#c2e21

Also the original instance of “if it bleeds… we can kill it!”

Transcript:

"What's a swamp frog's favorite drug? Croak-aine!"

Me: *heh*

A really juicy episode. We've got one of the first combats to really push their limits and also some tense conversations. Also the whole Bren thing

Fuck guys I love the original cartoon so much. I remember it being longer lol but its still so good. I can't wait for m9 animated. It is also so wild that Sam made it all without the rest of them seeing it, and also sang all of it himself

(24) It's impressive that Calianna hasn't been mugged or killed because she is remarkably trusting. Beyond even the normal amount of 'i need to trust these people in order for the plot to work'

(27) Caleb immediately lowers his opinion of Cali after she says she doesn't like cats lol

(28) Kill bill sirens. God I still can't believe the way this worked out. Nott/Sam freaking out cause she used an actual part of her name and trying to figure out why Caleb is being weird, while Caleb is having a mini breakdown. Like how on earth did the names work out that way. The magic of DnD

(1:07) Lol Beau rolls a nat 20 to notice the danger and then just lets Febron walk right into it

(1:16) and the ball bearings have returned. You know this might be one of the few times they have (kind of) helped and not immediately made things worse. Not that they helped all that much

(1:20) Isn't moving faster just asking for a troll fight? What on earth was the logic here, that they could outrun it like the freaky plant?

(1:34) Caleb kind of drops his face into his hands when Yasha says to put 'Bren' in the middle of the group for safety. I can't even imagine how much the constant Bren mentions would be weighing on him, dragging him directly into the worst part of his past and setting off every instinct he has to hide himself.

(1:38) "Is the traveler another wizard?" Jester: "He kind of is, but he's really powerful, and he's super cool" You know it is kind of on us for thinking he's a god. Cause Jester doesn't really enforce that idea. She's pretty up front about him not really being a god

(1:47) Oh hey the map compass is back.

(1:53) If only Molly had ever learned to hit things with his sword… I understand the temptation of racial spells but also if you aren't built for them, they're a waste of time (spoken from personal experience. i wish the drow faerie fire was more useful)

(1:53) The brief horror that their guide is like dead dead, immediately replaced by asshole-ness "Our money is getting away"

(1:58) I think this is the trickiest and closest combat they've had so far

(2:04) Actually a clutch heal from Jester

(2:12) Am I the only one who doesn't find Talisin's infernal voice that cool? Also he literally makes a comment about it never working - THEN WHY DO YOU KEEPING DOING IT

(2:25) I do love that Beau calls Caleb out on his causal use of manipulation. Like he may truly mean that Beau is a good friend, but also he is also 100% intentionally reminding her of the fact in order to convince her to accompany him and reinforce his place by her side

(2:35) It is funny that everyone has pretty much realized that fear is one of Nott's primary motivators. How do we convince her to do something? Just make it seem like something else is worse lol

(2:48) It is very annoying for me personally, but it is probably a good thing Cali is so naive and easily distracted cause wow the nein are bad at keeping secrets for long periods of time. They manage alright for brief encounters but once they let down their guard, anything goes. A smarter companion would have clocked the weird Nott/Bren thing and the beacon (and probably had opinions on them)

(2:29) Nott: "You're half fish!" Fjord: "I'm not half-fish, I'm half-orc!" Eh he could always be both

(3:54) Fjord: "Yep. . . I drop the rope and jump in" I love when Fjord defies expectations. It's particularly notable because he's normally the most rational and level-headed of the group, so it's always so much more surprising when he suddenly flips on a dime to do something crazy. It's still a totally logical move in his mind, but he is also consciously keeping his patron a secret because he knows the party will have questions that he doesn't want to answer. And he can get away with it because no one would expect it of him. It is interesting that no one even calls him on it afterward

(4:05) Ah I don't think I realized that Caleb saw himself in this situation. The other people in the group are ambivalent to the bowl and it's potential evil: they like Cali therefore she can have the bowl like she asked. Caleb is the only one rn that is looking at the big picture and the potential danger this artifact represents. Why is Caleb the only one concerned with the greater good? Why is it Caleb, who is generally selfish and unwilling to insert himself into conflict? It doesn't make sense unless he sees his own past in this cult

And obviously part of the situation is that the others have slightly less trust issues and are taking Cali at her word, but I am surprised the rest of them don't see his logic

Also relatedly, you can see that Caleb's controlling tendencies. He wants all the cards, wants to control the board, and he will only give out information when it is in his best interests. You can see how he positions the group without telling them why, how he decided a plan of action that he thinks is good and doesn't understand why the others don't agree with him. Caleb definitely thinks he is the smartest person in the room

(4:09) It's actually pretty hypocritical of Beau to call Caleb out for getting in people's business when she is the noisiest of the lot. I'm assuming this is also hitting her trauma and dislike of other people making decisions for her. Tbh I think she has a right to be mad but I think she is accusing him of the wrong things