Critical Role dropped a teaser trailer for the upcoming two-night special The Mighty Nein: Reunited that unveiled Taliesen Jaffe in the unexpected role of Kingsley Tealeaf.
The trailer, released by Critical Role on Twitter, featured a voiceover from Dungeon Master Matthew Mercer and warned that the "shadow of an old threat" lurks in Exandria. During the trailer, each player was seen embodying the essence of their Campaign 2 characters and given introductory title cards. In this sequence, Jaffe was presented as Kingsley Tealeaf, which was met with both surprise and curiosity by fans.
Unlike the other returning Mighty Nein player characters, Kingsley's story only began in Campaign 2’s final episode. At the beginning of the second campaign, Jaffe played the tiefling Mollymauk Tealeaf, who perished and was reclaimed by Lucien. Mercer then played the villainous Lucien, whose origins will be further explored in Critical Role’s upcoming second novel The Nine Eyes of Lucien. After Lucien's defeat in the Dungeons & Dragons series' penultimate episode, the party hoped their friend Mollymauk would be able to return to the vessel he once inhabited. Instead, Kingsley emerged in his place.
The Campaign Continues for Critical Role
Around for only one episode, Kingsley himself was a bit of a blank slate in the shape of The Mighty Nein's former friend and ally. He understood the history attached to his form, thus keeping the surname Tealeaf, but seemed eager to seek his own fate and answers in Exandria. Since The Mighty Nein: Reunited will take place only several months after the events of Campaign 2, it will give fans the opportunity to see the kind of character Kingsley has blossomed into after his inception in the finale.
While Kingsley offers unique story possibilities, there are many fans who had hoped Jaffe would be reprising his role as Caduceus Clay in the reunion special. The firbolg was introduced as a calming addition to The Mighty Nein after Mollymauk’s passing and served as Jaffe's character for the remainder of Campaign 2. It’s unclear whether Caduceus will turn up in some capacity during The Mighty Nein: Reunited or remain in the Blooming Grove, but his minifigure was not among those featured in the teaser trailer.
Overall, the trailer was met with collective excitement by fans with Kingsley providing a bit of a dividing footnote. While this news added to the anticipation and stoked the flames of curiosity in some fans, it left a wariness in those eager to see Caduceus again.
The Mighty Nein: Reunited will stream live on Twitch and in select theaters on Nov. 17 and Dec. 1.
Source: Twitter