Shaun Gilmore is one of the most beloved NPCs in Critical Role. In the early days of Campaign 1 Gilmore and Vax had a flirtation. However, after Vax fell for Keyleth early on ending their potential romance between he and Gilmore. While the flirtation was fun “Shaun” in “Critical Role: Vox Machina – Stories Untold” digs into the magical shop owner’s feelings on the rejection. While it isn’t harsh Vax following his feelings for Keyleth closes a door with Gilmore.
How Vax & Gilmore Mirror Each Other
Gilmore and Shaun largely mirror each other, both growing up with high expectations thrust upon them. After escaping those expectations, they both made some missteps, but have taken on a more heroic persona. However, their inability to be vulnerable to with one another is a key reason they likely never would have worked out. Vax fell in love with Keyleth who was vulnerable with those she met, especially Vox Machina, from the jump. In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek Aabria Iyengar explained how this makes Gilmore the perfect foil for Vax and their dynamic.
Aabria Iyengar:
“Being someone who loved Campaign 1 and one of the biggest callback jokes was Vax walks away, so he’s a person that’s so good. He was just such a roguish archetype of great in this moment and at the precipice of something real and vulnerable and deep. He’s the first one to ripcord. I think there’s something so fascinating, and I realize now it is my fault for never having pestered Liam about this, but the idea of daggers as a primary weapon is such an intimate weapon.
It requires you to get so close. When we talk about big feelings, we talk about a dagger in the heart, a knife in the back. It is something that requires you to be right there, and the fact that that is coming from a character who’s tremendous part of their arc, it’s about being able to be vulnerable and known and well-known and loved by not just Keyleth, but his sister and his friends, and again, playing without horrific distance that is imposed on him at the end of the campaign, spoilers, I guess go back and watch a thing from eight years ago, but catch up.
So much of his story is about distance and proximity and the things that you can and can’t do and will won’t allow for your character. Gilmore is exactly the foil for Vax because Gilmore is Vax. At Vax who was like, oh, if we’re going to play a game of who’s less affected, Gilmore wins 10 times out of 10 because the camera’s also on him less. So he’s like, I get to be cute and with a sassy little punchline, pop a little cleavage out, throw some collarbone and walk away, and I am more beloved for that. Where there’s something so fun inside of Vax and you’re like, you have that moment. Vax walks away, but the camera doesn’t leave.
Vax is stuck in “Fleabag” in this phenomenal way where you’re like, Nope. You have to dig in. You have to allow your, we’re going to sit here as the audience, as the people for whom the story is being told, not just at the table but outside of it because the camera’s here and we have to acknowledge that the audience is larger than the people here at this table that we have to get to the bottom of it. It will not be narrative satisfying if we don’t pry apart Vax’s defenses.”
“It’s Not A Tragedy. It’s Simply Tragic.”
Iyengar was careful in her approach to exploring Gilmore’s feelings in the wake of rejection. Gilmore and Vax had important impacts on each other’s lives. Iyengar shared the importance of Vax’s rejection to Gilmore’s life and growth. This recognition is the key to Gilmore’s eventual happy ending.
Aabria Iyengar:
“There’s something just so delightful in that it’s not a tragedy. It’s simply tragic that Gilmore was always going to be the thing that pushed Vax to be different. And it’s lovely that it works out with Vax and Keyleth. That’s the most amazing love story in actual play, but the fact that it also has to fundamentally change Gilmore, you can’t be that close and go like, oh, in you I also see the problems with myself and we both have to learn and grow. So, I love that it was a moment that is not handled.
That was one of the big red flags that I threw up for myself at the beginning of writing. This is how to make sure that pining and regret and sorrow does not come off in a way that makes Vax look bad or condemns him for a perfectly understandable conclusion gently, gently handled and effectively held. That’s a beautiful moment. I didn’t want there to be animosity behind it. There just has to be enough of this feeling. These feelings have to mean something. I have to change or realize something or something has to come from this. It cannot simply be that I am sad.
And yes, so much of that sits truly in the masterful thing Matt was able to put down in just a couple early Gilmore appearances that’s so primed off of what Liam was doing with his deeper character arc over time, like masters of their craft. It’s nice to just go clocked and I will go sprint with it in this direction.”
It Was Important That Gilmore’s Sadness Didn’t Make Vax OR Keylteh The Bad Guys
Iyengar makes an active decision to make sure Gilmore isn’t angry at Vax or Keylteth in “Shaun.” In media rejection is often portrayed as the person who is rejecting someone’s fault. In “Supergirl” Kara Danvers is blamed for Winn being hurt when she doesn’t return his feelings. Iyengar wanted to show that although he is hurt Gilmore doesn’t hold a grudge or blame anyone else. She discussed why this was so important to her.
Aabria Iyengar:
“It’s that idea that there is something inside of especially portrayals of younger love, puppy love where you’re like when you break up in high school or you ask someone to a prom and they don’t do it. Of course, all of those feelings feel bigger. And of course, they come with the fact that this didn’t work out for me, for us feels personal and I will make it your problem. But there’s something I love so much about older people who are in a better place in other aspects of their life that you’re like, okay, Gilmore is not a hot mess. Every time we see him, he’s in a good place and has a pretty good understanding.
Even if there is that sort of jovial affectation of distance, you’re like, that’s also coming from someone who’s like, I know myself enough to keep a little distance here. Keep it light, keep it friendly. He’s got a lot of good protocols for moving through the world well, while having a good time that I think there’s something there that’s got to be cognizant of one, exactly what you said, making your feelings other people’s problem is one of my weird things that I don’t love, where you’re like, yeah, you can feel a way. Your reaction is your own. Your response is the thing that you must curate.
You can feel that feeling immediately, but even having him sit there and go like, ‘Nope, all of the sadness I feel it’s not bounded in jealousy.’ Maybe there’s an edge of possessiveness of like, oh, I wish I had more of him, but that’s more of a you’re a good thing. Of course I want more of a good thing, but that’s never a zero sum and I begrudge anyone else that has it because I think there’s something really sweet in those kinds of feelings where you’re like, I am only more justified in my feelings.
Seeing how Keyleth also stammers and fails to make eye contact. It is a lot of like, yeah, girl, same. It’s hard out here in these streets looking at Vax. I get it, I get it. And there’s something very kind and sweet about that, that it’s not competitive. That in a world where you do want to know and honor that this is the closing of a door for a relationship or a romantic relationship, but not the closing of a door for a relationship. This is a person who has gone over and above to make sure this was handled in a way that it’s like, I want you to still be in my life. It’s just this dance I am done with, but let’s still remain in each other’s orbit.”
Gilmore Can Always See The Bigger Picture
Gilmore is a character that sees the bigger picture. He becomes one of the most important people in Emon and a key player in Tal’Dorei. “Shaun” takes place before this immediately before the attacks of the Chroma Conclave. While his feelings may be hurt and ego a bit dinged he can move past it. This isn’t a lovesick teenager who takes his feelings out on others. Instead Gilmore is a mature character who recognizes while this is sad for him it is also an opportunity to evolve and open up to others.
Aabria Iyengar:
“I can move through the sadness of that, but someone that still wants me in their life. It would be crazy to sit there and rant and rail against not having the exact kind of icing on a cake. It was just very important to me that Gilmore across all of this is he’s got a good head on his shoulders and feels feelings, but his feelings don’t make him a monstrous person. It doesn’t change his actual core personality, which is very, I build intricate magical items.
I have this deep understanding of interpersonal dynamics and how magic touches the world. He’s a person that with a little bit of distance, sees the big picture quite clearly, and I think it was important to say that even here in a rough moment for him, he’s still capable of that, and that means that his processing of this is going to be an enlightened level.”
Gilmore and Vax is a dynamic that fans adore. First because of their flirty banter and later because of the deep respect and friendship. “Shaun” digs deeper into Gilmore deeper than ever before. An exploration of his feelings in the wake of rejection and loss of his hopes for a future. While one door closed he recognizes that he must find a new one to open. This is the first step in Shaun’s growth beyond a fun, flirty shopkeeper willing to help out Vox Machina. “Shaun” shows why he is able to grow into the kind, powerful leader and trusted ally of Vox Machina.
“Critical Role: Vox Machina – Stories Untold” is available for purchase now.
