The second episode of The Mighty Nein, titled “Who Will You Be?”, continues the animated adventures of the ragtag group of outcasts on Prime Video. The episode dives deeper into the characters’ backstories and the magical forces at play, with the core cast of Critical Role stars returning to voice their beloved characters, joined by several high-profile guest actors in key roles.
The Core Cast of The Mighty Nein
The main cast of the animated series consists of the original Critical Role players, who have been voicing these characters since the live-streamed Dungeons & Dragons campaign began.
Laura Bailey returns as Jester Lavorre, the delightfully chaotic blue tiefling cleric. In Episode 2, Jester’s love for pranks gets her into serious trouble in the city of Nicodranas, setting off a chain of events that forces her to flee. Bailey brings a signature warmth and humor to the character, making Jester an instant fan favorite.
Travis Willingham voices Fjord Stone, the half-orc warlock. The episode explores his origins, showing him surviving a shipwreck and suddenly discovering new magical powers. Willingham’s voice performance captures Fjord’s confusion and awe as he grapples with his new reality.
Liam O’Brien plays the scruffy and intelligent human wizard, Caleb Widogast. He is the reluctant partner-in-crime to the goblin Nott. O’Brien gives Caleb a calm yet haunted voice that reflects a character burdened by a tragic past.
Marisha Ray voices Beauregard “Beau” Lionett, the sharp-witted human monk. Her investigation drives a significant part of the story forward in Episode 2 as she follows clues related to the main mystery. Ray’s performance shows Beau’s determination and focus.
Sam Riegel is Nott the Brave, the kleptomaniac goblin rogue. Her sticky fingers nearly cause major problems for her and Caleb, with Riegel’s voice work expertly mixing humor with genuine tension.
Ashley Johnson voices Yasha Nydoorin, the aasimar barbarian from Xhorhas. Taliesin Jaffe plays the flamboyant lavender tiefling blood hunter, Mollymauk Tealeaf. Matthew Mercer, the show’s co-creator and original Dungeon Master, voices the drow wizard Essek Thelyss and several other characters, providing a foundation for the group scenes.
Guest Stars in Episode 2
“Who Will You Be?” features a roster of famous guest actors who bring important but smaller roles to life, enriching the world of Wildemount.
Anika Noni Rose voices Marion Lavorre, also known as the Ruby of the Sea. Marion is Jester’s mother, and her scenes provide crucial insight into Jester’s background and the reason she must leave Nicodranas. Rose adds deep emotion to this part of Jester’s story.
Mark Strong gives voice to Trent Ikithon, an archmage of the Cerberus Assembly. His character introduces politics, intrigue, and a hidden threat to the narrative. Strong’s performance makes the character feel serious and dangerous.
Lucy Liu appears as the Bright Queen, Empress Leylas Kryn of the Kryn Dynasty. As a royal figure, her cameo expands the scope of the political world and the high stakes surrounding the stolen Beacon.
Anjelica Huston plays Deirta Thelyss, the mother of Essek Thelyss. Her role is important to the political history of the Kryn Dynasty and highlights the theme of identity across different generations.
Ming-Na Wen voices Dairon, a monk who acts as Beau’s teacher and mentor. Her voice carries a sense of authority and experience.
Rahul Kohli voices Verrat, a general for the Kryn Dynasty who acts as an antagonist in the episode and helps move a political subplot forward.
Tim McGraw appears as Vandran, Fjord’s former captain. His role in the flashback scenes helps build Fjord’s backstory and motivations.
Additional supporting roles are filled by veteran voice actors, including Steve Blum as the sailor Paul and Robbie Daymond as Sabian. Actors JB Blanc and JP Karliak also voice various small roles, such as gate guards and innkeepers, helping to make the world feel alive and detailed.
What Happens in “Who Will You Be?”
The episode weaves together multiple storylines. After surviving a shipwreck, Fjord wakes up on a beach with newfound magical powers tied to a mysterious falchion and an otherworldly voice commanding him to “breathe” and “become”.
Meanwhile, in the coastal city of Nicodranas, Jester’s public pranks against a politician named Lord Sharpe force her to escape the city with Fjord’s help. Her mother, Marion, pays Fjord to ensure Jester’s safe passage to Zadash.
At the same time, Caleb and Nott are on the run after Nott’s theft at an inn is discovered, leading to a narrow escape. Their journey shows the early formation of their partnership.
The episode also checks in on the political tensions in the Kryn Dynasty, where the Bright Queen tasks Essek with recovering the stolen Beacon, a powerful arcane relic. Essek is also shown caring for his mother, Deirta, who is secretly suffering from a memory-affecting illness.
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The World of The Mighty Nein
The Mighty Nein is an animated adaptation of Critical Role’s second Dungeons & Dragons campaign, set on the continent of Wildemount about twenty years after the events of The Legend of Vox Machina. The story follows a group of seven outcasts, criminals, and misfits who are thrown together by circumstance.
The central conflict involves a powerful arcane relic known as “The Beacon” being stolen, an event that pushes the two major factions of Wildemount—the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire—to the brink of war. The party members are the only ones who can prevent reality itself from unraveling when the Beacon falls into the wrong hands.
The first season of the show premiered on Amazon Prime Video on November 19, 2025. The first three episodes were released at once, with the season comprising eight episodes in total. Following the initial release, new episodes are scheduled to arrive every Wednesday.
Travis Willingham on the show’s visual style: “Visually, this group is striking. A blue tiefling, green goblins, orcs, humans in stark black-and-white. And unlike Vox Machina, this group is heavy on magic.”
The season is being released on a weekly schedule. After the first three episodes launched on November 19, Episode 4 is set for release on November 26, 2025. Subsequent episodes will follow each Wednesday, with the season finale scheduled for December 22, 2025.
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