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Every Episode of The Mighty Nein Season 1 Ranked (#4 Changed Everything for the Team)
The Mighty Nein has rapidly become one of the best fantasy shows of 2025, and the Legend of Vox Machina spinoff has consistently strong episodes throughout its first season. Of course, even with mostly great installments, some are more memorable than others — whether it’s because of their stakes, their emotional beats, or a combination of the two. The Prime Video series embracing 40-minute chapters over The Legend of Vox Machina‘s 30-minute runs has no doubt contributed to its success. Its political intrigue and uniquely flawed cast of characters also help, and every episode does an impressive job of expanding on both.
With The Mighty Nein Season 1 over and done with, we can officially rank its eight episodes based on their strengths. The Mighty Nein Season 2 is already confirmed, and it’s almost certain to deliver more epic and entertaining installments. Given that Season 1’s best additions arrive towards the end, it feels inevitable that Season 2 will continue building on that momentum. The best episode of the first outing leaves it in a good position to do so. Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Mighty Nein Season 1, Episodes 1-8.
8) “Mote of Possibility” (Episode 1)
The Mighty Nein‘s premiere gets the spinoff off to a compelling start, but unsurprisingly, it’s the weakest of the eight episodes currently available. Because “Mote of Possibility” is the series opener, it’s forced to convey a lot of information about the world and its politics — and while the stakes are high from the jump, it’s difficult to grasp the full importance of certain details until later on. With such an emphasis on the Luxon Beacon, Volstruckers, and Kryn Dynasty, there’s also not time to introduce the full cast of characters. Episode 1 primarily focuses on Caleb, Nott, and Beauregard. The back-and-forth between Caleb and Nott is hilarious, but pitted against installments that center the whole group, this one just doesn’t compare. (There is some great action even as early as the premiere, though.)
7)”Who Will You Be?” (Episode 2)
The Mighty Nein Season 1, Episode 2 is just a bit better than the premiere, though it suffers from similar shortcomings. It’s still in the setup phase of the story, which makes it hard to compare to later chapters. And although it introduces two promising new characters in the forms of Fjord and Jester, it struggles to balance their introductions with the continuation of Caleb’s, Nott’s, and Beauregard’s storylines. Jester’s charming personality and immediately fun dynamic with Fjord make up for this, though, as do Essek’s emotional scenes and the bonding moments between Caleb and Nott. There may not be as much action as there is in the premiere, but “Who Will You Be?” gives viewers better reasons to get invested. The characters really start to come into their own here.
6) “The Fletching & Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities” (Episode 3)
The Mighty Nein Season 1, Episode 3 brings the main characters crashing together, and it combines the strengths of Episodes 1 and 2, placing it just above both. Opening “The Fletching & Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities” with Mollymauk’s introduction is a smart move, as he’s among the most captivating additions to the group. This makes the time spent establishing the titular carnival engrossing, even though we don’t have much reason to care. Quieter moments between the other characters further invest viewers, making the chaotic ending sequence that much more gripping. By the time the Nergaliid begins attacking, we don’t want to see any of the main crew injured or killed. That’s part of the reason it’s so satisfying seeing them fight it off together. It’s also a testament to the first two episodes’ writing that we desperately want them to interact. Their exchanges get more interesting later, but their clashes in Episode 3 are amusing nonetheless.
5) “The Mighty Nein” (Episode 4)
The fourth episode of The Mighty Nein‘s first season demonstrates the show’s ability to lean into humor and serious moments, opening with the hilarious jail sequences from the spinoff’s trailer — and ending with a tragedy that proves how deeply sympathetic our band of misfits is. It feels like a turning point for the show, as it’s the first time these characters are forced to properly work together. For many of them, it’s also the first time we see anything but self-interest. There’s still plenty of that driving them, to be sure, but Toya’s death highlights that they’re all decent people in spite of their flaws. The action and emotion of their showdown with the Nergaliid is well balanced, and the back-and-forth between Essek and Trent is also delightfully tense. The action and emotion is amplified in later chapters, but this one ranks firmly in the middle.
4) “Belonging” (Episode 7)
The Mighty Nein Season 1, Episode 7 is the most important for the main team, as it’s the chapter that changes everything for them. Prior to this point, they’re working together because it’s in their individual interests — and that’s why they choose to go separate ways after their Episode 6 heist. It quickly becomes clear that they’ve grown fond of their group dynamic, however, as the goodbyes feel bitter. And of course, the gang is back together by the end of “Belonging.” Their separation throughout this chapter makes it harder to appreciate than the top three episodes (though Jester and Nott getting up to no good is a highlight). There’s some very necessary character development here, but it doesn’t compare to the team-focused adventures. Essek’s story takes a dark turn in “Belonging,” however, and that also helps rank it among the top half of the season’s installments.
3) “Many Gifts” (Episode 6)
I love a good heist narrative, and The Mighty Nein offers a fun one in Season 1, Episode 6. When the gang goes to Zadash, a man dubbed The Gentleman offers them protection in exchange for stealing a treasure for him. The catch? It’s in a heavily secured chamber, which means it’s a dangerous mission. As the team doesn’t fully trust each other, the entire thing is delightfully tense. The suspense of the heist and the characters being at odds with one another will keep viewers on edge. After Episode 5’s ending, it’s satisfying to see them gradually start to develop confidence in each other. The final scene also raises the stakes of the conflict between the Kryn Dynasty and Dwendalian Empire significantly, with a devastating use of the Luxon Beacon. It certainly leaves Essek’s arc on a daunting cliffhanger. Even this isn’t as intense as two other Season 1 installments, however.
2) “A Little Spark” (Episode 5)
The Mighty Nein focuses heavily on Caleb’s backstory in Season 1, Episode 5, and it raises tensions between the main group of characters as they capture and interrogate a Volstrucker named Owelia. Caleb isn’t all that different from her, as the team soon discovers. He was a former student of Trent Ikithon, ramping up already-present distrust, especially from Beauregard. However, the flashbacks make it clear that Caleb has a great deal of trauma from Trent, who ordered him to kill his own parents. His pain comes out in earnest at the end of “A Little Spark,” when he kills Owelia in a fiery rage. It’s beautifully animated and acted, and it really speaks to the layers of The Mighty Nein’s characters. It’s a dark episode but a great one. It’s easily the best of them after the Season 1 finale.
1) “The Zadash Job” (Episode 8)
Fittingly, The Mighty Nein Season 1’s finale is the high point of the show so far — and that’s a promising reality for Season 2. “The Zadash Job” pays off the separate storylines and character arcs of the first outing, bringing all of them together in rewarding ways. The group’s plan to steal the Luxon Beacon makes for a nail-biting viewing experience, especially when Trent Ikithon and the Kryn Dynasty get involved. This leads to some great action sequences, which are well animated and make for a perfect climax. The group’s dynamics really shine here as well, highlighting how far they’ve come in just a few chapters. And leaving them with the Luxon Beacon — and a very lost Yasha — at the end of the outing also sets up an intriguing starting point for Season 2. If viewers somehow aren’t sold from the first seven episodes, this one will convince them to keep watching.
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