The Mighty Nein‘s Prime Video debut couldn’t have gone much better, as it debuted to a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has earned strong reviews across the board. The Critical Role project clearly has a lot of life and originality behind it, but despite its unique story, the series does share some connections to The Legend of Vox Machina.
As a result, it was always going to be a real challenge for The Mighty Nein to overcome TLOVM‘s popularity and stand out on its own. However, the new animated hit has plenty of distinct traits that help it stand out from the original show, despite the two still tying into each other to some degree.
The Mighty Nein Is A Spinoff Of The Legend Of Vox Machina
Despite centering around a completely new set of characters and a different story, The Mighty Nein is a The Legend of Vox Machina spinoff. While many spinoffs tend to follow someone from the original series, The Mighty Nein features a fresh set of vibrant adventurers, but the events do still take place within The Legend of Vox Machina‘s timeline.
Both shows are based on Dungeons and Dragons campaigns from Critical Role, giving them an instant connection, while the spinoff takes place 20 years after Vox Machina. The Mighty Nein is also set on another continent; however, the universe and lore remain the same, despite each plot going in its own direction.
In addition to The Mighty Nein‘s main cast being almost identical to The Legend of Vox Machina‘s, the projects share the same set of rules and niches that are common in most DnD campaigns, alongside a similar animation style, but they also take some liberties to make this fictional universe feel distinct.
Other than that, there is unlikely to be a whole lot of overlap between the two shows since each campaign tells an authentic story, and while we could still see a cameo or two from The Legend of Vox Machina mainstays, it’s unlikely that these narratives will impact one another too strongly.
The Mighty Nein Is Still Easy To Follow For Those Who Haven’t Seen The Legend Of Vox Machina
Naturally, those unfamiliar with either The Legend of Vox Machina or The Mighty Nein may feel like you have to watch one to understand the other, but this isn’t the case. Despite sharing the same universe as the original show, The Mighty Nein is about a brand-new team of unlikely allies who each have their own goals.
Like any other show, the main conflicts and motivations are set up in a way that doesn’t require prior knowledge, and there is no expectation that viewers will have watched Vox Machina or Critical Role in general beforehand.
While it can be difficult to understand all the little nuances, such as magic, different species, and the fictional world’s complicated history, The Mighty Nein‘s larger runtime and interesting personalities help it stand out from its predecessor and can be easily enjoyed by newcomers. Therefore, there is no reason not to check out this thrilling adventure.
Watching The Legend Of Vox Machina First Does Make The Mighty Nein More Enjoyable
As enjoyable as The Mighty Nein can be for new viewers, there’s no doubt that it is even better having watched The Legend of Vox Machina first. It makes understanding every quirk much simpler, and the sometimes overwhelming terminology can be a lot less distracting if you’re already used to it in Critical Role’s other fantasy show.
With The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 confirmed, fans of the franchise will already be extremely familiar with why certain characters are capable of performing specific acts alongside the overall lore of Exandria. As a result, those coming into The Mighty Nein with this pre-established knowledge will have a more straightforward time focusing strictly on the new characters and their relationships.
Simply put, The Mighty Nein is still a great show that feels effortless to get lost in, regardless of how familiar you are with Critical Role and The Legend of Vox Machina. However, not questioning the unorthodox action and storylines does make for a better viewing experience, hence why long-term fans may take to the series more quickly.
How The Mighty Nein Could Become Even Bigger Than The Legend Of Vox Machina
It’s rare but not unheard of for a spinoff show to surpass the original, and The Mighty Nein could be one of these unlikely cases. In theory, The Legend of Vox Machina‘s stellar ratings make it almost impossible to surpass in terms of quality alone, yet The Mighty Nein seems to have maintained these standards so far.
| Legend of Vox Machina/ Mighty Nein Seasons | Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer | Rotten Tomato Audience Popcornmeter |
|---|---|---|
| The Legend of Vox Machina Season 1 | 100% | 93% |
| The Legend of Vox Machina Season 2 | 100% | 97% |
| The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 | 100% | 91% |
| The Mighty Nein Season 1 | 100% | N/A |
Likewise, TLOVM‘s flawless reputation only makes people more likely to check out the spinoff, and for those a little intimidated by the OG series having three seasons, this fresh project may be the perfect place to start when it comes to investing in the Prime Video franchise.
Critical Role has also gotten bigger, especially with their recent video game success, which suggests newly acquired fans may want to check out the studio’s latest release. All of these factors indicate that The Mighty Nein may be worth giving a go for both new and pre-existing fans, and the sky is the limit if the show keeps up its current trajectory.
