The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 left fans in tears. Mama’s Geeky sat down with the cast to break down the heartbreaking, epic finale.
The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 Post-Mortem: Critical Role Breaks Down Finales, Fates, and New Faces
The fourth season of The Legend of Vox Machina has officially come to a close, and to absolutely no one’s surprise, it left us all emotionally devastated. Just when we thought we were done crying after the events of season three, Critical Role, the creative minds behind the hit animated series, raised the stakes even higher, delivering a finale that was as breathtaking as it was heartbreaking.
Mama’s Geeky caught up with some of the stellar voice cast – Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Sam Riegel, and Taliesin Jaffe – to dive deep into the emotional wreckage of season four.
From the inevitable, tragic shadow hanging over Vax’ildan to the chaotic and refreshing introduction of Taryon Darrington, the cast spared no details. They teased what these massive shifts mean for the future of the series, looked back on their eleven-year journey with these characters, and discussed how they handle the beautiful, painful drama that makes this show so unforgettable.
Critical Role Talks The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 (SPOILERS!)
Mama’s Geeky: Marisha, going into this season, Vax’s inevitable fate is looming large. How did you approach that for Keyleth?
Marisha Ray: Even in the campaign, Keyleth was very clear… I do not accept this. It was something that was never—that she always wanted to figure out a solution for. We’ve felt dragons and now a demigod, so why can’t we fix this? Exploring that and Keyleth really not wanting to accept this fate or reality… it made a really great kind of duality also between where Keyleth is and her perception of Delilah.
Mama’s Geeky: Travis and Ashley, the way Grog is there for Pike in the final episodes and really is the one to bring her back is so beautiful. What did that moment mean to you?
Ashley Johnson: I’m going to get emotional talking about it because Travis is… my found family, my older brother. I think if anybody could bring her back from whatever journey that she goes on… it could only be Grog. He carries her in more ways than one, and yeah, I think it just shows how much they mean to each other.
Travis Willingham: Grog is not the most… observant fellow in the group, but he is also so keyed into Pike that just the littlest change in her disposition or the slightest shift in her attitude, he’s immediately focused on. These characters are anchors for each other so that when the world starts spinning out of control… they can really pull each other back from the brink.
Mama’s Geeky: Sam, what was it like having Taryon Darrington voiced by someone else this season, and how was it working with Wayne Brady?
Sam Riegel: He brought his own flair and swagger to the character. He brought so much comedy and heart, sweetness and improvisation. It’s like giving away a piece of you, but then watching it flourish and grow and go to college and get a job.
Ashley Johnson: In casting it, knowing that Sam was not going to play Terry… it was almost a sad feeling. And fucking Wayne Brady can—he came in and was just like, it was so spot on. There’s a lot of emotional damage that happens this season, so to have the other flip side to that of a Wayne Brady to give us a little bit of laughter is the best.
Travis Willingham: Who could possibly play Terry Darrington in a way that would honor what Sam Riegel brought to it in the live stream? And we’re idiots. Guess what? Wayne Brady’s going to crush it. For me, he is the runaway performance of the season. Whenever you add a new ingredient to the batter, it’s going to make it weird, but in a very refreshing way.
Mama’s Geeky: Liam, Vax eventually comes to terms with his fear and his fate. What was it like portraying that part of him?
Liam O’Brien: I really want to find this character’s happy ending. I want to see them go off into the sunset and have that long romance or satisfaction… And I wanted that for Vax too. But veering away from Vax’s story of sacrifice, acceptance, service, it would have been wrong to go any other way, for me anyway. It hurts right up to the very end, but it is very satisfying and it pulls a lot of weight.
Mama’s Geeky: Taliesin, Percy is dealing with so much internal guilt, especially regarding Vax. And then Delilah comes back! What does that do to him?
Taliesin Jaffe: Percy is nothing if not guilt for every moment of his existence. I love that we get to be put into situations where there’s just an inevitable amount of tragedy. Because it’s fun to play, it’s fun to watch… oh yeah, make me hurt. Just really, really do it. She is his absolute nightmare. She is the big bad wolf. And like that is the, you know, it’s childhood trauma, and she won’t go away.
Mama’s Geeky: Laura, Vex is dealing with losing her brother right as she finds happiness. Can you talk about that bittersweet struggle?
Laura Bailey: Right as Vex starts to let her guard down and get comfortable with life, then everything gets fucked again. But the beautiful thing about how we start this season is that she does have the ability to be more vulnerable. Getting to bond with Keyleth over everything that’s happening with Vax, I think is a wonderful moment and a wonderful growth for their characters as well.
Mama’s Geeky: Scanlan is also going through it this season, Sam. Where is his head at?
Sam Riegel: He’s adrift. He’s happy to be with Kaylee and happy to be out on his own with safety and stability… He’s never had a family. He’s never had a home. When Vox Machina comes back to find him, all of these old traumas and memories and insecurities bubble up again. He knows probably deep down that he needs them, but isn’t ready to admit it yet.
Mama’s Geeky: With only one season left, what does it feel like preparing to say goodbye to these characters again?
Liam O’Brien: We’ll say goodbye to this version of them. But they rattle around inside our heads forever. I wouldn’t count them out, but it will be an accomplishment and bittersweet to close the series.
Laura Bailey: Honestly, I’m just thrilled that we got to complete the story of Vox Machina in that way. Because at the end of season three, we didn’t know for sure. So getting to come back for season four and five was remarkable and wonderful and so fulfilling.
Sam Riegel: Let’s not dwell on the end yet. We still got two whole seasons to go. This is the beginning of the most exciting arc of the entire series… It’s never really goodbye forever with us. It’s just goodbye for now.
To hear more behind-the-scenes secrets, hilarious banter, and deep dives into the emotional trauma of season four, make sure to watch our full The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4 interview with Critical Role.
About The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4
The Legend of Vox Machina Season Four is set a year after the Chroma Conclave. Vox Machina has separated, searching for love, family, and purpose. But as always, the call of adventure is a breath away. When a long-slumbering evil awakens to threaten the realm, they must reunite to take on an epic foe.
The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 is now streaming on Prime Video.
