The Legend Of Vox Machina is diving into one of the most iconic arcs of Vox Machina’s story with the Briarwoods front and center as villains.
The Briarwoods prove to be impressive foes for the party to take on with a deeply personal and horrifying connection to Percy de Rolo. Given how integral these characters are to the first season of The Legend Of Vox Machina it shouldn’t be a surprise that Matt Mercer chose to voice Sylas Briarwood in the animated series, but given just how many characters he has created what about this character called to him?
Matt Mercer created some truly unforgettable NPCs as part of Critical Role’s first campaign. Both friend and foe, these characters have become beloved parts of Vox Machina’s story and now they’re being brought to life on screen in The Legend Of Vox Machina. However, unlike in the campaign The Legend Of Vox Machina features a star studded voice cast taking on many of these iconic characters.
MATT MERCER REVEALS WHY HE WANTED TO “SINK HIS TEETH” INTO SYLAS BRIARWOOD IN THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA
The Illuminerdi had the opportunity to talk to Matt Mercer, Marisha Ray, and Ashley Johnson about the new animated series, The Legend Of Vox Machina. During our interview Matt Mercer shared what stood out about the nefarious villain Sylas Briarwood that made him decide to voice this particular character out of all the NPCs he created.
“When you have a role-playing game, the players get the spotlight all the time and the NPCs occasionally pop in. The villains don’t get a lot of screen time necessarily in a game because they’re off doing villain things. In the animated process we get to show more of the villain’s side.
And of course, I can’t quite do as good a Delilah Briarwood as other actors who might be able to. So, Sylas was definitely the villain I wanted to, pardon the pun, sink my teeth into. And yeah, so that was an easy choice for me at the outset, I was like this, this is the one I want to dive in and just enjoy the deliciously dark and hungry delivery.”
Marisha Ray recalled how at one-point Matt considered having another voice actor take on the role of Sylas Briarwood in The Legend Of Vox Machina, but the idea was quickly shut down by the rest of the cast.
“And he does so good. I remember there was one moment where you were like, ‘I don’t know. Maybe there’s like, I feel like there’s another voice actor who could maybe bring different vibrato to it.’ And all of us were like, ‘No. No. You’re Sylas. That’s, conversation done.’”
The Legend Of Vox Machina digs into the Briarwood arc and Sylas Briarwood is an integral part of the story. With a horrifying connection to Percy de Rolo’s past, Sylas proves himself to be a truly terrifying villain. Matt Mercer brings the perfect menacing gravitas to the role, infusing his performance with the villainous intent one would expect from one of Vox Machina’s most memorable enemies.
The Legend Of Vox Machina brings a new energy to these iconic characters with the animation injecting new life into the action and comedy while also streamlining the story. The series captures the heart of these characters and their adventure with Vox Machina’s story unfolding in an enthralling new way.
The first three episodes of The Legend Of Vox Machina premiere on Prime Video January 28, 2022. Are you looking forward to The Legend Of Vox Machina animated series? Are you excited to hear Matt Mercer bring Sylas Briarwood to life in the animated series? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media and check back with The Illuminerdi for more Critical Role and The Legend Of Vox Machina.
KEEP READING: THE LEGEND OF VOX MACHINA REVIEW: A GLORIOUSLY ACTION-PACKED, HILARIOUSLY RAUNCHY FANTASY ADVENTURE
