the reason critical role is so good is because every campaign features at least one cast member creating a character that they intend to be doomed by the narrative and matt and the rest of the cast going don’t be an idiot, Our Love Will Undoom Them. like in the explanation of percy’s final playlist, taliesin wrote, “Cheers to a happy ending for a character intended by his creator to be karmically irredeemable. May we all be so fortunate.” and just, Yeah.
Caleb showing up to the Malleus Key wearing a purple scarf. Essek swearing in Zemnian and casting an amber dome. Something about the fingerprints you leave on your loved ones. Something about them becoming a part of you. Something about how to love a thing is to be changed by it.
I love seeing how down bad Essek is for Caleb in later M9 episodes like, esp in Aeor
He was really about to interrupt all of time and space for this guy— and no matter what happened in Aeor he was like
“Caleb omfg” “caleb hELP—“ “CALEB”
I love him…. Disaster wizard…. One of my favorite guys…
And obv Caleb is into him too- like when they’re flying, and Caleb says he shows off a little- and then Essek flies too- guys… guys I’m so normal about them..
And don’t even get me STARTED abt how he talks abt Caleb in C3…
"essek stays away post-canon because he doesn't want to endanger the nein while he's on the run" absolutely valid, but also i raise you: essek knows about the one (1) time the nein were in charge of protecting an important mage and she survived approximately one week before getting violently murdered while they were — direct quote — "havin' bacon"
Caleb and Essek have a cluttered home with art made by one of their best friends, and artifacts and mementos from their travels, and the tower permanently available in case their friends stop by and need a place to sleep.
Essek has a house coat, and feels safe enough to take one of Caleb’s scarves for comfort.
They have a teleportation circle, and a garden.
They have the Exandrian equivalent of an engagement portrait hanging in their home.
[IMAGE ID: Two pages of a black and white comic.
PAGE ONE
PANEL ONE:
Luz stares up in fear, caught in the relic room of the castle.
"Why if it isn't Eda's human pet!"
PANEL TWO:
Lilith looms over her.
"How perfect."
PANEL THREE:
A distant view of one of the castle's towers.
PANEL FOUR:
Caleb is throwing a pot on his potter's wheel. He's wearing an apron and his reading glasses, his hair tied up in a bun. He's sticking his tongue out, calm and concentrated as he works.
PANEL FIVE:
CRASH!
Caleb jerks comically in surprise, splattering his pottery everywhere.
PANEL SIX:
BAM BAM BAM!
Caleb takes off his glasses, turning towards the noise coming from the nearby window.
PAGE TWO
PANEL ONE:
The racket continues, overwhelming the panel.
An overhead view as Caleb stands up on his crutches and moves towards the noise.
"What in the Titan's name is going on??" he wonders.
PANEL TWO:
Caleb looks out the window.
"I can't see anything from here," he thinks.
PANEL THREE:
The noise breaks off into a screech, followed by silence.
A close up of Caleb looking through the bars of his window, eyebrows raised in bemusement.
PANEL FOUR:
His expression changes to uncertainty.
"It stopped..." he thinks.
PANEL FIVE:
Hunter throws the door open with a BANG, Belos following behind him.
"DAD!" he yells happily.
Caleb jolts, startled.
PANEL SIX:
"You'll never guess what just happened!" says Hunter excitedly.
Caleb turns to him, wiping the clay off his hands with a towel.
"Violence and destruction of property?"
"Well, yes," answers Hunter, "but--."
PANEL SEVEN:
Belos stands at Hunter's side and rests his hand on his shoulder. Hunter puts his hands on his hips and smiles at Caleb proudly.
"Lilith Clawthorne has finally captured the Owl Lady," says Belos.
PANEL EIGHT:
Caleb clutches his shirt as he looks at them, horrified. The panel around them is black except for the barred window behind him.
"She captured her own sister?" he asks.
/End ID]