Critical Recap: Critical Role C3E93 “Bittersweet Reunions”

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 93 Bittersweet Reunions!

GOD TALK

Opal the Twice-Crowned. The Champion of the Spider Queen. The Crown Keepers, her best friends in all the world, fight as hard as they can to save her from the Betrayer God. Opal tries to reason with the Spider Queen, who responds by revealing the threat of Predathos to her. This is why she needs a Champion and why she will kill the Crown Keepers unless Opal gets them to leave – the Spider Queen needs someone wholly devoted to her cause.

Morrighan too reaches out to the Matron of Ravens. She asks her goddess for guidance and is told to defend her life, but the Matron questions why Morrighan is fighting. The Matron has no love for the Spider Queen, but she understands that she is fighting in defense of her life. The Matron tells Morrighan not to die here in this fight, that she was not made one of her Chosen to fall here. Fy’ra Rai also begs the Wildmother to let her help Opal in exchange for Fy’ra Rai assisting the Wildmother in the fight to come.

IT ALL FALLS DOWN

Opal, in an attempt to save her friends’ lives, casts mass suggestion on Dorian and Dariax. She tells them to walk away and go see Orym. They both comply, unable to save against the spell, and begin to leave the fight. Dariax trusts Opal implicitly and urges the others to leave as well. Dorian, who earlier accidentally caught his brother Cyrus in a damaging spell, watches a spider knock Cyrus unconscious. Dorian can only watch in shocked anger as his brother is killed.

The Spider Queen brings out her most fearsome and favored spider, a massive one with an unsettling maw. Other spiders crush more gemstones, destroying more pillars of Opal’s personality. She loses the memory of her own birth name, Georgina, and why she chose the name Opal. She even loses memory of her sister, Ted. Even though she knows Ted is still inside her, she is just a stranger to Opal now.

Morrighan, in shock at seeing Cyrus die, kills the murderous spider in vengeance. She grabs more gems and promises Opal that she can come back from this. Mor loves her and knows that this isn’t her friend. Morrighan mourns the kind and gentle Cyrus, deciding to leave the fight and guide Cyrus’ spirit to the afterlife.

Dorian is forced to leave, unable to control his body, but in his anger, he casts geas on the massive spider, telling it to kill its mother. As he leaves, the Spider Queen tells Dorian that she wanted him first, but his cowardice in refusing the crown resulted in his brother’s death. Dorian walks away without reply, with Dariax following in his wake.

THE CROWN KEEPERS

Fy’ra Rai is determined to tear the crown off Opal’s head, but she knows Opal won’t survive it. Opal can feel Fy’ra Rai’s new devotion for the Wildmother and wonders if, since the gods are fighting the same enemy, they could stay together – Fy’ra Rai as a Chosen of the Wildmother and Opal as the Spider Queen’s Champion. Fy’ra Rai talks to the Spider Queen and they all come to the compromise that Fy’ra Rai will stay and protect Opal, as well as fight for the gods. Opal can never say no to a sister and Fy’ra Rai promises to never leave another one.

Each member of the Crown Keepers leaves as a pair: Fy’ra Rai and Opal. Morrighan and Cyrus’ spirit. Dorian and Dariax. The double D’s travel to Zephrah over the next couple of days. Dorian has never been this angry. He doesn’t know what Cyrus would want him to do, but he wants revenge. They go to a tavern, where Dorian gives Dariax his lute and scimitar. Dorian tells the budding bard to play for the people, then turns invisible and exits, leaving Dariax behind. He goes to the center of the village, where he sees Keyleth emerge from the cherry tree.

RETURN OF THE PRINCE

Keyleth and Dorian reunite and he requests that she send some Ashari to collect Cyrus’ body from the wilderness. Dorian doesn’t know where to go from here, but he wants to see Orym and Fearne. Keyleth says they are on an important mission, but she is so proud. She would know if something happened to Orym, so Dorian can take comfort in that. Dorian decides to stay in Zephrah for now, grateful for the compassion and the shared solace of grief.

Dorian goes to bed, but soon hears Orym’s voice in the sending stone. It’s been weeks since the stone worked, but now he can hear Orym asking him to come to the Hellcatch Valley. Dorian replies that he will be there and gets up. Keyleth comes to him and the two discuss the situation, with Dorian agreeing to come with her. They need to save the world again, and she needs to save a friend. They travel through a tree to the encampment in the Hellcatch.

There, Dorian sees Bells Hells arrive. But he is surprised to see them with the unfamiliar bormodo scientist Evoroa, with no sign of FCG. The moment Bells Hells see Dorian, Orym leaps into his arms with a tackle hug and Fearne gives hugs and kisses. The group sadly explains what happened to FCG and introduces Evoroa. The time table is ramping up, but Keyleth wants them to rest before they give her the details. She sent some Ashari to check out the secret portal in Issylra – they can make use of it.

GROUNDING

Bells Hells find a place to rest and talk with Dorian. He reveals what happened to Cyrus and Opal, to Fearne and Orym’s horror. They update Dorian on Predathos and everything that happened. Dorian now realizes there is true evil in the world and feels like he failed Opal. Laudna thinks this is an opportunity for redemption, but Dorian would prefer revenge. At least Fy’ra Rai is with Opal, but he can feel how scared the gods are.

Ashton returns from apologizing to Evoroa for an earlier angry remark. He passes out drinks and the reunited group toasts to Fresh Cut Grass and the friends they hope to see again. Bells Hells savor the grounding that this moment allows them.

That is it for Episode 93 of Critical Role!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Oh Opal. Fy’ra Rai, keep her safe, as best you can. At least she has her protector.
• Welcome back to Bells Hells, Dorian Storm!
• How many times did I write Dorian for Dariax and vice versa? Many! Just like old times.
• Fy’ra Rai and Morrighan are both considered Chosen of their goddesses the Wildmother and the Matron.
• Finally – a proper toast to FCG.

Catch Episode 94 on Thursday, May 9th at 7pm Pacific on twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole or a week later on our podcast. Is it Thursday yet?