THE TRAVELER'S TRUE IDENTITY (2x94) | CRITICAL ROLE HIGHLIGHTS

[@scottrauch1261]

The Traveler(composed):Do you trust me? The Traveler(fetal position 2 seconds later): I have no idea what I'm doing. I need your help Jester.

[@Bznsin]

Someone please draw this

[@asaltyem0826]

Oh my god. This had me on the floor laughing

[@samtrue3]

"Jester do you trust me" "With every fibre of my being" "I choked a man" "Oh...that's cool"

[@kinghoenn3478]

NO, No go away David Bowie. Go back to your home David Bowie

[@heribertorosario4039]

Technically he choked a half-elf. ;P

[@furiosa8747]

@@heribertorosario4039 half man tho

[@Dan-qy6zv]

I KNEW IT WAS THAT GUY!

[@internetfriend6701]

*John Mulaney voice* There's an Archfey loose in the Pantheon! No one knows what the Archfey is gonna do next, least of all the Archfey! He's never been a god before! He's as confused as you are.

[@JordaanM]

He granted a divine boon? I didn't know he knew how to do *that*

[@jetvulcan2020]

​@@JordaanM till he spent time with Jester I don't think he knew how to. I like to think that there was a time where he thought he was making Jester a Fey Warlock but he was shocked to find she was a Cleric of his. Jesters' belief in him raised him to godhood and that same belief grant her powers.

[@shimmyking4]

there's no experts, they try to find experts in the news. They're like "we're joined by a man who once saw a demon in the underground" and it's like "Get out of here with that shit!" we've all seen a demon in the underground. this is an Archfey, loose in the Pantheon!

[@selenium3447]

And then you meet with people who say "there shouldn't be an Archfey in the Pantheon" "We're way past that!"

[@ronald1416]

And then someone says “Well if there’s an Archway in the Pantheon, then I’m gonna fuse my soul with a malevolent city.” And your just like “Those two things don’t match up at all!”

[@Izak_James]

When you accidentally will a god into existence

[@duranpredur1098]

That is a bit more complicated than that. Archfeys shares some features with gods. Immortals, able to grant power against worshiping and deeds. The thing i find great is that prayers and true, hopeful worshiping strengthens the powers of those they are directed towards. So she initiated his transformation into godhood (whether it is done or ongoing) and probably is his most powerful catalyst.

[@erikwilliams1562]

Accidentally?

[@lockskelington314]

Its actually even worse than that. If he makes everyone thinks he'll ascend beyond the divine gate then he might actually ascend beyond the divine gate.

[@michaelliggett1622]

Just to let people know there a mechanic in dnd that a belief is strong enough even if it just a concept they can basically become a cleric of it it called a philosophy cleric

[@adcon00]

Talisen's listening going "First time god jitters? Boy, that takes me back."

[@magnight767]

Traveler turns out to be the fey guy from the first season who made porn like portraits that choked vax to death.

[@dndbasement2370]

logical, vox machina did give an archfey (feywild gods) a direct access to exandria ! my only real question is... the traveller is the first god born on this side of the divine gate after Vecna ! and thats only 20 years later.

[@jetvulcan2020]

"This was Jesters fault the whole time." best reaction wow a fey found little Jester then grew up with her faith and mischief to become a god then started to get other followers.

[@onixrobot2031]

So this entity, completed vecna’s goal, without destroying the world. However in doing so, lost his mind with the responsibility. Love it.

[@dragirby]

In a sense, yes, but no. He was an Archfey, which is by all means a god of the faelands that doesn't require worshipers to gain power, they just have godlike powers... but only there. When he came to the prime material plane, he did not have the ability to manipulate the world around like a god would(Like, a God in their natural plane literally manipulates and controls it like it's a Lego set) until he had someone believe him to be so. Vecna was a mortal man who wished to become a god through sheer power, like the Raven queen. He did not have that same innate power an Archfey has.

[@Valtremors]

@@dragirby There is also the case of lesser and greater Deities. Don't know how they work in Matthew's world but in Forgotten Realms there are variety of Deities of different powers. I wouldn't consider Artagan as a god, but rather a already strong being reaching a form of Divinity. I think even Vecna, who wanted to become a god, took his first steps as a Deity of sorts. Oh well, only Matt knows what is happening in his world.

[@jetvulcan2020]

I've come to think of it as the Traveler is a creation of the friendship of Artagan & little Jester. from campaign one I got the sense that Artagan was bored and wanted a real friend. Vox machina gave him a doorway to their world. after traveling thou the door he met little Jester a child just as lonely as he was so they played and became friends. as child she probably couldn't pronounces Artagan so started calling him the Traveler. as they grow together in this world their friendship grows her faith in him and they both gain powers from that. Jester is more then just his first Cleric she is his best friend.

[@awkward_tendencies]

4:11 Ashley’s quiet “No!” to herself as she realizes Matt’s describing Artagan

[@phoenix-kingz]

A part of me wanted Matt to just describe himself as the traveler so damn much

[@elbruces]

I see him as his self-insert, especially since so much fan art draws him in the background cloaked.

[@amaniamiller]

IKR? =/

[@ryankountz9752]

Somewhere in the ether, Vecna is rubbing his temple with two fingers whilst muttering, "How the actual fuck did you do that?"

[@oscarpines7927]

God:"I have no idea what I'm doing." Talliesin:"... I get it all now."

[@jelmy2179]

You know that right as he started describing the traveler the fan artists started drawing

[@MCbeccy89]

Chipmunk Cheeze Don’t worry, they’ve already been drawing him for over 2 years now. Though now he’s going to need a bit more *green*

[@MusicsInMySoul977]

Well I mean theres already tons of drawings of the Traveller because its Artigan!

[@dndbasement2370]

@@MusicsInMySoul977 and yet many people are like, why do they know him ? and we're like, go look at first campaign when they are in the feywilds. GARMELIE !!!!

[@whistlerdan7718]

And it turns out as a police sketch of Artagan

[@rorymckenna3916]

"Fuck off David Bowie" Gods I love Taliesin

[@Kinshe4209]

I remember from a while back on a talks Machina where Laura referenced to Jester originally being a warlock.... the fact it is a Archfey turned god just shows she would have been an Archfey warlock

[@clickpause8732]

God of Trickery tells the 'absolute truth' Watchers: "Oh yeah, it's all comin' together."

[@EthalaRide]

"It was the trigger of your trickery last session that he was like 'okay maybe she can help me.'" Kiiinda feels like she screwed the DM's big moment/plan so hard that Matt's like "Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Well, *You're God is fake!"* but not in a malicious way at all. like I know it makes sense, but it's gotta be sweet for him to spring that on laura lol.

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

To be fair, he's the only "deity" to appear physically since the Divine Gate went up, which told us quite clearly that he wasn't a god. When anyone else uses Commune they only feel the spiritual influence of things such as temperature and wind (as with Caduceus) from their respective deities. The Traveler is the only one who's actually showed up in physical form.

[@Actorclown]

Watch the recent Talks Machina. She explains she asked for it to be Artagan among other thoughts.

[@KolyoSofiata]

Well from what Laura has said. She already heavily suspected this right from the beginning. Because her original idea for Jester was a warlock for Artagan (before Travis took warlock). Doesn't make the moment any less cool. But she deserves some credit since she's the one who came up with it. Matt just modified and developed it.

[@guyperson7487]

Matt:do you trust me Me in my head: a whole new wooorld

[@timmara3296]

Traveler: Alright Jester. For you next mission I need to to find someone, and strangle them until death Jester: WILL DOOOOOUUUuuuuummmm... what? Traveler: I wish for you to place your hands, on someone’s throat, until the expire. What is so weird about that?

[@GripTightThin]

High Priestess Jester

[@WorgenGrrl]

The Goddess Traveling Jester

[@GRIMHOOD99]

You mean Jester the Pontifex Maximus

[@procrastinator99]

As an enthusiast of Roman history, this makes me SO ECSTATIC!!

[@ChaoticDumbAce]

Ashley and Marisha figured it as soon as they heard about his hair.

[@thatnerdyuncle]

A key element of a cult is that there is a penalty for leaving. Here, there is none. It is a community - fostered by Jester's pure acceptance.

[@eruduma]

The Traveller is going to be the one that convinces the Mighty Nein that Vox Machina all sleep together... He has drawings that prove it.

[@giraffedragon6110]

Can I say I’m so FREAKED finding out that the Traveler is indeed Fey in origin and probably a callback to campaign 1.

[@SwiftFate]

They confirmed it in the episode, it is indeed a callback to one of campaign 1's characters. Such an awesome tie-in too, it actually makes so much sense as well.

[@ahuntsman4634]

What's the quick summary of who this character was for someone who did not watch campaign 1

[@MaidenofRavens]

A Huntsman He’s an Archfey who did a favor for Vox Machina in a time of need, in exchange for their help in setting up a gateway for him to travel to the Material Plane from the Feywild.

[@Daydreamer0403]

@@ahuntsman4634 On the Critical Role Wiki there is a full description of Artagan that goes into detail of each episode he appeared in along with his character. It really helped me as I never got into Campaign 1. Just look up Artagan critical role and it should be the first article.

[@tweakicizer]

It's a campaign 1 NPC. A pretty powerful one

[@TheTsuha]

Seeing the journeys of Marisha's facial expressions is so worthed

[@clickpause8732]

Jester will not be an Archpriest, she will not be Club President. She will be Club Queen.

[@RabidDogma]

First Disciple. That's a hell of a title.

[@DuskWolf224]

Coming back to this because Artagan's monologue is so good... SO good!

[@jeffjohnson1890]

Listen to the music that starts when the traveler beckons to her from outside the dome. Season 1 nostalgia. It's the little things.

[@unwoundsprite7364]

i just finished catching up a few minutes ago, and then immediately see this. I can't wait to see how this pans out!!

[@justineckel7177]

I was really hoping sprinkle would be revealed as the traveler

[@adamlay7317]

Well

[@pandasareawesome4813]

Ummmm, about that

[@eddiealdred8640]

Huh well actually-

[@TheGoldenJay637]

*ABOUT **_T H A T_*

[@SgtSplatter782]

uuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......................

[@RedNZBlue]

Genuinely thought it was someone shapeshifting as The Traveller and Jester was gonna be killed.

[@adamyze1492]

Iain McDonald I also had this pop in my head when she said NOTHING to anyone int he group

[@Soma2710]

Another Rakshasa moment? That would be the absolute worst ;(

[@seabass819]

It's amusing that Mariah is the first one to realize who it is, based on Matt's description of the traveler

[@poppyonline4034]

Lex Vanguard But Laura definitely knew as well. She was the first to tell them absolutely it was him.

[@justinprince8301]

So this campaign is set like 10 years after the first, right? So after Artagan got done strangling Vax, did he turn right around and go play with little kid Jester?

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

It takes place 20 years after the first campaign. Jester is in her very early 20's.

[@Shadow-gc6le]

A god: has had to watch for millennia as an archfey tricks, kills, nd curses mortals even some of his followers only for that archfey to show up at the quarterly god meeting "What the hell are you doing here!? The traveler: "Oh, I'm one of you now." God: "what?" Traveler: "I'm a god bitch, and look out I have no idea what I'm doing!" :')

[@Kangstor]

A couple months ago Laura said she was going to make a warlock and patron was going to be traveler but Travis told her hmm can i steal warlock from you. And Jester born as a cleric. I suspected something like this but didn't watch first season so couldn't be sure who she was talking about but I am pretty sure Laura made him on purpose.

[@pedroxavier4227]

Jester is a warlock of the archfey

[@samtheactualkenku6205]

That was the original plan for Jester, but then Travis made Fjord and now we're here

[@dartdevious561]

I mean, lore wise, they're almost the same

[@rileybursey7513]

She could always multiclass

[@k.b.schweitzer6871]

I loved watching all the players' faces when they realize who it is.

[@ThatONEGuyWhoJustWon]

Fast forward to now. At travelercon. Things are crazy

[@ellierelyea8388]

Yeah

[@noahcattell2518]

Damn, this kills my theory of the Traveler being Tharizdun.

[@captdynamite2020]

I thought it was ukatoa nolie

[@MrUmakemelaff]

I thought it was Trivago.

[@eviebee]

I thought it was Larkin

[@williamaldred335]

@@MrUmakemelaff Wheres the hotel?

[@einstin2]

@@eviebee where is Larkin? I haven't seen him since the fight with Vorugal in S1.

[@thegeekteacheraus3712]

I can’t believe it took them this long to realise who the trickster is... Jester is the biggest clue!

[@dialog_box]

8:30 I am 110% with tal on this one! That notion is so very Douglas Adams and I love it

[@reathelemon2277]

Hey said “ Don the mask of one” does that mean he started wearing the hood for jester??!!!! To seem more like a god?!?!!!

[@resdamalos]

SPOILERS FOR 102 ON I revisit this now, and wonder what would have happened if Jester hadn't pulled her cupcake trick. Would he have let her go to Rumblecusp and potentially lose her memories of him too?

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

You know... You may have stumbled onto a plot hole here... (Spoilers below for episodes after 2x92). When they met him he knew things about all of them without ever really having spoken to them. He had to have known how capable both she and the rest of the party really were if he'd been keeping tabs on them that entire time. He knew very well how competent they were. Matt said that Jester succeeding in fooling the Hag was the reason for why the Traveler decided she was worthy of knowing the truth about him. They met the Traveler in the jungle AFTER the cupcake scheme. If he had planned on Jester losing her memory along with everyone else on Rumblecusp, why go along with TravelerCon? In a hypothetical scenario, the only thing he could've done to get Jester to lose her memory was to just not tell her about what was really happening on the island. However, that hypothetical is null and void since he didn't tell them anyway and they went to Rumblecusp with just as little information of what was going on regardless of Jester's cupcake success. The outcome wouldn't have changed. The only way he could've offloaded his followers on the island would be if Jester and M9 had missed TravelerCon but since she was the one planning it, this would've been extremely unlikely. Both because they kept diligent track of their schedule to ensure they'd make it, and because this was too important to her, so she would've most likely gotten there after the fact if she got held up. The last potentially deciding factor would be if their Greater Restorations had failed, which was extremely unlikely with two Clerics and a Druid in the party. So, regardless of how it would've played out, Jester would not have lost her memory.

[@resdamalos]

@@CriticalRoleHighlights Perhaps this was a shot in the dark, then? Maybe he wasn't *planning* for their failure, but saw it as a convenient upside if they did?

[@jacobmosovich]

The traveler shouldve been revealed as a chair just to screw with EVERYONE XD

[@rendalconstantineau1680]

Sooo.....they say "this is all Jester's doing", which yes, as it seems she was his first "worshiper" which inspired him to gather more worshipers which is basically what empowers him to become a God...but in a way, it's the fault of VM from the 1st campaign, as remember...his price for his aid when they needed a little help during the Vecna arch was that they help him make a doorway so he could visit their world. Oh wow Matt Mercer, what a way to grab at an old loose thread that NO ONE else even probably remembered and weave it in nice and deftly. Though of course...we do have to remember this is also the same creature that strangled Vax to death just for an experience, albeit he did get permission, so kudos to him on getting consent I guess..?..?

[@Nemisionn]

Laura asked for Artagan to be the Traveler while creating Jester. She just wasn't sure if Matt went with it.

[@deathbykonami5487]

Here's hoping David Bowie never saw this: Talieson: "Fuck off, David Bowie! No one wants you here, David Bowie! Go back to your home, David Bowie!"

[@Celedam]

It was a reference to Bowie's character in _Labyrinth_ (remember that Taliesin was an '80s kid), and Bowie himself actually had a great sense of humor about such things.

[@aganaom1712]

* electric de chocobo in the background *

[@xWinterstarex7]

Sam: They're just gonna go fuck in the woods. Me: Sam...really? He's a god *After this* Me: I kinda...want that now i want them to be together even though he's the dude who literally choked the life out of Vax and has an issue with the Theater

[@ashes2ashes-l8z]

marisha gets it first and then talesin - ashley is just in shock

[@argella1300]

I FUCKING KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!

[@WinterSolstice221]

Matthew. Fucking. Mercer.

[@oscarpines7927]

Marisha freaking out first is great

[@TheChaingunner]

don't drink the punch lol

[@derajtheyuler7101]

I love how Matt explains why Arty asked for help!

[@worldshaking00]

It is, indeed, gonna be interesting Matt. Thanks for validating my theory on who the Traveller was.

[@itsjustalix365]

Talisian looks terrified

[@themadhatter6554]

I'm so making a warlock of the archfey

[@edh9999]

When he asked Jester if she trusted him, my mind immediately went "NIB" from Black Sabbath (starts out as a love song, but the plot twist is that it's how the devil gains followers). I was fully prepared for Matt saying something like: "My name is Demogorgon. Please take my hand."

[@celebitto7869]

Called this shit so early one, but o absolutely love it nonetheless

[@WorgenGrrl]

Maybe they should seek out Avandra the Changebringer. She is an actual deity with a Portfolio very similar to the Traveler. Also, I think Jester should get the divinity, but that's just me. I mean...she would make a better "Traveler" than Artagan

[@samtrue3]

But why would she want that? She admires the traveller with her very being it would be like stealing your idols job. And the changebringer is chaos for the sense of progress while the traveller is chaos because all work and no play makes jack a dull boy which is needed in the stuffy places that is jorhast.

[@MusicsInMySoul977]

Did Jester just become a demi-God?

[@linus4d1]

No, she just tells a demigod what to do

[@floridachomps2885]

Watching Marisha contain herself after she figured it out first

[@picklepaddy]

I don't know why but from their reactions, I kind of thought it was Vecna as first.

[@Wolfencreek]

This is all well and good, but where's Larkin?

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

The Wildmother in disguise.

[@Soma2710]

I swear, if Matt makes Larkin appear at Travelercon, my freaking head will blow up.

[@amaniamiller]

I wanted it to be Matt so bad! =(

[@thguy370]

i am the owner of the 43434'th view

[@samtheactualkenku6205]

This story will either end like Jonestown or have an actual happy ending

[@captdynamite2020]

Why worship a god, when you can be the God

[@elbruces]

Because that's automatically retiring your character?

[@Dinawartotem]

Didn't work out so well for Vechna.

[@WorgenGrrl]

No Hubris at all in that statement

[@RabidDogma]

@@elbruces I could easily see this happening to Jester post-campaign, though. I mean, she's the First Disciple of a god. Those kinds of figures often become deified themselves.

[@drewadams6667]

Sam and ashley have glowing cat ears.

[@lockskelington314]

Still not certain on that he's not gonna turn on Jester.

[@thegriffin88]

Oh he's a young god. Oh honey. I think my inner Chara is kicking in. (my current character, completely suspicious of everyone and everything unless you show her any hint of vulnerability. Then she melts.)

[@freenerdman7736]

Now we just need the Blackwoods to make a reappearance...

[@kherubim1]

I don't trust The Traveler, there's something sinister about him...

[@trulyflawfull]

The Travelers true Identity *picture of MC from Genshin Impact*

[@davidmaksl5185]

Traveler: "I trust you. Are you ready for absolute truth?" Talliesin: WAIT WHAT

[@davidmaksl5185]

Also Ashley a little later: WAIT WHAT (that look with Tal)