mreiki 's review for:

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Caleb Widogast by Liam O'Brien, Matthew Mercer, Jody Houser

5.0

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My rating of this is probably a little (or very much) biased because Caleb is one of my favorite characters in Critical Role’s second campaign.

As with the Jester comic, there isn’t much new stuff in this for people who have seen C2, though the emotional weight comes from things only mentioned or, in some cases, hinted at being explored more fully. What was especially heart-wrenching to see was

Spoiler

Bren’s relationship with his parents and the fact that one of his main motivators before Ikithon got his claws into him was making them and the Empire proud.

I’m sure parts of the fanbase are happy

Spoiler

that the comic made the Blumentrio ship unquestionable canon, though I’d argue it was implied enough in C2 that it already was. It’s a terrible, co-dependent relationship dynamic of course, but I do think the comic does not pretend that it isn’t. It’s clear that the mental and physical abuse they experience makes them turn to each other and that that bond (for lack of a better term) is reinforced by the work they are made to do. Because who else could they talk to about it? Trent Ikithon truly is the worst. (Sometimes I wonder if the amount of anger I feel towards this entirely fictional character is normal. XD)

What I really liked

Spoiler

was getting to know some of the other false names he used prior to meeting Nott and then the rest of the Nein. As far as I recall, those never came up in the campaign. Seeing that first meeting between him and Nott and his very first use of the name “Caleb Widogast” was the final emotional whammy. Though at least this is a positive one.