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Heavy is the head that wears the crown - or should I say, heavy are the shoulders that bear the vest. Ever since it was conceived in 2015, the player cast of Critical Role has delighted in making things difficult for their usual DM, TTRPG actual play icon Matt Mercer. Now, as I don't have to tell you, Critter, that teasing, neddling, and all-around stinkery was only ever done with absolute love... which is not to say Mercer shouldn't have his chance to get the cast back.

And apparently, that was part of what went into his Campaign 4 character, Sir Julien Davinos.

Mercer explained as much at LVL UP EXPO 2026 in Las Vegas, where he and the rest of the OG CR cast - Sam Riegel, Taliesin Jaffe, Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson, Marisha Ray, and Liam O'Brien - were talking about everything from The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 to the ongoing tabletop campaign under new DM Brennan Lee Mulligan. And at one point in the conversation, Mercer got to talking about his new gig in Campaign 4. 

"When you've been a DM for so long," The Mighty Nein voice actor began, "And you have the opportunity to play a character for even a short-form or long-form period, you try and like find an outlet in some way you haven't able to really kind of engage with it and express as an NPC. Or in a long-form narrative in any way. Julien represents definitely a personality type that I have never felt part of. Definitely a wide goal between myself and Julien; and that was part of the acting challenge."

"But also," he continued, "I also wanted to bring somebody to the table that would make things complicated for the rest of you," he continued, "Just the very nature of being there making it difficult for the ways you've made things difficult for me all these years. It's subtle payback." 

Judging by the applause that got, reader, it seems like the Critters in the audience felt that Mercer's payback was justified, subtle or no. But there was one more purpose for creating Julien, according to Mercer:

"Eventually," he said, he wanted to "Romance each and every one of you."

Revenge to romance? Sign us up, Matt, sign us up.

With two animated series on Prime Video, Campaign 4 in full swing, and so much more Exandrian lore to come, Critical Role is showing no signs of slowing down. That's why the adventuring party at Popverse are here to bring you everything we can from those nerdy-ass voice actors & Bo., including:

• Critical Role release schedule
• Critical Role's Campaign 4 characters ranked
• How to watch Critical Role in order
• Ways for you to relive the Critical Role panel from ECCC '26
• Taliesin Jaffe on playing Mollymauk Tealeaf for Campaign 2 vs. playing him for Prime Video
• Matt Mercer's homebrew warrior class (created originally for Vin Diesel)

...and much, much more. Roll initiative, player. Magic awaits.