Scanlans Gambit: A Moment of Pure Heart and Genuine Roleplay (Critical Role)

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Critical Roles most powerful moment was Scanlan Shorthalts most insane attempt to fight two gods... and it resonates even today.
Critical Roles Most Meaningful Moment.
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Пікірлер: 519

  • @Evilshadow529
    @Evilshadow529 Жыл бұрын

    A quote I've seen described this moment: "Six people were willing to fight a god, but one person was willing to fight two gods."

  • @somenerdpng

    @somenerdpng

    Жыл бұрын

    I do like the “Six people walked into that fight willing to fight a god, one walked in willing to fight two.” Just the, walked into the fight part does it for em

  • @Evilshadow529

    @Evilshadow529

    Жыл бұрын

    @@somenerdpng that's a good one as well.

  • @urosmirkovic8353

    @urosmirkovic8353

    Жыл бұрын

    @@somenerdpng thanks to Matt Colvile for the quote ;)

  • @TheAnonyomusGuy

    @TheAnonyomusGuy

    Жыл бұрын

    Another good alternative could be: "Six people walked in ready to fight a God, but only one was ready to fight two."

  • @Blue_Lunacy

    @Blue_Lunacy

    Жыл бұрын

    @@urosmirkovic8353 Apprently, it was a user who commented on his video on this topic, not Matt himself.

  • @waltterihaapaniemi4341
    @waltterihaapaniemi4341 Жыл бұрын

    The fact that Sam said "I am sorry Liam" instead of "I am sorry Vax" really got me.

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    You could tell in that moment that Sam just wanted to keep his friend alive. The person that had made everything possible, who had experienced such pain over the course of the campaign. He genuinely asked the team if it was worth it, because he couldn't decide whether to save his friend or save the world.

  • @Stormcrownn

    @Stormcrownn

    10 ай бұрын

    Honestly, Vax dying really made campaign 1 special@@ShadowyFox_86

  • @TrairFrair
    @TrairFrair Жыл бұрын

    Just to add a little more information about the intended wish. Sam had talked to Matt in brief about it before the episode. I'm sure Matt said that he can certainly try LOL. So that is why when Sam announced the level 9 spell, Matt made that horrified face for a moment. He knew what Sam had intended, and he knew the cost of declaring that counterspell. Sam wanted to save his friend, but he settled on saving the world.

  • @foxtoxic9722

    @foxtoxic9722

    Жыл бұрын

    Damm, that last sentence...

  • @thejerseyboy6908

    @thejerseyboy6908

    Жыл бұрын

    GET THESE ONIONS OUT OF HERE😭

  • @SocialNomad

    @SocialNomad

    Жыл бұрын

    Shit, I didn't even notice at first

  • @feitocomfruta

    @feitocomfruta

    11 ай бұрын

    … literally the Trolley Problem in action. “Sacrifice one dear to you in order to save the many, or sacrifice the many to save the one dear to you.”

  • @thunderspear2251

    @thunderspear2251

    10 ай бұрын

    You can see Matt realize what was happening in that moment. He's got that little DM smile on his face when he asks, "Are you going to *try* and counterspell?" Even Matt thought he'd burned through his niner before that point, and I think it all hit him when Sam told him "Nine." I think that was the moment when Matt realized why Sam asked about the details of the Wish spell earlier, and especially the fact that he'd held onto his 9th level slot for so long. Sam could've gambled on a lower level slot to try to stop it, but he knew that the nine was a guaranteed stop. Damn, I can't wait to see this get animated...

  • @korraislove
    @korraislove Жыл бұрын

    Liam’s “Don’t be sorry… I love you” broke Sam and broke ME 😭

  • @chungleandthebims167

    @chungleandthebims167

    Жыл бұрын

    I aspire for a friendship as deep as theirs

  • @wowguy1243

    @wowguy1243

    10 ай бұрын

    pretty sure that broke everyone

  • @FedericoVetencourt

    @FedericoVetencourt

    7 ай бұрын

    This was the most beautiful response I've ever seen in a game of anykind in almost any media I've ever watched

  • @Omega1867

    @Omega1867

    7 ай бұрын

    One could only dream of having a friendship like theirs. Liam’s response not only broke Sam, it broke the rest of us too. 🥺💔

  • @DWN-Infinity
    @DWN-Infinity Жыл бұрын

    A quote from the clip which captured the moment is "Everybody is playing checker but Sam has already lost a chess game nobody else knew were being played"

  • @TheAnonyomusGuy
    @TheAnonyomusGuy Жыл бұрын

    This also kicked off Sam's thematic choice for future characters, revolving around guilt. Scanlan failed to save Vax, so Nott is Calabs protector, but because Nott failed to save Fjord, Jester, and Yasha, Molly died, so FCG is Ashtons Protector.

  • @haygirlhayy

    @haygirlhayy

    Жыл бұрын

    Wow, what clever insight. I never thought about it like that. Poor Sam, still feeling so guilty all this time!

  • @TheAnonyomusGuy

    @TheAnonyomusGuy

    Жыл бұрын

    @@haygirlhayy I don't think he literally feels guilty, It is just a game after all but it is an interesting through line when you look at it

  • @edwardnotyourconcern6519

    @edwardnotyourconcern6519

    Жыл бұрын

    Holy crap!

  • @lytherael2309

    @lytherael2309

    Жыл бұрын

    ... Shit, I did not realise that. That did make me tear up.

  • @tristram0073

    @tristram0073

    Жыл бұрын

    Such an interesting thought I think I’d be fun to see if it continues with the character who died in campaign 4 no spoilers lol

  • @danscantland8066
    @danscantland8066 Жыл бұрын

    This scene is why I think Scanlan needs a ring of wishes for the cartoon. Scanlan needs a mechanical device to show Scanlan giving up a resource in the final counterspell

  • @Figgy5119

    @Figgy5119

    Жыл бұрын

    That or when they get the trammels he is given a boon of one wish that he just holds onto until he finally has to wish for Vecna to not be able to leave.

  • @umburon

    @umburon

    Жыл бұрын

    They could play it off as a wish the deck of many things gave?

  • @elbruces

    @elbruces

    Жыл бұрын

    @@umburon That could make sense, since the Scanlan/Grog deck card shenanigans will probably be how they introduce the concept of a Wish into the show.

  • @Adi-oc7vu

    @Adi-oc7vu

    11 ай бұрын

    I was also thinking about making the wish/the highest spell a physical object that Scanlan has or if they want to tie it with the deck of many things a literal final card up Scanlan's sleeves

  • @ten5h1

    @ten5h1

    8 ай бұрын

    I still say they should do a close up of Scanlan’s face as he casts the spell with Vax reflected in Scanlan’s eye as a single tear falls as his heart breaks.

  • @marinekid13
    @marinekid13 Жыл бұрын

    Just want to point out that sam doesn't ask Matt, he asks Liam if it is worth it. When Liam says yes, that's when he turns to Matt and the tears start flowing. 😢

  • @bigbadwolfstudios1
    @bigbadwolfstudios1 Жыл бұрын

    You know that this scene in vox machina is going to be absolutely brutal 😭

  • @cryofpaine

    @cryofpaine

    Жыл бұрын

    I was thinking how much that scene will miss because we won't see Sam's reaction. But then thinking of Liam's performance in the Matron's Tomb, you're right. That's going to be a gut punch.

  • @gavinbock8531

    @gavinbock8531

    Жыл бұрын

    It’ll be interesting to see how they do it, I mean the emotion of this scene is between two players not two pc’s. I’m sure they will find a way to rip my heart out of my chest in a wholly new way lol

  • @thefallencat2080

    @thefallencat2080

    Жыл бұрын

    @@cryofpaine I mean, you'll see scanlan be broken.

  • @KedarOthort

    @KedarOthort

    Жыл бұрын

    The two scenes that are going to hurt the most are this and A Bard's Lament

  • @KedarOthort

    @KedarOthort

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@gavinbock8531 in my head I imagine we're going to get a moment of flashbacks as Scanlan realizes what he has to do, ending with the image of those happy memories shattering under the reality that he couldn't save him

  • @osutuba
    @osutuba Жыл бұрын

    The full circle moment is for Vex's wedding when Scanlan uses the wish to bring Vax back to see her. THAT was an emotional moment!

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    And in the final moments of his wishes...the final cost...we see all the emotion.

  • @xCCflierx

    @xCCflierx

    Жыл бұрын

    His final wish. Never to wish again. So fucking beautiful and symbolic

  • @krampusklaws2238
    @krampusklaws2238 Жыл бұрын

    In the episode after that when Vax was being taken away and everyone as crying except Sam, it's when you realise Sam went through that whole stage grief the moment he counterspelled Vecna. Everyone else was too preoccupied with the fight to fully grasp Sam's grief at what he had to do. Well, except Liam. They had their moment right there.

  • @copycrow4486
    @copycrow4486 Жыл бұрын

    It was truly one of the biggest emotional moments of C1. Everyone had traveled and prepared, everyone at that table walked into that space, ready to take on and challenge a god. Except for one Gnome. For walked in, ready to challenge not one, but two gods, all for the sake of his friend.

  • @PlayYourRole

    @PlayYourRole

    Жыл бұрын

    God damn it I see people say that so often and yet every time it makes me wanna cry

  • @copycrow4486

    @copycrow4486

    Жыл бұрын

    @@PlayYourRole Ever since I first saw a comment saying this, it's been stuck in my head as to how you describe it all.

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    And Sam has admitted that he didn't have the wording for the Wish spell figured out ahead of time. That's some serious courage.

  • @lokilucario

    @lokilucario

    Жыл бұрын

    Too long winded and cringe. Try again

  • @PlayYourRole

    @PlayYourRole

    Жыл бұрын

    @@lokilucario Not a single clue what you're attempting to communicate but I truly hope you had a good day today!

  • @deathsleet8873
    @deathsleet8873 Жыл бұрын

    Things get even more touching when you look at the Dalien’s Closet one shot and consider what Scanlan does at the end of that…

  • @Dani_77709

    @Dani_77709

    Жыл бұрын

    I still get emotional about it.

  • @dragonheart1357

    @dragonheart1357

    Жыл бұрын

    Not only what he does but also what it COSTS him. He gave up the ability to cast the Wish spell ever again (through sheer luck of the dice) for that.

  • @GeldarionTFS

    @GeldarionTFS

    Жыл бұрын

    @@dragonheart1357 I FORGOT about that. So amazingly poetic.

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    The bravest little gnome in all of Exandria.

  • @charliehiggins7876

    @charliehiggins7876

    Жыл бұрын

    What does he do?

  • @MinecraftLovesSteve
    @MinecraftLovesSteve Жыл бұрын

    YOU CANT CALL THE VIDEO SCANLANS GAMBIT BECAUSE NOW IM IN TEARS AND GONNA USE THAT PHRASE IN MY EVERYDAY DMING

  • @PlayYourRole

    @PlayYourRole

    Жыл бұрын

    God if this became a term people used I'd be so happy

  • @briandaaranda9735
    @briandaaranda9735 Жыл бұрын

    For me, Vax and his story and sacrifice hit hard because I am a twin, and I would do anything for my brother, just as I know he'd do anything for me. In this moment, Scanlan was trying to keep the twins together, trying to defy a goddess and a would-be god, to save his strength for a single spell that can rewrite the course of history and alter the fabric of the world. And he has to measure that against the well-being of literally everyone in the world. And he has to choose, essentially, to doom his friend in order to win. Scanlan Shorthalt may be the shortest character, but he's definitely the greatest.

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    The bravest little gnome in all of Exandria.

  • @Ivan_D995

    @Ivan_D995

    10 ай бұрын

    Small man casts log shadow (c)

  • @theoriginalkimerli
    @theoriginalkimerli Жыл бұрын

    “Art is the absence of loneliness” wow that’s a great line.

  • @paulscott2037

    @paulscott2037

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm gonna have to remember that one

  • @theUnconventionalGamer

    @theUnconventionalGamer

    Жыл бұрын

    @@paulscott2037 It is extremely profound.

  • @daisykid3

    @daisykid3

    Жыл бұрын

    It's an incredible line!

  • @RuneKatashima

    @RuneKatashima

    Жыл бұрын

    It truly is. Due to art, for the first time in 2022 I felt like I wasn't alone. Yes, I can call up my parents or a friend, but due to a specific bit of art, I knew someone out there was going through life and questioning the same things I was, with all that came with it. That's what made me feel not alone. Not the voice or physical presence of another.

  • @dracodraco1982

    @dracodraco1982

    Жыл бұрын

    Hmm. I'm not sure that holds up, at least for me. I'm accustomed to being alone, been a recluse a couple decades now, but loneliness is surprisingly rare. Art is like music, it reaches depths I didn't know I had, and soothes, inspires, drives me in ways I can't put into words. Not in the moment, and not after, either. But maybe I'm different on this, I certainly don't have any conception of a better description than this: Food sustains the body, knowledge empowers the mind, and art? Art touches the soul. (Light, lithe, gentle. Crushing, cracking, brutal. It's touch runs from slight enough you aren't sure you felt it at all to heavy and savage, to the point you might never /not/ bear the scars of its force.) The difference being, art has its power even when loneliness isn't around. Rather, feeling as though someone is petting on your spirit will erase loneliness, for where such intimacy exists, loneliness cannot. ..except I don't much believe in souls, either, yet it's the nearest words I've got for what I mean. Maybe art is simply magic, and anyone trying to divine its intrinsic definition is bound to come away looking foolish? >.> But 'til I read that, I'm not sure I ever realized art and loneliness seldom mix. That's going to give me something to gnaw on for years to come, I expect. For that, I thank you. ^.^

  • @deltablaze77
    @deltablaze77 Жыл бұрын

    “Six people walked into that fight willing to fight a god, one walked in willing to fight two.” - Anonymous

  • @scmh1288

    @scmh1288

    Жыл бұрын

    Ugh, my heart

  • @theUnconventionalGamer
    @theUnconventionalGamer Жыл бұрын

    This is one of the reasons I love Sam Riegel so much. And he has this ability to carry this type of depth to multiple games. If you haven't seen him in EXU Calamity, I urge you to go watch it - it's 4 episodes (the last one being a bit longer), but his broadcast speech in the 4th episode brought me, other members of the cast, and even Sam himself (almost) to tears (he confirmed this in the follow up/wrap up episode). And this is why I love both Critical Role and Dimension 20. This is the kind of game I want to play in, but haven't been able to find. And I will continue to search until I can find one.

  • @ulyssespeterson6821

    @ulyssespeterson6821

    Жыл бұрын

    I cried when I heard his voice breaking during the announcement.

  • @tacoman10

    @tacoman10

    Жыл бұрын

    You can't find a group like this. You have to create it.

  • @theUnconventionalGamer

    @theUnconventionalGamer

    Жыл бұрын

    @@tacoman10 I've been trying for a long time. It's hard to find players mature enough to focus more on the character and story arc then merely just the mechanics. And you have to have a certain level of trust within the group to be able to tell or create a good story. Games like these are excellent ways of investigating the human condition, explore morality, and grow as people. And to be able to do it on that level? That's extremely hard to develop, create, or find in individuals, much less to create as a cohesive group. Hell, it took the Critical Role cast getting rid of one of their players first before they had the level of trust and focus to help each other create wonderful stories.

  • @FizzLeeague

    @FizzLeeague

    Жыл бұрын

    @@theUnconventionalGamer Yeah. It's tough. I am in one campaign like that. We've seen such a range of touching experiences, from weddings and wandering, to miracles and massacres, and jailbreaks and executions. We even had a Player character commit suicide. It's so dependent on the right people. People who are committed to the concept of the characters being fleshed out - beings that breathe and feel.

  • @ghostchannel4766
    @ghostchannel4766 Жыл бұрын

    "Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable"-Caesar A. Cruz

  • @Hey-Its-Dingo
    @Hey-Its-Dingo Жыл бұрын

    I SO look forward to seeing the anguish on Scanlan's face as he has to use the last of his magic to stop The Whispered One, preventing him from having the magical energy he needs to Wish for Vax's freedom animated in loving detail by Titmouse. 💔

  • @Lngbrdninjamasta
    @Lngbrdninjamasta Жыл бұрын

    Sam is def the 🐏 of this battle! I cried when he cried. And now ur video has made me cry again 😭

  • @PlayYourRole

    @PlayYourRole

    Жыл бұрын

    I don't even wanna talk about how many times I cried editing it too

  • @FFKonoko

    @FFKonoko

    Жыл бұрын

    Do you mean 🐐 ? Cos that looks to be a ram...

  • @Mister_Mag00
    @Mister_Mag00 Жыл бұрын

    the look on matt's face is almost as sad, matt knew of sams potential plans and relized what happened

  • @EilonwyG
    @EilonwyG Жыл бұрын

    That part still hurts my heart. Don't worry, I'm crying too, so you're not alone. The part that kills me is Sam asking Liam on their podcast - what is the worst character he can play. That character...he saved the world. He just had to give up on saving his friend to do it. The hardest choice anyone could make. Doesn't matter if it wasn't real - the emotions were real, the love at that table was real. And it effected all of us. Thank you Sam and Liam.

  • @ryangentry2003
    @ryangentry2003 Жыл бұрын

    I genuinely hope the show can do this moment justice. It has many times given the original the justice it deserves, but this moment is much more than just a game.

  • @padenbang7375

    @padenbang7375

    Жыл бұрын

    The show is so much different though. During the campaign, we know how close Sam and Liam are. It colors our perspective for the moment and adds an emotional layer. Scanlon and Vax are close, but not nearly as close in the animated show. They just don't take the time to flesh out characters that thoroughly. I feel like it just won't have the same impact. Just my thoughts

  • @timemonkey

    @timemonkey

    Жыл бұрын

    @@padenbang7375 I think it'll depend on how they handle a few events leading up to it. While Scanlan and Vax may not be best friends like Sam and Liam it's still on the table to establish that Scanlan sees the member sof the team as family and that he's desperate to not lose any of them.

  • @coreyjameswood
    @coreyjameswood Жыл бұрын

    This video right here. THIS... Is why I subscribed to you so long ago. There are countless D&D channels out there that discuss the mechanics and "What best to play as" and recaps of recent races/subclasses/rules... But not many touch on the roleplay... The ART of storytelling, quite like you do Jay. Because at the end of the day, to me at least, Dungeons and Dragons is about a group of people connecting. That's why we feel when we see certain movies or read certain books, or even listen to specific songs. It's about that connection, that feeling that "You're not alone." Someone... SomeTHING... Out there understands you. Thank you for this video Jay. You are special and I for one am so glad we've connected on this platform.

  • @sigmata0
    @sigmata0 Жыл бұрын

    I think the success of CR is primarily the display of friendship between all the players. We get to absorb it osmotically while being entertained by the game play. You've picked a particular instance but the whole series is a homage to friendship at play.

  • @isaiahwelch8066
    @isaiahwelch8066 Жыл бұрын

    For me, what Sam did was the epitome of the following: "For no man has greater love than this, than he that would lay down his life for his friends." There is no other way to explain what Sam gave up when he used Counterspell at level 9.

  • @Theroha

    @Theroha

    2 ай бұрын

    More than that. It's also: "A hero will sacrifice his friends to save the world. A villain will sacrifice the world to save his friends."

  • @Majora48
    @Majora4810 ай бұрын

    A big part of this was Liam’s connection to his character because of his struggles at that time in his real life. It’s so genuine

  • @MasumiSeike
    @MasumiSeike Жыл бұрын

    The fact that Matt was the only person in that room that knew what Sam would try simply because Sam asked him if it was even possible and he was told with careful words, Wish is a Wish. You see how Matt's face drops, how he realizes what Sam just sacrificed to give them all this chance. And both just stay quiet for a moment looking at each other, before the game continues.. before life continues without a second chance C1 and C2 have a very interesting component that both have in common. A friend died, and they tried their best. But in the end it wasn't the same approach. Vox Machina fought a god, one was ready to fight two. In the end it was one life for many. Might Nein fought something near demi god, and they were ready to break the world for a friend to be brought back. Nothing could set them more apart than this. While their situations were similar the struggle they went through was not.

  • @foxtoxic9722
    @foxtoxic9722 Жыл бұрын

    I'm gonna try to add some levity here. Joe, the big guy next to Sam, is distracted while all this is going down, I think he was gluing a broken mini fig back together or something. But when he looks over and notices Sam crying next to him he gets this look on his face like, "oh no. What did I miss." I don't know why but amidst all the drama the look of confusion on his face just gives me a little chuckle every time.

  • @elbruces

    @elbruces

    Жыл бұрын

    He was also doing a similar level of mental gymnastics to calculate what would need to happen for him to pull off his own big gambit soon, which is why he seemed like he was in his own little world towards the end.

  • @foxtoxic9722

    @foxtoxic9722

    Жыл бұрын

    @@elbruces yea that's right. He had is eye on the hand. Lol

  • @neonom1024

    @neonom1024

    5 ай бұрын

    hand-eye coordination, you might say... @@foxtoxic9722

  • @michaelhampton1724
    @michaelhampton172410 ай бұрын

    I think when they animate this for the show. They should have scanlan, when he casts the last counterspell say "I am sorry Vax"

  • @mudpie6927
    @mudpie692710 ай бұрын

    It's even stronger when you know that even after that he still found a way to at least bring him back for the wedding

  • @user-jt1js5mr3f
    @user-jt1js5mr3f Жыл бұрын

    My wife is watching C1 for the first time and she is on the cusp of the final episode. I'm so nervous and excited for her.

  • @MrNiveko7
    @MrNiveko710 ай бұрын

    Matt's face says everything when Sam said lvl 9.

  • @mareneaufrance5096
    @mareneaufrance5096 Жыл бұрын

    This is why I love watching Critical Role. They're not only actors but they're friends. It doesn't matter if there is a script or an idea how to play it out. We get to see the raw emotion. When new actors are added in, Robbie Daymond, we get to see another friendship grow. I don't know how long they knew each other in irl, but this is one of my favorite campaigns.

  • @C._Bradford
    @C._Bradford Жыл бұрын

    "I have a tendancy to get really focused on what I'm doing and just not eat" most ADHD sentance I've ever heard.

  • @PlayYourRole

    @PlayYourRole

    Жыл бұрын

    Hahaha I'm not diagnosed let me live in ignorance

  • @SavveGaming
    @SavveGaming10 ай бұрын

    “A hero will sacrifice you to save the world, a villain will sacrifice the world to save you.”

  • @jamie_d0g978
    @jamie_d0g97810 ай бұрын

    The fact that the guy who created a whole back story of a character to make a sex joke it's thevsame guy that make me cry about a role play game stream it's absolutely fantastic

  • @elizabethcarver6661
    @elizabethcarver666110 ай бұрын

    A subtle beautiful moment was their guest Joe who was very touched by their heartfelt reaction to this and he scans the table and very quietly and sincerely says"wow you guys really love dnd"

  • @BWWWAAALORDOFDUCKS
    @BWWWAAALORDOFDUCKS Жыл бұрын

    I watched this at work, and I started tearing up. I haven't even seen a single episode of theirs.

  • @SingingSealRiana

    @SingingSealRiana

    Жыл бұрын

    Same, Sam plays the comedic relief so he can absolutely murder our hearts .... He is so fucking good at playing the heartstrings... He made me cry so hard

  • @pyresti
    @pyresti Жыл бұрын

    Don't ever feel bad about your emotions. It means you care and it lets you enjoy and care about life good and bad. You would not want to be any other way when you think about it. I wish everyone would allow themselves to just feel. We would all be happier.

  • @GeeGe.

    @GeeGe.

    10 ай бұрын

    I felt pretty much the same watching this video. Speaking as someone who has a lot of difficulty crying and being emotionally vulnerable in general, I hope he realizes soon (maybe it's already happened!) that there's nothing ridiculous about this video or showing emotion.

  • @ColtNomad
    @ColtNomad Жыл бұрын

    Okay one ammendment I have about this video I'd like to make. Vax wasn't a dead man walking when Vex died and offered himself in her place. That was when he became her champion. It was when Vecna disintegrated Vax that the Raven Queen gave him another chance to stop Vecna. He became a temporary Revenant to stop Vecna and once Vecna was stopped, Vax would pass on to the afterlife.

  • @NinjaWLOG

    @NinjaWLOG

    9 ай бұрын

    Aren't we all just dead people walking?

  • @GoldnDusty

    @GoldnDusty

    9 ай бұрын

    @@NinjaWLOGNot revenant “dead man walking” we’re not.

  • @az_junior
    @az_junior10 ай бұрын

    I saw a short clip of this moment and cried without knowing any context, then I went and watched the entire campaign just to see it happen. That was beautiful

  • @oediaxl
    @oediaxl Жыл бұрын

    Every time, man. Every time this gets me. I mean if you get to that point you've been watching the campaign for 400 hours, plus all the extra bits and interviews and cons you've probably seen them all at. You understood that they were actually all very good friends who are invested in each other's lives and happiness. It's not as common as it should be to have a large group of genuine friends like that. There were parts of that campaign that were absolutely amazing. I never imagined I would be on the edge of my seat watching someone play D&D, but they did that. Honestly, the way that campaign stuck the landing was unequaled in any scripted series I've ever seen, and the fact it was done seat of the pants like that is a testament to the trust and respect they all have for each other's choices.

  • @ShadowyFox_86

    @ShadowyFox_86

    Жыл бұрын

    Every fan I've ever seen reminded of this moment...water works. We were never be over Scanlan's Gambit.

  • @rosebythecreek
    @rosebythecreek Жыл бұрын

    "Art is the absence of loneliness." Well put. That's going to stay in my heart for a long time. Thank you.

  • @ridiculousboots9368
    @ridiculousboots9368 Жыл бұрын

    "It's funny how I'm tearing up this moment" *me also tearing up*

  • @brandengomez1812
    @brandengomez1812 Жыл бұрын

    It’s hard when you see someone try so hard because you want their efforts to not be in vain; and it is more emotional when it doesn’t work out.

  • @TheAprone
    @TheAprone Жыл бұрын

    Years ago, before I knew how the rest of the world would react to this moment in Critical Role, I ugly cried over this. My wife didn't watch the show and had no idea what in the world was wrong, but it broke me in a way normal films and shows just can't... because this was real. Obviously the fantasy stuff in the game isn't real, but Sam trying to save his friend Liam certainly was. At the time I remember trying to explain why I was crying, and my voice wouldn't cooperate, and I remember apologizing once I got ahold of myself. Haha, she must have been SO confused the entire time! I wonder how Sam looks back at that moment. If you set aside time and location for a minute, in his genuine moment of sadness he had tens (possibly hundreds) of thousands of people crying along with him. The fact that someone sees it for the first time tomorrow and tears up makes little difference. How many people in all the world have really been in that situation. I bet it's a short list.

  • @joeciavarini9508
    @joeciavarini9508 Жыл бұрын

    Wow, what a wonderfully heartfelt video. Thank you Jay for being vulnerable to us. I do not think you getting teary eyed is ridiculous. I have been playing DnD with friends since 1979, and I have felt the connection you feel. A wise person once told me, that in the face of pure true beauty, humans can do nothing but weep with joy. You experienced pure beauty, and the results show themselves in this video. Well done sir, bravo

  • @sethchapman1425
    @sethchapman1425 Жыл бұрын

    Never let rules ruin the game. My humble opinion.

  • @hpsladyamaunetbastet7621
    @hpsladyamaunetbastet762110 ай бұрын

    The confusion in Joe Manganiello struck me, you can hear him saying "Is he crying?" and that's actually when it brought the moment into focus. I was lucky enough to watch this live.

  • @Komskorner
    @Komskorner Жыл бұрын

    I don't think I cried more at anything else (Even during the wedding scene) than at this action with Sam... that's a true friend

  • @2009natman
    @2009natman Жыл бұрын

    I would love to see that moment put into the show (assuming the show goes that far) set as an unspoken heartbreak as scanman looks to vax with nothing but pain and sorrow, then to vecna with determination as he channels everything he has into one last counterspell.

  • @carlycchapman

    @carlycchapman

    9 ай бұрын

    I mean, Amazon greenlit a season 3 AND a Mighty Nein series, so I definitely think The Legend of Vox Machina will have at least 4 or 5 seasons.

  • @CufflinksAndChuckles
    @CufflinksAndChuckles Жыл бұрын

    I experienced one of these moments from afar. I was the DM of a campaign where a player really loved an NPC. When that beloved NPC died he had to leave for a couple minutes. We all assumed he had to take a call or a bathroom break. When the session ended he told me that my NPC was basically a carbon copy of his estranged brother who was separated from him when they were adopted by different sets of parents. They had reunited after 10 or so years but had an argument maybe a couple months before the NPC died. He told me that he’d been worrying about his brother who went dark and had also admitted that he didn’t even remember what they were fighting about in the first place. I am thankful that ttrpg’s could give people a form of therapy and healing for those who seek it.

  • @giudalberto
    @giudalberto Жыл бұрын

    I believe that this moment, its intensity, has not been reached in each of the following campaign also. And I don't know if it could be topped at least in my perception. Great, immense! And thank you for your tears and for getting mine out also 😊

  • @thenamejenny

    @thenamejenny

    Жыл бұрын

    M9 had amazing emotional moments through the story but not 100% like this. C1 was a present to Liam that they luckily began broadcasting. It was the first game for I believe everyone except Matt Tal and Liam. M9- blueberry cupcake. Dinner with Trent and what everyone said and did in defense of Caleb, esp Cadueces' words. The traveller being with Jesters in her coat the whole time. Essek reveal "have you tried friends?" and later sacrifices his long elven unconsecuted life for them. C3 is good af and especially rn

  • @giudalberto

    @giudalberto

    Жыл бұрын

    @@thenamejenny i agree: plenty of moments, but I struggle to find some as powerful as this one. The 3rd campaign is quite something, but I'm not quite taken by the plot...it's hard to follow the emotional thread... too much meat cooking for my taste :)

  • @cheesy_87
    @cheesy_87 Жыл бұрын

    This was a beautiful video. I also teared up when this moment happened - when I watched it the first time, the second time, and when I seen it in this video as well. Your words and your genuine emotion made this even more touching and special

  • @lilylou4693
    @lilylou469310 ай бұрын

    I'll always cry at this scene. Always. You've put it beautifully. Thank you

  • @jasonberezowski2869
    @jasonberezowski2869 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for this beautiful video man, you perfectly encapsulate everything I feel about Roleplaying, the community, art, and human emotion

  • @calypso6889
    @calypso688910 ай бұрын

    You described this moment and this feeling perfectly!! I really appreciated you for being able to show your own vulnerability and emotion through this video because I feel it the same way, it’s ridiculous to cry about this but it’s an amazing feeling

  • @surlynem9470
    @surlynem9470 Жыл бұрын

    It's moments like this that you highlighted that made me fall in love with this game and especially Critical Role, the cast has brought me to tears so many times over the years, and the stories they tell are just simply beautiful.

  • @m4c35
    @m4c35 Жыл бұрын

    That video is just beautiful, Jay. Thank you!

  • @Garrett236
    @Garrett236 Жыл бұрын

    Matt Colville did an amazing breakdown of this fight and its emotional gravitas. At 12:15, when Liam says, "I'm not sorry," you hear a noise shortly after. I didn't hear it until Colville's breakdown. It's the sound of Sam crying out in pain and mental anguish.

  • @eliasneris2612
    @eliasneris2612 Жыл бұрын

    There’s several moments like that in campaign 1 that I really didn’t feel in campaign 2. While I enjoyed c2 for me it wasn’t as emotional as c1. Grog saying fix him still gets me teary eye. Made me teary just writing this.

  • @PokeJoshNY

    @PokeJoshNY

    Жыл бұрын

    god all the resurrection rituals in c1 were tearjerkers. Grog's speech and song for Scanlan, Vex's heart-to-heart with Percy, and of course not to mention Vax's bargain to save Vex which becomes so much more heartbreaking when you know what Liam was going through in that moment.

  • @Drekromancer

    @Drekromancer

    Жыл бұрын

    @@PokeJoshNY What was the context?

  • @GeldarionTFS

    @GeldarionTFS

    Жыл бұрын

    @@Drekromancer His mom died of cancer. Like *right* before Vex died in-game, within a month.

  • @canibus82

    @canibus82

    10 ай бұрын

    I feel the same way. I was alot more emotionally invested in campaign 1 then I was in campaign 2 or have been in C3. The resurrection ritual for Percy caught me completely off guard and was a blubbering mess. I went to my friend who got me into it and said "you didn't tell me I was gonna cry" and he immediately knew I had gotten to that episode. Then when Scanlon died I was in tears again. Don't get me wrong I loved C2 and have really been enjoying C3 but they just haven't lived up to the magic of C1.

  • @Dracon350

    @Dracon350

    10 ай бұрын

    it definitely feels like they learned from c1, and thus why we don't see as many emotional gut punches in the other campaigns. hell, in C2, they went the entire campaign with two of the party members avoiding death entirely, and two of the five who did die only did so at the second to last episode. in total, c1 had 13 deaths, with Vex having the most (3 times), Scanlan, Grog, Vax, and Percy all died twice each, and Pike and Keyleth both died once (Pike's was pre-stream). 14 if you include Vax's final goodbye, 15/14 if you include Vex's death in Dalen's Closet. c2, in contrast, had 6 deaths, and none of the characters died more than once. also also, the 1st campaign lasted ~5 years. these guys were very intimate with their characters, hell, you could argue some of them WERE their characters. Keyleth was just Marisha with emphasized anxiety, Scanlan was just Sam, etc. it's a lot easier to bring out these feelings when the characters are essentially you but with a specific detail heightened. like, it's harder, i imagine, for Sam to step into the role of a polymorphed Goblin mom than it is to step into a depressed musician.

  • @MuzicLvr7
    @MuzicLvr74 ай бұрын

    I can't say anything more than thank you for making this video...I always get teary eyed when I see this scene. You broke it down PERFECTLY.

  • @clarissefigueiredo5653
    @clarissefigueiredo5653 Жыл бұрын

    I’ve teared up SO MUCH from this video! Thank your for this analysis. This video, too, is art

  • @katlero28
    @katlero28 Жыл бұрын

    Actual plays and their prophetic dice rolls are the closest I’ve come to believing in a higher power. I cannot not believe something is driving these random rolls and the perfect moments in so many different actual plays.

  • @domarvisais6178
    @domarvisais6178 Жыл бұрын

    Jay, I have watched this video several times. I love this video, definitely one of your best.

  • @smeekings
    @smeekings10 ай бұрын

    Thank you for this video. I cried too. Beautifully articulated thoughts on how group role play can create human connection.

  • @jbowers56
    @jbowers56 Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful video, thank you.

  • @ljayrichards3799
    @ljayrichards3799 Жыл бұрын

    So well put! I had the same reaction to the end of the campaign. You put my feelings and thoughts into words. This was the most emotional I've been since I began first watching critical role. So glad you made this video.

  • @dannysanchez9140
    @dannysanchez9140 Жыл бұрын

    Didn’t understand how profound that moment was before, that’s just gut-wrenching.

  • @seangodde5429
    @seangodde5429 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for an amazing video!

  • @katemoon1594
    @katemoon15948 ай бұрын

    Quickly becoming a fan of your authenticity & honesty. Thank you for creating something genuine.

  • @searchforsecretdoors
    @searchforsecretdoors Жыл бұрын

    I love this video. And you have also grown so much since the old days of showing your 3D printer in action. You have put yourself out there in a much more human way as well. Thanks for doing what you do.

  • @AMoniqueOcampo
    @AMoniqueOcampo Жыл бұрын

    When you talked about how often Critical Role threw out the rulebook, I kept thinking "The rules in D&D are more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules." LOL. But it ain't like that in real life!

  • @kristhomson4015
    @kristhomson4015 Жыл бұрын

    Right there with ya, this video of the emotional moment managed to get me in the feels! Incredible

  • @trevorwilliams6362
    @trevorwilliams6362 Жыл бұрын

    Your take on how to recognize art is beautiful! I'm (maybe weirdly) hopeful that a.i. can learn to meet that requirement some day.

  • @CufflinksAndChuckles
    @CufflinksAndChuckles Жыл бұрын

    Well done, man. You put your heart out on your sleeve to make this video. I hope you get all the success you deserve.

  • @bessiehadley3497
    @bessiehadley34977 ай бұрын

    Thank you for this insight - I did not know all this & it explains so much of what I saw in the episode. Thank you so much; very touching.

  • @TheWeldaman90
    @TheWeldaman90 Жыл бұрын

    You have my unconditional friendship right now. I've loved every moment of CR. I'm glad that we can share these emotions together. Much love Brother, and thank you. You're not alone.

  • @NexusNemesis
    @NexusNemesis Жыл бұрын

    This moment always makes me tear up and you got me going again. That moment crushed me and I have rewatched it at least a hundred times, I felt that agony, I could see it.

  • @ghastlygrapefruit
    @ghastlygrapefruit10 ай бұрын

    I remember crying my eyes put at this moment. Thank you for your video it summized it perfectly.

  • @Sulacolol
    @Sulacolol Жыл бұрын

    I'm crying with you my friend! Thank for this video!

  • @ToxicThot69
    @ToxicThot69 Жыл бұрын

    I want to give you the truth, in why I watch Critical Role and have watched, EVERYTHING they have created. It started with a huge interest in D&D, but the cast of CR and how they “perform” with one another..that is what has kept me entranced for so many years. The laughter, the tears. I watch..for those moments. Between The Sheets with Brian W. Foster is so worth watching, to get a deep dive into those relationships and where they came from. Wonderful video, and don’t be ashamed of crying in front of others. It may make you feel vulnerable, but it also shows the real you, and that empathy and compassion for others is a selfless gift. ♥️ Love your work. 👌✊

  • @punkrockpearl84
    @punkrockpearl84 Жыл бұрын

    This may be your best video. Thanks, I'm crying. The emotional rollercoaster C1 was...and the fact that it started from a silly, humble birthday game, never ceases to amaze me. But then you add in the fact that the whole group, the whole channel, the whole company is based on these deeply personal connections. Every person in the cast seems to be earnest about KEEPING the game pure, based on this deeply loving, caring friendship they have with each other. They have stayed committed for just 8 years now (streaming), to not only keeping THEIR group and their brand strong, but they actively connect with others in the same space, reaching out to help people they don't even know for charity, to boost someone else or something else that needs it. When they risk their reputation, their money, and that hurts part of the community, they have stepped away, breaking ties or donating money to a good cause. They don't have to do this. They have choices to make, and they get bigger all the time, but to see that there are times when they could have easily taken money and didn't, or they could have stayed quiet and they didn't is frankly amazing. They could have walked away at any time. This could have stayed a home game, and they could always go back to just that. I appreciate every minute I get to see. Like you said, it's not the rolls or the mechanics of the game that keep me coming back, even though it made me confident enough in the system and the lore of the world to be able to start GMing my own group; it's seeing the friendship and being able to feel something I hope my own players feel that keeps me engaged. Every group should be so lucky to have this feeling of belonging. The shared memories of something that only your group really knows about, being able to reminisce about it with them? Finding new friends who you can really be yourself around & revel in unmasking your full, awkward nerd? One of the best feelings.

  • @sebastiannunez7188
    @sebastiannunez7188 Жыл бұрын

    God this video really made me feel something special, I never knew why this moment hit me so hard, now I do. Thank you for that, im definitely subscribing now

  • @christopherscotti4054
    @christopherscotti405410 ай бұрын

    I listened to this whole podcast and honestly it tore me up… the companionship they made during this adventure draws you in… I cried so much when this happened!

  • @ZSchrink
    @ZSchrink11 ай бұрын

    It's such a beautiful moment in the campaign and goes to show just how amazing cooperative and imaginative play is!

  • @mariabulycheva7627
    @mariabulycheva762710 ай бұрын

    You are amazing, this is an incredibly touching video. I came here to find out what actually happened in that moment of the C1, but I got much more that that. Thank you so much. Everything you said was so very right.

  • @vampirelogan
    @vampirelogan Жыл бұрын

    Good job, my dude, on making this video. I wanted to make a video about this back around the time Matt Coville made his and I gave up because I couldn't do it without crying til my eyes hurt (and also Matt pretty much covered what I had to say anyways). Your video added and clarified a lot of the emotional context and background.

  • @oopsiedasy
    @oopsiedasy Жыл бұрын

    Ty for this

  • @DParkerNunya
    @DParkerNunya Жыл бұрын

    I had to put off watching this video because I knew it would hurt. This one moment hurts me on levels I never would have thought it could. Liam and Sam are two of the greatest storytellers I've ever seen, and their friendship shines through all of their interactions in the game. These two are my absolute favorites at the table, because every time one of them is in danger or hurting, you can see the other feeling it. They both play self sacrificing idiots because they care about everyone else so much. If you ever want an example of the reverse, there's a moment in C2 where Liam's character has to run before Sam's character can, which is a painful decision both in and out of character to make. Sam's character takes an attack of opportunity he didn't have to so that Laura's character can escape. And when they all learn that Sam's character got put on 1hp because of that after the fact, you can see Liam go through nearly every stage of grief at once. They both just care and their friendship is just the best.

  • @eredirn648
    @eredirn6488 ай бұрын

    you made me cry again man, i need it.

  • @ohnegative9526
    @ohnegative95265 ай бұрын

    Amazing video. Great job revealing the depth of this game.

  • @spaceman9599
    @spaceman9599 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this great vid. This was a moment of pure transcendent humanity on so many levels.

  • @spaceman9599

    @spaceman9599

    Жыл бұрын

    That, and the snowdrops....

  • @ingerknudson4297
    @ingerknudson429710 ай бұрын

    This was meaningful and thankyou, my friend

  • @traciauerbach
    @traciauerbach Жыл бұрын

    This is the best. Thank you! You are making art too!

  • @AlunKahul
    @AlunKahul10 ай бұрын

    To me what makes this moment so impactful is you can tell this was not just about the DnD characters. This was Sam (The Person) being genuinely sad about not being able to do this great thing he planned his Friend. And the raw true emotion of that shatters my heart every time I see it

  • @johnlancaster6932
    @johnlancaster6932 Жыл бұрын

    Love you for this

  • @alexsmith9617
    @alexsmith96174 ай бұрын

    Bravo! Well done! That you have done your research and have clearly spent hours analyzing the game and these players is blatantly obvious. My main Cudos to you are for your bravery in expressing your deep feelings about the game, these people and your own world view of life. I salute your courage , determination and valor. Again, Well Done 👍🏼