Critical role legend of vox machina full#
Critical role legend of vox machina series#

It also followed Ray onto social media, to the point that Matthew Mercer and other members of the cast frequently chose to call out her harassers. The harassment was persistent, and occasionally hung over the live games like a dark cloud. Some even attacked Ray personally in the process. That criticism, due to the nature of the live performance of the show, happened in real time, sometimes filling the Twitch chat with vitriol. Some viewers of the actual play firmly disagreed with many of Keyleth’s choices. Her time as Keyleth was steeped in the knowledge that it would take her time to overcome those fears, to grow more resilient in order to become the leader her people needed down the line. Ray’s choices instead shape Keyleth as someone wrestling with the enormity of her powers, constantly grappling with her own insecurities and self-doubt, and based on the understanding that these kinds of anxieties can have a toll on how people react under pressure. As a player, it can be tempting to play that kind of highly adept magical character (and at times slightly overpowered class) with confidence and bravado, using the most powerful spell at your disposal to have your way. It’s a surprising choice when you consider that Keyleth, as a druid, has vast quantities of elemental power at her disposal. Later on, she struggles to tap into her powers when asked to help do something as simple as illuminating a dark corridor. In an early battle in the show, Keyleth freezes up in panic when faced with a dragon, and Vex is forced to shake her into action. Her fear of failure manifests itself in ways that often have direct negative consequences for the party. Keyleth’s anxieties and self-doubt stem, at least in part, from her concerns about her ability to take on the role she is destined for later in life, as leader of the Air Ashari druids.

Critical role legend of vox machina series#

Her very first moments in the animated series are also spent questioning the group, as she wonders why they stay together. In an early episode, Ray began to weep in character, as Keyleth attempted to convey her inner turmoil at Vox Machina’s cavalier approach to murder.

Her play style allowed Keyleth to experience doubt in key moments, sometimes resulting in an in-game fumble or a moment of conflict. But she took ownership of that early role-play decision and made it a core part of Keyleth’s character.

Critical role legend of vox machina full#

According to an interview that Ray gave in 2018, Keyleth’s social awkwardness and uncertainty stemmed at least in part from Ray’s own nerves at joining a table full of established voice actors. The characterization of Keyleth in the animated series is entirely consistent with how Ray played her in the show, refined and honed for this new format. It’s a now-iconic turning point in the campaign, opening up the floor for inter-party romance, and a noticeable omission from the animated show’s otherwise pretty faithful depiction of events. In the original moment, during episode 33 of Critical Role’s first season, Vax turns to Keyleth and offers his declaration of love - and then lands a kiss. It’s a surprising moment for viewers, and perhaps a confusing one for longtime fans of Critical Role since things played out a little differently the first time around.

To which Keyleth responds: “Wait, what? Now?!” “You know I’m in love with you, right?” he blurts out. And after several episodes of soft smiles, some close contact during fight sequences, and one very sweet moment with a finger trap in a magic shop, Vax makes the declaration fans of the original campaign have been waiting for in episode 9. In the first season, viewers have had front row seats to the lingering looks between Marisha Ray’s Keyleth and Vax’ildan, played by Liam O’Brien. Stolen, that is, from the original version of the story. Oddly enough, that transformation has everything to do with a stolen kiss. But they’ve also witnessed something else: redemption for Keyleth, one of Critical Role’s most powerful and, at times, controversial characters. During the first season of The Legend of Vox Machina, longtime Critical Role fans have watched their favorite heroes from the actual play series fall into the familiar patterns of the Briarwood arc new fans and fans of later campaigns have now spent at least nine episodes with Vox Machina, watching them build up relationships, fight epic battles, and, in some cases, fall in love.