Belly of the Beast

This article is about the animated series episode. For the Campaign One episode, see In the Belly of the Beast.

## Belly of the Beast

Screenshot of the Matron of Ravens and Vax'ildan, by Titmouse from "**Belly of the Beast**" (LVM2x11).

### Episode

*The Legend of Vox Machina*, Season 2,​ Episode 11
(LVM2x11)

## Credits

### Written by

Eugene Son

"**Belly of the Beast**" (LVM2x11) is the eleventh episode of *The Legend of Vox Machina*, Season Two. While Scanlan makes a fateful and shocking discovery about his past, Vax confronts the Matron of Ravens to uncover the truth about the mysterious pact he made with her. At the same time, Vox Machina teams up with Grog's Herd and sets their sights on Umbrasyl, preparing an ambush to take down the dreaded black dragon.

## **Plot summary**

Almost naked, arms bound, and at Kaylie's swordpoint on the bed, Scanlan protests he had no idea she existed. He spins her a tale of her mother and their loving relationship until he sadly had to leave. He's never gotten over Lea. Unfortunately, Kaylie's mother's name was Sybil and it's clear he has no memory of her at all. Scanlan admits he's a horrible person and he's not sure why, but he's heartbroken about not knowing about Kaylie. He invites her to stab him, but she cannot bring herself to do it. Telling him that would only be helping him run away again, she locks her apparently magical sword in place in the air, at his throat, and walks out the door. Scanlan struggles free of the ropes and out from under the sword to the door, but Kaylie is gone.

Downstairs in the tavern, a pensive Vax'ildan has joined the others. He sees one of the Matron's threads of fate whisk out the door and follows, noticed by Vex'ahlia and Keyleth. It leads him to the town square, where the slain bodies of the Herd of Storms still lie, watched over by ravens with glowing red eyes. He watches a vision of the corpses rising, then of being clutched by the dead of his past, including Sovereign Uriel, who begs him to usher them into the beyond. Golden threads snake from his chest to the silent, watching figure of the Matron of Ravens. As he struggles against them, he cries out, "What the fuck do you want from me?!" He falls to the ground, alone among the bodies in the square.

Back at the tavern, Vax joins Scanlan staring into the night morosely. Vax asks Scanlan if he's ever had his life change and not been sure what comes next, and Scanlan replies that since they've all been together, daily. Staring thoughtfully at Kaylie's sword, which he has taken, Scanlan realizes that you can't let fear hold you back. He tells Vax to "take the plunge."

In his lair within Gatshadow, Umbrasyl is speaking magically to Thordak, telling him he wants to acquire another vestige even more powerful than Mythcarver. Thordak is unhappy about the delay in the delivery of more gold in time for his "emergence", and threatens him with fiery death before disappearing. Anna Ripley assures Umbrasyl that with the gauntlets, he wouldn't have to grovel to Thordak, gaining power while she gets resources. The dragon says there will be one more collection before he melts the city.

In the morning at the tavern in Westruun, Scanlan tries to ask Pike's advice cloaked in a clumsy metaphor. Grog leads the meeting to try to plan the attack on Umbrasyl, with Percival suggesting a trap to nullify the beast's aerial advantage. As he talks, Vex notices Vax slip out.

Vax walks through the mostly-destroyed city, to a black tower-like temple. He calls to Vex to come out of hiding; he heard her. Vex protests it wasn't her being noisy; it was Keyleth, who has also followed. Vax tells them the Matron of Ravens is in his head, calling, so he thought he'd try answering. He walks into the temple alone, as the women anxiously wait for him outside. Vex tells Keyleth she knows Keyleth has feelings for Vax, and he still has feelings for her. When Keyleth points out that in the face of circumstances, it doesn't really matter, Vex assures her it always matters. Keyleth asks what she should do, and Vex tells her not to let him get away.

The temple is empty and echoing. Veiled maidens appear and escort Vax to a pool of blood surmounted by the masked face of the Matron. When his questions remain unanswered, Vax walks into the pool, remembering Scanlan's advice to take the plunge. He sinks, panicking as his breath runs out, but is unable to swim back up. Finally, he gives in, accepting whatever comes next, and sinks to the bottom.

He awakens in empty space, surrounded and suspended by glowing golden threads, with the voice of the Matron saying, "Champion." She is an immense masked figure, and Vax assures her grimly that the debt for his sister's life will be paid. The Matron tells him he is "fate-touched", able to see and bend the Threads of Fate. Although all mortals must die, her purpose is to safeguard the beautiful moment when the soul transitions to a new purpose, to protect the sanctity between life and death. She asks if he accepts this charge, and he responds he has no choice. The Matron tells Vax not to fear death. She has been watching him longer than he knows, as he was recklessly drawn to his destiny. Death is what gives meaning to life. Leaning forward, she kisses his forehead and he comes to himself gasping in the bloody pool, escorted out by the silent veiled maidens. Outside, Vex is horrified at his blood-soaked appearance but Vax is newly calm and confident that they're on the right path and the Matron is watching.

When they return to the tavern, Percy is still explaining his planned dragon-activated trap to the Herd. When they break, Zanror gives Kevdak's bloodaxe to Grog. As Kaylie leaves with Dr. Dranzel's Spectacular Traveling Troupe heading for Ank'Harel in Marquet, Scanlan tells her that something's always been missing in him, and she might be it. He can try to be the dad she wanted. Kaylie responds that after all the wrong he's done, he'd have to do a hell of a lot right, and walks off.

Later, the trap is laid at the offering spot outside Westruun with the surviving members of the Herd and Vox Machina in hiding. Umbrasyl lands, expressing anger at the meagre amount of the offering. As it takes off, Vex shoots an arrow, springing the trap and capturing the beast. Everyone attacks as Umbrasyl struggles, eventually breaking free and becoming invisible. As the battle continues, the Herd is decimated and Vox Machina is also powerless, even with Grog's use of the Knuckles. Scanlan proposes to Vax that they need to get inside the dragon but not through its mouth... the other way.

Meanwhile, one of Vex's arrows breaks the invisibility on the dragon, and Grog is able to damage it. Flown by *Scanlan's Hand*, Vax and Scanlan go up the creature's back end and into its stomach, where Scanlan deploys Kaylie's immovable sword so that whenever Umbrasyl moves, he wounds himself. The whole party attacks the frantic dragon, who drags himself free of the impaling sword and flies off with Vax and Scanlan still inside. Grog throws the bloodaxe, attached to a rope, into the beast's hide and grabs on, dragged through the air behind it as it flies toward its lair in Gatshadow.

## **Credits**

### **Cast**

* Laura Bailey as Vex'ahlia
* Taliesin Jaffe as Percy
* Ashley Johnson as Pike
* Matthew Mercer as Dr. Dranzel / Umbrasyl
* Liam O'Brien as Vax'ildan
* Marisha Ray as Keyleth
* Sam Riegel as Scanlan
* Travis Willingham as Grog

* Aisling Franciosi as Kaylie
* Kelly Hu as Anna Ripley
* Khary Payton as Sovereign Uriel
* Lance Reddick as Thordak
* Abubakar Salim as Zanror
* Courtenay Taylor as The Matron of Ravens

### **Crew**

* Written by - Eugene Son
* Directed by - Alicia Chan
* Producer - Tony Salama
* Co-Producer - Eugene Son
* Art Director - Arthur Loftis
* Editor - Todd Raleigh

## **Featured characters**

### **Vox Machina**

* Keyleth
* Percival de Rolo
* Scanlan Shorthalt
* Grog Strongjaw
* Pike Trickfoot
* Trinket
* Vax'ildan
* Vex'ahlia

### **Returning**

* Kaylie
* The Matron of Ravens
* Umbrasyl
* Anna Ripley
* Thordak
* Sovereign Uriel
* Zanror
* Dr. Dranzel

## **Quotations**

* **Scanlan**: I'm starting to think that the worst things in life come from fear, but... maybe the best things do, too. You don't get to choose your part in the play, but a true performer commits anyway.
* **Vax'ildan**: The Matron of Ravens. She's in my head, calling. So I thought I'd try answering.
Vex: We'll come with you. I put you in this place.
Vax: No one put me here, and I need to find these answers on my own.
Vex: Do not go far from me.
* **The Matron of Ravens**: Champion. Vax'ildan. You've come at last.
Vax'ildan: My sister lives. That debt will be paid. What do you want? My life? My soul? Or am I to be your puppet?
The Matron: The Threads of Fate are not puppet strings. They connect life to destiny. You are fate-touched, able to see and bend the threads around you.
* **Vax**: *(after rescuing Scanlan from dragon breath)* You trying to get yourself killed?
Scanlan: Sorry, I just... I got shit to prove.
Vax: You? I found out I'm the champion of the Matron of Ravens.
Scanlan: I found out I'm a father.
Vax: You win.
* **Scanlan**: *(to Umbrasyl)* You leave when Scanlan Shorthalt tells you to leave.

## **Trivia**

* The runes on the tombstone over Vax'ildan's shoulder when he arrives at the temple of the Matron of Ravens have been translated by a critter to reveal it reads in part "Pervon". The second, heavily faded part also spells "Pervon" but is upside down and inverted. Note that Pervon is spelled differently than the way it is actually spelled (Purvan).
* The runes on Kaylie's Immovable Sword have been translated to spell "Locked" multiple times along the blade.

## **References**

1. ↑ See this tweet and the translation key.
2. ↑ See this reddit post

**Art:**

1. ↑ Screenshot of the Matron of Ravens and Vax'ildan, by Titmouse from "**Belly of the Beast**" (LVM2x11). This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.