Critical Recap: Critical Role Mighty Nein Reunited Part 1 – “Unfinished Business”

Hello! Welcome to Critical Recap! I’m Dani Carr, the Critical Role Lore Keeper. Let’s dive into our recap of the Critical Role special Mighty Nein Reunited Part 1 – Unfinished Business!

CATCHING UP

It has been six months since the Mighty Nein went their separate ways to live their lives. The group is lauded in semi-secretive circles but few in the wider world know of their heroic accomplishments. Veth is living in Nicodranas with her husband Yeza and their son Luc. Yeza has opened a new apothecary called Brenatto’s Better Self and Veth is starting her young adventurer’s camp, The Wildemount Wildlings.

Beau and Yasha have happily settled together in Zadash. Yasha is loving her new life as a homemaker, learning to cook from their neighbor Martina Steward and keeping a garden. She is planning to teach self-defense and foraging at Veth’s camp. Beau is working for the Cobalt Soul, but is frustrated with the day-to-day paperwork and the recent skittishness of the Cerberus Assembly. She knows the Assembly is still plotting, but they’ve gone quiet and she’s bored.

Caleb is in Rexxentrum, guest lecturing at the Soltryce Academy. He encourages the transmutation class to ponder the ‘why’ of their magical research and he is clearly popular with the students. Beau has been encouraging Caleb to teach full-time at the Soltryce Academy so they have an inside man for their efforts to take down the Assembly, but he is hesitant to take a permanent spot. He is planning to teach a magic class at Veth’s camp and is awaiting a visit from Essek.

THE COMING STORM

On the ocean near the Swavain Islands, Fjord, Jester, and Kingsley are sailing on their ship, the Nein Heroez (Lore Note: though the ship is referred to as the Balleater for much of the episode, it is technically the Nein Heroez, so this recap will be referring to it as such). Fjord is Captain, Jester is First Mate, and Kingsley is eagerly learning everything he can from everyone, as well as playfully undermining Fjord at every turn while bonding with the crew.

They sail the trade route between the Menagerie Coast and Darktow, protecting the waters. They’re testing out a new venture called Stone’s Throw Shipping. Fjord is struggling a bit with his confidence as a captain, though Jester is constantly supportive. They decide to go north to avoid an oncoming storm, but the storm swiftly catches up to them. A cold feeling comes over Fjord and he realizes he cannot feel the Wildmother’s presence within him.

As the storm beats against the boat, Fjord has a vision of Uk’otoa declaring that he has found him. Fjord casts water breathing on everyone before a massive hand slams onto the deck of the ship – a storm giant, Thoonum, as well as half a dozen deep scions of Uk’otoa have arrived seeking the final Cloven Crystal. Though they try to fight, Jester is knocked unconscious. After healing her, Fjord chooses to give up the crystal, which is the key to unleashing his former warlock patron Uk’otoa. He vows to find the scions before they can release the Great Leviathan.

CALLING THE CAVALRY

The scions leave with the crystal, but Thoonum begins to destroy the ship from below the waves. Kingsley has an escape plan via a boat in a box, but they’re unable to board before the Nein Heroez capsizes. The ability to breathe underwater saves most everyone, but one crewmate is lost – Shelda Delles. The storm rapidly subsides and they steer the boat towards the closest land mass, the Twinward Isles. It’s now a race to stop Uk’otoa from being unleashed. It’s time to call in the Mighty Nein.

Jester messages Caleb and Veth, telling them what happened and to gather the others. Caleb will get the team to the island by morning. Though Jester could teleport some of them to Nicodranas, Fjord is unwilling to abandon his crew on an island. Fjord is deeply disheartened, recognizing that he shouldn’t have come to the ocean with the crystal, but Jester comforts him. They’ll make it right together.

Meanwhile, Caleb messages Beau on their sending stone and informs her, to her delight, that they’re getting the band back together. He picks up Veth, who leaves the first day of camp in Yeza’s hands, and they teleport to Beau and Yasha’s home. Yasha attempts to contact Caduceus, but her magic has no communicative abilities, so they leave their friend to his family and his rest at the Blooming Grove. After a discussion, Caleb teleports them to the Twinward Isles, but he’s a bit off course and they land in the ocean. They swim to shore and the Mighty Nein are reunited at last!

BACK TO BUSINESS

Veth thinks that this is another situation that is right up their alley – a powerful supernatural force threatens the entire world and they’re the only ones who can stop it, with no one the wiser? That’s the Mighty Nein’s modus operandi! As for the location of the final temple, Fjord only has one of his last visions to go on; ruins in a jungle past three lights. They all pore over the map and Fjord notices three clustered cities with a jungle known as Cyrios End Forest just beyond them. This feels like the right location.

Caleb can get everyone, crew included, safely to Nicodranas if they utilize the teleportation circle in their wizard ally Yussa Errenis’ tower. Jester messages Yussa, who begrudgingly allows this, and Caleb successfully transports everyone to Nicodranas. The crew rest at the Lavish Chateau while the Mighty Nein sleep at Fjord and Jester’s small house beneath a water tower.

When they awaken, the Nein discuss how to get to Cyrios End Forest. Teleportation is a dangerous coin flip, as Caleb has never been there before. However, he could teleport them to the Wuyun Gates and they could then turn into eagles and fly the rest of the way there, which would save them time. Jester scries on the deep scion mage. She sees him traveling with the giant and the Cloven Crystal in hand. They’re traveling towards the jungle and the mage seems irritated by the shining sun.

FINDING THE LIGHT

Relieved that Uk’otoa’s minions haven’t reached the temple yet, the Nein teleport to the Wuyun Gates and then Jester, Caleb, and Fjord polymorph into eagles and carry the rest of the party to the Cyrios End Forest. They find a fairly safe spot to land, which is easier for some of them than for others, but they all eventually make their way to the forest floor. A flash rain occurs, implying that the storm giant is fairly close, and they begin their trek through the jungle.

They discover an old, abandoned camp with a mostly destroyed tent and discarded bones. Beau investigates, finding a partially buried healing potion and a destroyed journal with two semi-legible scraps of paper that contain hints and warnings about the temple. The scraps speak of less traveled pathways, that the sun markings are dangerous, that the light of something will unleash endless snakes, and a nightmarish curse upon the stone.

Deeper into the jungle, they find an ancient, weathered statue partially covered by tree roots. Caleb and Fjord realize that it is a statue of the Wildmother, Fjord’s new patron and benevolent goddess. Some of her warmth returns to Fjord, but he is unsure if they can count on her protection in this fight. Jester clears the roots and they find a jade gem embedded in the statue, which Caleb identifies to carry a divine blessing. Fjord takes the stone, which feels warm to him alone. They wonder if the Wildmother and Uk’otoa have always been at odds.

SETTING THE STAGE

The Nein keep moving through the jungle, trying to stay ahead of Thoonum and the scions. They come across a monkey, who follows them and constantly makes a racket. Beau accidentally upsets a fungus, which unleashes a few spores and poisons Jester, but she manages to magically rid herself of the effect. Jester tries to use her rod of solitary scout to distract the monkey, but it continues to follow.

Eventually, they come across a few ancient fallen pillars. Fjord notices a distant sound of crushing footfalls, indicating the giant’s approach. They decide to speed ahead and attempt to outrun the minions to the temple. This tactic works and the Mighty Nein make it to a clearing that houses a large, crumbling temple. The temple is so overgrown that it seems to be the jungle’s will to overtake it.

They decide to stage an ambush here for Thoonum and the scions. The group hides while Veth climbs to the top of the temple, looking for an entrance. She avoids the sun markings on the steps and makes it to the top, where she finds a broken and dark opening that leads down into the temple. Fjord directs everyone to the top just as the treeline is broken by the arrival of their awaited enemies.

That is it for Part 1 of Mighty Nein Reunited!

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Holy shit y’all, the Mighty Nein are back and Uk’otoa is on the brink of release! It’s fine. This is fine. It’s just the shunned creation of The Cloaked Serpent seeking to rule the oceans. Everything’s fine.
• It’s so good to have this team back in action. I love getting to see what everyone has been up to and popping in on their lives.
• What a delight getting to see Taliesin sink into Kingsley! I miss Caduceus but Kingsley is such a fun character.
• Oh Mighty Nein.

Catch Part 2 next Thursday, December 1st at 7pm Pacific at twitch.tv/criticalrole and on youtube.com/criticalrole AND in select Cinemark theaters in the US and South America, or a week later on our podcast! Is it Thursday yet?