I’m halfway through The Mighty Nein, Critical Role’s second campaign. I started watching The Mighty Nein in 2023 shortly after finishing Vox Machina. I had a slower start since The Mighty Nein is very different from Vox Machina, and I had trouble getting into it. On top of that, Critical Role isn’t the only thing I watch, so in between watching other shows or movies, that’s slowed down how quickly I can get through each episode. With that said, I’m committed to trying to finish the campaign before the end of the year. Since I’m halfway through, I thought I would summarize my favorite moments thus far in the campaign.

Character Personalities

Some of the moments I distinctly remember are when the characters’ personalities begin to shine. There’s Jester (played by Laura Bailey), who carries baked goods with her, but not a healer’s kit. Beau (played by Marisha Ray) is a bit abrasive. Beau’s mentor, Dairon, becomes a critical NPC in the story and helps to shape Beau beyond her tough personality. There’s Fjord (played by Travis Willingham) with his mysterious visions and his pirate background. I have talked extensively about Fjord already, as he’s one of my favorite characters from this campaign. There are so many moments from the earlier episodes where each character starts to stand out from the other that I think have been great to watch.

Meeting Kiri + The Other Animal Companions

This campaign introduces more furry companions that seem to pop up. I think this adds levity to the campaign, especially in darker moments. There’s Frumpkin, Caleb’s familiar, who, for the most part, appears as an orange kitty. There’s Kiri, a bird creature that The Mighty Nein saved in the swamp. Finally, there are the animals the crew buys, including Nugget, Sprinkle, and Professor Thaddeus. These moments are cute, especially when they rescue Kiri. When I think back to the first 70 episodes of The Mighty Nein, the animals instantly pop into my head as a memorable moment.

Introducing Caduceus

In the first 26 episodes, Mollymauk (played by Taliesin Jaffe) was a part of The Mighty Nein until they were killed in combat. Shortly after, Taliesin brought a new character, Caduceus, to the group. I believe Caduceus is a much better fit with the other characters than Mollymauk was. Caduceus heals more often than Jester does, leaving Jester to do what she wants whenever she wants. Caduceus has a calmer demeanor, and I have loved Caduceus’s bond with Fjord. Caduceus has been a standout character to me, and while Molly was the character that was created initially, I like Caduceus so much more.

Fjord’s Pirate Arc

I have written extensively about Fjord’s pirate arc, so I won’t go into too much detail now. Avantika is one of the best NPCs in this campaign.

The Orphanmaker

Yasha (played by Ashley Johnson) isn’t around for most of this campaign as she was filming Blindspot in New York. While Yasha hasn’t been around, there’s a brief moment where Ashley is back for a few episodes. During a combat encounter, an enemy called Yasha “Orphanmaker,” much to the surprise of the other players. As they investigate, Yasha appears mind-controlled, and The Mighty Nein are forced to leave her behind. That was a tough episode as the group tries to get Yasha to come with them, but to no avail. I know things work out in the end, but not sure how that plays out. While I have had some things spoiled for this campaign, this is not one of them.

I’m glad I powered through watching this campaign. I can understand why this campaign is considered the fan favorite. I’m currently at episode #78 and have been making real progress. I’m curious to see how the rest of the campaign plays out.