The fifth episode of The Mighty Nein, titled “Little Spark,” reveals one of the biggest secrets in the series. As the group tries to question a dangerous Volstrucker agent, a hidden part of Caleb Widogast’s life comes into view. The episode shows his past and explains why he uses a name that is not his own.
A story told through flashbacks shows that Caleb Widogast was once a different person entirely. His real name is Bren Aldric Ermendrud, a farmer’s son from a small village. The episode connects his current life with the Mighty Nein to the tragic events that forced him to change his identity and run from his old teachers.
Caleb’s Past Life as Bren Ermendrud
The episode shows a young man named Bren living a simple life with his parents in the Zemni Fields. He uses basic magic to help his father repair a fence on their farm. His skill catches the attention of a visiting mage, Trent Ikithon, who offers him a place at the prestigious Soltryce Academy. Bren accepts the offer, leaving his family behind.
At the academy, Bren excels. He becomes close friends with two other students, Astrid Becke and Eadwulf Grieve. The three form a strong bond, which grows into a romantic relationship. Trent Ikithon selects them for special, secret training to become Volstrucker, powerful magic agents who work for the Empire.
This training is cruel. In a disturbing scene, Ikithon forces sharp crystals into Bren’s arms as part of a painful process to increase his power. The trio is taught to find and deal with people who are seen as enemies of the Empire. In one mission, they attack a Cobalt Soul monastery, where Bren is shown to kill without hesitation.
The Mission That Destroyed His Life
Bren’s final test as a Volstrucker is the darkest moment of his life. Trent Ikithon tells Bren, Astrid, and Eadwulf that their hometown is being used by rebels. They are given a list of traitors to execute.
Bren does not know his own parents are on that list. Following orders, he returns to his family home. He uses his magic to seal all the doors and windows, trapping his mother, father, and his cat, Frumpkin, inside. He then sets the house on fire with a powerful spell.
“He locked up his house and set it on fire with his parents and his cat still inside. He realized his mistake only after his family’s screams ceased.”
Hearing his family’s screams breaks Bren’s mind. The traumatic event causes a mental collapse, and he is placed in the Vergesson Sanatorium for many years. He eventually escapes, changes his name to Caleb Widogast, and uses a magic necklace to hide from his former master. He lives as a dirty, wandering outcast until he meets the goblin Nott, and they become partners.
A Present-Day Threat Exposes The Past
In the present, the Mighty Nein faces a Volstrucker agent named Owelia. After a fight, the group captures her. Caleb knows how dangerous and well-trained Volstrucker are and argues they should kill her immediately. This shocks Beauregard, who wants answers from their prisoner.
When Beau tries to question Owelia, the agent turns the situation around. She speaks to Caleb in Zemnian, their shared language, trying to make Beau distrust him. Owelia recognizes Caleb and calls him by his old name, Bren. She destroys the magic necklace he uses to hide from Trent Ikithon, exposing his location.
As tensions rise, Beau and Caleb argue. In the struggle, the bandages on Caleb’s forearms are ripped off, revealing the old scars from the crystals Ikithon implanted. Seeing these marks, Beau realizes the truth.
“She furiously tells him he’s a Volstrucker.”
Owelia uses this moment of confusion to escape. Caleb then freezes his friends in place with a magic rune and goes after Owelia alone.
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A Fiery Confrontation and a Painful Confession
Caleb finds Owelia in the woods. She taunts him, saying that his old teacher, Trent Ikithon, still wants to find him. With her last breath, she uses her own blood to write his real name, “Bren,” on a piece of paper and magically sends it away.
This act sends Caleb into a furious rage. He attacks Owelia with fire, and the scene mixes with flashes of his past. As he burns Owelia, he relives the moment he set his family home ablaze, hearing their screams again. He continues his attack long after she is dead, screaming and crying until he falls unconscious from using so much magic.
Nott finds him and brings him back to the group. The next day, a recovering Caleb sits down with the Mighty Nein. He knows he must explain himself. The episode ends as he begins to speak, using the same words that opened the story: “Let me tell you a story…”.
The episode confirms that Nott sees her role with Caleb as a protective, parental one. When Beau suggests their relationship is like father and daughter, Nott corrects her.
“Nott responds that although their relationship may be parental, she is the parent and takes care of Caleb.”
“Nott: It’s my job to protect him. I protect him. He’s my boy.”
“Little Spark” is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. New episodes of The Mighty Nein are released weekly.
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