Pike's Real Identity In The Legend Of Vox Machina Confirms A Years-Old Theory

Warning: this article contains spoilers for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, episodes 10-12.The fourth season of The Legend of Vox Machina ended on such a despicable cliffhanger that the dragons of the Chroma Conclave feel like a minor annoyance to Exandria compared to the danger of the Whispered One. Just when it seemed like Vox Machina had defeated the would-be god, escaped Thar Amphala, saved Vax, and redeemed Pike, everything fell apart. While the reveal that the Whispered One had endured their showdown means more of Andy Serkis' excellent performance in season 5, the most hope for the heroes might just lie in the confirmation about Pike's long-suspected real identity.

Pike's determination to kill the Whispered One, Delilah, and the rest of the villains of the Unalive Five faded early in the final three episodes of season 4. After getting over her shock that the man she knew as Gideon was the true villain, Pike's ongoing bitterness about being abandoned by Vox Machina, left behind by Scanlan, and losing the two people she loved most in the world gave the Whispered One the window he needed to manipulate her. Once he confirmed that Grog could be raised back to life, and then spun her a tale about her ancestor, Pike was lost.

Fortunately, an intervention from Vox Machina, as well as Grog waking up, helped Pike realize that the Whispered One Needed to be stopped at all costs, but the damage was already done. Pike had given him enough of her celestial blood to allow him to ascend to godhood, and he'd had 500 years to plan his escape from Thar Amphala before Vox Machina even knew he existed. Now, while fans are looking at a long hiatus, the reveals about Pike's blood provide something to be hopeful for about in the final season.

The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 Reveals That Pike's Clan Carries Divine Blood

The first big hint that Pike would be key to defeating the Whispered One happened before the finale arc. After a vision, she learned that one of her ancestors, Esreé, had been the Champion of the Everlight who help seal the Whispered One away in Thar Amphala centuries ago. At the time, all Pike took from the news was that she needed to get Mythcarver from Scanlan if she was going to take down the Whispered One. In the final episodes of season 4, she learned that there was much more to the story. The Whispered One told her:

Your bloodline descends from celestial origins. Blessed to transcend the barriers between the realms of life and death, mortality and divinity. The gods used Esreé and discarded her when she served her purpose. Her blood flows through your veins and is the key to sealing me away forever or helping me ascend... The Everlight said you could choose your own path, yet they all lead to the same end, the illusion of free will. I offer you something the gods never would, a real choice.

The Whispered One didn't go into minute detail about Pike's family tree, but she had every reason to believe he was telling the truth about her blood. His story fit with her encounter with Zerxus Ilerez, the devil who nearly claimed her soul in the Hells of Despath in season 3. The Whispered One even claimed that Zerxus was his "friend." The villain knew exactly what to say to manipulate Pike, and viewers who were familiar with Dungeons & Dragons may have realized exactly what he was telling her even before she did.

What Is An Aasimar In D&D & Is Pike One Of Them?

Everything that the Whispered One told Pike fits with one particular D&D race: Aasimar. According to Runic Dice, they're mortal beings who were touched by the divine energies of the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse. They go about their adventures with a divine sense of purpose, which allows them to heal as well as deal radiant damage. Aasimar often have white hair and light eyes, and are the divine counterparts to tieflings, who have infernal origins.

Technically, The Legend of Vox Machina has to diverge from traditional Dungeons & Dragons lore, since the animated show was produced independently of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro. In the tabletop campaign that inspired Vox Machina, for example, the Whispered One was actually Vecna, and Pike's goddess was Sarenrae. In the show, Pike had dark hair in the flashback to how she met Grog, and the change to white hair has never been explained on-screen in Prime Video's canon. She has also veered well off the path of the Everlight over the years.

Still, a lot of how the Prime Video series is handling Pike's story fits with D&D details about Aasimar, and both Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein have included tieflings. Season 1 showcased how she deals radiant damage when she dominated hordes of undead in Whitestone, and her powers were key to defeating Delilah the first time around. Plus, one doesn't have to be directly descended from a god to be an Aasimar. Esreé being touched by the powers of the Everlight was enough to give her the celestial blood that passed down over the centuries to Pike.

Suffice it to say that even if The Legend of Vox Machina never specifically calls her an Aasimar, nearly everything about the Prime Video's version of Pike fits with that Dungeons & Dragons race. Pike's crisis of faith doesn't rule out her having greater divine powers than she ever knew, even as a cleric of the Everlight. Due to Ashley Johnson's commitments to filming Blindspot during Critical Role's early years, she was absent for a lot of the first campaign. Now, Vox Machina is filling in some blanks for Pike.

Pike's True Heritage Was Teased By Critical Role Years Ago

While the Prime Video show and Critical Role's campaign each have their own versions of canon, viewers don't have to go back to the first campaign to find clues about Pike's true heritage. Back in season 3 of The Legend of Vox Machina, Pike was cut off from the Everlight during the team's trip down to the Hells, which left her in a vulnerable position to be manipulated by Zerxus. On the surface, Zerxus' only goal in his high-stakes card game vs. Pike seemed to be securing her soul, but he also dropped the first clue about her blood.

She then used her blood to help cure her friends when they were being driven mad by Anna Ripley's delirium gas, after she was unable to do so via the power of the Everlight. She even had a talisman from Zerxus that she later learned was key to reaching the Whispered One in Thar Amphala. The reveal that she descended from Esreé just thickened the plot around what makes Pike's blood special, and the Whispered One connected two seasons' worth of dots for her.

Considering that he genuinely did need Pike to freely give her blood for him to ascend, there's no reason to believe that he was lying about her being touched by divine energy. The reveal didn't come out of nowhere. In hindsight, after the finale ended with the Whispered One revealing his true colors and killing Vax, it also shows just how much he was playing the long game from the shadows all along.

Pike's Ancestry Sets Up A Major Power Boost In The Legend Of Vox Machina's Final Season

Vox Machina sustained their worst losses yet at the end of season 4, and not just because of Vax's death. The Whispered One forced the team to submit to his will, and used his newfound abilities to make sure that everybody in Exandria saw them do it.

If that's not enough, Grog was still freshly returned from the dead, and Pike had a lot to process after temporarily turning on her friends. Keyleth and Vex are sure to be deeply affected by Vax's death, regardless of whether he actually stays dead. Even if, in a very unlikely turn of events, Percy is the one who is least consumed by pain and a thirst for vengeance, he doesn't have a Vestige for a power boost like most of the others do.

Pike may be the key to Vox Machina standing a chance against the Whispered One, especially since the heroes won't have access to Vax's powers from the Matron of Ravens anymore. She has received a major power boost after each one of her major revelations over the first four seasons. Vox Machina might not have defeated the Briarwoods if Pike hadn't channeled new powers back in season 1, and realizing that she didn't need the Everlight to use the Plate of the Dawnmartyr helped to take down Thordak in season 3.

Even making the decision to side with Vecna in Thar Amphala led to a boost in her powers, although the necromantic abilities didn't exactly help Vox Machina. Once she fully processes her discovery that she has celestial blood, she's likely going to experience her biggest boost in power yet. She certainly has more motivation than ever before, and hopefully will be able to focus on more than a need for revenge in The Legend of Vox Machina's fifth and final season.