The Exodite Review Thread

[Petitioner's City]

Hi everyone, thought I'd start a review thread for The Exodite.

 

The opening episode features two key points of view - the T'au Shasvre, who tells her squad their mission is to make the humans realise they fight "we fight a needless war", and the bitter eldar, who monologues of an "upstart empire" that does not recognise "there is only war" - this is a potentially rich thematic series.

 

Very pretty, overall, and I found this a much better opening than Angels of Death, even if ostensibly its the same kind of opening episode (our squad is in space, then jumps to earth; an eldar statesman gives the main character mentoring advice, etc). [i still think AoD shouldn't have had the flashback episode as a mid-point, that should have been the opening.]

 

In terms of the series ahead, I do hope we get more characterisation for the main characters, and in the scenes in the second half, The Exodite does share with AoD an issue in which the "squad" is visually anonymous - the two voiced squadmembers of the main character's team are distinguished vocally, but certainly not visually. 

 

And OMG colour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely well done to Lost Legion Studios! You can see more about them on their own Facebook, Instagram, their website, and so on.

 

Can anyone help me to amass information on the staff at LLS, and the voice cast? The Exodite (if indeed that is him) seems to be Lance Henriksen, or someone who sounds a lot like him, but surely GW would have announced such a nerd culture casting coup. I imagine some of the actors might share their participation on twitter or elsewhere. Grr, I do not understand GW not sharing this information

Edited February 16, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Trokair]

The WarCom article is also worth a read for some extra info, and a cool look at the XV25 suit.

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/02/16/what-does-it-take-to-make-a-show-like-the-exodite-look-so-good/

 

 

I also really enjoyed seeing the XV15s, my favorite tau model.

[Petitioner's City]

The WarCom article is also worth a read for some extra info, and a cool look at the XV25 suit.

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/02/16/what-does-it-take-to-make-a-show-like-the-exodite-look-so-good/

 

 

I also really enjoyed seeing the XV15s, my favorite tau model.

Thank you for this, it's a great interview.

 

I'm putting it here so it will help people analyse the series:

 

What Does It Take to Make a Show Like The Exodite Look so Good?

 

 

 

The Exodite has arrived. A brand new animation exclusive to Warhammer+, it follows the T’au Fire Warrior Lako’ma, a newly promoted Shas’Vre attempting to prevent the doom of a T’au colony expedition.

 

You’ll have seen its stunning trailer, but with the first episode here, we caught up with the animators to find out what it takes to make such a stunning show. We’ll be taking more looks behind the scenes next week as this fantastic new series continues.

 

A character study of Shas’Vre Lako’ma

 

The Exodite looks amazing! How much work was it to produce something that looks this good?

 

It is certainly an undertaking! We have artists across nine different countries and four time zones, which is a challenge, but it essentially allows us to work around the clock.

Creatively, we are always trying to push the envelope. We are all long-time fans of Warhammer 40,000, so we always want to go the extra mile. We are meticulous with the details, and it’s incredible to get a chance to recreate so many things that have only ever existed on the page and in our minds. There are plenty of little details that fans of the setting will pick up on.

 

How did you arrive at the show’s visual style?

 

We were aiming for something close to a realistic portrayal of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. In their art, lore and miniatures, the T’au have more of an emphasis on “modern” combat than a lot of other Warhammer 40,000 factions. We knew we would have big battle moments – on the ground and in space – but that would be balanced with smaller moments with the Stealth Team.

 

Our hero and her suit’s head-up display

 

How did you develop The Exodite’s visual identity?

 

It was really collaborative. We originally started using existing artwork and miniatures – some recent and some older – as reference, but after we got involved with the team at Games Workshop, we received designs and reference material directly from the Warhammer Studio to help develop the various characters, weapons, and vehicles in the show.

We were even able to include a few of the old XV15 Stealth Suits alongside the more modern XV25s familiar to fans today. We shared lots of colour keys, texture and lighting examples, and concepts, and discussed everything from the designs on the floor in the hangar decks to the atmospheric conditions on the planet below. All these layers gradually fell into place to get the full effect we see on-screen.

 

 

Lako’ma leads a team of T’au in older XV15 Stealth Suits such as these

 

The quality of the show’s animation really stands out. What was your approach here?

 

We used the Unreal Engine and programs like Blender and the Xsens to punch above our weight class – and we also have passionate people working for us who are always striving to make it a bit better and more dynamic.

 

How did you approach the different characters?

 

The way each character moves has its nuances and speaks to the personalities of that character. For example, Lako’ma has just been promoted after her predecessor fell in battle. She has a lot to prove to herself, her kin, and the Ethereal, and her performance reflects that. The rest of the team are relatively young, and their interactions convey their optimistic, bordering on naive, worldview. 

 

 

Finally, how do you feel about the fact that The Exodite is about to be watched by Warhammer fans around the world?

 

It’s been a fantastic journey. We are so thrilled to have it out in the world for fans to enjoy, to help further the narrative for the T’au Empire, and to show the first Exodite ever in action on-screen!

 

You can check out The Exodite over on Warhammer TV right now.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[WARMASTER_]

This was beautiful!! The space battle blow me away!! Very much looking forward to seeing more

[Ldorte]

An enjoyable first episode. The space battle looked fantastic, hopefully the ground combat lives up to that.

 

I think the only minor complaints would be the facial animations for speech were pretty awful, but unlike with Angels of Death everything else was done to a high enough standard that it didn't detract from my enjoyment. The script could be a worry going by the awkwardly timed back and forth by the two soldiers, but hopefully that was a one off and any further humour will land a little better.

 

Looking forward to next week!

[Noserenda]

I feel like the first episode should have been longer, or launch two episodes at once as it really felt like just a taster so far. A very promising one though! Only other gripe was the ropey lip synch but they do seem to be actively avoiding it fortunately :D 

It does seem a bit odd to have a mixed squad of suits, obviously so the leader stands out but they could have hung a lantern on it by just mentioning this is a scratch squad of something.

Also ive no idea why they have been so coy about the title when they explain it within seconds of the episode starting :P 

[StraightSilver]

I swear the Tau, originally, weren't going to speak English? In the original trailer they are subtitled?

 

Not that it matters, I thought the voice acting was pretty good.

 

And I swear the "narrator" is voiced by Clancy Brown. It really sounds like him.

 

Anyway, loved this first episode, seemed a lot more polished than previous Warhammer+ stuff (although I really enjoyed both AoD and H&B).

[bristlybadger]

This was absolutely top notch! Really enjoyed this. Incredibly well done animation - easily on par with AAA video game intros. Nicer looking than a lot of Star Wars material as well - see for example the new Legacy of the Sith video, definitely inferior to this episode in my view.

[Petitioner's City]

I feel like the first episode should have been longer, or launch two episodes at once as it really felt like just a taster so far. A very promising one though! Only other gripe was the ropey lip synch but they do seem to be actively avoiding it fortunately  

 

It does seem a bit odd to have a mixed squad of suits, obviously so the leader stands out but they could have hung a lantern on it by just mentioning this is a scratch squad of something.

 

Also ive no idea why they have been so coy about the title when they explain it within seconds of the episode starting

 

I like it when they do mixed units - I think a fallacy of the tabletop is that it makes everything "uniform" (every chapter a 1000 marines, in ten companies of 100, all in 10-man squads, all using the same equipment being perhaps the key example of this in the setting). Yet the attraction of other games, like Kill Team, is mixed units - as is the fluff, wherein writers don't need to abide by rulebooks which are impractical for "reality"

 

Anyway, there is something a little bit "elite" about this unit - dangerous, essential mission, a costly insertion, being protected by the Custodian-class ship, etc. Mixed armour (as in Kill Team) adds to that sense.

[Shovellovin]

And I swear the "narrator" is voiced by Clancy Brown. It really sounds like him.

 

Agreed. Right when the voice actor started talking, I thought:  "I know this voice. Who is this?"

 

As others have mentioned, I liked the episode. I just wish it was longer than 10-11 minutes. 

[Trokair]

It does seem a bit odd to have a mixed squad of suits, obviously so the leader stands out but they could have hung a lantern on it by just mentioning this is a scratch squad of something.

The Dawn of War – Dark Crusade expansion, that added Tau (and Necrons), had their Stealth suits as a mix of XV15 for regular squad members and XV25 for the squad leader.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Trokair

[Noserenda]

 

I feel like the first episode should have been longer, or launch two episodes at once as it really felt like just a taster so far. A very promising one though! Only other gripe was the ropey lip synch but they do seem to be actively avoiding it fortunately  

 

It does seem a bit odd to have a mixed squad of suits, obviously so the leader stands out but they could have hung a lantern on it by just mentioning this is a scratch squad of something.

 

Also ive no idea why they have been so coy about the title when they explain it within seconds of the episode starting

 

I like it when they do mixed units - I think a fallacy of the tabletop is that it makes everything "uniform" (every chapter a 1000 marines, in ten companies of 100, all in 10-man squads, all using the same equipment being perhaps the key example of this in the setting). Yet the attraction of other games, like Kill Team, is mixed units - as is the fluff, wherein writers don't need to abide by rulebooks which are impractical for "reality"

 

Anyway, there is something a little bit "elite" about this unit - dangerous, essential mission, a costly insertion, being protected by the Custodian-class ship, etc. Mixed armour (as in Kill Team) adds to that sense.

 

Uniform is extremely important in a realistic military, everyone having custom armour is great until bob has to go buck nekked because we cant replace his busted samoflange that's subtly different to everyone else's and all the unit's spares, or all your ammo is fits a Mordian lasgun but not a Tanith one. It works better for marines because STCs are magic and they have a huge support network behind them. It makes less sense for the forward looking Tau to put most of a squad of rookies (according to WHC) in mothballed obsolete armour, unless thats a plot point, which they havent brought up so far in our all too brief look. 

 

IRL i think its clear they wanted to show the Tau embrace of uniformity but also make the protagonist easy to spot ofc :D   

[Guest Triszin]

its decent. first thing from WAr+ animation wise, I liked

[01RTB01]

I was surprised by the length, hopefully it grows because I wasn't overly fussed and enjoyed hammer and bolter more so far.

[Domhnall]

As I'm sure many of you will have seen, an update for episode 2:

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/03/02/the-exodite-episode-2-is-arriving-a-little-later-than-planned-but-theres-more-to-look-forward-to-on-warhammer/

 

"Episode 2 of The Exodite was set to go live today. Unfortunately, due to a convergence of circumstances beyond our control, it has been delayed for a few days.

We’ll let you know as soon as it’s ready – we know loads of you are keen to see what happens next to Shas’vre Lako’ma’s intrepid Stealth Team. Rest assured we’re working to bring you Episode 2: Inferno really soon."

[Petitioner's City]

Episode 2 - OMG - this was such a treat and actually a beautiful rendition of pew-pew, as well as efficient, effective storytelling amidst the Tau. Their culture feels vibrant.

 

 

Two(!) Warlord Titans 

 

A Manta in action

 

A Macharius Vanquisher

 

Krieg! Including Death Riders!

 

Battlesuits in the air

 

 

So much FW love in this.

 

Overall, I am enjoying this far better than Angels of Death - the worldbuilding is fantastic, the story more interesting (if as equally spartan). Not having marines really helps too.

 

-

 

Also WHC put up a great article and the Exodite is CLANCY BROWN!

 

 

It’s a big week for Warhammer+ – the second episode of The Exodite has arrived, in which we get a closer look at the titular character than we’ve seen so far*. 

But how does a piece of background lore from Warhammer 40,000’s history make the jump to a fully animated feature? To find out, we caught up with Sarah Wallen from the Warhammer animations team.

 

 

Warhammer Community: Up until now, we’ve only seen glimpses of an Exodite. How did it feel to have the responsibility of depicting one of these elusive figures in such a vivid way?

 

Sarah Wallen: It’s a huge responsibility to bring any part of the Warhammer universes to life, but particularly when it’s something new. Everyone comes into this with their own expectations, and you never want to disappoint anyone. 

As such a beloved corner of Warhammer lore, there have been a lot of eyes on this process. We have a great deal of precedent to work with for an Exodite – as they’re still part of the Aeldari race at the end of the day – but you have to make sure they’re recognisably different from the other branches of the family tree. 

 

A classic Jes Goodwin sketch of Aeldari Exodites from long ago in the distant Warhammer 40,000 past

 

For example, years of work have gone into making craftworld Aeldari distinct from their Drukhari kin, and we needed to find a look that was clearly related to both while also not stepping on the aesthetics of the Harlequins, Ynnari, or Corsairs. 

The miniatures design studio were able to produce some excellent concepts, which gave the 3D modellers a strong base to work from.

 

WarCom: What was the design process for the character of the Exodite? 

 

Sarah: We got the concept from the Warhammer Studio and ran with it, translating the design into a 3D model as closely as possible. We had to make some changes to the hair for the purposes of animation, as big, voluminous locks look great on a miniature, but don’t translate well to 3D animation – particularly when that character has to wear a hood for some scenes (Exodites hate hat hair).

 

 

It’s always helpful to have miniatures to use as reference, but when you don’t, concept sketches from the Warhammer Studio are a fantastic alternative. 

 

WarCom: What can you tell us about the Exodite’s look, their weaponry, and their gear?

 

Sarah: This mysterious character is the last survivor of his people on the planet, so he’s lost a lot before we even encounter him. The design started with what an Exodite without a destroyed planet might look like, and then added or removed elements to convey the long survivor’s journey he’s been on. 

 

The original sketch, for example, has a pretty nifty lance weapon… but the Exodite in our story no longer has a mount, and has lost that lance somewhere along the way – though we do get a glimpse of it in a flashback. 

 

 

Similarly, once you consider that he’s been travelling on foot for a while, it made more sense for him to have a melee weapon, which is where his halberd/spear came from. The armour and accessories are certainly a touch more organic-looking than other Aeldari technology, but not any less sophisticated. 

 

WarCom: What was your approach to voicing and animating the character? 

 

Sarah: Turns out he’s really fast, and a bit difficult to catch on film as he runs circles around our Stealth Team. Luckily, he has a few things to say about the state of the universe, so we get a chance to see him lay down some of that ancient wisdom you only get from former rulers of the galaxy. 

 

His voice carries the weight of that wisdom, and the pain it was learned through. There’s a lot of sadness and disappointment, clearly, but an edge of bitterness and resentment too – you can tell the Asuryani and Drukhari tend towards one side of that coin or the other, while our Exodite bears both equally. 

 

WarCom: How do you feel about the finished animation?

 

Sarah: It’s been so much fun to bring the Exodite to life – the collaboration between the animation team and the Warhammer Studio allowed us to really explore the unique flavour of the Exodite, from the way he should move, down to the textures of his armour and cloth. It’s so exciting to finally bring a small slice of this unexplored part of the Warhammer 40,000 universe to the fans. 

 

 

Did our mysterious title character sound familiar to you? If so, that’s because he is! The eponymous Exodite is voiced by renowned actor Clancy Brown, whose acting talents have run the gamut from barbarian to crustacean – and now his CV includes an Aeldari wanderer.

Edited March 9, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Taliesin]

Good stuff, what was the episode length this time?

[Noserenda]

Visually its awesome, especially with the bigger things, the Titans in particular were spectacular! The little snapshots of the wider conflict are very atmospheric too.

The smaller scale combat was bit weirdly paced in places though and the story/characterisation is pretty weak/simple, though that may well be entirely due to the short episodes and cutaways. I was surprised how much supporting cast is already dead too! 

A surprisingly informative supporting article too, it feels like GW is actually taking on board that people like credits and it is always good to see more Jes Goodwin concept art :D 

Good stuff, what was the episode length this time?

 
About 10 mins again

[byrd9999]

I really enjoyed it. And I could watch those Titans all day.

[Petitioner's City]

I noticed something surprising on the WHC preview article:

 

 

Warhammer+ launches some incredible new episodes on Wednesday. ‘Plague Song’ is the latest – and most disgusting – episode of the animated anthology series Hammer and Bolter. A Death Guard Sorcerer seeks to unleash a devastating plague upon the Imperium – aided, of course, by his Nurgling familiar.* This will be followed in the very near future by the glorious conclusion to The Exodite.

 

This suggests there is only one more Exodite episode, which I am disappointed by  That doesn't suggest there will be much depth to this series ...

Edited March 21, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Taliesin]

Read that as well, very surprising indeed. So the entire series is gonna end up being about 30 minutes?

 

Its excellent though. But now we know why they didnt list any episodes for April at all.

[Noserenda]

Explains why they killed half the cast last episode :D 

[Torvak Kyre]

Am I going entirely mental, or are the voice lines from when the battlesuits are attacking the warlord titan lifted directly from Dawn of War?

[Petitioner's City]

Final episode next week.

Edited March 30, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Petitioner's City]

It ended; not a fan of how it resolved, as it felt a bit empty - there just wasn't the work through the two preceding episodes to justify the drama of the finale.

 

However the enormous amount of work that seems to have gone into it does show such love for the setting, and I do hope - with a more cohesive story - we'll see more from Lost Legion Studios.

 

 

 

The Exodite Himself, Clancy Brown, Explains What it’s Like to Play the Last Scion of a Dead World

 

 

The Warhammer 40,000 universe features action on an unimaginably massive scale, and to bring its rich background to life on screen takes everyone from voice actors to environment artists. We find out below how the animation team at Lost Legion Studios worked with the Warhammer Studio to litter their production with deep cuts of T’au Empire lore – but first, we caught up with the inimitable Clancy Brown, the voice of the Exodite himself!

 

 

From barbarian to crustacean, Clancy brings decades of acting experience to this corner of the 41st Millennium. There are spoilers ahead, so if you’ve not yet watched the three glorious episodes of The Exodite, go away and do that first!

 

 

Clancy Brown: I was very peripherally aware of the Warhammer universe. My son is a collectible card game enthusiast and, while he was browsing in various game stores, Warhammer always stood out. It had beautiful and provocative art, a complex and clearly defined sociology and cosmology, and sophisticated rules and lore.

 

Neither my son nor I ever took the leap into the Warhammer universe – but we appreciated it from the outside, so when the team behind The Exodite asked if I might be interested in a project, their infectious enthusiasm sealed the deal. It took a while to come together but, when it finally did, it was even better than I imagined.

 

 

Actors rarely get to choose their roles, but I’m glad they chose Kelseth for me. He’s very complex… superhuman (or maybe super-aeldari) in so many ways, yet so relatable in his grief, exhaustion, righteousness, and despair.

 

He’s near god-like in his manipulation of the T’au and the Imperium. There’s so much going on – from despising war while masterfully commanding the art of death, to his cynicism about empire and technology – and whatever I couldn’t pull off in performance, the team covered in the story-telling.

 

 

The real acting work, the emotional and character work, took place as we recorded. I had a very specific brief about the character’s backstory, worldview, and motives, and our director knew what he wanted to hear – and knew when he heard it. Ben Stranahan (who voices Dorom) read all parts opposite me brilliantly!

 

It was a very fun and rewarding process, and collaborative in the best way. The enthusiasm and love for story and Warhammer drove everything.

 

Ruby Modine turned in an amazing performance as Lako’ma, showing all of her resoluteness and dedication to her mission – she’s a fanatic, a true believer of the T’au mantras, while Kelseth is a jaded, weary veteran of war. He is familiar with her kind and it saddens him. But he also recognizes himself in her – his youthful, warrior self – and while he is still determined to accomplish his ends, he tries to get through to her, to free her from the tyranny of zealotry and expose the emptiness of conquest. Perhaps, with Lako’ma’s final act of violence, Kelseth may have penetrated through her righteousness with his wisdom. Perhaps…

 

 

I don’t know what may happen to Kelseth after this, but I love how open-ended it is! Is Kelseth rising from the “ashes” of war like a phoenix to a new beginning? Even more Intriguing is where Lako’ma ends up! What has she wrought for herself… and the T’au? I really enjoyed being Kelseth but it was too short – what did the Harlequin mean by “tell future stories and explore the universe”? Maybe he and Lako’ma can meet again in the dark city!?

 

But right back atcha… What do you think will happen?

 

Thanks Clancy! Much to ponder there – so in the meantime, let’s take a quick look at a few of the deepest cuts of T’au Empire detail to be found in The Exodite.

 

The Nicassar Dhow

 

As fans of Battlefleet Gothic will know, T’au Empire fleets are frequently joined by ships from an allied race known as the Nicassar. These semi-nomadic ursine xenos are powerful psykers, and were among the first to join the Greater Good, but the T’au are careful to keep the Nicassar off the front lines. After all, if there’s one thing the Imperium hates more than aliens or psykers, it’s psychic aliens.

 

Their distinctive dhows can be seen in the background during the first episode. Upgraded with T’au weaponry, these elegant void-yachts often take the role of scouts and patrol ships in a T’au fleet, and are a great example of how the Empire’s many different races support each other.*

 

 

Ta’lissera Rituals

 

The knife-shaped decals on the Stealth Team’s battlesuits mark them as having completed a bonding ritual called the Ta’lissera. This is the ultimate sign of respect and dedication for any group of T’au to share, akin to human marriage ceremonies, and is most commonly sworn between a team of Fire Warriors who’ve been through thick and thin. It shows that La’koma’s squad have a deep and inseparable bond, forged over years of military service.

 

 

The Sounds of Combat

 

Not all the hidden easter eggs are visual, and the sounds of weapons and battlesuits call back to various earlier appearances. The Aeldari long rifle, the Imperial volcano cannon, and T’au burst cannon are all featured in old Munitorum Dataslates, and although we’re glad to hear them in action once again, we’d definitely question the wisdom of firing Titan-killing guns at a flight of Crisis battlesuits.**

 

 

Before you catch the nail-biting final episode of The Exodite, have another watch of the first two episodes of to see how many more details you can pick out – like newly bulked-up Mantas, scaled to accommodate their realistically-sized Devilfishes. If you haven’t caught it yet, it’s time to subscribe to Warhammer+ for an epic conclusion.

 

* Their limited personal mobility means that Nicassar are found almost exclusively among the Air Caste’s space fleets – though one does make a rare appearance in The Book of Martyrs.