“Really good arc”: The Mighty Nein creators talk about Nott and Caleb’s relationship in Season 1 of the Prime Video animated series

The Mighty Nein begins its story by immediately capturing the interest of the fans through Season 1, which demonstrates that the show's core value lies in its authentic character relationships.

The bond that stands out the most exists between Caleb and Nott. The creators revealed their path was deliberately designed to produce both pain and healing effects.

As executive producer Sam Riegel put it while speaking to ScreenRant,

“To have them have their first sort of fight and their first makeup, that felt like a really good arc for the season...”

That single moment explains why their story lands so hard.

Why Caleb and Nott from The Mighty Nein were never meant to be easy from the start

The Mighty Nein Season 1 shows that Caleb and Nott maintained a fragile relationship throughout the entire season despite their appearance of being close. The story begins with these two damaged characters who maintain their connection through their desperate need to stay alive.

One is running from his past. The other is drowning herself in alcohol. According to Sam Riegel, who voices Nott and also serves as an executive producer, the goal was to show a full emotional journey across the season.

While talking to ScreenRant, Riegel explained that it mattered to him to:

“Really tell a complete story over the season through that relationship...”

He pointed out how their dynamic changes once they are part of a larger group. Nott keeps secrets. Caleb pulls away. Trust starts to wobble. Their separation in Episode 7 is not random or shocking for the sake of drama. It is the pressure cooker moment.

Riegel told ScreenRant that he found the process of filming scenes with Liam O'Brien, who plays Caleb, to be deeply personal because their characters' friendship relationship matched their actual friendship. The experience of returning to those locations brought back memories that he experienced as if he were looking at his old family pictures.

Why Episode 7 had to break Caleb and Nott before it could fix them

Episode 7, titled Belonging, is where The Mighty Nein stops feeling like a group hanging out and starts feeling like a team in progress. Showrunner Tasha Huo was honest about how tough this episode was.

Speaking to ScreenRant, she joked, “I hate episode 7,” because it forces everyone apart. But she also made it clear that the split was necessary to earn what comes next.

Huo explained that even after surviving danger together, these characters still did not fully trust one another. Breaking them apart allowed that truth to surface. She said there was no other option but to isolate them so they could realize what they were about to lose.

For Caleb and Nott, this moment cuts the deepest. Huo told ScreenRant that Caleb has a habit of pushing people away, either to protect them or punish himself. No matter how hard he tries to disappear, Nott refuses to let him vanish.

Huo described how emotional it was that Nott sees every flaw, every risk, and still chooses Caleb. When they finally reunite and rejoin The Mighty Nein, it feels earned.

By the time The Mighty Nein Season 1 wraps up, Caleb and Nott no longer feel like two people hiding behind each other. They feel like partners who have chosen to stay.

The creators’ comments make it clear that their separation was not a break, but a bridge. That “really good arc” was about learning how to stand together without falling apart. And that is what makes their bond one of the most powerful stories in the season.

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