Critical Role's Third Campaign May Be Over, But Bells Hells Has the Perfect Way to Return

Critical Role recently finished its third campaign, Bells Hells, which began in 2021 and concluded in the same year as the overall series' ten-year anniversary. After years of adventures, the heroes of the Bells Hells party have no more stories to tell - or so some may think. Worry not, Critters: Critical Role stories are never truly over, even when the campaigns themselves draw to a close.

The hit Critical Role web series began in 2015 as a group of voice actors playing Dungeons and Dragons together and streaming their gameplay for an online audience, and the company's storytelling has since expanded across mediums. One such medium is that of comics, which translate the mystical land of Exandria from game to page.

Dark Horse Comics' Critical Role stories dive deeper into iconic characters from Vox Machina and the Mighty Nein, telling stories that were overlooked in the initial campaigns, and these comics lay the groundwork for how Bells Hells' own story can continue in the wake of the third campaign's conclusion.

Critical Role's Third Campaign Can Explore Origin Stories Through Comics

Bells Hells Should Follow in Vox Machina and Mighty Nein's Footsteps

Following the conclusion of Critical Role's first campaign and the commencement of the second, the series began its comic expansion with 2017's Critical Role: Vox Machina - Origins from Dark Horse Comics, written by Matthew Colville and Matthew Mercer with illustrations by Olivia Samson. This comic is the first of several miniseries detailing the early days of Vox Machina's characters prior to the campaign's events, fleshing out backstories and unveiling secrets that couldn't be explored within the original tale. Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins IV is currently ongoing, proving that a campaign's characters can endure long after their main journey's grand finale.

Critical Role Chronicles of Exandria Mighty Nein Featured

Critical Role: The Chronicles of Exandria Gears Up for The Mighty Nein's Return With an Exclusive Sneak Peek

The Mighty Nein's adventures are retold in a stunning new book that features gorgeous art from Critters, and Screen Rant has an exclusive first look.

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Likewise, the Mighty Nein's origins have also been explored through their own series of comics, though their output isn't identical to that their predecessors. For instance, instead of a single comic under one title, each hero from Critical Role's second campaign has received a backstory in a single story named after them, all of which are collected in two volumes of Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins Library Edition. Every player character, from Jester to Mollymauk (despite his unfortunate fate in the campaign), gets their backstory unraveled in comic form, and the same could be in store for Bells Hells' party members.

Critical Role Should Flesh Out Characters Who Didn't Get Enough Love in the Campaign

Like the Mighty Nein, Bells Hells Encountered NPCs Who Deserve Spin-Offs

Exploration of character backstories isn't the only incentive for Bells Hells to cross over into comics. Dark Horse Comics has also offered spin-off series that focus on NPCs from the campaigns, offering a new perspective on the campaigns that can't be achieved when limited to the player characters' perspective exclusively. The Critical Role: The Tales of Exandria line has launched two miniseries centered on the Bright Queen and Artagan from the first two campaigns. Though they are limited to supporting roles in the original D&D game, they become much more nuanced as they take center stage.

Critical Role's third campaign is full of characters who are widely beloved by Critters and could carry their own spin-off if granted the opportunity.

Critical Role's third campaign is full of characters who are widely beloved by Critters and could carry their own spin-off if granted the opportunity. For example, Ira Wendagoth - known by friends as the Nightmare King - has garnered interest from fans due to the calculated way he plays multiple sides throughout Bells Hells' campaign. Having been enlisted by Armand Treshi in addition to meeting with the Unseelie Court, the Nightmare King enraptures audiences at every turn and would make a compelling protagonist for a comic. Moreover, fan-favorites like Dariax could also play a leading role for a change.

Critical Role's Comics Are The Ideal Roadmap for Bells Hells' Continuation

Now That Bells Hells' Campaign Is Over, Their Comics Can Begin

The Critical Role campaign 3 official party

Although fans will miss seeing Bells Hells at the table, Critical Role has a chance to keep this party of characters alive in the comics. There's still plenty to touch on with the player characters, such as a closer look at Laudna's life prior to her murder, or even her early days as a Hollow One. Furthermore, there are countless NPCs who could receive their own series to coincide with Bells Hells' backstories. Comic tie-ins ensure that these campaigns carry on after the games themselves conclude, shedding light on characters' pasts. The third campaign from Critical Role has ended, but Bells Hells' story is far from over.