In, Fall Damage’s “Critical Role Reacts to Your Hot Takes,” the hot take is made that ExU Calamity is most deserving of adaptation. Travis’ response? Critters should speak up about it. I just sent a quick message through Beacon about why I’d love to see it. Really, I’ve been craving it since Zerxus first got his animated cameo and got me curious as to just how and why this rendition wound up so wildly different from his original TTRPG self, even as a devil.
Plus Nydas’ posthumous appearance! What was the Dragon of Avalir doing setting up treasure trove booby traps?
Just what did the animated universe’s Calamity look like with a Ring of Brass that seems to be a step out of alignment with their original counterparts?
I want to know! I want to see!
If I’m being especially sappy, I want to capture something of the same narrative high I felt when I first watched the miniseries. Even though I know it’s impossible.
ExU Calamity was what got me engaged with Critical Role and Brennan Lee Mulligan’s work in the first place. All due to an utterly random recommendation to me after watching a couple College Humor videos, simply because Brennan was in it. The first taste was someone’s clip of Brennan-as-Asmodeus during the big betrayal of Luis-as-Zerxus. I locked into both performers, into the scene itself, and had to dive into Calamity from the start to see how it all pieced together. And god, what a wonderful plummet it was.
Fire. Everything feels slow.
You’re trying to atone me. And I didn’t do anything wrong.
Why do we tell stories?
Nothing will ever match the punch of those four episodes and the story woven in them. I know that. But the idea of there being a Critical Role animated universe that doesn’t give due spotlight to this specific arc in full detail, regardless of how the adaptation would diverge—ha ha—from its original canon, is criminal to think of. So please, Critters, if any of you are as interested in seeing the Calamity adapted in line with Vox Machina and Mighty Nein, speak up! Let the CR crew hear you!
