The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 is letting its romantic relationships down

However, along with the blossoming 'Vaxleth' and 'Perc'ildan' ships, there’s also a deeper dive into Kima and Allura’s relationship to contend with, alongside developments in Scanlan and Pike’s long-term dynamic. But is it all becoming too much to cram into one season?

Caution: contains spoilers for The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 so far.

With 115 episodes and almost 373 hours of gameplay to condense down into 12-episode runs per season, there’s undoubtedly a lot to trim from the original campaign story.

With the abbreviated timeline of the animated series accelerating certain elements, it begs the question, can the CR gang successfully develop the complicated relationships while juggling the conclusion of the Chroma Conclave arc?

So far, the storyline of fan-favourite couple 'Perc'ildan' has undeniably been the most entertaining and fun, with their flirtatious tendencies in season 2 finally coming to a climax in season 3 episode 3, Vexations.

However, tweaks when adapting the original campaign have come at a cost to Percy and Vex’s relationship and their overall arc, resulting in their eventual antics feeling unfortunately rushed.

Unlike Vax and Keyleth’s slow-burn romance, the runtime dedicated to fleshing out Percy and Vex’s feelings and developing their dynamic has evidently been cut in earlier seasons.

This has resulted in key moments within the couple’s arc - such as Vex’s death (season 2 episode 3, The Sunken Tomb) and Percy coming to Vex’s defence against her abusive father (season 2 episode 7, The Fey Realm) - lacking the emotional resonance of the original campaign, resulting in anticlimactic development.

Vex’s death in particular should have been a more pivotal moment for Percy considering it was inadvertently due to his actions touching the Deathwalker's Ward armour and triggering the deadly trap.

Meanwhile, there wasn’t much focus on him grieving or any allusions of his feelings for her in the moment.

Even star Liam O’Brien agrees that the adaptation of the original campaign has resulted in the development of romantic relationships feeling "rushed and tense". In a recent interview with Game Rant, the voice actor described the limited runtime as a "doomsday clock" and that there’s "no chill and there’s no Netflix!".

However, their current 'friends with benefits' status and naughty antics in season 3 episodes 4 to 6 is proving a very amusing foil to the tortured Vaxleth, especially in the incredibly awkward but hilarious exchanges between Percy and Vex’s twin, Vax.

Meanwhile, Vax and Keyleth’s tortuous will they or won’t they romance has left viewers feeling like a yo-yo, what with their eventual kiss in episode 1, A Deadly Bargain, quickly switching to Vax rejecting Kiki in episode 3 because "their future is clouded with misery".

It’s totally channelling early '00s emo angst, and the switch from the fun and games of Perc'ildan to the heavy emotional drama of Vaxleth is tonally jarring.

While both the Champion of Ravens and the future Voice of the Tempest certainly have a lot to deal with personally, their relationship is feeling unnecessarily drawn out in the latest season.

Speaking with RadioTimes.com recently, Marisha Ray (Keyleth) compared their drawn-out relationship to a certain beloved sitcom couple: "They've always been the Jim and Pam of Vox Machina, haven't they?"

Keyleth has seemingly come to terms with her future and immortality, and that she wants to be with Vax going forward, but his change in character due to his visions from the Matron is a total 180, and a big change to the original campaign. Their narratives have seemingly switched, and it’s not for the better.

Furthermore, their awkward exchange in Chateau Shorthalt in episode 6, The Coming Storm, further adds to the frustration. While the pair are undoubtedly the longest-running romantic thread in the animated show, their back-and-forth drama is beginning to feel like it's somewhat dragging down the story.

Meanwhile, audiences have been treated to more of the badass couple Kima (Stephanie Beatriz) and Allura (voiced by Indira Varma) as they join Vox Machina in their battle against Vorugal.

Their early relationship is spotlighted in a flashback in episode 5, The Frigid Wastes, and while the sequence adds important context to flesh out a certain betrayal, this addition - added to all of the scenes exploring all the other relationships (plus Scanlan’s dilemma with his daughter and his attempts to kiss Pike) - begins to eat into the action and detract from the main mission.

The beloved rag-tag band of misfits are undoubtedly the beating heart of The Legend of Vox Machina, but with a ton of villains to juggle alongside developments in core relationships, it feels like certain arcs are at the detriment of this juggle.

Also, justice for more sweet Grog and Pike best friend moments!

The Legend of Vox Machina will continue on Prime Video on Thursday 17th October 2024 – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.