After a prison escape and capturing a Volstrucker, Beau’s harsh interrogation leads her to question Caleb as his Empire ties and dark history come to light.
The topic of indoctrination is not at the forefront of the Mighty Nein but its existence hangs like a noose around the necks of one of its main characters, namely Caleb. This week’s episode is not as packed with fervent action as was episode 4, but it offers something more interesting: a commentary on the psychological consequences of one’s actions under orders.
SPOILER warning!
The 5th episode titled ‘Little Spark’ focuses on everyone’s favourite fire wielding wizard Caleb Widogast, as his unstable feelings towards crossing paths with the Volstrucker Owelia (who is on the hunt for Beau) take us down Caleb’s memories to reveal a life prior to the Mighty Nein as a Volstrucker. Young Caleb, back then known as Bren (a clever play on words I certainly cheered at) shows promise at the Arcane arts. Present day famous Beacon owner and bad guy, Trent Ikithon takes Caleb under his wing at the Soltryce Academy where the young wizard discovers his intellect appreciated, his bisexuality explored and his soul tortured. The episode cuts sharply between the past and present as Beau and Caleb attempt to show a united front in extracting information out of Caleb’s former acquaintance Owelia, while Molly, Nott and Jester struggle to heal a poisoned Fjord. The episode culminates with Owelia’s seemingly successful escape, resulting in a display of psychosis by Caleb. The Arcane takes over and his most traumatic memory burns Owelia to a crisp.
On the surface a standard trauma-ridden backstory episode, ‘Little Spark’ puts forth a Superior orders dilemma to the viewer, as it does to Caleb himself. His misery is the result of actions he feels conflicted about – his hands burn his parents to ash and yet, it was an order he fulfilled to be in line with his new normality. Unfortunately, he carries a good heart, so his mind fractures and he drowns in the ocean of his own guilt. Caleb is not wrong for not translating the Zemnian (commonly known as German) Owelia’s feeding her captors in order to create rift between them and ultimately escape her torture, but in the context of his newfound companions, Caleb’s desire to resist the Volstrucker tricks only has an adverse effect. He tosses a coin between the Nein or himself, and by choosing the latter seals his own fate at the end of the episode. All in all, he avoids who he is and what he has done to such a degree where it costs Owelia’s life, the useful information she might have had, the trust of the others and especially Beau. Considering his previous experiences in teams, we as the viewers cannot blame Caleb, but that does not mean it is any less frustrating to watch him suppress his demons and give in to the inability to trust.
The needle of the story moves very slightly, but sometimes such is the need of the plot. We cannot move through this series without understanding the reasons for our main characters’ odd behaviour towards the world. Given Caleb’s connection to Trent Ikithon it only made sense he would be the first character we would be given an exclusive look into. It opens up many questions: why is Caleb the one Trent has chosen as his favourite? Why is he reluctant to give him up? Can this outburst of power within him be contained? What would it take for Caleb and the other Nein to build a bridge they can cross without the fear of betrayal? All very compelling questions, the answer to which will only be revealed next Wednesday.
The Mighty Nein episode 5 is now streaming on Prime Video.
