ok but imogen, whose first defense is to withdraw and put up mental shields, acting like everything is fine and nothing’s happened makes a lot of sense
and also makes the desperation and awkwardness laced in laudna’s voice and movements (laudna, who is never restrained, who is always herself) hurt SO much more agh
[ID: A screencap from Critical Role. Travis is holding a wooden artist’s manikin while Marisha looks at him. /end ID]
[ID: Another screencap. Travis is now holding a small wooden house shell. Marisha’s looking excited. /end ID]
[ID: Another screencap. Travis is handing Marisha the house shell while Marisha’s leaning in to hug him, her face twisted in an exaggerated sob. /end ID]
there's a particular tentativeness to how imogen and laudna are interacting, that is so careful and raw and unsure- but still affectionate. still weighted. it feels like- both of them, reaching out occasionally, in turn, both of them drawing back a bit at different moments. its. so good. its a very specific post Incident/Argument tenseness that still has the threads of affection and effort underlying it, and its delicious and layered and i am thrilled.
I do really like that the "fallout" from the Laudna and the Gnarlrock incident wasn't any kind of big confrontation, but instead entirely played out through Imogen's change in relating to everyone.
It's a great way to move forward that still lets the plot and cooperation within the party happen, but you can tell from the way Laura's playing Imogen that she's incredibly closed off because of what happened, and especially closed off from Laudna.
It's a subtle, quiet fallout that is going to be interesting to continue to watch. Especially because it gives Laudna fewer options to avoid confronting it. Imogen is obviously not going to bring it up, and it might be good to see Laudna have to navigate a situation where she can't just keep pretending everything's fine - that was what she tried to do for most of this episode, and it didn't work out the way she typically likes to think it does.
this is the totally neutral reaction to seeing your best friend/bedmate/partner becoming friendly with the new member of the team after she lied to you
Laudna getting a thoughtful personal gift from Chetney at a time when she’s so upset and alone and in pain is just too much for me to handle right now.
I have so many thoughts for short hair imogen and this one month hiatus is going to be purely indulgent. Am I jumping on this bandwagon? Yes, yes I am.
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