Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E91 “True Heroism”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of Critical Role Campaign 3 Episode 91 True Heroism!

PARENTAL INFLUENCE

The voice that Imogen and Fearne heard asking “Did she know?” was Liliana, whose purple light is pinging rapidly around the cavern, looking for someone. Fearne’s father, Sorrowlord Zathuda, is riding his fey dragon Gloamglut, searching the streets. Soldiers and Reiloran Mystics are fanning through the city as a glow emanates from the Prime Pillar, dispelling all illusions in a wave of power. The invisibility and seeming spells drop from the two teams of Bells Hells that are trying to escape.

Gloamglut chases Fearne, Ashton, and FCG from above. Ashton punches through walls, toppling buildings and giving them places to run. Zathuda calls out for Fearne, amused that his singular kin fights against him. She is her mother’s daughter. He calls her Fearne Zathuda and claims to hold a mix of pride and hate for her. She is a chaos being of cold shadow and fiery whim. Fearne polymorphs FCG into a slither, wildshaping into a slither herself. Ashton, in their earthen form, burrows into the ground and Team Bomb uses the earth to flee from the chaos.

Meanwhile, Imogen recasts invisibility on Team Invisiltration plus Evoroa, leaving herself as the only visible member. They flee, but are trapped by walls of stone caging them in. Liliana arrives, asking Imogen if she knew – Imogen asks what she means. Liliana’s anger cools, believing that her daughter didn’t know about the assassination attempt. Imogen wants to free her mother, but Liliana believes she is too deep.

Imogen shows Liliana her own locket with Imogen’s baby fingerprint. She tries to convince Liliana that her will is stronger, but Liliana is afraid that Ludinus will make Imogen the vessel instead. Liliana can’t run away. Imogen begs her to come with her. Liliana is conflicted and needs to think, but she will find Imogen. She launches into the sky, freeing the group from the stone walls. Team Bomb notices Liliana flying away, so head in that direction.

THE FIVE MINDS

Laudna continues to keep an eye on the Otohan tracking ball and notices that she is growing ever closer. Before they make it out of Kreviris, though, Team Invisiltration is surrounded by five Reiloran Mystics – the Weave Mind themselves. They see right through the invisibility and ask who they are. They can tell they’ve connected to Chetney’s essence before. He feels that tether begin to weave its way back into his heart in their proximity.

They see that Laudna has two spirits residing in one vessel. Laudna feels the pulse in her heart. The Weave Mind can give her all she desires – but they seem to be speaking to Delilah, not Laudna. When the Minds turn their attention to Orym, he calls out to Nana Morri, asking her to get them all out. The Minds look past Orym and to Imogen: she’s come home and they’re happy to have her. The rest can stay. The Minds seem to get distracted during the conversation, saying “they resist” and must go.

Team Invisiltration runs, with Team Bomb arriving beneath them just as the Mystics vanish. They run towards a tunnel, trying to reach the crest, or Caeluma Kreviris. The group reunites as they enter the tunnel. Imogen messages Rashinna, who tells them the safe house is abandoned and they cannot regroup. Rashinna tells her to take Evoroa with them and find their promised allies. They run, with Laudna keeping an eye on the tracking ball. Otohan is very close.

THE ENEMY

Suddenly, they see a shadow form emerge and vanish. Ashton collapses the tunnel behind them, but Otohan redoubles her efforts to cut them off. Orym spots a shadow running alongside them and then Otohan is there in the flesh. A fight breaks out immediately, with Laudna’s rage exploding as she summons her hound (freshly named Carpaccio Caviar by FCG). Otohan’s two blades are named Ishta, the Summit Blade, and Scream Needle.

Otohan immediately cuts Chetney down and asks Imogen if this looks familiar. Chetney’s last words talk about how he spent his life looking up at the moon, so this isn’t a bad place to go. Fearne screams in primal rage when she sees Chetney’s body and activates her Spark of Rau’shan, turning into a faun of flame. FCG casts revivify on Chetney, bringing the one day legendary toymaker back to life.

Imogen telekinetically tears the backpack away from Otohan, removing her ability to make shadow echoes. Otohan regrets not finishing the job when they last met. Bells Hells pummel Otohan and FCG casts mass cure wounds, but Otohan re-energizes herself with a Super Saiyan-like burst of power called Exaltant Fury. She knocks out Imogen, Chetney, and FCG, showcasing how deadly she can be.

NEEDING HELP

Imogen stabilizes during her death saves, but plays possum to avoid Otohan’s ire. Laudna casts wither and bloom, bringing FCG back to consciousness. Otohan drinks a supreme healing potion because she’s very rude and knocks out Orym. FCG casts mass cure wounds again and gives a blessing to Orym, which puts him over the limit on his stress.

Imogen casts sending, telling her mother that they’re trapped by Otohan and asking for help. Liliana will try to find her. Orym gets back up, leaning on the strength of his father and husband. He knows they wouldn’t have stopped, so neither will he. Otohan takes Orym down, then Ashton, before turning her attention to FCG.

CONNECTIONS

Fresh Cut Grass, enraged, chooses to cast guiding bolt on himself to trigger the arcane core in his chest. They reflect on the connections they have made with Bells Hells and their loved ones like Bertrand, Dorian, and F.R.I.D.A., feeling alive not because of D or Dancer or the Changebringer, but because of Bells Hells. Their friends saved FCG, so they will save their friends in turn. FCG collides with Otohan as the bomb within him explodes, killing Otohan Thull and himself in a sacrifice move that saves the lives of his friends.

Bells Hells are stunned by FCG’s actions, but they have no time to mourn. They heal the unconscious Orym and Ashton and take FCG’s chestplate and head. Ashton grabs the Changebringer coin and they locate the Staff of Dark Odyssey. They get out of the tunnels and find themselves topside of Kreviris, where Liliana joins them. They still have to escape the city and the stakes have never been clearer.

That is it for Episode 91 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• My heart is broken. Oh FCG. Thank you for making our lives smiley. We love you, Sam Riegel, even when you make us cry.
• Everybody leveled up to Level 13 before the episode.
• All the respect to Otohan Thull. She was terrifying and intimidating and deadly. An incredible villain.
• What are Bells Hells going to do now that they’ve lost their sunshine?

Catch Episode 92 on Thursday, April 18th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?