We’re only three episodes into season 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina, and the Children of Truth have already established themselves as an unsettling threat. This group of devout Vecna cultists can instantaneously resurrect themselves. The fact they don’t have a real plan beyond murdering and blinding people only makes them more terrifying.
When the Children of Truth launch an assault during Keyleth’s coronation in episode 3, one member of the cult known as the Necro-Ninja is unnerved to discover that Vax has been chosen to be Champion of the Matron of Ravens. When he uses his divine powers to save the life of Keyleth’s father Korrin, they retreat. The episode ends with the Necro-Ninja exclaiming that they need to accelerate their plans.
To say that Vecna, the Whispered One and the Matron of Ravens are at odds with each other is an understatement. Their conflict goes back centuries and now Vax and his friends are caught in the middle of it.
First, a little history
It all started during the Age of Arcanum, a time where the mortal mages of Exandria tested the limits of arcane magic and challenged the gods. One mortal woman whose name has been forgotten created a powerful spell called the Ritual of Seeding. She used the ritual to ascend to godhood as the Raven Queen or the Matron of Ravens, challenged the previous God of Death and took his place in the pantheon.
While the other gods accepted the Matron, they prohibited other mortals from following her and destroyed knowledge of the ritual. The Matron’s actions inspired other mortals to seek godhood for themselves.
One of those mortals was Vecna (called the Whispered One in the show), another powerful mage active during the Age of Arcanum. He managed to recreate the Ritual of Seeding and attempted it, but it was interrupted during an attack from a follower of the Dawnfather. During the attack Vecna was betrayed by his lieutenant Kas and was mostly destroyed, with only his left hand and left eye being all that remained of him.
Why are the Whispered One and the Matron of Ravens Enemies?
What makes the Whispered One and the Matron enemies are the vastly different beliefs they have. The Matron believes that death is a natural transition and despises any attempts to delay or prevent it from happening. She, in particular, hates the undead and necromancy, as she sees them as an affront to the natural cycle of life and death.
Meanwhile, the Whispered One is the god of secrets, undeath and necromancy, a.k.a. pretty much everything the Matron is against. He achieved lichdom, a form of immortality through undeath, long before he tried to become a god.
The Whispered One wants to remake Exandria into a lawless world guided by only his will. There will be no end to war or murder, with the only refuge being the endless life of undeath. A life that’s only available to those who are loyal to the Whispered One.
Where does Vax fit into this rivalry?
Vax became the Matron’s champion back in season 2 to save the life of his twin sister Vex’ahlia. As Champion of the Matron of Ravens, it’s his job to enforce her will and to protect the cycle of life and death, though he’s not against defying her in certain situations.
Since season 4 is adapting the Vecna arc from campaign 1 of Critical Role, Vax is going to play an important role in the next couple of seasons (season 5 has been confirmed to be the last one for The Legend of Vox Machina).
In the original campaign, Vecna killed Vax by disintegrating him. The Matron appeared to Vax’s soul in limbo to offer him eternal rest but he refused. So she made him a new offer: return to life as her champion for the sole purpose of defeating Vecna, on the condition that he returns to her forever when the work is done. He agreed and eventually honored the deal once Vecna was banished from the Material Plane.
Now, the show is very good at making changes to certain plot threads, one of them being how aggressive the Children of Truth have been in comparison to the Remnants from the source material. One thing that is clear in the TV series is that Vax’s death is imminent. The Whispered One and the Matron of Ravens will have their own role to play in Vax’s ultimate fate, with the rest of Vox Machina dragged along for the ride.
Season 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina is here! A set of three brand-new episodes will premiere every Wednesday on Prime Video at 3:00a.m. ET/ 12:00a.m. PT until June 24, 2026.
