Midst · Critical Role

S2 E12: UNEND | Alienation

September 3, 2025·24 min·2 clips

Steve exposes Cleo's secret plan to use Dot for her family's gene pool, sparking a devastating confrontation.

This episode of Midst features the characters Steve, Cleo, and Dot in the ship's control deck after learning their companions are alive inside the alien sun. The crew grapples with relief, resource scarcity, and rising interpersonal tensions as they plan their next move. Steve reveals he used a latent telekinetic ability to turn off the dangerous Fold Light, an act that attracts the dimension's predatory Sentinels. Everett and the Biological Man leave to search the ship's food stores, expressing hope for beer and a reprieve from beans. Steve, while spent from his effort, calmly suggests the group must consider the possibility of leaving the cosmos even if they cannot rescue their friends trapped in the sun. He argues the deteriorating cosmos may not give them infinite time and that the present crew possesses all necessary skills to escape. Cleo reacts with anger and disbelief to Steve's pragmatic contingency plan, insisting they cannot abandon their friends. A heated argument erupts when Cleo accuses Steve of valuing utility over genuine friendship and manipulating Dot. Steve counters by accusing Cleo of her own ulterior motives, suggesting her kindness toward Dot is influenced by her family's expectations to bring a powerful asset into their lineage. He claims Cleo's flirtations are a dangerous distraction from Dot's vital, ascetic study of the Fold Light. Dot, caught in the middle, is visibly hurt upon sensing Cleo is lying about never considering such familial benefits. Cleo denies the accusation but finds she cannot meet Dot's eyes, revealing a hidden truth to Steve, a "student of what is hidden." Steve asserts that for the mission to succeed, Dot must be allowed to focus without emotional distractions. The episode ends with Dot, feeling betrayed, asking Cleo to leave them alone with Steve and the Fold Light, which she does. The tone is intensely conversational and emotionally charged, blending sci-fi survival tension with raw character drama and psychological conflict. Listeners who enjoy intricate character studies, moral dilemmas in desperate situations, and tense, dialogue-driven narratives will find this episode compelling. Those preferring action-forward plots or harmonious team dynamics might find the interpersonal strife and lack of physical progression frustrating.

As heard by us

A patient cosmic standoff where hope and dread keep trading places.

UnEnd keeps the rescue math grim and immediate: the companions on the sun are still out of reach, and the crew has to decide whether to keep waiting for Merlin or accept that they may be trapped forever.

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Why you'd press play

When rescue turns into triage, every choice starts sounding like betrayal.

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