The Mighty Nein review: Critical Role hits new highs with their darkest series yet
**Exploring the Enchantment of Critical Role’s “The Mighty Nein” Animated Series**
The animated series “The Mighty Nein,” which is now available on Prime Video, has captivated both longtime fans and newcomers since its debut. Building on the legacy of the beloved tabletop role-playing game, Critical Role, this series marks the second animated adaptation following “The Legend of Vox Machina.” The show’s inception can be traced back to the vibrant characters introduced in a GIF set that enchanted many on social media platforms like Tumblr. The whimsical imagery of a blue tiefling wielding glowing lollipops and a fire-wielding wizard hinted at a rich narrative waiting to be explored. With “The Mighty Nein,” fans can finally delve deeper into the stories of these characters, who are as complex as they are colorful.
“The Mighty Nein” kicks off with a thrilling heist, where a team of formidable wizards from the Dwendalian Empire steals the powerful Luxon Beacon from the Kryn Dynasty. This action-packed opening sets the stage for a darker and more mature narrative, contrasting sharply with the often humorous tone of its predecessor. The story unfolds as we meet the titular group—six misfits with traumatic pasts who are initially scattered and struggling. Each character, from the dirt-covered wizard Caleb Widogast to the goblin thief Nott the Brave, brings their own unique burdens and quirks to the table. As they navigate their personal challenges, the brewing conflict over the Luxon Beacon serves as the catalyst that ultimately brings them together, showcasing the show’s central theme of found family.
The series excels in illustrating the complexity of relationships within the group. Through arguments and conflicts, the characters forge strong bonds, echoing the camaraderie that fans cherished from the original campaign. The animation itself, crafted by Titmouse, amplifies the action sequences, showcasing each character’s distinctive magic in visually stunning ways. From Caleb’s destructive spells to Jester’s whimsical unicorns, the animation not only enhances the storytelling but also emphasizes the characters’ growth and self-discovery. As they learn to harness their powers, viewers witness an inspiring journey of transformation and belonging. With its rich storytelling and breathtaking visuals, “The Mighty Nein” promises to be an unforgettable addition to the Critical Role universe, with new episodes premiering weekly starting November 19.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfsYnQg1bQ8
My first exposure to
Critical Role
wasn’t a clip from any of their campaigns, but instead, a GIF set of their animated introduction for Campaign 2. Scrolling past it on Tumblr, I immediately became bewitched by the characters. Who was this joyful blue tiefling fighting foes with glowing lollipops and unicorns? What lay in the past of this clearly traumatized, fire-wielding wizard? And how had this disparate crew of goblins and humans and orcs and more banded together?
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Critical Role fans, you can watch the first episode of ‘The Mighty Nein’ on YouTube
With those questions in mind, I set off right down the Critical Role rabbit hole, discovering the adventuring party known as the Mighty Nein. Yet as much as I enjoyed witnessing these characters’ stories play out in an improvised
Dungeons and Dragons
format, I couldn’t help but yearn for an expansion on the animated introduction that had exposed me to them in the first place.
Now, that expansion is here in the form of Critical Role’s new animated series
The Mighty Nein
. And it’s as glorious as I had hoped.
What’s
The Mighty Nein
about?
Credit: Prime Video
The Mighty Nein
is Critical Role’s second animated series with Prime Video, following in the footsteps of
The Legend of Vox Machina
. While the latter took a few episodes to nail the balance between bawdy humor and high fantasy,
The Mighty Nein
hits the ground running, delivering a darker, more mature story right from the get-go.
That story begins with a heist: A strike team of formidable wizards from the Dwendalian Empire steals the powerful Luxon Beacon from the Kryn Dynasty. The sequence plays out almost wordlessly, punctuated by beats of lethal magic and hand-to-hand combat. It’s a gripping reintroduction to the world of Exandria, one that sets the stage for a devastating war between nations. It’s also a darkly funny choice for
The Mighty Nein
‘s starting point, because while the Dwendalian wizards and Kryn soldiers are elite, highly organized forces, our titular heroes are… not.
SEE ALSO:
‘The Mighty Nein’ trailer: Critical Role’s new show teases magic battles and tons of trauma
By the time
The Mighty Nein
begins, the actual Mighty Nein crew is far from being assembled. Each of the team’s members (and despite what the name suggests, there are only six of them) is scattered to the winds, dealing with their own woes. And trust me,
The Mighty Nein
does
not
skimp on the traumatic backstories. Dirt-covered wizard Caleb Widogast (voiced by Liam O’Brien) scrounges for magical components while running from his past. Goblin thief Nott the Brave (voiced by Sam Riegel) drowns her sorrows at every waking moment. Cobalt Soul monk Beauregard Lionett (voiced by Marisha Ray) faces derisions from her superiors, who dismiss her detective work based on her hotheadedness.
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Elsewhere, shipwrecked sailor Fjord Stone (voiced by Travis Willingham) awakens with magical powers he didn’t ask for and doesn’t know how to use, while prankster Jester Lavorre (voiced by Laura Bailey) can’t get her patron god (and best friend) to answer her call. Rounding out the group is Mollymauk Tealeaf (voiced by Taliesin Jaffe), a circus ringmaster oozing with charisma, yet plagued with worries about his circus going under (and some unsettling memories).
In short, these six have nothing in common. However, the brewing conflict over the Luxon Beacon will bring these outcasts together in unexpected ways and offer them the chance to prove that maybe, just maybe they can make a difference for the better. Based on the skills shown by both the Dwendalian and Kryn forces in the opening, though, they have their work cut out for them.
The Mighty Nein
builds a formidable team.
Credit: Prime Video
The Mighty Nein
takes no shortcuts when it comes to bringing its team together. There are arguments and in-fighting aplenty in the series, each a perfect showcase of the distinct personalities the show is working with. Yet from these arguments emerge strong bonds of camaraderie, made all the sweeter by the conflict it took to get there.
The Mighty Nein
manages to preserve all of the wonderful relationships players crafted at the table during Campaign 2: Nott and Caleb’s protection of one another, Jester and Fjord’s playful friendship, Beau and Caleb’s growing respect and trust, Mollymauk’s ability to bring everyone together… I could go on, as the webs
The Mighty Nein
weaves between its characters are as rich and varied as the characters themselves.
The complexities of these characters and their relationships come through, not just in dialogue but also in
The Mighty Nein
‘s jaw-dropping action sequences.
The Legend of Vox Machina
already set the bar high on how to translate Critical Role’s battles into animation, but
The Mighty Nein
more than meets that bar, even surpassing it when it comes to magic usage.
That’s because each magic user in
The Mighty Nein
has their own unique way of casting. Caleb uses material components to create destructive spells, Jester summons sparkling herds of mini unicorns and candy, Mollymauk wields blood magic that even he seems surprised he has access to, and Fjord sends out watery blasts without quite knowing how. In the case of all four, but especially the latter two, watching them fight means watching them discover enchanting new abilities on the fly. You’re seeing heroes grow into themselves in real time — and in spectacular fashion, thanks to dazzling animation from Titmouse.
This sense of discovery turns
The Mighty Nein
into an unforgettable story of becoming something greater than you ever thought you could be, and of finding belonging you never thought you would. It’s the found family trope done to a tee, and honestly, when I dreamed of an animated series based on the Campaign 2 intro all those years ago, never did I expect it to hit as hard as this.
The first three episodes of
The Mighty Nein
premiere Nov. 19 on Prime Video, with a new episode every Wednesday.
