The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 3 Just Set Up The Better Version Of Stranger Things’ Villain For Season 4

Season 3 of The Legend of Vox Machina just set up the arrival of the better version of Stranger Things’ season 4 villain, highlighting the character’s true nature from Dungeons & Dragons. The Legend of Vox Machina’s season 3 ending contained many new twists and turns for the titular group, including the consequences of Vax’s (Liam O’Brien) successful attempt to resurrect Percy (Taliesin Jaffe) after his untimely death. However, the final scene of the season showcases how the true test of the group’s might has only just begun, reviving an unsolved plotline from season 1.

Legend of Vox Machina’s season 3 finale reintroduced the Whispered One, the entity that Delilah Briarwood (Grey Griffin) attempted to summon in season 1, but only appeared for a few moments. A spinning black orb took its place and remained in Whitestone until the very end of the most recent season. The final shot revealed cultists performing a ritual around the orb, allowing the being to manifest and ultimately reveal who it is: Vecna. This particular name, though, has already become well known as Stranger Things also has a version of him, which in turn was inspired by his storied lore in Dungeons & Dragons.

Stranger Things’ Vecna Is Inspired By & Named For The D&D Villain

Vecna Is Actually A Lich Who Ascended To Godhood

Stranger Things‘s version of Vecna is inspired by the Dungeons & Dragons villain of the same name, though the show’s version is different from the one seen in both the tabletop and The Legend of Vox Machina. There are many Dungeons & Dragons references in Stranger Things, such as the Demogorgon, though many of the creatures in Hawkins are different from their tabletop counterparts. Vecna is no exception as he is actually Henry Creel (Jaime Campbell Bower), the original child subject from Hawkins Lab, who was trapped in the Upside Down by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Vecna in Dungeons & Dragons shares some similarities to Stranger Things’ version, though his origins and powers are somewhat different. Vecna, a.k.a the Whispered One, is an undead lich from Oerth who ascended to godhood in Dungeons & Dragons, becoming a multiverse-spanning scourge. His powers also include paralysis and reality warping, and he can cast powerful offensive spells. The Whispered One also has a cult of worshippers, as seen in The Legend of Vox Machina. His abilities and many feats make him a formidable villain in Dungeons & Dragons as well as a threat that Stranger Things’ version may not live up to.

Vecna Is One Of The Greatest Villains In D&D (& A Bigger Threat Than Stranger Things’ Version)

Stranger Things’ Vecna Has Limited Power Compared To His D&D Counterpart

Vecna is one of the greatest villains in the lore of Dungeons & Dragons, a fact The Legend of Vox Machina‘s Whispered One version may end up highlighting better than Stranger Things‘ version. Vecna, in Dungeons & Dragons’s history, has died several times and returned stronger each time. He managed to steal several powerful artifacts, including one of the black obelisks of the Weavers, and his own power grew so much that parts of his own body became powerful relics, such as his eye and left hand.

Stranger Things’ Vecna is powerful, but he is also limited. He has similar abilities to Eleven and though he has a stronger grasp of them, it still leaves both sides somewhat evenly matched. Not only that, but this version of Vecna will not be able to be resurrected as the series nears its final season, undercutting his power and the threat he poses. The Legend of Vox Machina, by contrast, can showcase just how powerful the Whispered One truly is through this lore, demonstrating why he is such an iconic villain as they face off against him in season 4.

Based on the characters and storylines from the first Dungeons and Dragons campaign in the web series Critical Role, The Legend of Vox Machina chronicles the adventures of a group of heroes for hire named Vox Machina as they attempt to protect the fictional continent of Tal’Dorei from various threats to the safety of its people. Set in a fantasy world of elves, gnomes, vampires, and even dragons, the series stars the cast of Critical Role playing their characters from the original campaign, with DM Matthew Mercer guest starring in various small roles throughout the series. 

Cast

Laura Bailey , marisha ray , Ashley Johnson , Taliesin Jaffe , Liam O’Brien , Travis Willingham , Matthew Mercer , Sam Riegel

Release Date

January 28, 2022

Network

Amazon Prime Video

Writers

Sam Riegel

Directors

Sam Riegel , Brandon Auman

Showrunner

Brandon Auman

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