@@TaRatTinCan i think it was in a 4sided dive when travis said that he and sam had a challenge between the two to see which of their characters would die first between chets D100 roll everytime they long rest and FCGs stress points and ultimately being killed by the group.
And yet he was able to create something so beautiful together with the choices Sam was making! Every time I watch this I'm in awe that he was able to pull it together and keep guiding the story when he was this shocked and emotional about the turn it had taken. (Like, I know that's his JOB, but still!!!)
@@ryanjackson6298they actually found out that his arcane core can function as a nuke ages ago, while he was being worked on by Imahara Joe I think. They may not have had exact damage for it, but Sam was essentially given the big red button a long time ago, it’s not something he just pulled out of nowhere to break the rules or something.
@@DwiteLoot I think that Firbolg professor said his core can retain more magic energy than a normal aeormaton can hold. Warned that if it overloaded, it could be very destructive.
This hits so much harder now after Sam's cancer announcement, this wasn't just a character heroically sacrificing himself to save his friends this was a man facing down his own mortality and telling his closest friends how much he loves them
I'm right there with Travis. Doing shit like this is why I play TTRPGs. Kamikaze style shit feels incredible when it actually works and creates the most memorable moments. LET'S FUCKING GOOO!
This is bad ass but it is no less heart wrenching. If I was at the table I would most definitely be Travis hyping up my friend..... When I get in the car to go home I'm a sopping baby for like 2 minutes of the drive.
@leonturner2598 While all of the voice actors here are incredible, there's something about Sam that makes DMing seem actively fun. Whether it's getting to sit back and listen to Sam lament for an entire episode as Scanlan, or having Sam's characters cut into situations with comedy or even more serious tones like this one. He's an incredible roleplayer and it's a joy to watch his antics where the group can take a step back from role-playing and just watch the madness unfold. He's truly a jack of all trades and by the reactions, even the great Matt Mercer with a stone cold poker face shed tears.
And also a DM’s nightmare at times. But every group needs a player like that. Whether he’s embarrassing Matt with a dirty joke or flooring him with great character work, he’s never boring to play with.
He was smiling because he knew Sam was taking the opportunity to make his exit fit with the story. It's a powerful story beat, and it's also a shrewd business move. Friend Travis was messed up by this, of course, but CEO Travis was so happy.
Let it be known that Otohan Thull, Legend of the Peaks, was not taken down by some great king or grand army but by a humble robot trying to save its friends. Long Live Fresh Cut Grass!
@@supagirl277 not saying he isn't allowed to cry. my intention with my post is that as a DM, he's got an incredible poker face. In past events, sometimes the entire table will be in tears and matt is just sitting there listening. I've seen him cry in interviews and whatnot, so I think this moment got really real for him.
@@katziyin The amount of... I have had to announce the actual death of a player at our table, but it was after I got word from her husband. I had 2 weeks to prepare what I was going to say. To be able to speak on, such a visceral moment, completely unexpected and out of the blue. There's improv, and there's truth, and all of it wrapped up into deep thoughtful pauses to come up with words, while having an extremely traumatic emotional event happen. It takes nothing shorter than a masterwork of a DM to do such a thing.
Yea I remember watching it the first time and believe me I cried, but Matt rarely cracks and he just cracked so hard there. Now it makes sense and I find it admirable how he kept it together as he did. Remember, the others at the table can recede into themselves and hug a teddy bear, but Matt has to be in it and keep it going. What a madlad
FCGs story only really started when, in a rage, he killed all his friends in a cave. Now it ends with him, in a rage, saving all his friends in a cave.
This goes up with Loquacious' announcement in Calamity. Those moments where Sam's ability to conjure absolute poetry through improv shines like a fucking sun.
I'm back here after Sam's cancer announcement. This reads completely differently now. They're all so frightened for him, but Travis isn't smiling because of the usual panic. He realizes that Sam is removing himself from the story so he can recover privately, and the show can go on without a Sam-shaped narrative hole in it. His monologue is a love letter to the cast, the show, the fans. And at this point they don't know if he'll make it back. It's crushing, and it's horrible, and now that he's debuted Braius on Ep 98, it's beautiful. He's not out of the woods yet, but he's still here, and he's fighting with everything he's got. Love you, Sam. Kick cancer's ass.
He is technically out of the woods (as much as one who is diagnosed with cancer could be). He is recovering, I believe he is just struggling with it mentally now. We should all be thankful to still have our Sammy, but he has certainly beaten this thing.
@@repulser93It’s actually a quote from Horatius, of ancient Rome. Coincidentally, Lance Reddick also quoted Horatius once, which of course hits much harder after his passing.
Same, I have the scenes stuck in my head - my lack of dexterity prevents me from putting it into paper though :( will have to wait 10 years for Titmouse
Possibly the most insane play I've ever seen in D&D, take a bow Sam Riegel you absolute madman. Making the ultimate sacrifice to protect those you love is never easy but if it avoids a TPK and takes out one of the biggest bads in the campaign at the same time it makes it worth it
FCG, The little aeormaton that could. Thank you Sam, for bringing this absolute gem of a character to life. We will never forget them. One of the most crushing and loving moment in CR history.
@@Tcrror In this case it's gone. Tonsil cancer can be fully removed. But for Sam it also lost him a bit of the back (I'm guessing) part of his tongue. His tonsils fully. He had to even relearn to talk, but he is cancer free I think he said.
@@GarredHATES i undertstand. i said over ACTING, not over REACTING. looked very forced imo. maybe i feel this way because CR seems to be very un-organic now a days. "make sure everyone is emotional guys!" is what liam looked like to me.
Given how often he's played a cat in ad reads, OP, I wouldn't be surprised if he does play a Tabaxi or Leonid. No way he'd miss a chance to drink from a bowl and add to his drink jokes.
I just realized Orym's deal is void now and maybe Sam chose a blaze of glory to save Liam since Orym was making his last stand so everyone else could run away😢
So the thing about this is that, the deal might have already been completed. When the went through the back door portal on Ruidus and went back to Exandria, she can claim they “Safely returned from Ruidus” as promised. Whether or not she will do this idk, but it is still very much possible that Orym is bound by the deal which if so is tragic.
@@FearlessGamer27 I think the odds of this is like 0% because 1. Orym was VERY specific in his wording which Hags value. 2. it would lessen the value of FCGs sacrifice out of game a bit, 3. That would be slimey and I think Nana likes Orym and considers Fearne as family for some reason.
Travis paid tribute to this moment on socials with Vegeta's sacrifice against Buu - appropriate. Also, his "Marisha..." when she's trying to find out if he's revivable was perfect.
@@leonturner2598 He used a calm but firm tone to quiet her so the moment could continue. She was trying to override the moment with questions about revival - wasn't a bad thing overall for her to try it was just ruining the moment.
Sometimes as a goal oriented player it is hard to remember to make room for cinematic and huge role play moments. It helps to have someone at the table to just nonjudgementally remind you that sometimes it’s not about “winning” so much as listening.
@@FerreusVir I wouldn't say it was 'ruining the moment' exactly. Sam's illness wasn't public knowledge yet, so it would have been a bit weird to the audience for them to go through that whole event without anyone bringing up the possibility of reviving FCG. I do love Travis's reaction to it, though - whether you know about the cancer or not, Sam has clearly made up his mind what he wants to do. To me, it was a nice little exchange between Marisha and Travis to acknowledge that reviving someone is possible in the game without dwelling on it and undercutting the moment.
Faithful Care Giver to the end! Giving ultimately of himself to care for his friends, his *family* against that assassin. I can only hold to the now small consolation that Otohan, realizing what's about to unavoidably happen, knew true fear. Gods all speed, good friend! 😓
I wonder if the animated series will have the 'what's my mother's name' speech. The characters are a lot closer off rip in that series and it'd be odd for them to backslide at this point
Someone probably already said this but watching this after learning of Sam's cancer, I realized that his "I am alive" speech wasn't just FCG talking to Bells Hells, it was also Sam talking to his friends and it's made this scene even harder to watch now
"Pain doesn’t make people. It’s love that makes people. The pain is inconsequential. It’s love that saves them." FCG's love for his friends saved them...
Matt couldn't be more devastated, man, I hope he doesn't blame himself for pushing them SO hard. Otohan was always tough as nails and this fight was brutal, but FCG would've made the same choice everytime.
He was so stressed!! The threat of a TPK was so real, so his tears were of sadness, relief... jeez, mine too. Otohan was a formidable opponent, I want to know her build so bad
I think she herself is a Psi Fighter, and the backpack gives her Echo Knight capabilities, so she’s a fighter (~16th level?) with two subclasses simultaneously. And then on top of that she can use legendary actions to get over action economy issues. Very cool way to build a big bad! Scary as hell for sure.
@@davidcurry5240 i did that once. the character was so scary in test fights i shelved it for when my Players were better equipped and leveled. final fight of the campaign, imagine 6 20lvl against a single 16lvl and only 3 of them walked away.
@@bomm19 Some of y'all have an unhealthy hate boner for her and it's weird af. Anyone with a iota of social awareness would know she's not trying to ruin the moment, she just misinterpreted Sam's "saving throw" joke as him being serious. It's not that deep. I mean this video literally shows her letting the moment play out in its entirety after a very short initial confusion, giving it the gravitas it deserves. She barely says a word. "imposing herself" yeah, no.
@@bomm19 Funny you should say that. Given that I've pretty much explained why your "criticism" holds no ground here, I'm not sure you actually know the definition. I'll help you though, a counterargument like mine here also counts as criticism, and it isn't simping as much as you'd like to collate the two ;)
You know, I thought the moment they killed Ottohan they would’ve been cheering and celebrating over taking out the person that has caused them so much trouble. But no, they don’t get that. Every meeting with her was and I guess now will always be a massacre leading to some of the most tragic moments in the campaign.
@@sophialopez9806 And it's perfect for that reason. There was no gimmick. There was no time where Otohan fucked around. She was a monster, who always brought tragedy and devastation in her wake. And that's the kind of threat you need in order to justify sacrifices like this. She posed such an extreme threat that this tragedy was a price worth paying. And that's beautiful storytelling, imo.
Watching Matt's face starting at 1:45 is so heartbreaking. You can see how it slowly goes skack as he realizes just what FCG wants to do. It's so tragic and human. I also love how Travis is so proud of the choice Sam makes. Without this choice they all were probably going to die. This is, as the episode is titled, true heroism
Don't think I've ever seen Talesin this affected. He looked ready to smash his fist through the table. As Matt said, ****ing beautiful. And I'm convinced it was narratively perfect for the campaign. Thank you Sam. 💔❤
I think he was channeling ashton a lot through this, and ashton deals with things by being angry lmao. Taliesin says he has a few rules that govern ashtons behaviour, one of them being "do not ever fuck with my friends."
@@silversalmon9909 Oh yeah. And the number one application of that rule is for FCG. He's the one Ashton trusted and cared for the most. And Ashton saw himself as FCG's protector. He probably would have given his life to save FCG - but then FCG gave his life to save Ashton instead. I bet Ashton sincerely wishes it'd been him instead, so he wouldn't have to lose his little brother.
I can't stop watching this clip purely for Matt's reaction. That stillness as he first realises what Sam is doing, then settling back like "he really wants to do this"... its beautiful
Retroactively, everyone must've been afraid for Sam here. Its only until now we know why but its scary to think of the worst case scenario and at the time in this moment, no one knew what was gonna happen to him.
Travis was doing everything he could not to cry, near the end. He sat perfectly still for nearly 2 minutes. He was hit by it too, but probably felt he needed to stay positive He also looks quite tired though, so he could have just been away mentally
What kills me rewatching this while we were watching this, it was emotional for us just as THIS alone, but BEHIND the scenes, Sam had his throat cancer, and the gang knew about it, but we didn't. So you can see the emotions from the cast thinking that this cancer could possibly kill Sam, and his doing this was his way of leaving. it tears me up even more rewatching the whole thing over again.
I've seen some emotions at the table, but never at this level. It never really made sense until finding out today about Sam's illness puts it in another perspective.
After the reveal of Sam Riegel’s cancer battle, FCG’s sacrifice just became so bittersweet and how Sam’s cancer how affected the whole cast of Critical Role. This is saddest news I’ve ever heard! Thoughts and prayers to Sam Riegel and everyone on the Bell’s Hells campaign. 🌸♥️🌸 🙏🏻😌🙏🏻 🌸♥️🌸
Watching this clip knowing Sam is battling cancer and leaving for treatment, and seeing all his friends cope with that, moves me beyond words. Stay healthy Scanlan!!!
The single GREATEST part of this was everyone leading Sam their dice to make the throw. Seeing every single one of them stand up and offer was brilliant and given the context of Sam and his cancer taking place during this time, it’s fuckin beautiful to watch . Everyone there for him to make this happen
I think one thing that goes unnoticed is Sam’s little smile after the explosion as he’s like… “Wellp… what do we do now?” Like even he didn’t know how to react to what had just happened and then reality set in for him and everyone else at the same time. Brutal, heart-wrenching, and beautiful all the same. Sam is truly a 1 of 1 actor and player. I’m so glad things occurred the way they did. And now after the big reveal and surgery and Braius… I’m so glad we have him back.
Sam was dealing with cancer at the time of this campaign? Was this heartfelt goodbye his way of saying goodbye to his friends if he didn’t make it? Dude, that’s brutal.
I rewatch this one again and again to see the reactions and I never realized how hard Marisha was fighting to keep t together on this one. MEANWHILE! Taliesin is absolutley SHATTERED! Ashton lost his best and arguably only true friend and there was no hiding that pain.
Through everything ...You watch this .... and ya think .... 'You ....are who you CHOOSE to be...' 'Megatron must be stopped ....No matter the cost ...' 'I'm alive ...because they MADE ME!' Whup that cancer's ass , Sam.
I wondered why Matt was also tearing up, but after Sam's diagnosis it's very telling. Everything Sam says as well, it's him telling them how much he loves them.
I was just thinking how nice it would be to know him in person. Then I thought, we already do in a great way. We're lucky to live in a time that gives us these possibilities, to know people that we'd never interact with. I love people who love people, and we're lucky enough to see it through thousands of miles. I wish I could meet all of you, because you're important.
I thought initially she meant “Would it happen if you die?”, not “You should do it” But also there were some breakdowns of side conversations, and some think she could have say it to Ashley referring to some shard ability. Hard to say there were to much going on during that heart attack of a battle.
Marisha's "Blaze of Glory" comment hit even harder when you realize that they all knew this was Sam's last episode before he had to go deal with cancer. Glad he is ok now and recovering!
"As you all gaze up into the Ruidian sky above you, mourning the loss of your beloved friend, the Blue Promise - your home - feels flatter than it ever did before."
He specifically joked there was nothing left but the tongue. The flesh tongue gag predates his diagnosis. Iirc they had to remove a good chunk of his tongue.
Matt said that the mechanic was created at the spot, but the possibility and hinting came up long before in Campaign 3, Episode 45, when talking with professor Vitro Isham. It's awesome call back to that episode and I love Sam actually remembered and was willing to use it. It was said that FCG has a much bigger core that would be needed for his designated job and that it's unstable and when overcharged or damaged it may explode
Seeing Taliesin really breaking down and all the tears from the others is so gut wrenching now that we know how much more was behind this death. To a degree it probably must've felt like they let Sam die, since they didn't know if he would recover. It's crazy that they managed to keep quiet about it and play on, but as Freddy Mercury said "the show must go on"
Matt and sam must have spoken about having FCG dip out in some way, given what we know now. I think 1:40, the slow rise of Matt's chin... thats when he realised how shit was going down. He knew. When have we ever seen him completely lost? "You... you know what this means, just... just so...", he doesn't ever struggle with words. He knew that was how Sam wanted to play this, rules be damned. That's why everyone immediately hates this and goes quiet, and Ashley and Liam look broken instantly. Sam Riegel. Absolutel Legend, taking it on on HIS terms.
Honestly, same. This is the moment where I realized something might be wrong when it first aired, and now knowing what we know? There are not enough onions in the world to excuse the sobbing.
Its crazy how this went from feeling hammed up to feeling so deeply genuine and sad with the revelation of what was going on behind the scenes with Sam at the time.
Sam always kills it in moments like this. This moment, Loquatius' speech, Scanlan trying to save his last 9th level to save Vax, his final wish to bring Vax back for a moment. Everytime, tears.
Watching Matt as Sam describes the guiding bolt and seeing the moment Matt realizes what Sam is doing..., the demeanor shift, the color fade, is equally heartbreaking and wonderful 😢❤
3:22 Sam could’ve simply said “Yes”, and Matt would probably understand. Instead, Sam gave such a powerful speech to let, not only Matt, but everyone else know that FCG was truly ready to give up his own life to save his friends, his family. Matt’s reaction is amazing afterwards. God, what a bittersweet moment.
There's something that reminds me of scanlan when he stopped drinking from the huge tankard when he left, watching him not drink from the gas can after fcg...that is what makes it official for me
Bawling right now watching this. Also thinking about how Liam had told Matt that when his mom passed from cancer, that matt had literally saved his life and that Vox Machina was what kept him from giving up, and watching just how defeated and heartbroken Liam looked as Sam delivered his heartfelt speech. The pain contorting his face, the numb look in his eyes, the defeated slump of Liam's shoulders. He in this moment was watching cancer try to take a 2nd loved one from him, and it's plain to see it was breaking him. The whole group was visibly upset, but I think Matt and Liam being the most. Matt cause as DM, the level of investment in each players happiness can be a pure kind of love, and Liam because that's literally his best friend going through what his mother died from... I know the horror of watching a loved one go through medical crisis. My fiancé almost died to her chronic disease multiple times, and each time it was the most gut wrenching, spirit breaking ordeal to watch. and it's never quick.. So glad Sam is on the mend, even knowing that, watching this is such a testament that this is so much more than a game. It is a way of life, an ultimate passion, creative outlet, and bonding activity, all rolled into one. Such a beautiful friendship this group has formed, and we are so lucky that they decided to share it with us all those years ago. I just wish Sam, and all of the Critical role team could see this message, and know that we love them all. We share in their celebrations of victories, laments over defeats, tears during hardship and loss, and the laughter over the funny moments in between. Truly Blessed to know critical role. They have inspired me to pursue DM-ing professionally, as I am sure they have been inspiration to many others as well. Much love, more so just typing this mini essay as an outlet for the tears I just shed, but god would I be thrilled if this made its way to them, haha
After the cancer reveal, of course it makes the heartbreak of everyone's reactions that much sadder and beautiful, but honestly it makes Travis' adoration even sweeter. He's seeing a man who'd he'd likely consider his younger brother, show his absolute love for the people around him and of life itself, all while facing one of the scariest things you can go through. No wonder he's so proud. He's right. Sam is beyond badass.
(1:35) Sam: "I will cast my highest level left, Guiding Bolt Level 4, on myself straight through the orb portal glass thing and I will aim it at my heart and I will trigger a nuclear reaction." Matt: **frantically doing mental math/insert math meme here**
Man, I've watched this a few times since Sam's announcement... I cry every time. This was Sams love letter to his friends. You can see how much they care for each other. Beautifully poignant
After seeing Sam's video this hits so much harder. Leave it to him to go out in the most badass way. Seeing how emotional everyone is makes me emotional too. I'm so glad he's in recovery now.
![[#2024MAMA] G-DRAGON - 무제(Untitled, 2014)+POWER+HOME SWEET HOME+뱅뱅뱅+FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ox29z5Nf1Uk/mqdefault.jpg)
I’m crying but I’m also loving how Travis isn’t because he thinks this is the sickest shit ever
In this moment Sam out-Travis-ed Travis and he gotta respect the game
I'm crying because of this situation, but I'm also loving the fact that Travis isn't either
The best part of this is just watching Travis' face when Sam is describing FCG's action.
@@TaRatTinCan i think it was in a 4sided dive when travis said that he and sam had a challenge between the two to see which of their characters would die first between chets D100 roll everytime they long rest and FCGs stress points and ultimately being killed by the group.
@@leinbachjon Well, I guess Sam can take that W
When Matt Mercer has to stop and think about the scenario, like full blue screen second, that is a powerful move.
NO JOKE!! The way his jaw hung for a full minute before he could form coherent thoughts! An EPIC moment in CR history..😢
He's stopping to think because this is not something FCG can do on paper and he's struggling to think about how it'll work mechanically.
And yet he was able to create something so beautiful together with the choices Sam was making! Every time I watch this I'm in awe that he was able to pull it together and keep guiding the story when he was this shocked and emotional about the turn it had taken. (Like, I know that's his JOB, but still!!!)
@@ryanjackson6298they actually found out that his arcane core can function as a nuke ages ago, while he was being worked on by Imahara Joe I think. They may not have had exact damage for it, but Sam was essentially given the big red button a long time ago, it’s not something he just pulled out of nowhere to break the rules or something.
@@DwiteLoot I think that Firbolg professor said his core can retain more magic energy than a normal aeormaton can hold. Warned that if it overloaded, it could be very destructive.
This hits so much harder now after Sam's cancer announcement, this wasn't just a character heroically sacrificing himself to save his friends this was a man facing down his own mortality and telling his closest friends how much he loves them
Yeah I know. This………..definitely hits harder.
I wonder if that is why Liam and Matt's faces changed so quickly, his best friend and his DM.
It really puts Marisha’s reaction trying to save FCG into perspective. She knows its not possible but wants Sam around
It makes the sharing dice scene all the more impactful too.
@@keilahhieb4165At the very least Matt knew; Sam would have talked to him about killing his character off first.
7 people emotionally devastated and one wonderful man thinking “THIS IS SO BADASS”
I would be that wonderful man! Almost every man wants to go out like this and that little robot Bast**d did it!
I'm right there with Travis. Doing shit like this is why I play TTRPGs. Kamikaze style shit feels incredible when it actually works and creates the most memorable moments.
LET'S FUCKING GOOO!
This is bad ass but it is no less heart wrenching. If I was at the table I would most definitely be Travis hyping up my friend..... When I get in the car to go home I'm a sopping baby for like 2 minutes of the drive.
Travis being a huge DBZ fan just was imagining Vegetas self destruction on Majin Buu.
I had... have.. the same reaction that Taliesin had, to this.
"You are who you choose to be!"
"....Superman."
Great. Now I’m gonna cry for a year instead of a week 😂
Exactly.
…it’s on sight fam
STOP IT RIGHT NOW
Fantastic reference
Sam proving once again, just how awesome a player he is. He's a DM's dream. Seriously.
Same guy who rolled a Nat 20 for a non-existent scry.
May I ask how he is a DM’s dream? Genuinely curious.
@leonturner2598 While all of the voice actors here are incredible, there's something about Sam that makes DMing seem actively fun. Whether it's getting to sit back and listen to Sam lament for an entire episode as Scanlan, or having Sam's characters cut into situations with comedy or even more serious tones like this one. He's an incredible roleplayer and it's a joy to watch his antics where the group can take a step back from role-playing and just watch the madness unfold. He's truly a jack of all trades and by the reactions, even the great Matt Mercer with a stone cold poker face shed tears.
And also a DM’s nightmare at times. But every group needs a player like that. Whether he’s embarrassing Matt with a dirty joke or flooring him with great character work, he’s never boring to play with.
Everyone else: Shocked, terrified, crying, etc
Travis: :D
He's a sucker for a good story! 😂
Notice even Travis was wiping tears when Sam said "Smiley Day".
He was smiling because he knew Sam was taking the opportunity to make his exit fit with the story. It's a powerful story beat, and it's also a shrewd business move. Friend Travis was messed up by this, of course, but CEO Travis was so happy.
He also know that sam made a power move. Some will cry, some will smile.
Someone's gotta hold it together.
“Does this unit have a soul?”
Yes. Yes they do😢😢😢
Keelah'selai, my friend.
a beautiful soul
Goddammit..I cried 12 years ago.
I know, Tali. Thank you. Keelah'selai.
Keelah'selai
Let it be known that Otohan Thull, Legend of the Peaks, was not taken down by some great king or grand army but by a humble robot trying to save its friends.
Long Live Fresh Cut Grass!
Long live Faithful Care Giver
@Devo77x Well said! 😢
I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING
Pronounced "row-but" lol
Row-bit @@KellyVergara
Matt's never cried before with a character death. Sam's medical struggles really puts this all into perspective. Rewatching it has me more teared up.
It was a touching permadeath that's only happened once before. He was definitely allowed to cry, even without Sam's struggles, whew
@@supagirl277 not saying he isn't allowed to cry. my intention with my post is that as a DM, he's got an incredible poker face. In past events, sometimes the entire table will be in tears and matt is just sitting there listening. I've seen him cry in interviews and whatnot, so I think this moment got really real for him.
@@katziyin The amount of... I have had to announce the actual death of a player at our table, but it was after I got word from her husband. I had 2 weeks to prepare what I was going to say. To be able to speak on, such a visceral moment, completely unexpected and out of the blue. There's improv, and there's truth, and all of it wrapped up into deep thoughtful pauses to come up with words, while having an extremely traumatic emotional event happen. It takes nothing shorter than a masterwork of a DM to do such a thing.
Yea I remember watching it the first time and believe me I cried, but Matt rarely cracks and he just cracked so hard there. Now it makes sense and I find it admirable how he kept it together as he did. Remember, the others at the table can recede into themselves and hug a teddy bear, but Matt has to be in it and keep it going. What a madlad
FCGs story only really started when, in a rage, he killed all his friends in a cave. Now it ends with him, in a rage, saving all his friends in a cave.
Brilliant story ending...
"I am made of metal and wires, but...
I am alive."
My human cried here.
This goes up with Loquacious' announcement in Calamity. Those moments where Sam's ability to conjure absolute poetry through improv shines like a fucking sun.
I can't thumbs up this, it is at 777 likes. That is too poetic for me to ruin
I'm back here after Sam's cancer announcement. This reads completely differently now. They're all so frightened for him, but Travis isn't smiling because of the usual panic. He realizes that Sam is removing himself from the story so he can recover privately, and the show can go on without a Sam-shaped narrative hole in it. His monologue is a love letter to the cast, the show, the fans. And at this point they don't know if he'll make it back. It's crushing, and it's horrible, and now that he's debuted Braius on Ep 98, it's beautiful. He's not out of the woods yet, but he's still here, and he's fighting with everything he's got.
Love you, Sam. Kick cancer's ass.
He is technically out of the woods (as much as one who is diagnosed with cancer could be). He is recovering, I believe he is just struggling with it mentally now. We should all be thankful to still have our Sammy, but he has certainly beaten this thing.
everyone: crying their eyes out
Travis: YOOOOOOOOOOO THIS SHIT ROOOOOOOOOOOCKS
“And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds
For the ashes of his fathers
And the temples of his gods,”
Horace on the Bridge.
Never thought that I’d see an Oblivion reference.
@@repulser93It’s actually a quote from Horatius, of ancient Rome.
Coincidentally, Lance Reddick also quoted Horatius once, which of course hits much harder after his passing.
I cannot WAIT for the Bells Hells animated series episode of this.
Same, I have the scenes stuck in my head - my lack of dexterity prevents me from putting it into paper though :( will have to wait 10 years for Titmouse
Agreed
the mental image of titan-Ashton beating the exit tunnel to pieces with his bare hands out of rage/sorrow made me tear up
This!
I'm gonna need a couple boxes of tissue for that.
The imagery of Ashton punching the wall down full of such conflicted emotion just gets me
I'm so worried Ashton is gonna regress after this and start refusing to let anyone in again. 😢
Possibly the most insane play I've ever seen in D&D, take a bow Sam Riegel you absolute madman. Making the ultimate sacrifice to protect those you love is never easy but if it avoids a TPK and takes out one of the biggest bads in the campaign at the same time it makes it worth it
FCG, The little aeormaton that could. Thank you Sam, for bringing this absolute gem of a character to life. We will never forget them. One of the most crushing and loving moment in CR history.
Taliesin looks like he ages 10 years throughout this clip lol. Poor Ashton, they lost their buddy
The big brothers are not supposed to be saved by the little one.
@@LednacekZ That sentence hit me harder than anything else in this comment section. Real shit, man.
*he
@@navychap82 he/they, actually
@@davidcurry5240 they is plural. he/him
this is even sadder knowing he probably already had cancer and everyone at the table knew at the time
That’s exactly what I was thinking and why it hit them so hard.
Matt was ready to use a moon flare to give fcg a break from the main campaign
@Thatbeardedguy86 honestly? Until the Sam reveal, I thought he was working on a show so he had to bounce. So happy he beat cancer
@@incitingariot9925 From what I understand, people don't really "beat" cancer, but it can go into remission.
@@Tcrror In this case it's gone. Tonsil cancer can be fully removed. But for Sam it also lost him a bit of the back (I'm guessing) part of his tongue. His tonsils fully. He had to even relearn to talk, but he is cancer free I think he said.
When matt mercer cries, you cry.....😢
Liam saying ‘I’m really sad’ made me ugly cry
i felt like he was overacting but whatever.
@@shmogathey’re very close friends, those tears are real
@@shmoga Liam also creates all of Sams starting characters
I was on the verge of tears but Liam made me ugly cry. 😢 oh man I may never forgive Sam for this even though it was beautiful
@@GarredHATES i undertstand. i said over ACTING, not over REACTING. looked very forced imo. maybe i feel this way because CR seems to be very un-organic now a days. "make sure everyone is emotional guys!" is what liam looked like to me.
I can already imagine Sam's next character...
"My name is Vix...and I'm a cat."
No, my mate John summed it up better:
"They are gonna go back to report and Taryon Darrington is gonna be waiting for them"
@@V3xxe LOL
Given how often he's played a cat in ad reads, OP, I wouldn't be surprised if he does play a Tabaxi or Leonid. No way he'd miss a chance to drink from a bowl and add to his drink jokes.
@@danielstephens1185 Tabaxi or Leonid sounds awesome
@@V3xxe- I hope so.
I just realized Orym's deal is void now and maybe Sam chose a blaze of glory to save Liam since Orym was making his last stand so everyone else could run away😢
Scanlan couldn’t save Vax. But FCG saved Orym.
@@Devils-Holyman And Nott protected Caleb
So the thing about this is that, the deal might have already been completed. When the went through the back door portal on Ruidus and went back to Exandria, she can claim they “Safely returned from Ruidus” as promised. Whether or not she will do this idk, but it is still very much possible that Orym is bound by the deal which if so is tragic.
@@FearlessGamer27 fey and their play on words
@@FearlessGamer27 I think the odds of this is like 0% because 1. Orym was VERY specific in his wording which Hags value. 2. it would lessen the value of FCGs sacrifice out of game a bit, 3. That would be slimey and I think Nana likes Orym and considers Fearne as family for some reason.
Travis paid tribute to this moment on socials with Vegeta's sacrifice against Buu - appropriate. Also, his "Marisha..." when she's trying to find out if he's revivable was perfect.
Why was his “Marisha….” perfect?
@@leonturner2598 He used a calm but firm tone to quiet her so the moment could continue. She was trying to override the moment with questions about revival - wasn't a bad thing overall for her to try it was just ruining the moment.
@@FerreusVir ahh fair enough thank you
Sometimes as a goal oriented player it is hard to remember to make room for cinematic and huge role play moments. It helps to have someone at the table to just nonjudgementally remind you that sometimes it’s not about “winning” so much as listening.
@@FerreusVir I wouldn't say it was 'ruining the moment' exactly. Sam's illness wasn't public knowledge yet, so it would have been a bit weird to the audience for them to go through that whole event without anyone bringing up the possibility of reviving FCG. I do love Travis's reaction to it, though - whether you know about the cancer or not, Sam has clearly made up his mind what he wants to do. To me, it was a nice little exchange between Marisha and Travis to acknowledge that reviving someone is possible in the game without dwelling on it and undercutting the moment.
Marisha: "I'm so mad at you"
Travis: "I'm so proud of you"
Mom and dad energy
...so THAT'S why Matt was already crying even while Sam was still describing what FCG was _about to do._
Faithful Care Giver to the end! Giving ultimately of himself to care for his friends, his *family* against that assassin.
I can only hold to the now small consolation that Otohan, realizing what's about to unavoidably happen, knew true fear.
Gods all speed, good friend! 😓
He had the Faithful and Care... but he earned the Giver in this one.
@@JustAJinx-ci6hgAgreed
“And those connections make every day a smiley day.”
What a monologue
If Sam comes back to the game later playing as D, I am going to scream until my head explodes
They don’t have a regular healer so hopefully that route
Who’s D?
That would actually hurt some.
I just realized, Sam could come back as Tary! Taryon Darington! Another D!
(This is starting to feel like One Piece)
@@Devils-Holyman 😮😮😮 Dottie, Tarry's robot assistant Dottie!!!! Another D!!!!!!
Sam does it again, the crew were caught off guard just like when Scanlan told off Vox Machina; pure gold.
I wonder if the animated series will have the 'what's my mother's name' speech. The characters are a lot closer off rip in that series and it'd be odd for them to backslide at this point
@mattiekarwin3667
Ehh, everyone still gives Scanlan an appropriate amount of shit, it’s just framed a bit differently.
omg yesssssss. scanlan lament killed me. im still not ok from that day. ughhh im left broken.
Someone probably already said this but watching this after learning of Sam's cancer, I realized that his "I am alive" speech wasn't just FCG talking to Bells Hells, it was also Sam talking to his friends and it's made this scene even harder to watch now
This is so much more emotional knowing that Sam was leaving the show without knowing when/if he would return, and this was his goodbye.
Everyone lend some dice what's more poetic than that..... :'(
"Pain doesn’t make people. It’s love that makes people. The pain is inconsequential. It’s love that saves them." FCG's love for his friends saved them...
Matt couldn't be more devastated, man, I hope he doesn't blame himself for pushing them SO hard. Otohan was always tough as nails and this fight was brutal, but FCG would've made the same choice everytime.
He was so stressed!! The threat of a TPK was so real, so his tears were of sadness, relief... jeez, mine too. Otohan was a formidable opponent, I want to know her build so bad
I think she herself is a Psi Fighter, and the backpack gives her Echo Knight capabilities, so she’s a fighter (~16th level?) with two subclasses simultaneously. And then on top of that she can use legendary actions to get over action economy issues. Very cool way to build a big bad! Scary as hell for sure.
@@davidcurry5240 i did that once. the character was so scary in test fights i shelved it for when my Players were better equipped and leveled. final fight of the campaign, imagine 6 20lvl against a single 16lvl and only 3 of them walked away.
@@davidcurry5240 A psi fighter with endless psi dice! Matt added the extra force damage and knocked them prone at every turn.
@@SgtSplatter782damn, that sounds brutal
Who's here after watching CR's latest video about Sam's health update?
It made me cry so much harder
I am here after watching 4-sided dive and their reactions make so much more sense now
I learned of Sam fighting cancer just before I heard boogie lied about cancer.
Yup. The love in the room is more palpable, the tears have more feeling, the message changes for knowing.
Laura's "pick what you want" when Sam politely asked her which dice he could use broke me 😭
Timestamp, please?
That was Ashley wasn't it?
@@0saintclark0 Yes, it was Ashley
How poetic if it was Laura, after so many times of her telling him not to touch them.
I love how Travis drops a very dad level "Marisha..."
Yeah I love marisha but she was definitely lets her reactionary emotions get the better of her there. Gotta let other players make their own choices.
@@bomm19 Some of y'all have an unhealthy hate boner for her and it's weird af. Anyone with a iota of social awareness would know she's not trying to ruin the moment, she just misinterpreted Sam's "saving throw" joke as him being serious. It's not that deep. I mean this video literally shows her letting the moment play out in its entirety after a very short initial confusion, giving it the gravitas it deserves. She barely says a word. "imposing herself" yeah, no.
@@bomm19 yeah dude you're fully just hating very unjustifiably
@@bomm19 Funny you should say that. Given that I've pretty much explained why your "criticism" holds no ground here, I'm not sure you actually know the definition. I'll help you though, a counterargument like mine here also counts as criticism, and it isn't simping as much as you'd like to collate the two ;)
@frenchtantan
why are you even responding to a troll lmao
This was emotional originally. With the new context from where Sam has been the last couple of months, it's even more heart wrenching.
The bright side is that Liam gets to make another character for Sam.
I'm thinking he's making a shield from the piece he picked up.
Hopefully it’ll be a bormodo or some other part of the volition. Most likely it’ll be a mycee barbarian.
@@zepwolfx Oh, fuck. That's beautiful.
“It’s just a tongue”
An interesting running gag from Sam that carries a very interesting weight in this moment after knowing what we all know now.
I wanna see the 4 sided dive after this episode.
You know, I thought the moment they killed Ottohan they would’ve been cheering and celebrating over taking out the person that has caused them so much trouble. But no, they don’t get that. Every meeting with her was and I guess now will always be a massacre leading to some of the most tragic moments in the campaign.
I love that. proves that ottohan was a menace. A villain who wasn’t redeemed. Just a bad bitch
@@sophialopez9806 And it's perfect for that reason. There was no gimmick. There was no time where Otohan fucked around. She was a monster, who always brought tragedy and devastation in her wake. And that's the kind of threat you need in order to justify sacrifices like this. She posed such an extreme threat that this tragedy was a price worth paying. And that's beautiful storytelling, imo.
Watching Matt's face starting at 1:45 is so heartbreaking. You can see how it slowly goes skack as he realizes just what FCG wants to do. It's so tragic and human.
I also love how Travis is so proud of the choice Sam makes. Without this choice they all were probably going to die. This is, as the episode is titled, true heroism
I held it together for the whole thing until I saw the look of peace on Sam's face when Ashley hugged him at the end 😭
Don't think I've ever seen Talesin this affected. He looked ready to smash his fist through the table.
As Matt said, ****ing beautiful. And I'm convinced it was narratively perfect for the campaign. Thank you Sam. 💔❤
I think he was channeling ashton a lot through this, and ashton deals with things by being angry lmao. Taliesin says he has a few rules that govern ashtons behaviour, one of them being "do not ever fuck with my friends."
@@silversalmon9909 He probably was, but he was also the first one to hide his face.
@@silversalmon9909 Oh yeah. And the number one application of that rule is for FCG. He's the one Ashton trusted and cared for the most. And Ashton saw himself as FCG's protector. He probably would have given his life to save FCG - but then FCG gave his life to save Ashton instead. I bet Ashton sincerely wishes it'd been him instead, so he wouldn't have to lose his little brother.
I've watched this scene like 40 times now. I still get tears in my ears.
👂💧
I can't stop watching this clip purely for Matt's reaction. That stillness as he first realises what Sam is doing, then settling back like "he really wants to do this"... its beautiful
Retroactively, everyone must've been afraid for Sam here. Its only until now we know why but its scary to think of the worst case scenario and at the time in this moment, no one knew what was gonna happen to him.
Seeing this now that Sam has come out and said he had to take a hiatus due to cancer makes this that much more heartbreaking
Travis was doing everything he could not to cry, near the end. He sat perfectly still for nearly 2 minutes. He was hit by it too, but probably felt he needed to stay positive
He also looks quite tired though, so he could have just been away mentally
What kills me rewatching this while we were watching this, it was emotional for us just as THIS alone, but BEHIND the scenes, Sam had his throat cancer, and the gang knew about it, but we didn't. So you can see the emotions from the cast thinking that this cancer could possibly kill Sam, and his doing this was his way of leaving. it tears me up even more rewatching the whole thing over again.
I've seen some emotions at the table, but never at this level.
It never really made sense until finding out today about Sam's illness puts it in another perspective.
Yeah, even looking at their cooldown episode they didn't discuss the sacrifice all that much which was strange to me
@@edanielcookbut now we know 😢😢😢
After the reveal of Sam Riegel’s cancer battle, FCG’s sacrifice just became so bittersweet and how Sam’s cancer how affected the whole cast of Critical Role. This is saddest news I’ve ever heard! Thoughts and prayers to Sam Riegel and everyone on the Bell’s Hells campaign. 🌸♥️🌸 🙏🏻😌🙏🏻 🌸♥️🌸
Watching this clip knowing Sam is battling cancer and leaving for treatment, and seeing all his friends cope with that, moves me beyond words. Stay healthy Scanlan!!!
Knowing what we all know now it makes so much sense why everyone was so emotional. This was Sam talking to his friends/family.
The single GREATEST part of this was everyone leading Sam their dice to make the throw. Seeing every single one of them stand up and offer was brilliant and given the context of Sam and his cancer taking place during this time, it’s fuckin beautiful to watch . Everyone there for him to make this happen
I think one thing that goes unnoticed is Sam’s little smile after the explosion as he’s like… “Wellp… what do we do now?” Like even he didn’t know how to react to what had just happened and then reality set in for him and everyone else at the same time. Brutal, heart-wrenching, and beautiful all the same. Sam is truly a 1 of 1 actor and player. I’m so glad things occurred the way they did. And now after the big reveal and surgery and Braius… I’m so glad we have him back.
Sam was dealing with cancer at the time of this campaign? Was this heartfelt goodbye his way of saying goodbye to his friends if he didn’t make it? Dude, that’s brutal.
I rewatch this one again and again to see the reactions and I never realized how hard Marisha was fighting to keep t together on this one. MEANWHILE! Taliesin is absolutley SHATTERED! Ashton lost his best and arguably only true friend and there was no hiding that pain.
This is even sadder now knowing that he was soon going to be entering his treatment for cancer
Through everything ...You watch this ....
and ya think ....
'You ....are who you CHOOSE to be...'
'Megatron must be stopped ....No matter the cost ...'
'I'm alive ...because they MADE ME!'
Whup that cancer's ass , Sam.
With what we know now. I can't believe any of them made it through this.
I wondered why Matt was also tearing up, but after Sam's diagnosis it's very telling.
Everything Sam says as well, it's him telling them how much he loves them.
I was just thinking how nice it would be to know him in person. Then I thought, we already do in a great way. We're lucky to live in a time that gives us these possibilities, to know people that we'd never interact with. I love people who love people, and we're lucky enough to see it through thousands of miles. I wish I could meet all of you, because you're important.
The good may die young, but the best goes out in a blaze of glory. RIP FCG.
what’s funny is when Laura says to Sam to detonate.. I don’t think she thought FCG would actually die doing it 😅
I thought initially she meant “Would it happen if you die?”, not “You should do it”
But also there were some breakdowns of side conversations, and some think she could have say it to Ashley referring to some shard ability.
Hard to say there were to much going on during that heart attack of a battle.
I took that as an ability that Ashely may have had but to look on Sam’s face looked like he remembered C2 and went with it.
She was definitely talking to Ashley coz Ashley said way back when she first got the shard that she could basically explode
Marisha's "Blaze of Glory" comment hit even harder when you realize that they all knew this was Sam's last episode before he had to go deal with cancer. Glad he is ok now and recovering!
Blaze. Not glaze. But yeah it hits away harder
"As you all gaze up into the Ruidian sky above you, mourning the loss of your beloved friend, the Blue Promise - your home - feels flatter than it ever did before."
He specifically joked there was nothing left but the tongue. The flesh tongue gag predates his diagnosis. Iirc they had to remove a good chunk of his tongue.
Marisha, Laura, and Ashley: _distraught_
Liam: _sadness_
Taliesin: _disbelief_
Matt: _shock_
Sam and Travis: _excitement_
Watching it again I think that Sam is Acceptance and Travis is Recognition
Liam's voice cracking breaks my heart. He and Sam are beat friends, and the emotions in this episode are all the more powerful knowing what we do now.
Matt said that the mechanic was created at the spot, but the possibility and hinting came up long before in Campaign 3, Episode 45, when talking with professor Vitro Isham. It's awesome call back to that episode and I love Sam actually remembered and was willing to use it.
It was said that FCG has a much bigger core that would be needed for his designated job and that it's unstable and when overcharged or damaged it may explode
Faithful Compassionate Guardian.
Seeing Taliesin really breaking down and all the tears from the others is so gut wrenching now that we know how much more was behind this death. To a degree it probably must've felt like they let Sam die, since they didn't know if he would recover.
It's crazy that they managed to keep quiet about it and play on, but as Freddy Mercury said "the show must go on"
taliesins and matts reaction are just hearthbreaking. what a amazing moment.
Matt and sam must have spoken about having FCG dip out in some way, given what we know now.
I think 1:40, the slow rise of Matt's chin... thats when he realised how shit was going down. He knew. When have we ever seen him completely lost? "You... you know what this means, just... just so...", he doesn't ever struggle with words. He knew that was how Sam wanted to play this, rules be damned.
That's why everyone immediately hates this and goes quiet, and Ashley and Liam look broken instantly.
Sam Riegel. Absolutel Legend, taking it on on HIS terms.
"Everybody lend some dice on this" at the time i thought this was a really sweet gesture......now it makes me tear up
Honestly, same. This is the moment where I realized something might be wrong when it first aired, and now knowing what we know? There are not enough onions in the world to excuse the sobbing.
Its crazy how this went from feeling hammed up to feeling so deeply genuine and sad with the revelation of what was going on behind the scenes with Sam at the time.
Sam always kills it in moments like this. This moment, Loquatius' speech, Scanlan trying to save his last 9th level to save Vax, his final wish to bring Vax back for a moment. Everytime, tears.
..watching this again after learning about Sam's fight with Cancer.... those tears aren't just about FCG!
Watching Matt as Sam describes the guiding bolt and seeing the moment Matt realizes what Sam is doing..., the demeanor shift, the color fade, is equally heartbreaking and wonderful 😢❤
3:22 Sam could’ve simply said “Yes”, and Matt would probably understand. Instead, Sam gave such a powerful speech to let, not only Matt, but everyone else know that FCG was truly ready to give up his own life to save his friends, his family. Matt’s reaction is amazing afterwards. God, what a bittersweet moment.
There's something that reminds me of scanlan when he stopped drinking from the huge tankard when he left, watching him not drink from the gas can after fcg...that is what makes it official for me
Bawling right now watching this. Also thinking about how Liam had told Matt that when his mom passed from cancer, that matt had literally saved his life and that Vox Machina was what kept him from giving up, and watching just how defeated and heartbroken Liam looked as Sam delivered his heartfelt speech. The pain contorting his face, the numb look in his eyes, the defeated slump of Liam's shoulders. He in this moment was watching cancer try to take a 2nd loved one from him, and it's plain to see it was breaking him. The whole group was visibly upset, but I think Matt and Liam being the most. Matt cause as DM, the level of investment in each players happiness can be a pure kind of love, and Liam because that's literally his best friend going through what his mother died from... I know the horror of watching a loved one go through medical crisis. My fiancé almost died to her chronic disease multiple times, and each time it was the most gut wrenching, spirit breaking ordeal to watch. and it's never quick.. So glad Sam is on the mend, even knowing that, watching this is such a testament that this is so much more than a game. It is a way of life, an ultimate passion, creative outlet, and bonding activity, all rolled into one. Such a beautiful friendship this group has formed, and we are so lucky that they decided to share it with us all those years ago. I just wish Sam, and all of the Critical role team could see this message, and know that we love them all. We share in their celebrations of victories, laments over defeats, tears during hardship and loss, and the laughter over the funny moments in between. Truly Blessed to know critical role. They have inspired me to pursue DM-ing professionally, as I am sure they have been inspiration to many others as well. Much love, more so just typing this mini essay as an outlet for the tears I just shed, but god would I be thrilled if this made its way to them, haha
After the cancer reveal, of course it makes the heartbreak of everyone's reactions that much sadder and beautiful, but honestly it makes Travis' adoration even sweeter. He's seeing a man who'd he'd likely consider his younger brother, show his absolute love for the people around him and of life itself, all while facing one of the scariest things you can go through. No wonder he's so proud. He's right.
Sam is beyond badass.
Just an FYI, Sam is 6 years older than Travis.
Well, this video certainly has a new perspective after today.
(1:35) Sam: "I will cast my highest level left, Guiding Bolt Level 4, on myself straight through the orb portal glass thing and I will aim it at my heart and I will trigger a nuclear reaction."
Matt: **frantically doing mental math/insert math meme here**
welp, this has a LOT more weight now. Glad he's gonna be ok. Much love, Sam. You got this :)
15:43 "I like being on the other end of this."
Talisen is my favorite dude.
I don’t think Taliesin has ever broken down like that!
Man, I've watched this a few times since Sam's announcement... I cry every time. This was Sams love letter to his friends. You can see how much they care for each other. Beautifully poignant
Did him and them know...
Cause holy shit that changes this in a even more beautifully sad way
The way Travis was just like "Marisha". Cause there was no going back
For a second she doesn't get that Sam is joking about the saving throw and jumps back to the denial stage of grief lmao
She heard the “Marisha” and it brought her back.
@@frenchtantan She was gonna try to rules lawyer FCG back. I love these people
@@jeremiahbutler8638 Classic DnD lmao
@@frenchtantan Love it
Coming back to this now... HOLY FUCKING SHIT, I am crying.
DID SAM REALLY SAY 'It's just the tongue' FFS.
@@OneHuntiBoiof course he would.
This moment BROKE me... More than Molly, more than Vax and the wish... it BROKE ME!
After seeing Sam's video this hits so much harder. Leave it to him to go out in the most badass way. Seeing how emotional everyone is makes me emotional too. I'm so glad he's in recovery now.
Given the news Sam shared today this whole event has all new meaning. Sam is one god damn warrior.