The following contains spoilers for Critical Role Campaign 3, Episode 98.
Critical Role’s recent live episode at The Greek Theater made its way to the masses Thursday night, ending with an Marvel Cinematic Universe-style threat that Brennan Lee Mulligan will return to break hearts this July in Downfall, his voyage back to the Calamity. Core Critical Role cast members Ashley Johnson, Laura Bailey, and Taliesin Jaffe will accompany Mulligan at the end of the world, as will Noshir Dalal, Abubakar Salim, and Nick Marini.
Despite the fresh cast and contained three-episode arc, Downfall will not represent an Exandria Unlimited-esque hiatus in Critical Role’s main programming. Downfall (or Calamity 2: Electric Boogaloo) will encompass Episodes 99 through 101 of Critical Role’s ongoing third campaign. Bells Hells’ antagonist Ludinus Da’leth has granted the party this peak into the divine’s role in Exandria’s Calamity to vindicate his vendetta against the Gods. Downfall’s three episodes will stream on YouTube, Twitch, and Critical Role‘s new streaming service Beacon on Thursdays July 11, 18, and 25 at 7 p.m. PT.
Of course, Downfall’s schedule means that those who recently fell victim to the bardic charms of Sam Riegel’s new player character, Briaus Doomseed, will have to wait until August to see the shamelessly flirtatious Minotaur return. Riegel had previously joined Mulligan during the fall of Avalir in Exandria Unlimited: Calamity alongside Critical Role cast members Marisha Ray and Travis Willingham and guests Luis Carazo, Aabria Iyengar, and Lou Wilson. Downfall‘s table shares no overlap with Exandria Unlimited: Calamity, allowing Mulligan to ask an entirely new set of role players if they’re weakest at the elbow or the shoulder.
From Campaign 2’s expedition to the Aeorian ruins to Aeormaton player characters like Fresh Cut Grass, Aeor has long held a tremendous significance both to Critical Role fans and to the show’s overall worldbuilding. In Downfall, Mulligan and his players offer a highly anticipated glimpse into this lost piece of Exandrian history, one that Ludinus indicated could ultimately recruit Bells Hells into his current war against the pantheon. Much like Exandria Unlimited: Calamity Downfall’s posed to weave another epic tragedy between Gods and Exandrians (though, hopefully there’s an opportunity to check in on beloved Calamity NPC Bolo amid Aeor’s fall).
Downfall‘s potential to provide answers to long brewing Exandrian mysteries and put fans once more through the emotional wringer of the Calamity has teed Critical Role up for a banner July.
