Critical Role AMV: Essek's Promiseland (sketch version)

Finished the rough pass-through of the Essek AMV, I love his story and am fascinated by his character arc.

the song is Promiseland by MIKA

thank you ❤️

[anaisabel]

That final frame? With those lyrics? I'm literally crying right now.

[ruby]

Loving how smug Essek is in the beginning sections contrasted with the PAIN in the latter half.... buddy I'm manifesting SUCH a great redemption arc for you....

[mcochran]

I love how you can see his changing emotions. He goes from his smug, evil, Shadowhand mindset and then he realizes that the Nein truly trust him and want to be around him for reasons other than politics and he just doesn't know what to do. And this song fits so well with the character! Awesome work!

[maia_gaia]

Not to be dramatic but this just solidified the fact that I would die for Essek 💖 his story has been so interesting to me

[AmyTheArtist]

I'm just LIVING for how you did his growing-up?? Not into the religion forced upon him, pushed to be the best---a prodigy---putting the work in.. but then getting limited by the religion, his experiments denied.. So how was he supposed to live up to their expectations if they're stunting him? Like "I've poured my whole life into the study of this, like you /wanted/, and there's so much more to know, so why are you now hindering me?" So then he's like "screw it, I'll do whatever it takes to further my research" and turns to magic practitioners who aren't held back by religious beliefs---Assembly members. But then doesn't even really get results from THAT.. [As well, it seems like he was rather isolated growing up (whether physically, socially, emotionally, and/or mentally), so it tracks that he'd be selfishly motivated..]
But then he meets the M9 and they actually /like him/ and want to know about /him/---not the professional, polished, aloof presentation he has to project, what is /expected/ of him---but what he's really interested in, his real goals, his real likes/dislikes... Just.... actual connection and camaraderie... and /perspective/!
GUH I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS, I ESSEK

[gemiinous]

this is what i turn to when fandom makes me forget what essek was like.
fucking, PHENOMENAL.

[MonaBee]

I think my favourite part of this is it really acknowledges Essek's original alignment and also confidence! The fandom tends to see him as a 'sad elf' type character nowadays but this portrayal of him very much aligns with his arrogance and self-righteous energy he possessed even when confronted by the Nein in Nicodranas. I adore it!!!

[pinkjaguar]

oh my god where do i even start to talk about how GOOD this I love how it started out with his backstory and him being smug and evil, and how it slowly morphed into him yelling at Ludinus to "show him the promiseland" which by the way this song fits so WELL. the animation on the cloak swirl was so smooth and beautiful, and that shot of him crying and following the tear made ME tear up watch me replay this over and over again it's INCREDIBLE

[letsmosey]

Every time the M9 show up they pose, and its awesome. And at then end Essek poses with them and it brings so much joy to my heart. <3

[soooze]

I cannot express just how much I absolutely adore the visual of Essek sweeping his cloak over the beacon, and then the cloak turning into the road that leads him to the towers and members of the Assembly!! It’s so cool!!

[BoredBizcit]

This is the greatest representation of Essek story, I would give anything to see it fully finished I must have watched this a hundred times

[taylornicholson]

I've never felt neutral evil essek more strongly than here, and seeing how far he's come and how much an impact tm9 had 🥺😭 this is so I cannot stop watching it, that last shot gets me so hype everytime

[karenw]

I love so much about this. The HEARTBREAK turning to ANGER during the first chorus after someone (his father?) pushes him to the ground and tears up his work. The cockiness and SWAGGER during “the devil was you”. And Essek’s FACE during the forehead kiss. Love your interpretation of his journey.

[elenaricciu]

The first half was already SOOO good but the second part legitimately broke me. I'm in tears

[hannahc]

This is incredible and I have watched it an embarrassingly high number of times. The two moments where he is burned by the sun (and Jester gives him the parasol) are heartwrenching and that final shot is badass.

[acentric_]

this is amazing!! that cloak to path transition is incredible

[namariie]

ok the way his cape flips 3 times to signal beginning, middle, and end attitudes? the transitions? the movement in general? the way you capture characters in so few lines? amazing!

[annatarsoly]

I didn't know the song before, and, probably because of the part when he takes the beacon, I thought the lyrics was "got no money in my pocket and the HOPED WEALTH'S bringin' me down". I was pretty surprised when I looked up the actual lyrics:)

Wonderful animatic btw, beautiful storytelling, amazing movements and transitions... Despite being unfinished, it's one of my favourite MN animatics, I've watched it so many times!

[kiracrowley]

The whole sequence of him opening up to the M9 was BEAUTIFUL

[raleighv]

Every time I have one of my monthly 'I miss Essek' moments I come back to this video. It just fits his entire arc perfectly.