‘Critical Role’ 3×28 recap: The Deathwish Run
The Bells Hells race through the streets on Critical Role!
‘Critical Role’ 3×28 recap: Campaign 3, Episode 28 “The Deathwish Run” aired July 21, 2022
On your marks
The Deathwish Run has finally arrived. Ashton and Imogen are teamed up in one crawler. Chetney, Laudna and FCG are in the second (with FCG welded to the front of the vehicle as a literal front wheel). Orym and Dusk are heading out onto the track, setting up an ambush to hijack a third crawler while Fearne is on general mayhem duty.
As the entire city turns out for the race, the flags drop. The crawlers shoot off. The race is as brutal as the city that spawned it. Magical attacks shoot from one vehicle to the next. The racers are as busy ramming each other as pulling ahead of the pack. And its not just the Bells Hells against the paragon Call, three other crawler gangs are in the race too. And they’re all out for blood.
As brutal as it is, its mil-mannered Imogen who nets the first kill. She casts lightning bolt, and one enemy crawled explodes.
One crawler down. Three to go.
The ravine
The second leg takes the Bells Hells out of the city to a huge ravine outside the city. Orym and Dusk are lying in wait. Pulse pounding, Orym puts his head down, sprints. And leaps onto an enemy crawler, kicking the driver off the vehicle. Dusk is on his heels, just managing to unseat the passenger. While all this happens, Imogen casts blindness on another enemy… yeah. They definitely crash.
One crawler to go.
Inside the Cavern
It’s the three Bells Hells crawlers against the Paragon Call as they all drive into pitch darkness of a subterranean cavern. It’s almost enough to make you feel bad for the Paragon’s Call. With very little effort Orym and Ashton double team to take out the last enemy driver and crawler. Things are looking up for the Bells Hells. Which, of course, is where everything goes to hell.
Monsters below
A growl emanates from the darkness, followed by the horrifying visage of massive scaled leopard-like creature erupts onto the scene. With all their competitors eliminated the Bells Hells have to battle the kagaronk alone.
Laudna takes a brutal hit before Orym manages to fire off a few daggers, tripping up the monster enough to outrun it.
For like four seconds.
The beast circles around, pouncing on the Bells Hells as they reenter the ravine on the last leg of their race. It levels a brutal attack that hits Laudna hard enough to knock her unconscious– and leaves her crawler driverless. Ashton finishes the creature off, but things aren’t over yet.
A magically-induced dusk storm bears down on the drivers as a series of giant spear-riddled barricades burst out of the sand. Orym and a (barely) healed Laudna are able to swerve just in time. Ashton doesn’t. Their crawler smashes spectacularly into the barricade but no matter. The race is done.
The Bells Hells have won.
Loose ends
Otohan Thull and General Ratanish meet the Bells Hells at the finish line. Congratulating them on their victory, Otohan welcomes the limping adventurers into the Paragon’s Call, telling them that training begins in a few days. It’s a victory somewhat diminished by the lightning bolt of recognition running through Imogen.
Because Otohan Thull is the woman from Imogen’s dreams.
It’s the first of a string of upsetting revelations for Imogen. Walking back to their rooms, she sees Laudna and Dusk talking intently. Still not sure how she feels about the newcomer, she casts detect thoughts on them. But the spell fails. There is no mind to touch.
Connecting dots
As they settle in for the night, the wizened, grizzled Chetney sidles up to Dusk and tells them that he knows what they’re up to. Dusk feigns confusion, but Chetney isn’t letting up. He sees what Dusk is doing, pretending to know Birdie and Ollie. He knows Dusk has been contracted to kill them, and offers to help.
It’s a daring move for the old gnome trying to draw Dusk out. But it’s not enough, Dusk refuses to acknowledge anything, running instead to Fearn on the verge of tears to tell Fearne what Chetney said. If they were hoping to make Fearne angry– or suspicious of Chentey– Dusk failed. Fearne isn’t the kind to worry about that, especially not when she’s finally going to see her parents tomorrow.
Reunions
The reunion takes place at Imahara Joe’s bright and early. Fearne is nervous but utterly overjoyed to see her mother again. Birdie is amazed to see Fearne– to see how much she’s grown in the past six years. SIX YEARS! (For Fearne it’s been ninety!)
They don’t have time to unravel the mystery of the time difference. Because Dusk steps forward. Fearne reintroduces them to Birdie. Or at least she tries.
Because Birdie has never seen Dusk before.
None of them have. Dusk isn’t a good natured elf anymore. But the pale, unknowable figure of a changeling. They grab hold of Birdie and Fearne.
And that’s where the episode ends!
Watch Critical Role Thursdays at 7pm PST on Twitch and YouTube! Check out last week’s Critical Role recap here, or watch me talk about all the highlights and theories here!
Critical Role Episode 28 Highlights
- Fearne trying (and failing) to sneak on to the Paragon’s Call crawler was just PEAK Fearne. Sooooo funny.
- The image of FCG’s eyes lighting up like magical headlights will never not make me laugh.
- Imogen’s face when she casts detect thoughts! AHHHHHH
- Then Orym reading lips while Chetney and Dusk talk
- Then Dusk revealed! I can’t take it anymore!!
