Critical Role Shocks Fans With Its Most Intense Episode Yet

Critical Role had its most shocking episode yet. The latest campaign of Critical Role is fast approaching its one year anniversary. The campaign follows Bell's Hells, a group of adventurers on the continent of Marquet who are investigating a mystery involving the mysterious and ominous moon Ruidus. While the party seemed closer than ever to getting some answers about Ruidus, last night's episode turned everything on its head and left many Critical Role fans stunned and wondering what would happen next. 

Spoilers follow for Critical Role Campaign 3, and in particular Episode 33. If you have not watched the episode and do not want to be spoiled, please exit this article at once. 

In recent weeks, the party have been in the city of Bassuras, an industrial city in the Hellcatch Valley badlands, in pursuit of Armand Treshi, a dwarven politician who had hired the Nightmare King and was responsible for some of the events bringing the Bell's Hells together. While in the city, they encountered Otohan Thull, an experienced and feared mercenary who had also appeared in Imogen's recurring dreams, which in turn were tied to both her latent psychic powers and the moon Ruidus. 

In the most recent episode, the players took advantage of a mysterious attack on Bassurus to break into Threshi's stronghold and capture him. During their escape, the party was confronted by Thull. After destroying the crawler the party was trying to escape on, Otohan confronted the party and showed off her impressive Echo Knight abilities. During the fight, it's heavily implied that Otohan's echoes were the assassins who attacked Keyleth before the start of the campaign, which left Orym's husband Will dead. Otohan used her Echo Knight abilities and a host of Legendary Actions to cut through Bell's Hells, leaving both Orym and Fearne dead and Laudna with only one death save remaining. What's more, Otohan forced Imogen to submit to the power of the storm inside her dreams, which activated additional latent powers and triggered a burst of magic that seemed to decimate their surroundings. The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with multiple members of the party dead, another dying, and another being consumed by the power within her. 

This marks the first time that multiple members of a Critical Role party have died at once, although we will note that there is a faint thread of hope remaining. FCG is still active and has one spell slot remaining for a Revivify. Assuming that he tries to Revivify Fearne and it succeeds, Fearne can use her ability to Revivify Orym. If Laudna passes her death saving throw for a round and the resurrection spells hold, there's still a chance that everyone can survive this pretty shocking encounter. 

Even if all of Bell's Hells manage to survive this encounter, last night's episodes seems to be a turning point for the campaign. We'll note that Critical Role has a tendency to kick off its best storylines immediately after a major tragedy, so the next few months are sure to be must-watch episodes. 

Critical Role airs every Thursday at 10 PM ET on its Twitch channel. 

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