks what he's doing, Scanlan simply replies that they have to kill the dragon.
Episode 2: The Terror of Tal'Dorei: Part 2
- The soldiers panicking as the dragon attacks their camp, with two in particular trying to run away. However, they both get caught by the dragon, flown up into the sky and then dropped to their deaths. Brimscythe later shows himself to be intelligent and capable of great cunning, so him giving them such brutal deaths when they weren't remotely a threat to him sells how much of a Sadist he is, and how doomed the soldiers were once he'd lured them into his ambush.
- Vax pulling out the coin he gave to the boy, still covered in blood. He quietly says, "We got him, kid." as he flicks the coin into the crumbling den and runs into the portal.
Episode 3: The Feast of Realms
- The opening scene of episode 3, Percy's Past Experience Nightmare. The de Rolo family are shown enjoying time together, before being brutally murdered, interspersed with scenes of Percy and Cassandra fleeing only for her to be shot down with multiple arrows in the back, Percy's torture at the hands of Anna Ripley, and a shot of Percy's hair turning stark white from the ordeal. The conversation thereafter highlights how common this must be for him.Vex: Bad dream?
Percy: Is there any other kind? - Percy going into a full-blown PTSD flashback at the sight of the Briarwoods entering the feast.
- Percy being forced to politely sit across from the people who murdered his whole family at dinner, who then twists the knife by claiming that the de Rolos grew bored of ruling and abdicated after their children raided the treasury, leaving the people of Whitestone to rot.
- The look of worry that flits across Vex's face when she senses her brother may be in danger. She's already lost her home, and one can only imagine how often she's afraid of losing her brother.
- On top of the, the look of terror on Vax's face as he's immobilized and then bitten by Sylas, unable to do anything except shake and gasp.
- After the Briarwoods get away, Percy starts to lose it and angrily lashes out at his party members. This visibly affects Keyleth as tears form in her eyes.Percy: I had them! Had them! (glares at party) And you let them slip away!
Keyleth: (Trying Not to Cry) I-I didn't... - Poor Desmond, who's on the receiving end of Percy's fury and gun barrel as he pleads for his life. After Percy blows off the fingers on one of his hands, he weakly tries to crawl away as he cries.
Episode 4: Shadows at the Gates
- Pike and Grog saying goodbye to each other. Pike needs to go on a personal journey to pray at a temple to the Everlight after her powers stopped working. Grog offers to go with her, but she insists on going alone. The whole time after, Grog sounds like he's Trying Not to Cry, as he'll miss his surrogate sister. Finally, Pike says a personal goodbye to Keyleth, saying "you're their light now" after Keyleth used her power to fight off the wraiths. Even though everyone is expecting Pike to come back, it still hits all of Vox Machina pretty hard.
Episode 5: Fate's Journey
- Vax realizes that Grog has been crying in the back of the cart because he misses Pike. When Vax tries to tell him she'll be alright, Grog reveals he's not worried about her, he's worried about what they'll do without her. He's a miserable mess without his foster sister there and he's not coping well in her absence.
- The little girl delightedly asking Delilah whether the "dinner guests" have won a prize. With Briarwood-occupied Whitestone being such a terrible, dark place, being invited to the luxurious Whitestone Castle and given a gift (the Everlight necklace) by a beautiful lady who spoke kindly to her, for however long it must have seemed like an amazing experience for the girl. Unfortunately, she would end up being tortured and executed by hanging for the "crime" of looking like Pike.
- Vox Machina's light-hearted discussion of the worst monsters they've ever faced is ground to a sad halt when Vax asks Percy about his. Percy's response brings a sobering bit of Mood Whiplash as both the party and the audience are reminded of the severity of their current situation:Percy: They're in Whitestone. And we'll all be facing them soon.
- It's basically Played for Laughs, and the moment it draws from in the source material was pure Black Comedy, but Keyleth flashing back to accidentally killing a duergar man by dropping him into lava carries an undercurrent of sadness and pity for her. She recounts it with the blank Thousand-Yard Stare of dissociation, leaving the implication that the poor girl's nearly-constant state of panic is at least partially informed by PTSD.
- The stark contrast between Percy's description of Whitestone being a beautiful, lush, and rich place, compared to Whitestone under the Briarwoods' control: a dark, decimated town that look deserted, with terrified people hiding in their homes from patrolling guards. The devastated look on Percy's face as he looks out over his ruined home says it all.Percy: What have they done?
Episode 6: Spark of Rebellion
- Even though Stonefell is a vile monster, he gets the briefest of humanizing moments (that still does very little to redeem him). When Percy removes his mask, Stonefell looks surprised/confused and calls out "Percy?" It's not fear of a victim coming back as an avenger, it's all-too-brief recognition of someone he was familiar with. Like Keeper Yennen, he was able to immediately recognize Percy all grown up and with white hair instead of the young, brunet Percy. Thus, it's very likely that animated Stonefell was among the Whitestone staff who betrayed the de Rolos, instead of merely being part of the Briarwoods' retinue. Given that Percy had him on the list as Captain Stonefell, he could have been the Whitestone Captain of the Guards before the coup. Despite saying that Stonefell was the one he was least looking forward to (implying that he's not even worth the satisfaction of vengeance), Percy still says "I am vengeance for the de Rolos" and "I wanted you to know it was me". He still cares about Stonefell knowing that his death was payback for what he did to Percy specifically and his family in general. There is a personal, emotional stake in this.
- The look on Percy's face when Archie tells him that his sister Cassandra is still alive. The man looks almost terrified to hope that he isn't the sole surviving de Rolo after all.
Episode 7: Scanbo
- Percy recounting his past shows what became of him after he escaped the Briarwoods: left with only the clothes on his back, forced to scavenge for food, and with only the nightmares about his dead family and their killers to keep him company.
- At the end of the episode, Percy is finally reunited with his sole surviving sister after believing for years his entire family is dead... only for his traitorous former mentor to callously slit her throat in front of him. The look of horror and anguish on Percy's face says it all.
Episode 8: Silver Tongue
- Seeing his sister dying is enough to momentarily make Percy forget about taking vengeance. He just drops to his knees next to her and cradles her, watching his last living family member die again.
- Percy giving a "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Anders really makes you feel how betrayed he felt when the latter gave him and Cassandra up to the Briarwoods.Percy: We trusted you. You were our teacher. We would have done anything you asked. And you betrayed us when we needed you most. You're the face I saw when murder entered my heart.
Episode 9: The Tide of Bone
- The Briarwoods' Start of Darkness: Sylas was dying of an unknown illness and Delilah was so desperate to save him that she used dark magic to make him a vampire.
- How broken down Cassandra is, listless and drained compared to the lively young girl who got bored in class and played pranks on Percival.
- Archie saves Scanlan by distracting a vengeful Vedmire. His reward is being cut in two by the massive goliath as Percy watches.
Episode 10: Depths of Deceit
- Cassandra's betrayal breaks Percy, driving him to a near-catatonic state, with the rest of the team trying to snap him out of it.
- Vex's reaction to Vax being charmed by Sylas, screaming for him to come back.
Episode 11: Whispers at the Ziggurat
- Cassandra duels Percy while under Sylas' mind control, but is momentarily brought back to herself when she unwittingly recalls memories she shares with him, including one where they were imprisoned and Percy—visibly more the worse for wear—offers her some of his food.
- When Vax is broken out of his charm, thanks to the combination of Keyleth's magic and Vex punching him over and over again in the face, Vex just breaks down crying and hugs her brother tight.
- While they are genuinely awful people, it's hard to hear Delilah's lament after Sylas meets his end. The earth-rending shriek of sorrow she voices when he dies is genuinely heartwrenching.Delilah: Sylas, I broke the world for us.
- After half a season of enduring Vex's resentment (through no fault of her own), Keyleth throws herself in front of a spell meant for Vex and takes it clean through the chest, giving Vex a tiny, bloody smile before falling into her arms. After a full season of being cold, composed, and judgmental, especially of Keyleth herself, Vex completely disintegrates in grief.
Episode 12: The Darkness Within
- Vex stands between an enraged Percy and Delilah Briarwood and convinces him to take his mask off. Underneath is Percy, whose eyes are showing Orthax's possession, but is crying in fear of himself.Vex: It's alright. You can put it down.
Percy: It...it won't let me... - Percy then attempts to stop himself from shooting Vex... by putting his gun to his own head.Vex: Don't do it!
Cassandra: Percy, you can't!
Percy: (terrified) I don't know what else to do! - Trapped in a mindscape under Orthax's control, Percy is tortured with visions of his family's deaths, even showing their corpses pleading with him to avenge them. It's as if he's forced to watch them die a second time.
- A much smaller moment of sadness, but Vax's reaction when Keyleth rejects him. He clearly understands but all he can say in response is a very quiet "I'm just... gonna walk away."
Season 2
Episode 1: Rise of the Chroma Conclave
- Sovereign Uriel dies when Raishan unleashes a cloud of poison gas. Allura is able to throw up a magical shield that saves the rest of the royal family, but Uriel was stuck outside the reach of the spell because he had paused for just a couple of seconds to help a soldier that had tripped. When he reaches the edge of the shield, all he can do is make a smile of relief when he sees his family is safe before expiring from the poison.
Episode 2: The Trials of Vasselheim
- The Sphinx's trial as it separates the party one by one and reveals all of their insecurities and shortcomings. Each of her words hits the party right where it hurts.
- Percy is thrown against the wall as Osysa admonishes him for wallowing in his "self-pity" and trying so hard to "reclaim" the trust he feels he's lost with his friends.
- Vex and Vax are together and then quickly separated. Osysa calls out Vax's dependence on his sister, while chiding Vex for desiring her father's approval that she will never get.Osysa: Ah, the twins. You, depended entirely on your sister. You... hopelessly seeking your father's love. Both unprepared.
- Keyleth yells that they don't have to fight and they can just leave. Osysa points out how Keyleth always resorts to "running away", and asks if she'll run from her duties again. As Keyleth falls, she cries and desperately reaches for the illusion of her friends glaring at her.Osysa: Tell me, what do you fear more, failing your Aramentê? Or knowing no one will live long enough to see you achieve it?
- Scanlan is alone, but not tossed around like the others. He says there's no need to point out his flaws, because he's well aware of them. Osysa's response makes Scanlan wish she had tossed him around like his friends.Osysa: No one cares about you. I'm no different.
- While the rest of the crew is getting dressed down by Osysa, Grog is getting absolutely obliterated by Earthbreaker Groon, causing him to almost tearfully admit he doesn't know where he gets his strength, and for Groon to tell him he's no true warrior.
Episode 3: The Sunken Tomb
- Vex's death. Distracted by a flashback to her childhood with Vax, she calls for Percy not to remove the Deathwalker's Ward from the Champion's coffin and to wait for Vax instead. It's too late: Percy accidentally sets off a trap that kills Vex instantly.
- Even more heartbreaking in the context of the episode's recurring flashbacks to the twins' childhood, introducing Vax's idea that he needs her to live... but Vex doesn't need him to live. In episode 3 of season 1, Vax merely faints after getting out the safeword "chenga", and Vex immediately senses that he's in danger through some sort of Twin Telepathy. In this episode 3, though, she dies, and he has no idea. He has to be told by Scanlan to come and has to see her corpse with his own eyes to know she was even in danger, a terribly mundane and real experience.
- Scanlan's desperate shout of "Vax, get your ass up here!" has the tone of someone holding back tears.
- Trinket roaring after Vex dies, likely feeling his bond with her being severed.
- Syldor being a racist, emotionally abusive parent in the flashback. After Vex accidentally breaks an elven diadem while trying it on, he berates them for being "diluted", telling them they will never fit into elven society and that they were mistakes. A furious Vax openly tells Vex to pack and leave, which she initially protests - before she sees that Syldor isn't opposed to the idea, so she leaves crestfallen with her twin.
- After Vex finds Vax who had been crying alone, he runs to Vex and clings to her. Clearly desperate to never be apart from his sister again, and the fear that entails it.Vex: What's wrong? What happened?
Vax: ... You left me. I was lost.
Vex: Brother, I'm sorry. I didn't think-
Vax: No, you don't understand. You don't need me... I need... Do not go far from me.
Vex: I won't. I swear it. - Vax sobs over Vex's corpse and sounds like he's gasping for air as he cradles her. The worst part is him clearly screaming for her to wake up, but she can no longer respond.
Episode 4: Those Who Walk Away
- In the Cold Open, when a young Vax rescues Vex from bandits, they happen across a bear that had been captured and tortured by the same bandits. Vex, unable to bear seeing this creature suffer, soothes it while she has Vax humanely put it out of its misery. Shortly afterwards, however, they find a bear cub nearby: the bear they had put down was its mother! Vex, unwilling to leave this young bear to die, takes it with her. That bear would grow up to become Trinket.
- Pike tries to heal Vex, but "there's nothing to heal" since she's dead. All Vax can do is shout "somebody do something!" in anguish and grief over his sister's death. When the Matron of Ravens shows up to claim Vex's soul, he even says "Take me instead, you raven bitch!" to the Matron. So she does, putting the Vestige on Vax and claiming him as her champion instead of taking Vex's soul. It highlights just how far Vax is willing to go to save his sister.
- In the original stream, Vax's plea is cold, calculated, and angry. The cartoon is keeps the anger, but the calculation is gone, replaced with desperation as he begs the Matron not to take his sister. It's brutal.
Episode 5: Pass Through Fire
- Keyleth's flashbacks of her mother are bittersweet, knowing that Vilya disappeared shortly after.
Episode 6: Into Rimecleft
- Unlike in the campaign, Kamaljiori dies when Umbrasyl suddenly attacks his lair following Vox Machina's trial. The sphinx is a powerful, ancient creature in his own right and puts up a hard fight, but suffers a fatal blow saving Scanlan, whom he had befriended just a short while ago. His last words are ones of gratitude that Scanlan had shown him a vision of Osysa, whom he hadn't seen in centuries because of their duties.
- And for Osysa, this means that she won't get to see her love again after centuries of waiting, and that she's the Last of Her Kind.
- Grog ends up stabbing Pike with Craven Edge, and instead of doing so purely by accident while trying to get through Kamaljiori's trial, it happens here because he's lost in a blood rage while fighting Umbrasyl. He's in such a berserk state that he pushes his best friend out of the way just to get more blood for Craven Edge, and the only thing that snaps him out of it is when she gets hurt trying to bring him to his senses.
Episode 7: The Fey Realm
Episode 8: The Echo Tree
- The surprised reactions from Vex and Vax when they discover they have a younger half-sister, Velora. This means that the Syldor didn't even bother to notify his older children of their (then) upcoming sibling. Thankfully, the twins quickly take a liking to Velora and she doesn't display any of the same prejudice as her father. Still, a hurtful move from Syldor.
Episode 9: A Test of Pride
- Grog's backstory. When he was young, he showed Wilhand mercy, and beat up his cousin to cover it up. His uncle Kevdak found out and beat Grog nearly to death for it, leaving him to die in the snow for his act of kindness.
- While mostly a serious insight into the strength of Grog's character and the incredible kindness of the Trickfoot family, the flashback to Grog's reunion with Wilhand and first meeting with Pike is also incredibly powerful. Grog chooses kindness and mercy and nearly dies for it, but his split-second decision to spare a terrified old man ends up saving more than just Wilhand's life, as he comes back with his young great-great-granddaughter in tow just in time for Pike to heal Grog's injuries. The context, the music, and the utter sincerity of the involved actors put together is genuinely moving.
- Grog refuses to come with the refugees because he saw how afraid they are of him. He knows what his people did is wrong and is full of remorse to have been one of them.
- Pike tries to convince Grog to not go for his uncle, but he refuses, saying he needs to protect the little people.Pike: (tearfully) But... what if ''I'' need ''you?''
Episode 10: The Kill Box
- Kevdak finds Pike sneaking around and has the Herd chase her, Kaylie and Scanlan down. Grog manages to lift himself up and yells at Kevdak to leave his friends alone.
- Impaled and immobile, Grog watches helplessly as his uncle throws Pike to the ground and continues to slowly crush her under his boot. Pike cries out in pain for Grog as she reaches out for him.
- Grog's cousin standing up to his father. While brave, it is still terrifying that his father is so willing to kill him. The way the two call each other "father" and "son" show that whatever familial connection there was, is gone.
Episode 11: Belly of the Beast
- Kaylie breaking down into tears as she confronts Scanlan. He doesn't even remember her mother's name as he hurriedly goes through the list of women he's slept with.Kaylie: Her name was Sybil, and you left her like she was nothing! Just another one of your conquests to bed.
- Kaylie tells Scanlan how her mother suffered so much to take care of her. Giving up almost everything just so Kaylie could have a good life and an education. Scanlan realizes the terrible person and father he is, admitting she deserves to kill him for that.
- In the end, Kaylie can't bring herself to kill Scanlan, but leaves her sword floating over Scanlan's chest to remind him of the mess he made.
- Scanlan tries to make amends to Kaylie and be the father he never was for her. She shoots down all of his attempts, and when he tries to return her sword, she coldly says she wants nothing from him.
Episode 12: The Hope Devourer
- As the party waits outside the cave for Vax, Keyleth nervously asks Vex if she'd know if Vax was in danger. In season one she was able to tell, but now that he's the Raven Queen's champion... her twin connection with him is gone.
- Vax makes a horrifying discovery as he sneaks around Umbrasyl’s lair. It turns out the black dragon didn’t just kill Kamaljiori, he desecrated the sphinx’s corpse and impaled his decapitated head in his lair. If there wasn’t enough reason to hate Umbrasyl before, there is now.
- Tension in the party increases as they realize how unmatched they were against Umbrasyl. Scanlan suggests they flee with Vax calling him out and telling Scanlan that he's a coward. The hurt and anger that appears across Scanlan's face leads to him ignoring Vax as they set up a plan, even giving him the cold shoulder because of it.
- Scanlan is terrified throughout the fight against Umbrasyl. At the climax of the fight, he's very close to leaving his friends behind to save himself. The only thing stopping him is Kaylie's words and his teammates calling out for each other.
