‘The Mighty Nein’ review: Critical Role hits new highs with their darkest series yet

My first acquaintance with Critical Role This was not a clip from any of their campaigns, but a set of animated images for Campaign 2 in GIF format. After scrolling through it on Tumblr, I was immediately captivated by the characters. Who was this joyful blue tiefling fighting enemies with glowing candies and unicorns? What is left in the past of this clearly traumatized fire-wielding wizard? And how did this disparate team of goblins, humans, orcs and more come together?

With these questions in mind, I went straight down the critical role rabbit hole and discovered a group of adventurers known as the Mighty Nein. And yet, as much as I enjoy watching these characters' stories play out in improvised Dungeons and Dragons format, I couldn't help but yearn for an expansion of the animated intro that introduced me to them in the first place.

Now that expansion is here in the form of a new Critical Role animated series. Mighty Nein. And it's as great as I hoped it would be.

What Mighty Nein O?

Mighty Nein this is Critical Role's second animated series in association with Prime Video, following in the footsteps of The Legend of Vox Machina. While the latter took several episodes to find the balance between raunchy humor and high fantasy, Mighty Nein hits the ground running, telling a darker, more mature story right from the start.

The story begins with a heist: a strike force of fearsome wizards from the Dwendali Empire steals the powerful Luxon Lighthouse from the Kryn Dynasty. The episode unfolds almost without words, punctuated by blows of deadly magic and hand-to-hand combat. It's a thrilling return to the world of Exandria that sets the stage for a devastating war between nations. It's also a darkly funny choice for Mighty NeinThis is the starting point, because while the Dvendalian wizards and Kreen soldiers are elite, highly organized forces, our protagonists… are not.

By then Mighty Nein begins, the real Mighty Nein team is still far from assembled. Each of the team members (and, despite the name, there are only six of them) are scattered in the wind, dealing with their own troubles. And believe me Mighty Nein does No save on traumatic backstories. Mud-covered wizard Caleb Widogast (voiced by Liam O'Brien) searches for magical components while running from his past. Goblin thief Nott the Brave (voiced by Sam Riegel) drowns his sorrows every time. Cobalt Soul Monk Beauregard Lyonette (voiced by Marisha Ray) faces ridicule from her superiors, who reject her detective work due to her temper.

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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 Teeliff (voiced by Taliesin Jaffe), a circus ringmaster oozing with charisma but plagued by worries about the collapse of his circus (and some troubling memories).

In short, these six have nothing in common. However, the brewing conflict over the Luxon Lighthouse will unite these outcasts in an unexpected way and give them a chance to prove that maybe, just maybe, they can make a difference. However, judging by the skills demonstrated by both the Dwendalian and Krin forces in the opening, they have a lot of work to do.

Mighty Nein creates a strong team.

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Mighty Nein When it comes to bringing her team together, she doesn't take the easy way out. There are many controversies and struggles throughout the series, each of which is a great showcase for the individuals the series deals with. However, from these arguments emerges a strong bond of camaraderie, made even sweeter by the conflict it took to achieve this goal.

Mighty Nein it manages to preserve all the great relationships players built around the table during the second campaign: Nott and Caleb's protectiveness of each other, Shooter and Fjord's playful friendship, Bo and Caleb's growing respect and trust, Mollymauk's ability to bring everyone together… I could go on, because the web Mighty Nein the interweavings between his characters are as rich and varied as the characters themselves.

The complexities of these characters and their relationships are revealed not only in the dialogue, but also in Mighty Neinamazing action sequences. The Legend of Vox Machina has already set the bar high for translating Critical Role battles into animation, but Mighty Nein more than meets this bar, even surpassing it when it comes to using magic.

This is because every magic user in Mighty Nein has its 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 streams of water without even knowing how. In the case of all four, especially the last two, watching them fight is watching them discover fascinating new abilities on the fly. You'll see characters transform into themselves in real time – in spectacular fashion thanks to Titmouse's stunning animation.

This feeling of discovery turns Mighty Nein into an unforgettable story about becoming more than you ever thought you could be, and about achieving what you never thought you could. It's a tried-and-true family trope, and honestly, when I dreamed of an animated series based on the opening sequence of Campaign 2 years ago, I never expected it to pack such a punch.

First three episodes Mighty Nein The premiere will take place on November 19 on Prime Video, with a new episode released every Wednesday.