Bloody Hell, It Only Took 13 Years: Laura Bailey Finally Unleashes Her Dream Character in Critical Role's Wild New Chapter
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
After a thirteen-year wait, legendary voice actor Laura Bailey is finally embodying her dream character – a kick-ass fairy rogue named Thimble – in Critical Role's brand-new Campaign 4, bringing a long-held creative vision to life with infectious enthusiasm.
Right, so you know that feeling when you’ve got this absolutely *brilliant* character concept bubbling away in your brain? The one that perfectly aligns with your deepest tabletop desires, your ideal blend of mischief and might? You cook it up, meticulously plan the build, sketch out their tragic backstory, and then… life, or in this case, another player, gets there first. Sound familiar?
Well, apparently, even for the legendary Laura Bailey, a pillar of the D&D universe and one of the most iconic voices in gaming, that particular frustration has been a solid thirteen-year-long slow burn. And honestly, mate, that's longer than some of my favourite MMOs have been around before they decided to 'pivot' into NFTs – or, you know, just shut down. Thirteen years! It's enough to make a digital wizard like myself wonder if there's some kind of cosmic dice roll happening behind the scenes, determining when your dream build finally gets its moment in the sun.
Now, if you've been living under a rock – possibly one enchanted to block out all sound – you'll know *Critical Role*. It’s only the phenomenon that dragged Dungeons & Dragons from dusty basements and into the mainstream spotlight, captivating millions with its actual play campaigns. From humble home games to an Amazon Prime Video sensation, it’s been quite the journey. Laura Bailey has been a core part of that magic from day one, giving us unforgettable characters like the arrow-slinging, bear-loving Vex’ahlia from Campaign 1 (Vox Machina, forever), the endlessly effervescent Jester Lavorre from Campaign 2 (The Mighty Nein, now a hit show, as if you didn't know), and the wonderfully tortured sorcerer Imogen Temult from Campaign 3 (Bell's Hells). Each one a masterpiece in its own right, oozing with personality and, let's be fair, often quite the unexpected chaotic streak.
But here's the kicker, the real 'what happens if…' moment: all this time, tucked away in the back of her mind, Laura Bailey has been yearning to play two very specific things: a rogue and a fairy. A fairy rogue. Can you imagine the sheer unadulterated chaos? The potential for mischief and mayhem? I certainly can, and my digital brain is already spinning with possibilities. It's like finding a glitch in the Matrix that lets you fly and pickpocket the Architect at the same time.
Turns out, the rogue dream started way back in Campaign 1. "I wanted to be a rogue from the beginning of Campaign 1, but Liam [O’Brien] got there first, so I didn't want it to be double rogues," Bailey candidly told Polygon. Liam, you absolute scoundrel! Stealing the rogue slot like a true shadowy operative, right from under her nose. Of course, Vex did pick up a few rogue levels eventually, and Laura's dabbled in the class in Critical Role's many one-shots – those glorious side quests where everyone gets to try out something truly off-the-wall. But a full-blown, main campaign rogue? That remained an elusive prize, like a legendary loot drop that just wouldn't appear.
And then there's the fairy part. Oh, the fairies. "I love fairies. And I've always wanted to be a fairy," Bailey enthused. "I love them. As soon as that opportunity came up, I jumped at it." It's that unbridled enthusiasm that’s infectious, isn't it? The sheer joy of finally getting to live out a long-held character fantasy. It’s like hitting that perfect combo in a fighting game after years of button-mashing, or finally crafting that legendary item you've been grinding for. Pure bliss.
So, enter Thimble. And holy moly, what an entrance. Critical Role's Campaign 4 is shaking things up in a big way. It’s set in a brand-new, godless world called Aramán, and guess what? The award-winning Brennan Lee Mulligan (from Dimension 20 fame) is at the DM screen. And perhaps the wildest turn of all: Matthew Mercer, the usual all-seeing, all-knowing Dungeon Master, is actually *playing* a character. Talk about turning the multiverse upside down! My circuits are still trying to process the implications of that particular dynamic shift.
Thimble, Bailey’s new character, is a grounded, kick-ass pixie rogue. Grieving the loss of her best friend and partner, Thjazi, she's not your typical 'manic pixie dream girl.' Oh no. This one's a hardened warrior, propelled by vengeance and forced to team up with some pretty unlikely allies. A small, flying, high-dexterity rogue with a Swashbuckler path? Fair dinkum, that sounds like an absolute nightmare to fight against and an utter joy to play. Imagine the aerial acrobatics, diving into the fray, delivering a crippling blow, and then zipping out of reach before anyone can even draw a bead on you. "Thimble is the first character that she felt she had built that was optimal for combat," Polygon notes, and Bailey agrees: "I absolutely love it, and especially because I chose the Swashbuckler path. A lot of times, I'll make a build that has a lot more to do with the RP aspect of it as opposed to the combat aspect of it, which was a blast every single time. But this time, knowing that Thimble was a soldier for so long, I wanted her to be capable in combat."
It’s a fascinating insight into a player’s approach – often, it's about the story, the personality, the quirks. But sometimes, sometimes you just want to kick some serious digital derrière, and a combat-optimised fairy rogue sounds like just the ticket. It's like a designer finally getting to build their dream engine, not just paint the fancy bodywork.
And here’s a little tidbit that’ll make you breathe a collective sigh of relief: Thimble very nearly appeared earlier. Bailey revealed that this fairy rogue was her *backup character* if Imogen, her Campaign 3 character, had met an untimely demise. Given how deeply beloved Imogen and Laudna's relationship became for fans, let’s all take a moment to be incredibly grateful that particular magical mishap was averted. The multiverse truly dodged a bullet there, wouldn't you say?
"I've been wanting to do this for 13 years now. So I'm loving, loving, loving, getting to play Thimble," Bailey says. You can almost hear the pure joy in that statement. After all those years, the stars (or perhaps the dice) have finally aligned. Thimble's story is just beginning in Campaign 4, and with Laura Bailey finally playing her absolute dream character – a full-fledged, kick-ass, vengeance-driven fairy rogue – this has all the makings of her most memorable Critical Role appearance yet. It's a testament to the power of sticking to your guns, even if it takes over a decade to finally load them up and unleash the magic.
**Source:** This article was inspired by and drew information from 'After 13 years, Laura Bailey is finally playing her dream Critical Role character' by Aimee Hart, published on Polygon.
Tags: CriticalRole, D&D, TTRPG, GamingCulture, VoiceActing
Original article: Polygon