The Gentleman Tells Jester the Truth

After many messages from Jester calling The Gentleman her father, The Gentleman finally sits down with Jester and has a heart to heart.
Footage from Critical Role Campaign 2 Episode 85 "The Threads Converge"
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[@def6078]

"It's a nice dream, isn't it?" The 'isn't it?' is so provocative, his subtle familiarity with the idea as if they're sharing the view of a favourite painting.

[@OffbeatWorlds]

Such an emotional scene. The part that really breaks me though is at the end when Jester looks up at The Traveler and says "did you hear that? We found him."

[@fourscompany1]

I was fine up until that point when she said that I started crying

[@benjiammin]

Is she talking to The Traveler...or is she talking to Molly?

[@EmilM-pb2hn]

@@benjiammin traveler obv

[@jeniferdavis1858]

the fact that you can tell that the Gentleman loves Marion still, and in turn loves Jester, because of the sadness and heartbreak Matt puts into his voice. it doesn't matter he didn't raise her, he wanted to, once he found her

[@Keith-es2xf]

You can tell from how matt does the portray of the gentlemen that if a situation happened where if jester's dad was put to save either her or himself he'd save her cause she's his daughter and he's her father and the last thing he wants to see regardless is anything happen to her

[@bobbyfasciano4137]

The Gentlemen: ... Jester: (rapping) “you’re my dad”

[@Zakemaster]

Boogie Woogie Woogie!

[@sweetvickerysongs]

@@Zakemaster yyyyyeeeeeesssss!!!!!

[@soulrenvods]

"You understand that that kills me, right?" instantly began the tears. Wow.

[@SleepStarvedNerd]

Jester: "Did you hear that? We found him!" Gosh dang it, Laura is so pure! 😭

[@josephivory1587]

The traveller speaking to Jester, “He was you’re father, but he ain’t your daddy”

[@screamingopossum7809]

The Traveler Is he Mary Poppins y'all?

[@MrWongWey]

The Traveler is Jesters child now tbh

[@IntrusiveThot]

@@MrWongWey The Traveler is *absolutely* baby

[@gingerlicious3500]

*your

[@robertsummers3386]

Only difference is this Eos actually cares

[@ArtisticAngler]

As someone who doesnt know his father, this scene hit so hard for me. Seriously. Matts words gave me such a weird perspective and soldered up some kind of made up world I made. Thank you Critical Role, this is why I love this show so much.

[@trism56]

Same boat here ae, it hit so close to home

[@aseancotter4845]

I thought I was crazy for the way this scene had hit me in the heart! But it gave me this strange understand and peace as a person who doesn't know his father as well!

[@realmofdoors9605]

Same here. Truly incredible.

[@natalieharmon3491]

It makes you wonder if your hate is valid ya know

[@jamesamala7371]

Liam, Travis, and Sam: *judgemental father face*

[@jamesamala7371]

The sequel: Liam, Travis, and Sam: *sad empathetic father face*

[@jamesamala7371]

Update: Liam, Travis, and Sam: *hopeful father face*

[@jamesamala7371]

The finale: Liam, Travis and Sam: *contemplative father face*

[@Ekrapf21]

IM SO HAPPY IM NOT THE ONLY ONE I NOTICED THAT

[@corynnightshade9049]

Thank you for pointing this out.

[@annak.9483]

God, this scene... one of the most emotional scenes in this campaign so far. Their acting skills are just so fucking amazing. Thank you for this clip!

[@sandssavvy]

I'm glad you're enjoying the clips.

[@MikkosFree]

@@sandssavvy Yeah, thanks! This had me on the verge of tears.

[@shewolfblacklink1062]

@@sandssavvy I have been watching a lot of your videos and it makes me so happy you did this one

[@binder38us]

When Jester comes back, The Gentleman treats her like his daughter. It was touching...

[@tevyngomez4519]

Liams face at 6:20 when Matt delivers that father line breaks my heart.

[@Redman-2490]

"I wish I could have known her before you" THAT always hits me hard!

[@XenoCobra]

I do love that The Gentleman doesnt believe Jester when she said she had been to Darktow, Matt truely is the best GM/DM there has ever been

[@Ghost-Mom]

where is that implied?

[@realmofdoors9605]

That one line just adds so much more realism to the character

[@Landis963]

@@Ghost-Mom "heh, Yeah, right."

[@michaelbryant3640]

Makes me wonder if Babanon knew Vandren back in the day...

[@jamessloan_tech]

Pretty sure that was him remembering band being surprised, from my reading of it

[@thefinalfrontear]

it always KILLS me how petrified and small laura looks when the gentleman first speaks to her

[@aaronsan6488]

I have always love how into the moments Travis is. He reacts the most to what happens in the game (and not just to scary stuff, which we all know he his prone to doing). When something great happens he cheers the loudest, when something shocking happens, his eyes go the widest. So it was so sweet to see him react to his wife's character Arc development with utter glee, right at the end.

[@mrcv9576]

And somehow The Gentleman is more of a dad than Beau’s father is

[@K_i_t_t_y84]

hard agree. Beau's dad was such a piece of shit.

[@randomcourier]

@@K_i_t_t_y84 i believe that, that was part of his deal with the witch, we know that the witch loves to see new misery and although it escapes me if he made the deal before or after beau was born but his offer was to alienate the one he loved so he treated beau like a problem that he never wanted.

[@ninasimpson6639]

One of them actually loves his daughter the other makes his daughter miserable And the one with love is funnily enough the mob boss

[@binder38us]

So True. When Jester came back, he indulged her. Even threw out his lover in the morning because his daughter did not approve

[@lyaura3vb82]

How is Jester so wholesome in such a sad situation???

[@roboticd]

Sadness doesn't discriminate

[@kaycee1076]

Jester is a very strong young woman. Not because of her unfaultering positivity or her physical strength or her damage-per-turn but because she can still see someone and no matter what hear them out and try to understand things from their perspective. The way she treated Kima when they were doing their heist against Trent's facility was a good show of that too. She's one of my favourite characters ever because of it. She at first seems like this naive, childish sparkly tiefling princess but she's a genuinely complex and provocative character who puts a smile on my face. Definitely Chaotic in alignment, but also definitely Good.

[@randomcourier]

@@kaycee1076 jester definently has the whole " no thoughts, head empty" vibe but that's not on accident, she purposely gives off that air in order to deceive people, she wants people to underestimate her. People see her as a ditz and she knows that, she knows what's shes doing and that it was makes her so dangerous. as powerful as the witch was, the witch only seen a naïve easily manipulated Tiefling airhead which ultimately led to her own downfall.

[@Nolzhan]

laura bailey's ability to kick into emotional mode on a fucking dime is legendary

[@wuftchan8299]

and to think this all happened because of mail fraud.... if Beau wasnt rebellious and a thief Jester may have never met her dad

[@leo_the_deer4007]

Funny thing I notice : when Matt said that line about “not being your father” Liam, Sam and Travis (all fathers) has they’re hands and expressions in similar ways Maybe it’s nothing, or maybe that scene hit them like the wholesome dads that they all are

[@fuzrot8022]

I didn't notice until now, wow!

[@andreashort7808]

The line hits you in the heart no matter what. Seeing Liam, Sam, and Travis all react very similarly hits a whole mother way. Great deliverance from all of them.

[@Idkmanlemmeedit]

I kind of figured it mean like "I'm not your dad" as I AM NOT YOUR BIOLOGICAL FATHER. Type of thing. Like the Murray's reactions

[@Firan25]

@@Idkmanlemmeedit There's "Dad" and there's "Father" you can help conceive someone, and be their biological father. But it takes a real man to actually raise them. He's saying that 'I may be your father, since my blood runs in your veins. But I have no right being your actual dad Because I abandoned you.'

[@Xkazmarx]

I did notice this, but it looks more like pain feels than wholesome feels to me. Especially Liam.

[@SelineSnape]

Apart from what everyone has already said, this is the first time for me watching specifically Marisha during this exchange and hell, she was SO in character the entire time, you can see how much it's eating her to see the kind of dad The Gentleman is compared to her own, but at the time nobody knew...

[@cleoking6312]

This gives a lot of context on how jester only knows romance from porn...

[@cleoking6312]

Btw I'm crying too guys

[@thisrandomdude2880]

THE INTERNET IS FOR PORN! Wait no there's no internet in their world... my gnome Artificer's gotta work on that one.

[@_lucas_2066]

@@thisrandomdude2880 My goblin artificer will help you.

[@tellmeaboutyourgame314]

@@_lucas_2066 My kenku artificer will lend a hand once she's worked out her voice synthesizer.

[@bankruptedwizard1413]

Next to Fjord challenging his Patron and getting rid of his hexblade, this has to be the most powerful moment in all of Critical Role for me.

[@gabrielrognon6238]

the funeral part would be in the top three too.

[@Mephiston]

The very end of episode 107 is a contender now.

[@medna5961]

Watching Liam react to all this makes me wonder how much is in character and how much is truly him taking it in. There’s faces he makes when The Gentleman talks that look like they punch him in the gut

[@icymoons]

well, he is a father himself so i would imagine the lines hit. the faces of sam and travis are also really affecting.

[@TRussell148]

Does anyone else remember Ophelia Mardun? A tiefling woman of impeccable beauty and stature? It seems like Ol' Bobby has a type, eh?

[@imkabochan]

Or He never got over Marion and kinda gravitates towards people who resemble her. It's the closest way he found he could be with her, by being with women that are shadows of her. I mean, clever, stunning, tiefling females? Man, he really loves her.

[@TRussell148]

@@imkabochan Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking too. Or hinting at, rather.

[@moonlight2870]

The worst thing is: The Gentleman wanted to prove to Marion that he was worthy of her love but she loved him before he was The Gentleman. If he was not insecure, if he never left, he would be able to make her happy. She probably made more than enough money for both of them. He was stupid. He should have stayed.

[@Mephiston]

A running theme of this campaign and the previous is that people are rarely perfect, that there is always context to why people make decisions (for better or worse), and that swallowing your fear, pride or ignorance and talking about things genuinely to other people always solves more problems than it causes.

[@paawan3764]

I mean... She was a courtesan. If she got into a relationship and stopped working, maybe money would've been a problem. I just realised this comment is 2 years old.

[@goose1415]

​@@paawan3764I mean she was living comfortably enough that she could just drop 5000 gold on Jester when she got ran out of town. They would've been well off if she just decided to stop working completely

[@gamergirl209]

I totally want them to disguise the gentleman and snuggle him into nicodronus to marriane, then get aboard their ship and take the happy couple to the island with vandren. Because apparently that man found a safe haven along the coast

[@icymoons]

an island paradise with Vandren, The Gentleman, Marion, Yeza and Luc

[@vaulted4677]

I can't shake the feeling that the familiarity of The Gentleman and The Traveler's voice is intentional. The tonality and the nuance overlap so well and I can't help but wonder if Matt does so on purpose. Perhaps The Traveler took on the voice of Bobanon to help leverage familiarity with the young Jester. or Maybe The Gentleman is secretly aligned with The Traveler and along with his prayers for wealth, he too prayed for the protection of the Lavore's in which it manifests as Jester becoming a cleric.

[@Ghost-Mom]

maybe, maybe not. I'm still 100% on the traveller = artagan train

[@behindthesmile1276]

Don't think too much on it. Give it time for all the threads to connect themselves.

[@elbruces]

Maybe that's just Matt's "warm/fatherly" voice and there's a lot of overlap because he's the same actor. I think they said he's at over a thousand NPC voices at this point, they can't call me distinct from way other.

[@moonlight2870]

Or maybe mercer is playing both of them, and as much of an amazing voice actor he us, there's only so much he can do.

[@oakenshadow6763]

Anyone can be a mother or father. It takes a special kind of person to be a mom or a dad. To be a real parent. 6:05

[@EclecticPkm]

This level of storytelling and acting is a thousand times better than most of the things on TV and Movies these days

[@sandssavvy]

There's a reason why Laura is Liam's favorite actress.

[@popburnsy3207]

And it's unscripted. Sure, they're thinking about these characters all the time, but like nobody took pen to paper to directly address this this way before this moment. This is why I love D&D

[@ZyroShadowPony]

@@popburnsy3207 and theyre basically the directors to their own characters. Yes most stuff in media is bad but it can be the fault of kore than one person. You have to be reallt talented like this group to handle a lot in a instant

[@credendovides20]

100% But, in fairness, it's not a matter of "these days": there's always been a whole bunch of terrible bs in movies and TV XD

[@josephine4s]

The Gentleman tells his story. Me: "That's rough, buddy"

[@artygunnar]

Between the Sheets

[@mage4423]

"My girlfriend turned into the moon..." Pause "That's rough, buddy."

[@Liz_For_Short]

God, 6:12 the three fathers of the group (Liam, Sam and Travis), felt that to their core. Just their reaction to what Matt said let's me know they are all wonderful Fathers and men. Bet they hugged all their children extra tight after this session.

[@saari985]

Great observation. They were the only ones with their hands one their faces and mouths, and all looking away at some point. As a new father that scene hits differently than when originally seeing it within the context of my own relationship my father. Great job by Matt and Laura!

[@gailburnette]

The Gentleman and the Ruby of the Sea, one of the greatest love stories

[@OnDeuTri]

being a couple episodes behind, this is the one plot I had to spoil for myself

[@crunchylettuce8461]

I'm on ep. 37 but I HAD to watch this anyway because I'm so emotional over Jester & The Gentleman

[@fluffyrinsu4879]

OH MY GOD SAME. IM STUCK IN THE MICA BURTON EPISODES BUT I *NEEDED* TO SEE THIS

[@_lucas_2066]

I JUST STARTED AND IM ON 39 AND I HAD TO FIND OUT.

[@sunshine-plantlife]

learning their story and knowing how Jester/Fjord end up it’s heartbreaking to think how close Jester was to also losing a man she loved like her mom if Fjord went too deep with Uka’toa. Like the parallels between him and the gentleman wanting to be “worthy” in the eyes of the world is crazy!

[@Matthew_Calmert]

They're going to find The Gentleman dead one time as his game catches up with him.

[@Stormcaller3801]

Can't see them not resurrecting him if they did.

[@Carffae]

WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT

[@tiringsarcasm]

Stormcaller3801 OH, and then they would have to convince the spirit to return to the body like Scanlan and Percy and jester would spill her heart out to get him back. And then they could use his death as a cover up so that no one from the underworld comes after him and endangers Marian. Guys this means he doesn’t have to stay away anymore

[@shorebreakers96]

Tbh i would like to see if their endeavour lead to being opposite to him. It's a classic trope but one i like.

[@ChasingDeathbeds]

If he or the Ruby die, after Jester didn't break down outwardly after The Traveller ended his godly sham.....it would break her in ways that not even an aasimar can break/fall imo

[@wuftchan8299]

Jester: did you love her? Matt: Once... My brain: upon a dream~

[@Kurgosh1]

My heart is breaking for a little blue tiefling.

[@ashfuller3480]

If the Gentleman wants to hide forever then he needs to get Caleb to use the transformation spell that turned Veth back into herself, he could turn into a Tiefling

[@dontsubscribe9819]

Why would he do that?

[@feodaron89]

Matt such a great dungeon master.

[@artygunnar]

Season 1 for me Grog and Scanlan were the best characters and definitely my favorites, this time around definitely Jester and Caleb are my two favorites, but i really like Beau and Duce as well

[@NehpetsMug]

"you want to protect me?" That's Fatherly too.

[@StevenJQuinlan]

Jester : you should run away with mama, also I sort of own a tropical island with the best fucking Beaurebar

[@gardenagnostic4138]

Man, I remember the tension in the chat as this was airing. The use of his phrases "until I take a knife in the gut" and "this kills me" was making everyone real worried that this scene would end like a Game of Thrones episode.

[@ellietandy2423]

I couldn’t understand why people were crying until 6:04 and I started balling my eyes out!!

[@thesfwarren]

I am still a little bit behind but I just had to know so I have decided to spoil it for myself by watching this.

[@selenesimmel7928]

Honestly, same.

[@Halthior]

I am man enough to admit that I cried during this scene

[@kriddius]

This scene wrecked me. My dad never said half as much to any of his children and actually mean it. The acting here was incredible. Season 2 has been absolutely loaded with brilliant moments like this and I'm constantly amazed how good everyone in the cast is

[@yeetthatmolotov]

that "we finally found him" gets me everytime and idk why

[@LordDarkRaider]

GUYS HOLD UP! Wasn't Uno canonically invented by "The Meat Man" in Marquette in campaign 1? If so the "Marquesian... interesting" line by Matt in this scene was a total throwback that I missed the first time through, OMG!

[@EsquilaxM]

Duuuuuude!

[@superfluouslyme]

I'm new to Critical Role, but I have to say that this scene is fantastic. Bravo to Laura and Matt!

[@sofifi03]

i’m surprised at how decent a dad the gentleman is

[@johncordero1248]

You think it's cool making me cry?

[@simsamsammie]

ugh LAURA BAILEY I've cried TOO MUCH during the last few episodes. TOO MUCH

[@RenVicious69]

Damn. As someone who meet his father after 18 years and getting dropped a second time, this scene made me tear up...

[@asifloserface]

I'm still waiting for Jester to realise that if they did the same for The Gentleman as they did for Veth (assuming he's being honest about wanting to go back) he could leave it all behind. Even just to be able to offer him that choice I think would be really nice for her to be able to do.

[@Wonderland_Afters]

Naw, The Gentleman doesn't think he is worthy of that life anymore. Maybe he could change a bit in the future but he seems to consider himself irredeemable. Veth couldnt go back because she became a goblin. A bit different.

[@perrycarters3113]

SPOILERS - - - - - - - - HA! I just realized, with the Plank King being the biggest reason he couldn't return to Nicodranas, and since Kingsley kills and usurps the Plank King, then Jester can ultimately thank Kingsley for her parent's getting back together fully.

[@UtenaOfRoses]

Thanks for shattering my emotions into teeny tiny pieces.

[@eslesss]

"It's a nice dream, isn't it?" Bruh 😭

[@redsupersaiyan3120]

I ahead a tear for that part

[@RedheadButNotReally]

...So Babenon was essentially a huge simp for Marion, actually managed to _get with_ his queen, and unknowingly got her pregnant.

[@moonlight2870]

Yup, except Marion is no mp lol and then Babenon ruined it.

[@ambiej123]

I have been waiting for this upload since the scene aired.

[@shyannescott7019]

This scene broke me live istg the whole chat was crying

[@maggimaster]

My Bard's father was also reunited after not knowing Every time I watch this I think of that session and every time I think of that session I think of this

[@Noobie2k7]

Spent the whole video like "not Gunna cry. Not Gunna cry" I never stood a chance.

[@LeviR34]

No one did. I barely got throught it without dehydration.

[@rostler27.94]

My heart strings!!! I’m going to cry now

[@bdletoast09]

Wait so the Gentleman's backstory is literally the Dread Pirate Roberts?

[@pendrake40]

*@Prof. Toast ~* In the broad sense, yes. The difference being that Babenon ("The Gentleman") Dosal did not inherit the "Dread Pirate Roberts" role, but rather forged the persona of 'The Gentleman' himself, in his efforts to survive (& eventually prosper) in the Criminal Underworld, in the southern region (& city) of Zadash, on the continent of Wildemount. And just to cover bases, in the end/aftermath of [CR Campaign #2 - The Mighty Nein], Babenon would fake 'The Gentleman's' demise, leaving behind his criminal empire with a modest amount of wealth to "retire" upon, in order to rejoin with the love of his life, Marion ("The Ruby of the Sea") Lavorre. 'The Gentleman' would leave behind the bulk of his criminal wealth and control of his criminal empire to his most capable lieutenant, the female tiefling Ophelia Mardoon.

[@TheMultiForge]

I mean, they could slip away to Dalen's Closet, make their way to Tal'Dorei and begin a new life, they probably both have enough coin to do so, and with his connections, he could make arrangements

[@GregJonson]

Just in case you forgot you dropped this comment here two years ago: I hope you're happy with the ending they got eventually. :)

[@snarglblargn4986]

hes seriously pulling a Dread Pirate Roberts, Westley Buttercup type shit right here

[@Bokmoh]

Top notch

[@willnelson9906]

top nottch

[@plantparentclub7666]

I'm not crying, you're crying

[@eveshikanov6377]

I'm Crying in the (Quarantine) Club Right Now

[@rhfemsdnlzm]

now pay your child support, Bob

[@filipferencak2717]

Best comment, hands down

[@morganmae8396]

I somehow missed this episode and was so confused this recent ep! I'll have to go rewatch.

[@isaiahwelch8066]

This hits home as somebody whose own "father" is nothing but a narcissistic deadbeat. But despite that, what the Gentleman says is true: That any man can have a child. But a man that never sticks around isn't a father. It is because of knowing this, that despite my own "father" never being in my life, let alone never having met him, my sister gave me the best compliment, I think, I could ever have gotten, because of how I try and treat my niece and my nephews, as though they were my own kids. Her compliment was: "Yeah, I think you would make a really good dad." So seeing this conversation between Jester and the Gentleman, Babenan, is one that is emotional for me, even after seeing it more than once. I'm just glad Jester got the chance to get to know her father, unlike a lot of kids who never get that chance. It's part of the reason why I love this show so much, and why this cast, and this DM, are such amazing actors.

[@sarahprorok4155]

Oh man. Just watching in the guys in this scene. How they all took up the same pose, their expressions, man this was a rough episode for the dads.

[@xavierestelles9327]

I love absolutely every-fucking-thing in this scene

[@Aneli713]

As a woman who was abandoned by her father (mind you, in very different circumstances) this scene made me cry harder than I thought it was possible.

[@dramagal19]

It's so interesting to me that her father is a water genasi and she fell in love with a man who choses the water.

[@lukemalizzo1685]

"Did you hear that? We found him!"

[@Spankypenguin1]

Who is cutting onions?

[@artjomfuchs8110]

I refuse this reality, Jester and the Nein have ruined a perfectly fine NE Warcriminal, they can ruin this Kingpin and maybe not redeem him but get him out of there. Then Bring himand Marion somewhere nice where they can spend their happy ever after. I WANT A GENTELMAN REDEMTION ARC, I NEED IT!

[@kystyty3519]

I'm on episode 79 but I COULDN'T WAIT I HAD TO KNOW I'M SORRRYYY

[@xandan1668]

I was terrified that the base was about to be raided while they were talking.

[@literatouristin]

I wish someone would call me a "vibrant creature"...

[@roseswindler]

I’m not crying you’re crying.

[@18grape]

You're right. I am crying, but so are you.

[@realmofdoors9605]

OH MY GOD

[@709mash]

Jester is the most likable character. Change my mind.

[@bilbosaggins3663]

The judgmental father face is real from Travis Sam and Liam

[@leo_the_deer4007]

Jester: we found him... Everybody: ;3;

[@renaissancenerd3801]

Everyone loves Jester... now we know where she gets it

[@googlepoodle5814]

I’M NOT CRYING YOU’RE CRYING!

[@andreaszafiropoulos4667]

So the gentleman is Gatsby

[@haydnbogroff8575]

Hell yeah we got the Gatsby gang!

[@acolytetojippity]

Damn is Taliesin okay?

[@roseclouds5838]

Laura Bailey everyone!!! -crowd applauds-

[@aubincheyroux2719]

I was crying for no reasons and then i realised it's the music of the epiloge of C2...

[@ElleonPastelle]

Oh my gosh I am literally crying. Matthew Mercer and Laura Bailey 10/10 voice actors for sure.

[@DarthMaul2]

i like the background music

[@davidcoutcher7794]

This is either some of the best acting ever, or Master Mercer et al are so far past acting that they have collectively become the characters to an extent. Incredible either way.

[@JnEricsonx]

I meet these two wonderful people ideally in 5 weeks.