Critical Role Campaign 2, Episode 112 - Henry Crabgrass

Henry Crabgrass!

[@zepwolfx]

Remember kids: be a crabgrass, not a grabass. Always ask for concent.

[@sonofaquiche6717]

Henry the No-Grab-Ass Consent-Crabgrass

[@vernonhampton5863]

You sir, or ma'am, or they (?), won the internet with this.

[@zepwolfx]

How its not a shirt by now, I have no clue. I'll buy it in a second.

[@henrycrabgrass]

Thank you for your service. People tend to jinx it

[@Eszra]

Put this on a shirt!

[@jackdog06]

“HeNrYyyy!” “Hey! Yeah?” “Does it hurt when I step on you?!” “Well... a little.” *“OH NOoOoOooO!!!”*

[@annaapple3249]

Too cute!!!

[@kkTeaz]

4:50

[@ThatoneGuy-zd4rl]

The line about why Essek floats everywhere is so funny. What a guy

[@jaxonhepworth7294]

Idk how, but this is somehow exactly what crab grass sounds like

[@henrycrabgrass]

Well of course, it is my voice afterall

[@kkTeaz]

@@henrycrabgrass well yeah, but...like... how?

[@rasnac]

Plants live by photosynthesis, so it is logical that Henry is aware of day and night cycles.

[@danielcastillo591]

Counting tho, that shit is for extremely smart crabgrass

[@Albinojackrussel]

Maybe it should match their breathing in and out?

[@ajcarter2337]

Laura was canonically the first of us to go outside and touch grass apparently

[@dnf-dead]

With consent... 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@AngelofYugo]

“You sit on a horse, these things happen,” possibly one of the most underrated lines in C2

[@rosalynnestone6951]

Just imagining Caduceus learning he can talk to animals cause he sat upon a horse is so funny. Talesin is a gift.

[@UltimateMustacheX]

@@rosalynnestone6951 I don't think that's the implication. Jester says he knew plants were like Henry this whole time, after Caleb said vegetarians were the real predators. So he knows grass can talk and feel, but eats them anyways. His response is that you sit on a horse, but we don't see it as a big deal when we eat animals. It may have been better to say a cow for the analogy, but horses are likely the more common animal to the party in their day to day lives (and he's a cow-man himself), so the horse makes sense to use.

[@bdletoast09]

I love how Fjord went "Is this guy bothering you, queen?" over a cluster of crabgrass.

[@davidparkes7741]

4:55. The moment Jester has an existential crisis about Crabgrass.

[@annaapple3249]

So cute!

[@Zombiewithabowtie]

I'm genuinely not sure as to how much of that was Jester, and how much of it was Laura Bailey feeling guilty that she hurts grass when she walks on it.

[@davidparkes7741]

@@Zombiewithabowtie Yeah, that's fair. Lol, I love Laura.

[@lazylittledragon]

the voice acting in this bit is just so pleasing, it sounds like a kid’s cartoon and i love it

[@onecrazypig8423]

I almost feel bad for Matt. He puts so much the and effort into developing characters, ambition, goals, ideals, etc. But that all gets overlooked in favor of an improvised crabgrass NPC.

[@magonus195]

Ehhh... well, it doesn't help that a lot of his characters get pretty samey over the course of a campaign. In every city you get: Corrupt Official who Doesn't Trust Anyone x10 Cute/Chatty Shop Owner Creepy Shop Owner Blacksmith Inkeep who Is Friendly or Flirty Inkeep who Doesn't Have Time for You They're all good characters, but you could pick up the gnome Sheila Bobsnopper from Nicodranas, and drop her in Rosohna as a goblin with little feeling different, or drop her in Uthodurn as a dwarf with again little different. Beyond architecture and biome, Matt's major towns have essentially the same personalities of a corrupt secretive government, an ineffective religion, a magic shop, a general store, a blacksmith and a couple inns.

[@MAFDTTSdeda]

@@magonus195 Well, to be fair, if you have a campaign that's over 800+ hours long with over a dozen cities, there will be a point, where characters kind of blend together. That's why I love Dimension20. The stories are shorter and often take place in only a couple of places, so there is more time to flesh out the NPCs (also it helps that it's played by super chaotic comedy improv-actors/actresses)

[@magonus195]

@@MAFDTTSdeda I don't think it's the 800 hours, I think it's Matt and his personal tastes and politics, and how those inform his worldbuilding. Every city is a sort of fantasy LA, with a grabbag of every race available; and because Matt went on record that he thinks "evil races" are a bad concept, we can't see a greedy orc horde, or tyrannical hobgoblin city, or evil drow kingdom. Everything becomes more or less the same in different colors. I have had a few different DMs, and none of them have this problem in worldbuilding, even though their characterizations pale in comparison to Matt, and his improvised characters in particular.

[@belindaluna2067]

@@magonus195 Anytime I hear any one say they know what Matt thinks or what's going on in his head I think of Vilya and I laugh. Very hard. Also...how exactly does Matt not wanting to make races "evil" make things boring or make his characters blend together? Seems like the opposite. Since "evil" races are cliche at this point and eschewing that as a crutch he could use makes it so he has to work harder to establish more individualized behavior, backgrounds and motivations for his characters.

[@MAFDTTSdeda]

@@magonus195 Although I agree with you to a degree that for the amount of worldbuilding and elaborate creation of culture and history Matt does, sometimes these decisions don't have big consequences on the characterizations. Like goddamn, the Kryn dynasty has a culture around "proven/remembered" reincarnation, but the people act not much different? Shouldn't this aspect of the culture totally change their relationship to the passing of time and death and therefore their behaviour? The only thing where it kind of shines through is their connection to the beacon and the logic of dunamancy and unfortunately, the only Kryn character we have extensive contact is Essek, who is still rather young and is still in his first life cycle. But I, too, am against "evil" races. In real life, there is no such thing as "evil cultures", only "evil" personalities and we still have totally differentiated cultures around the world. I mean otherwise, there won't be the rural/urban discussion or the contemporary American and British culture are very clearly different although both stem from the Anglo-Saxon ethnic/culture group. In this aspect, I think Brennan Lee Mulligan is the better DM, but he studied Philosophy and Sociology (the second part I am not that sure if that's correct), so he has the education and mindset while creating a culture, to ask the correct question to find out the consequences for the people (an example would be the High Elves of High Court of the Fantasy High Campaign... Although it is taken to an extreme for the comedy) But I don't think at all that all DMs have to have study Sociology to be good, I mean examples where Matt is successful are the folk on Rumblecusp, Ludinus, Ikithon and Halas.

[@pouffling7649]

Henry Crabgrass is the best npc

[@HioshimaFried]

I expect you love Ashleys halloweens costume then ^^

[@henrycrabgrass]

Thank you Thank you

[@crowflight719]

Can you imagine being a kid with Matt Mercer as your dad? He'd be making all these great voices for things that a kid would love. Matt if you're watching this, I think you'd be a great father. Thanks.

[@ripple-effect-mlp]

When Cadeuces had cast Decompose on Molly's grave, he said, "I made the earth remember him." That explains Henry Crabgrass.

[@InLiquidColor]

under. rated. comment.

[@mariakristensen8289]

Love Ashley's reaction to the crabgrass' voice and name so much

[@wierdbro5344]

"Its hard to tell when, you're grass" is my favorite line of campaign 2

[@unstabletoad4825]

By far best NPC matt has introduced. With Pumat Sol as a close second

[@fist-of-doom487]

I’m getting flashbacks of the Sun Tree only not an asshole

[@compass1010]

For me, Viktor is number one.

[@brunacaroline2583]

Kiri

[@RichardTheWarlock72]

This has been a PSA from Henry Crabgrass: Always ask for consent.

[@DuelaDent52]

That’s funny he’s always asking for consent considering crabgrass is invasive.

[@Kasino80]

He's probably tired of the lifestyle and wants to go his own way.

[@Nordley]

The thing I love most about moments like this in the campaign is being able to watch it 7 times over just to see everyone’s reaction

[@Kasino80]

That's what I'm doing right now.

[@amerlin388]

"I mean, there are limits to being grass. I'm not so smart, I'm not so tough. My brain is grass. My ass is grass..."

[@warlordwinters]

I really hope they go back and get Henry and put him at their tower. like at the top wear he can get all the sun he could ever want

[@mqrgan]

You mean all the sun of the city where it’s eternally night time?

[@warlordwinters]

@@mqrgan I actually started watching right before travelercon. before that id just catch highlights. I didn't know about the nighttime stuff.

[@trikkinikki6843]

@@mqrgan they do have little lights with a daylight spell on them, that's how the tree is surviving

[@kkTeaz]

@@mqrgan intelec

[@colewegner7576]

​@@mqrganread this the same as "you mean the porn books we read?" When Jester and Beau were talking about relationships

[@0saintclark0]

Lauras reaction when she realises grass feels pain when you walk on it is amazing.

[@last2nkow]

you know they will find a way and reason to make Henry a reoccuring NPC XD XD XD and i am hecking here for it!

[@Zkillmcskillet385]

As it turns out, all crabgrass has a collective root hive mind.

[@tomaszskowronski1406]

@@Zkillmcskillet385 They are Legion. Does this unit has a soul?

[@Zkillmcskillet385]

@@tomaszskowronski1406 Henry is the BBEG of the campaign. We didn’t ask for his consent to live, he shall have his revenge.

[@acolytetojippity]

5:24 old habits die hard apparently.

[@stormcloudsabound]

every time i think i’ve heard all of mercer’s voices.....

[@plumey7593]

Y’all are thinking of potting him, but I think someone should cast Awaken on him!

[@CraigPaschang]

Pot of Awakening!

[@Fairfieldfencer]

@@CraigPaschang Uncommon item, found commonly in college dorms.

[@SPACEHARICE]

Matthews has the power to make you love a character no matter who or in this case what it is

[@elijahbielefeldt-cada6639]

"he's a collective of crabgrass hive mind" "what if I break a piece of henry off" MOLLY IS CRABGRASS CONFIRMED! but for real the parallels are so fucking uncanny

[@godimlarge]

Ashley’s reaction is literally perfect ❤

[@JACEMRYJAW]

One of the most wholesome characters I have ever seen, and it's just a cluster of Crabgrass.

[@JRTIntervencion]

"Hive crabgrass mind"

[@chazz30000]

You all know that the moment the spell ended Henry's consciousness faded, so the moment they stopped talking to him he died.

[@perrycarters3113]

You stop that.

[@davidparkes7741]

Hush now.

[@VentricDual]

Silence. I don't want this thought out here

[@RamonChickon]

No no no not quite. Matt mentions that when Jester goes back later to visit the same spot, there’s a group of Henry’s “descendants” who have heard about her.

[@Tattooedmumjum]

Next time they update the intro animation, I would love to see a clump of grass as one of the characters in the GM book!

[@legendofFranktheTank]

this is just such an amazing example of how much i will never be as good a dm as matt mercer, i talk to the crabgrass is such an unexpected action to take and matt had a voice, a personality, ambitions for him all in, like, a second. completely on the spot

[@theredpanda3709]

0:49 the face of us "How tf am I gonna pull this off"

[@peteralexandergraae2830]

Its funny that "Henry" can remember anything that happened 50 days ago, when crabgrass typically lives for about a few weeks

[@maximiliandort3489]

I love how Ashley just melts lmao

[@TheSehroyal]

I can't wait for the conversation of how Molly tea tasted like...

[@HioshimaFried]

Remember watching this a week or 2 back live on stream, just noticed I had the excact same reaction as Travis right up untill Fjord summoned the falchion xD

[@HarrisBanneck]

Jester almost sounded like she was going to ask if Henry felt a disturbance in the Force.

[@cthuluwu7190]

God this makes me smile so much on a bad day 😊

[@manonvanderhaeghe6664]

Someone really said "be a crabgrass, not a grabass" and I'm dying

[@archiesto4444]

i love how he just came up with this voice... I mean no way he knew she as going to talk to crabgrass and this voice wouldn't have worked as well for a tree!!!

[@oofmasta9395]

Henry is the best

[@DCdabest]

Zorth: Finally. A worthy opponent!

[@ryansullivan7349]

Awakening pots are common items. I am disappointed they didn't side quest to grab henry and awaken him.

[@lonewolf6211]

This sounds like a good way to write a script for a movie

[@AngelJuliet]

I flipping love him!!

[@binder38us]

With the Mighty Nein animated series coming to Prime, the episode with Henry Crabgrass will break the internet.

[@NaivokWolves]

*When someone tells you to go out and touch grass*

[@Master_WannaBe_]

I really really really hope they include Henry in the Mighty Nein show

[@NVClay]

Henry is the BBEG calling it now

[@zacharyjennings8661]

"When you sit on a horse, these things happen." Does anyone know what this means? I can't figure it out.

[@willnelson9906]

well, this was in response to jester having an existential crisis about stepping on grass, caduceus' response was basically "yeah they're gonna be a bit uncomfortable, but they can take it" is how i understood it

[@Arkegox]

I think it's not "when you sit on a horse," but "well, you sit on a horse." Its an example of something similar to stepping on grass

[@eXJonSnow]

@@Arkegox No, he's talking about him (a vegetarian) walking on and then eating grass is similar to other people riding horses and also eating them

[@LYBIceman]

He’s basically saying not to worry about stepping on grass. Using the example that they ride horses and aren’t bothered by it. Everything has its place in life and worrying about all of it helps nothing. It’s said in a confusing way for laughs, but makes sense when you think about it.

[@tracyhicks]

This. Is. BRILLIANT! 😂😂😂 Consent please 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Ssmot]

This scene make me sad. I've always thought of me as a decent GM, I can't hold a candle to Marcer ok, but you know that's still fine, maybe at the end of the day I can learn a trick or two. I keep telling me "I'm good, just not as good but still..". Then I saw this scene. Talk with plants, a spell I always considered as not interesting, player ask and I respond in 3rd person, giving player feeling of what the plant convey. Than Matthew Marcer take this spell and made an NPC on the fly with an RP scene so bright that you need sunglasses to see it without hurting your eyes... And I just feel like a clown for ever considering myself a GM in the first place. 😔

[@sibs8705]

Mercer has years of experience and is both a writer and an actor. It's unfair to yourself to compare because of that, and Mercer wouldn't want you to feel discouraged either. Don't put yourself down because you didn't think of it, instead take inspiration from what he does to add to your DM skills.

[@Ssmot]

@@sibs8705 first of all thank you for the encouragement and the positive outlook. I understand that I'm not fair and I'm not really sad or anything, just a little (a ton) awestruck and humbled.

[@sibs8705]

@@Ssmot Same. I felt the same when I started dming (2 years ago, wow) and I still feel the same.

[@harehnkaundun1406]

To be fair it depends on your players a lot, sometimes it is better to convey information quickly because players might want to move the story quickly. This depends on the playstyle of the game too

[@an0rangutan]

Ashley is in love

[@davidpalacios6705]

This is total D20 energy.

[@Thisone109]

This feeeeels too cute to handle 🥰😵

[@SpiderandMosquito]

So I asked reddit who'd they'd want to voice who in the Mighty Nein show. Someone said Jack Black as Henry XD

[@dnf-dead]

Oh Crabgrass... 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@racheld8920]

God I wish I was Henry Crabgrass

[@dt7cz3gj]

Isn't Henry the name of Laura's dog that passed away a couple years back? It wasn't until the recap trailer when she said the name so sentimentally that I thought of it.

[@megananair2485]

Henry is the name of Ashley's (and Brian's) dog who is often seen on Talks Machina. He is the sweetest, bestest boi and is loved dearly by all the cast.

[@blueseeker93]

4:50

[@xyanneabat9493]

I wonder how they´ll animate this in the series when it officially progresses

[@blackwolfe638]

grass can hear....

[@bluefletcherfish]

Doesn't Caduceus have a light cantrip? And they couldn't think of ANYTHING to offer Henry who lives by photosynthesis??

[@outlawquill7894]

They should have gone back in the last episode and cast Awaken on Henry

[@dontspeak6372]

i know this is veeeeery late BUT WHY DOES HENRY CRABGRASS SOUNDS LIKE THE ICE KING!!!!????

[@_Bookmark_]

1:10

[@yurigouveawagner9432]

didn't percy flirt with a field?

[@patrickjohnson1649]

I wonder if Matt got this voice from Arin Hanson?

[@yoni10014]

I don't remember Arin ever making that voice. The closes I could think of is "show me boobiez" voice from house party

[@betahammer3566]

We both know if he did, Henry would sound more like Peewee Deedee

[@helixxharpell]

I think I know where Matt got this voice. 😅 A cartoon character from the 90s. If anyone knows who I'm talking Bout PLEASE CHIME IN! 😅😅 I love this.

[@lynneluxem2947]

Dude in the bottom left corner looks like the dollar store version of Elon Musk.