I keep on seeing people saying that it's building up for Vox to die by the end of the season. And that just feels... unsatisfying to me.
Season one, Adam was a big bad, he posed a threat to sinners and the Hotel alike. He got killed off because there was no need for his continued existence within the story for it to continue on as it is. His death makes sense.
But everytime I think about Vox dying at the end of season two, it just feels... Lazy.
If you kill off every villain at the end of the season then your story gets predictable, it gets boring, and people lose interest.
To me, this season is all about the hubris of man, Vox representing that. A lot of people compare his bid for Heaven to The Tower of Babel. Man unites with a single goal to reach Heaven, and for their hubris, they are cast apart, separated by the creation of other languages.
Vox has united the sinners with a single goal to reach Heaven (and become a God himself), he's driven by hubris, an extreme pride that makes him put himself above everyone. Which is slowly starting to break apart the Vees. And which should ultimately be his downfall. He's only out for himself, what happens when those he relies on, abandon ship? Being in the form of the Vees, and the sinners currently following him, leaving. Vox is just calling in divine intervention with his declaration of a holy war, but his punishment is to be seen.
His head has grown too big for his body, his pride and arrogance belies the fact that he's actually deeply insecure. With identity being one of the themes this season, and Alastor using Vox in a deal, I feel that killing Vox off wouldn't make sense.
Alastor's weaved Vox into the bigger picture. He made a deal with Vox for whatever reason, intentionally, following his dissatisfaction with being stuck in a deal with Rosie. Whatever Alastor's planning has yet to come fully into play, but Vox is a part of that. Their relationship; their rivalry and past, has been stressed this season. It plays quite a big role in the actions Vox has been taking, as well as the way Alastor is able to get underneath his skin.
I also keep on thinking about Vox's reaction to Charlie saying she believed anyone could be redeemed. This was his face after he asked:
His face while she was answering:
And his face immediately after:
(sorry for low quality lol) I still don't know how to feel about his reaction. To me it read as anger, like Charlie's answer pissed him off or rattled something deep within him. It could have been a "Bingo, there's my spin on how to get into Heaven." But that's not really what has been transpiring. So, I'm starting to believe it's something more akin to the fact that Charlie believes anyone could be redeemed, (they just have to want to be and try.) but Vox might inherently think he's irredeemable. Or rather, that he's not worthy of redemption.
The last time he had been open and transparent had been right before Alastor crushed him 70 years ago, that's not something Vox ever wants himself to feel again. ("We cannot let ourselves look weak to other Overlords.") Maybe to him, trying for redemption would be him admitting that he's weak.
Which brings me back to The Tower of Babel. The humans were punished by God by the invention of languages, splitting them up. With the way Vox has been weaved through the narrative, (he's literally Alastor's foil, there's been a big focus on Alastor's voice this season and "Vox" is literally Latin for "Voice." As well as "Vox Populi" and "Vox Dei" being song titles, and the stressing of Vox being a "voice".) and his own hubris coming to a head, I think that he'll be punished in much the same way. The Vees will split apart and he will be left with nothing and no one, going back to that time 70 years ago (or before) where he was nothing. Where all he could be was vulnerable.
And from there, perhaps there's a possibility for Vox to look at himself long and hard. For him to try to fix things after all the bridges he has burned. With the Vees and with Alastor. And maybe (also could be a punishment from the possible divine intervention) Vox will seek redemption.
To me, something like that would be a compelling story. It would add so much more layer and depth to Vox's character. To me, that's more satisfying than just killing him off to get him out of the way.
Anyway, thank you for coming to my TED talk. Can't wait for episodes seven and eight to absolutely destroy me and contradict my predictions! (and kill my happiness, lol.)