The Mighty Nein's changes to Yasha make Critical Role's best character even more badass

This is one lady you don't want to mess with

While Critical Role wasted no time in speeding ahead and covering as much as possible in The Legend of Vox Machina, they are taking a far more measured approach with the adaptation of their second campaign, The Mighty Nein.

This meant fleshing out the setting and factions of Wildemount, but also improving certain characters' backgrounds. However, if episode 6 “Many Gifts” is any indication, it looks like the show is using a much faster pace with one character’s backstory: Yasha Nydoorin (Ashley Johnson). And while that may end up being somewhat confusing, particularly for fans of both the animated show and the original campaign wondering what is — and isn’t — canon, it also opens up a number of exciting possibilities to make Yasha even more badass in The Mighty Nein.

[Ed note. Spoilers ahead for The Mighty Nein episodes 1-6 and Critical Role Campaign 2.]

Yasha fans have been waiting patiently since they last saw the muscular barbarian back in the first episode of The Mighty Nein. While characters like Beauregard Lionett (Marisha Ray) and Mollymauk Tealeaf (Taliesin Jaffe) have had slight changes and fixes to their origins, what’s been shown so far of Yasha’s story indicates that this animated adaptation will vary quite a bit from the actual play campaign. Yasha wasn’t around as much due to Ashley Johnson’s other work commitments, so these changes are meant to make the character more present in the story.

Previously, the biggest change was with Yasha not being part of the Fletching & Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, alongside Mollymauk. While the friendship between the tiefling and the barbarian was well-loved in Campaign 2, it wasn’t vitally important for the set-up of the adventuring group, the Mighty Nein.

However, after episode 6, it’s clear that Yasha’s role in the narrative that The Mighty Nein is weaving will be surprising even for those who watched Campaign 2. In this episode, Yasha makes a shocking appearance by attacking an outpost of the Dwendalian Empire. While she makes quick work of the soldiers (and a poor horse), she hesitates when a woman pleads for her life. Her brown hair triggers something primal within Yasha, and we are treated to a scene where she is surrounded by greenery, blue skies, and a smiling woman who looks lovingly up at her.

The moment is ruined by an ominous figure, who chides Yasha for getting lost in her memories and, with a wave of their hand, triggers the brand on Yasha’s neck. Yasha attempts to fight back, but is unable to stop the magic compulsion and slaughters the soldier, living up to her moniker of “Orphanmaker.”

Yasha’s sequence here is violent and bloody, with her greatsword tearing through enemies while deflecting a javelin that ends up impaling the one wielding it. However, The Mighty Nein is quick to establish her as a murderer, albeit a reluctant one. The carnage that Yasha leaves in her wake conveys just how much of a badass she is, and shows that she’ll be a strong ally — or adversary — to any who comes across her. But her power isn’t something she can actively control, and that makes her dangerous.

Yasha’s mind-control subplot was a major part of her character arc and a key story in Campaign 2, but it only came to light halfway through, in episode 69, “The King’s Cage.” For The Mighty Nein to introduce it so early indicates that we’ll be diving into Yasha’s story and background far earlier. Just like The Legend of Vox Machina gave Johnson’s other character, Pike, more material — including her own little adventure with Scanlan — The Mighty Nein will do the same for Yasha.

This is excellent news for fans of Yasha, whose arc, compared to other characters in Campaign 2 (like Caleb and his Volstrucker past), often felt disjointed and tacked on rather than flowing smoothly alongside what was happening in Wildemount.

Better yet, more time with Yasha allows us to see the barbarian in arcs that she wasn’t present for in Campaign 2. Considering that we know Yasha is a skilled and deadly warrior already, her prowess will be a mighty boon for the Mighty Nein.

It also potentially gives Yasha more opportunities to grow as a character, which is sorely needed for some of the relationships that she develops throughout the campaign. For example, we will get to see how Mollymauk and Yasha’s friendship grows, rather than it being established at the beginning.

The Mighty Nein’s changes from tabletop to an animated adaptation are to be expected, and while some may chafe at the idea of not being entirely faithful to Campaign 2, Yasha’s new introduction into the lives of the Mighty Nein has us excited to see what comes next for Critical Role’s most badass warrior.

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The Mighty Nein airs new episodes on Prime Video on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. EST.