Brennan Lee Mulligan Delivered a Shocking Cliffhanger at Critical Role’s Live Show

The following contains spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 98.

Brennan Lee Mulligan left The Greek Theater shellshocked when he stepped behind Matthew Mercer’s Dungeon Master screen in the final moments of Critical Role’s recent live episode. Mulligan set the stage to unearth Exandrian lore by reprising his role as the herald of the Calamity.

When the beloved Dimension 20 creator was announced as the (game) master of ceremonies for Campaign 3, Episode 98, many Critical Role fans suspected his involvement would transcend opening remarks. Considering Daniel Sloss’ fatally record-setting cameo as Aggy in the Mighty Nein’s 2023 Wembley Arena reunion, a similar guest star moment for Mulligan appeared in the cards for the Bells Hells live audience. But Mercer and Mulligan had a more significant twist up their sleeves than anticipated.

At the end of Episode 98, Bells Hells’ villain Ludnius Da’leth led the wary and battle-worn heroes deep into the bowels of Aeor. There the mage unveiled the nature of his work with the Occultus Thalamus, and its role in his ongoing effort to unseat the Gods of Exandria. Ludinus disclosed that he could now access and broadcast a pre-Calamity memory preserved within Aeor’s ruins that would unequivocally validate his crusade. As the Bells Hells were transported into this projection of the past, Mulligan swapped in for Mercer to deliver a chilling speech and welcome audiences back into The Age of Arcanum.

In 2022, Mulligan helmed the Critical Role prequel Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, an emotionally devastating mini-campaign that opened with the word “fire”. After the live show audience quelled, Mulligan began his narration with “light” to emphasize the shift into a pre-Calamity Exandria. Much like when Aabria Iyengar took over for Mercer to catch audiences up on the tragic misadventures of Exandria Unlimited‘s Crown Keepers, Mulligan’s overture epitomizes Critical Role‘s current era of expansive worldbuilding.

Not only were Iyengar and Mulligan invited into the Exandrian sandbox in their respective mini-campaigns, but their voices became representative of those aspects of the show’s lore. Iyengar returning to delightfully torment her Crown Keepers and Mulligan guiding players through the final act of another pre-Calamity floating city adds an enriching continuity to Critical Role‘s narrative and emphasizes an unparalleled commitment to collaborative storytelling.

Though it’s suspected that Mulligan will return to DM Campaign 3, Episode 99, it’s yet to be officially confirmed by the Critical Role team. Based on the precedent set by Iyengar, many fans are anticipating a one to two-episode run from Mulligan.