The Mighty Nein takes place twenty years after the events of The Legend of Vox Machina, and like its predecessor, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but rather enthusiastically recycles it.
The Mighty Nein takes place twenty years after the events of The Legend of Vox Machina, and like its predecessor, it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but rather enthusiastically recycles it. I was surprised by how much I grew fond of the main characters: a motley crew of misfits. By the end of the series, you might even want to join their quirky group. The members are Molly (Taliesin Jaffe), Caleb (Liam O'Brien), Beau (Beau), Nott the Brave (Sam Riegel), Fjord (Travis Willingham), and my personal favorite, Jester (Laura Bailey).
Creator: Critical Role
Stars: Laura Bailey, Taliesin Jaffe, Ashley Johnson
Every time they refer to themselves by name, everyone else wonders how it's possible that this group is called The Mighty Nein (Nine) when there are only six of them. Nein, as you can see, comes from Caleb, who uses this word instead of "no" or "absolutely not." He's a wizard with the power to conjure fire and a cat. What he can't do is take a shower. Nott the Brave isn't so brave in the face of water, but she certainly smells better than Caleb.
She's also a thief, an alcoholic, and desperately needs some good friends. Molly reads tarot cards, Beau is a human monk with a talent for martial arts and investigation, Fjord is a sailor and half-orc warlock who poses as a captain, and Jester, a tiefling cleric, is in love with Fjord and gets laughs from the audience. I liked her weapon: a giant lollipop with what looks like a bow tie. It even kills with a touch of sweetness.
The Mighty Nein shines when it focuses on its main characters, something it thankfully manages to do for most of its eight entertaining episodes. With scenes set in a carnival, a forest, a cave, and an area where a riddle is solved by deciphering constellations, the series is undeniably entertaining. It's clearly made by a team passionate about animation. Just look at the design of a terrifying frog or a strip club. Observe the reflections inside a funhouse at a carnival, or savor the elegance of a shot where someone's tears flow toward their loved one.
The image of a cat sitting on a floating candle is probably more charming than any animated series I've seen this year. Essentially, The Mighty Nein is about the power of friendship. Its tagline could be: "We all need good friends." The key word here is "good" because Caleb has two, shall we say, friends who don't make the right choices (I'm being deliberately vague to avoid spoilers).
Perhaps my description makes you think that The Mighty Nein, besides being funny, is sentimental, but it isn't. The series never gets too serious, even though some of the events are grim and horrifyingly fatal. It maintains a light tone without becoming superficial. The plot is well-oiled and constantly moving, but the characters don't feel like lifeless, rigid chess pieces.
The story revolves around a Lighthouse, a war between kingdoms, and a bad teacher, but these "heavy" themes failed to capture my interest. There were times when I tuned out during scenes that focused on these aspects. In my opinion, The Mighty Nein is worth watching primarily for its quirky group. They work wonderfully together; their skills complement each other, as evidenced when they solve puzzles. While this group may not be particularly intelligent—especially since no one considers how "nein" undermines their power—they are eccentric, endearing, and lovable. They are well worth spending time with.
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