The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 needs to get one crucial moment right

And it’s not just the trio of dragons waiting in the wings - Throdak has a horde of eggs about to hatch into a formidable army of dragons, as revealed by newfound ally Raishan.

Even armed with their vestiges of divergence, along with new weapons and upgrades, the party still might not be a match for The Cinder King and co. Brace yourself, for this season is undoubtedly set to be an emotional one!

Let’s just hope the CR gang roll with the biggest blows of the original campaign and buck the current pop culture trend of dodging deaths and consequences, fully committing to the major emotional beats of the OG campaign - making for a devastating but impactful arc.

Caution: mild spoilers for Critical Role campaign one lie ahead.

Fans who watched Critical Role’s first live-streamed tabletop role-playing game (RPG) each week will be well aware of the many heart-wrenching moments, emotionally-charged arcs and character deaths which occurred throughout the two-year campaign.

Due to the mechanics and nature of the (often chaotic) RPG game Dungeons & Dragons being down to chance and the roll of a dice, death is indeed a very real factor of the game, particularly in a combat-heavy campaign.

Even with a high-level adventuring party like Vox Machina, near total party kills (TPKs) are a very likely threat. And unfortunately, dear readers, some characters do indeed die in their attempts to save Tal'Dorei from the Chroma Conclave.

Now, the good news is, there are a multitude of spells, rituals and methods to avoid death in-game (for example, rolling three successes when undertaking death saving throws) or resurrecting characters thanks to certain class feats, via holy priests etc. Or, in the case of Vex and Vax, making a deal with a deity like The Raven Queen.

But the measure of a good campaign - and in turn, a good dungeon master (DM) - is balancing the excitement and challenge of the combat/test with real in-game stakes and consequences.

And it’s this conundrum in which the CR gang find themselves this season, with certain major moments to come. Will they fully commit to them? And if not, will the emotional beats truly mean as much?

With Hollywood’s disappointing trend of seemingly undoing significant and meaningful deaths and departures in pop culture, most notably with the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Robert Downey Jr as Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these events have somewhat cheapened the very concept of consequences and death for fans.

Yes, just like multiverses, alternative timelines and variants in the MCU, spells and resurrections in DnD are devices which can bring back beloved characters, but at what cost? Will the CR gang shy away from the major upcoming casualties?

Apparently not, according to CR cast member Travis Willingham, who teased that "season 3 is going to leave a mark" in a recent interview with EW.

"This is the first season where not everything is going to be the same at the end in the way that it started," he continued.

"It is going to test individual characters; it's going to test relationships, both familial and of a romantic variety; but it's also going to start to show the lines of division in this tight-knit family."

The season 3 trailer and opening credits certainly foreshadow plenty of emotional turmoil and testing moments for the beloved heroes, especially with an abundance of falling raven feathers and a heartbreaking moment with Keyleth walking alone as the rest of the VM party fade away.

With the rogue half-elf’s deal with the Raven Queen looming large, along with a whole host of vengeful dragons, Vox Machina are certainly facing their biggest challenge yet.

Many Critters will be bracing themselves for a certain climactic dragon battle, with the subsequent "what's my mother's name?" line and a bard’s lament undoubtedly set to be one of the biggest moments for Vox Machina yet.

This one crucial element will either make or break the group going forward, setting up events for the fourth arc of the first campaign (if greenlit by Prime Video).

Can the CR gang deliver satisfying storytelling with genuine consequences and real emotional impact to pull off this major event?

While there have been some changes from the original campaign (with over 400 hours to condense down, it’s understandable that there would be some tweaks!), the animated adaptation has been true to key moments and core character development so far.

And while this moment may not come to pass until a potential fourth season, it would certainly make for another gripping cliffhanger. Roll on 3rd October!

The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 is coming to Prime Video on 3rd October 2024 – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.