For those who have played tabletop role-playing games, there’s a progression your games go through over the years. When you start out, you’re not much more than murderous hobos, killing man and monster for loot and/or revenge. After a while, though, you try to develop more drama and intrigue. This is what Matt Mercer and his pals from Critical Role seem to have done with The Mighty Nein.
The “Critters” saw an unprecedented Kickstarter campaign explode into three heralded seasons of The Legend of Vox Machina on Prime. As incredible as the animation, voice acting, humor and action sequences were, it was uncomplicated for the most part. A bunch of loyal and sympathetic losers, trying to get even and get rich or die trying, is a tried-and-true trope. Mighty Nein looks to be a few steps ahead.
In a case of “show vs tell,” we don’t find a band of righteous adventurers drinking away their embarrassment with a quick musical number for exposition. The first three episodes introduce us to (most) of our heroes as they spiral into a collision course with each other and more trouble than any of them can imagine.
Decades of political and military tension between rival empires is at the heart of the story. The Dwendalian Empire and Kryn Dynasty are each seemingly scrambling for a 12-sided artifact of great power and significance but may just be happy enough to use it as a pretext to go to war. Beau Lionett (Marisha Ray, who fights for real!) is an investigator tracking down and Shaolin-type monk of the Cobalt Soul is learning that her fellow disciples are not always what they seem. Caleb Widogast, voiced by Liam O’Brien, is a down and out wizard sleeping in alleyways while trying to scrape spell components and his life together. Taking pity on Caleb is Nott the Brave (the very brave Sam Riegel), an alcoholic goblin thief who masquerades as a child. The whimsical and spirited tiefling Jester (Laura Bailey) has to flee her mother’s burlesque show with her imaginary friend after her artistic mischief riles the wrong nobleman. On the run, she runs into self-doubting half-orc shipwreck survivor, Fjord Stone (Laura’s real-life husband, Travis Willingham), who may owe his survival and new magical power to a Lovecraftian nightmare. The occasional clashing comes to a head at the circus of mystic and ladies’ man, Mollymauk Tealeaf, voiced by Taliesin Jaffe, involving fire, fiasco and a very large amphibian.
In addition to Critical Role original Ashley Johnson, voices to be featured in the season include an X-man, a Kingsman, a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, a Starfleet officer, a country music legend, Morticia Addams and freakin’ Moana, among others.
Fans of Critical Role know what they’re in for, but those who are only familiar with The Legend of Vox Machina should be prepared for the tone shift. There’s a lot less humor and likely zero songs about… a particular type of beads. Be forewarned, though, just like LoVM, The Mighty Nein isn’t family fare. There are seductions and swearing and severed limbs aplenty.
With almost half the season released and still no sign of one main party member, it seems unlikely that The Mighty Nein is done with their story in eight episodes. With a current tomato/popcorn at 100/95%, it’s looking like they’ll have all the opportunity in Wildemount to tell their tale.
