The Expulsion Enigma: Who Was Kicked Out of Critical Role?
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The world of Critical Role, the immensely popular Dungeons & Dragons actual-play web series, has seen its share of drama both in-game and behind the scenes. While the vast majority of its cast and crew have enjoyed relatively stable tenures, a few significant departures have left lasting marks on the show’s history. Directly answering the question: only one individual was unequivocally “kicked out” of Critical Role: Orion Acaba. His departure from the show’s first campaign, and the subsequent fallout, remains a significant point of discussion for the Critter community.
Orion Acaba: The Initial and Contentious Departure
The Tiberius Stormwind Saga
Orion Acaba was an original member of the Critical Role cast, playing the charismatic and at times controversial Dragonborn Sorcerer, Tiberius Stormwind. Tiberius was a significant presence in the early episodes of Campaign 1, but his character was abruptly removed from the story around episode 27. This removal marked a significant turning point for the show, as the first major instance of a character leaving the adventuring party, Vox Machina.
Allegations and Aftermath
The details surrounding Acaba’s departure were initially obscured, leading to widespread speculation among fans. It was later revealed that his departure was not amicable. Allegations of inappropriate behavior emerged, contributing to a generally negative perception of his actions within the Critical Role community. While the specifics of these allegations weren’t made fully public, the controversy surrounding his exit continues to be a topic of discussion.
Impact on the Narrative
Acaba’s departure necessitated the in-game death of Tiberius Stormwind. This created an in-narrative reason for the character’s disappearance, a necessity given the nature of a continuous narrative campaign. The manner in which Tiberius was written out was a pivotal moment for Vox Machina and set a precedent for how the show would handle future player departures.
Other Notable Departures: Amicable and Otherwise
While Orion Acaba’s departure stands alone as an instance of a “kicking out,” several other notable exits deserve attention. These departures highlight the complexities of managing a large and evolving project like Critical Role.
Brian W. Foster: A Shift in Production Roles
Brian W. Foster served as the host of the popular “Talks Machina” after-show for Critical Role. His departure in August 2021 was officially announced as an amicable decision, with Foster pursuing other creative endeavors, including his own streaming channel. While his exit was not forced, it nonetheless marked the loss of a familiar face from the Critical Role production team. However, this departure was followed by another event:
Brian W. Foster: Removal from Content
Following the departure, Critical Role silently removed content featuring Brian W. Foster from its official YouTube channel, including several previous live shows, interviews, and “Talks Machina” episodes. This came in light of leaked court documents revealing that Foster had engaged in a pattern of verbal abuse and threats against Ashley Johnson during their previous relationship. This move was widely understood as a way of distancing the brand from his behavior, though the action was not a direct response to his employment with the channel, as he had already moved on.
Ashley Johnson: The Balancing Act
Ashley Johnson, who plays Pike Trickfoot, was absent for periods of Campaign 2 due to her filming schedule for the television series, “Blindspot”. She was not kicked off the show, but her absence was a recurring storyline for many episodes. The show had to account for this with Pike’s character often participating remotely. Once “Blindspot” finished production, Ashley returned to the show full time. This demonstrates that sometimes characters are temporarily written out due to life commitments, and that absence does not equate to being removed.
Scanlan Shorthalt: A Narrative Departure
Scanlan Shorthalt, played by Sam Riegel, left Vox Machina for a year in-game. This was a character-driven arc that allowed Scanlan to wrestle with his inner demons and his relationship with the party, but it was not due to issues with the player himself. While this departure was dramatic within the narrative, it was never the result of a player being removed from Critical Role.
Robbie Daymond: A Guest Star Role
Robbie Daymond initially joined the party as a guest, playing Dorian Storm in a campaign 3. He did not leave due to issues with the channel, but rather that his appearance was always meant to be limited.
Conclusion
The case of Orion Acaba remains the only instance where a cast member was unequivocally kicked out of Critical Role. While other departures have occurred, they stemmed from different reasons: professional decisions, narrative needs, or prior relationships between players. This highlights the delicate balance between the fictional world of the game and the real-life interactions of the players. Understanding these departures, particularly the case of Acaba, is crucial to understanding the history and evolution of Critical Role.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions related to departures from Critical Role:
Q1: Why did Orion Acaba leave Critical Role?
A1: Orion Acaba’s departure was due to a mix of health concerns (as he initially stated) and later revealed allegations of inappropriate behavior behind the scenes. His exit was not amicable.
Q2: Was Tiberius Stormwind killed off because Orion Acaba left?
A2: Yes, Tiberius was killed off in the game due to Orion Acaba’s official departure from the cast. This was a necessary in-narrative move to remove his character from the ongoing campaign.
Q3: Did Critical Role kick out Brian W. Foster?
A3: Officially, Brian W. Foster’s departure was amicable. However, his subsequent removal from all Critical Role content indicates a severance of ties due to serious allegations of abuse, and not directly from the channel after he had already departed.
Q4: Why did Critical Role remove videos featuring Brian W. Foster?
A4: Critical Role removed videos featuring Brian W. Foster from their official YouTube channel due to leaked court documents detailing his history of verbal abuse and threats against Ashley Johnson.
Q5: Did Ashley Johnson leave Critical Role?
A5: Ashley Johnson did not leave Critical Role. She was absent for periods of Campaign 2 due to her filming commitments for the television show “Blindspot”, but always intended to return once her schedule allowed.
Q6: Why was Ashley Johnson not present for some episodes of Campaign 2?
A6: Ashley Johnson’s absence was due to her commitments to the filming of the television series “Blindspot”. This was a temporary hiatus and not a permanent departure.
Q7: Was Scanlan Shorthalt’s departure a forced exit from Critical Role?
A7: No, Scanlan Shorthalt’s temporary departure was a character-driven arc and not a forced exit for Sam Riegel.
Q8: Why did Scanlan leave Vox Machina in-game?
A8: In-game, Scanlan left because of his own personal issues and feelings of not fitting in with the group. His departure was part of his character development.
Q9: Did any other members of Vox Machina leave the party?
A9: Pike Trickfoot had a brief absence when she needed to take care of the temple. Other than that, the core Vox Machina team remained consistent until the end of campaign one.
Q10: Why did Zac leave Geek & Sundry?
A10: Zac left Geek & Sundry to accept a position as the CEO of a new media company called Hyper RPG.
Q11: Why did Robbie Daymond’s character leave Critical Role Campaign 3?
A11: Robbie Daymond’s character, Dorian Storm, was always intended to be a guest character for a limited time in Campaign 3.
Q12: Do the Critical Role actors get paid?
A12: Yes, the Critical Role actors are all professional voice actors and earn money through their voice-over roles, streaming and other production work.
Q13: Did Ashley Johnson and Brian Foster break up?
A13: Yes, Ashley Johnson and Brian Foster broke up, and there was a suit filed by Johnson where the details of the relationship and eventual break up were released.
Q14: Is Marisha Ray still married to Matt Mercer?
A14: Yes, Marisha Ray and Matt Mercer are still married. They married in 2017 between Campaigns 1 and 2.
Q15: Why do some Critical Role episodes get removed?
A15: Critical Role removes episodes that include problematic figures, such as Brian W Foster, to distance themselves from inappropriate past behavior.