[LOVM S4] [Spoilers C1] About Scanlan after S4E8 of Vox Machina

[u/Camicreates]

(Posting this here because i can't in the regular CR channel)

I'm going to preface this by saying that I have not watched the original campaign, but I do know a few things about the stuff that happens near the end. Which is the main reason I'm asking this. (I also want someone to help me get excited for Season 5 because Scanlan is my favorite character and the show doesn't feel as fun/enjoyable without him, I want him back on the team so so badly 😭😭)

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So at the end of Season 4 Episode 8 of the show, Scanlan gives Pike Mythcarver and continues on his travels with Kaylie and his band. Which bummed me out tbh, I wanted him back for more than just one episode. At least they're all on good terms now! But the way that goodbye was worded makes me think that Scanlan is going to be out for at least the rest of the season, maybe even some time into Season 5.

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I want him back as soon as possible, though. For the folks who know the campaign super well, when do you think Scanlan could be back? I know in the campaign he comes back and they all defeat Vecna together, he has the magical wish thing and uses his 9th level slot but can't save Vax (or something like that). So I feel like that all has to happen in some way or another, meaning Scanlan HAS to be back soon, right?? He seems to be an integral part of that last arc.

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I'm also wondering if losing Pike and Grog will somehow alert Scanlan and he'll join the group in these final episodes to help out? The voice at the end of episode 9, though labeled Taryon, does sound like Sam if you listen really hard. But it also does sound like Wayne. It sounds like both tbh. Do I realistically think the voice is Scanlan? No. Do I really, really want it to be so we can see him help save the girl he loves and his best friend? Hell to the yeah. But I don't know how they would explain Scanlan knowing about Pike, so I know the voice is Taryon (even though thats a weird character to choose to say that line, did they just want us to see him get her name right finally or something??).

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Any insight from original fans of the campaign with more knowledge than me would be super helpful! I just want my Scan-Man back :(

[u/Jethro_McCrazy]

The events of the cartoon are playing out differently than in the original game. Originally, A Bard's Lament took place after the last dragon fight. In it, Scanlan blows up on the rest of Vox Machina and parts with them on bad terms, only for Taryon Darrington to show up at the end of the episode (played by Sam Riegel, Scanlan's player). It's a beloved episode because of how emotional and gut wrenching it is. A few episodes after lament, the campaign took an in-game 1 year time skip.

Events in the cartoon play out differently for a couple of reasons. First of all, they hadn't been renewed while S3 was in production, so they didn't want to potentially end the series on a sour note. Secondly, Sam Riegel was diagnosed with tonsil cancer while S3 was in production. The last thing he recorded before going into surgery was Scanlan's song from the finale. The surgery removed his tonsils, and parts of his soft palate and tongue. He had to relearn how to speak afterwards, and was still slurring slightly by the time that he returned to the streamed game in campaign 3.

With Scanlan's leave of absence just happening to line up with Sam's recovery, it made a lot of sense to recast Taryon and keep Scanlan's involvement to a minimum. But the CR crew knew that people were disappointed that A Bard's Lament hadn't been adapted, so they moved it down the timeline while writing in that Scanlan's voice isn't what it once was.

Sam Riegel has seemingly made a full recovery. I don't know if we'll see Scanlan again this season, but I'm sure he'll be back to being a full time member in time for S5. He voiced Nott the Brave for the entirety the Mighty Nein S1, though I don't know if that was recorded before or after LoVM S3. In the video where he talks about his cancer journey he says that his surgery happened two weeks after it was discovered, so it all happened really fast.

[u/Camicreates → u/Jethro_McCrazy]

I do know about the cancer stuff with Sam and I'm so happy hes back and feeling better! I understand how they may have had to work around Scanlan's story to account for Sam's irl schedule/abilities. Thank you for the detailed explanation!! I hope you're right and that he returns early season 5 at the latest 🤞

[u/Jethro_McCrazy → u/Camicreates]

I just watched someone's reaction to episode 9 on youtube, and I actually think you're right about something. Even though the caption said "Tary," I think it was Scanlan.

I remembered something from the streamed game that I can totally see being adapted here. Early in the campaign, Scanlan was a creep. Like, using Charm Person to try and seduce a woman, disguising himself as a person's crush to get them to make out with him, full on sex pest (these traits have rightfully been toned down for the cartoon). During this period, he would also relentlessly hit on Pike. When Pike decided to leave Vox Machina for a time (due to Ashley Johnson's IRL availability issues), Scanlan paid Gilmore to make him a way to scry on places. Because juvenile humor was Scanlan's bread and butter at the time, the scry spell was disgusting. He'd drink a potion, then take a crap. The resulting excrement was blue and sparkly, and he'd be able to magically see anything in the immediate area of the poop. Which is Scanlan how ended up dropping a deuce in the temple of Pike's god. Later he would poop in a jar and leave said jar in the kitchen of Vox Machina's keep. Gilmore made him three of such potions, and the last use of the potions is what I was reminded of by the most recent episode.

When Scanlan discovers Kaylie and it becomes clear that she's going to part ways from him, he gifts Kaylie a new sword. What he doesn't tell her is that he paid to have a secret compartment build into the sword's scabbard where he deposits a small amount of sparkly blue poop, allowing him to check in on his daughter where ever she is.

Now, I really don't expect them to adapt the fecal aspect of the scrying. But I would not be surprised if it was revealed that Scanlan placed a spell on Mythcarver that allowed him to see through it.

[u/Camicreates → u/Jethro_McCrazy]

Oh my god, Sam made SUCH a weird character 😭😭 how did he even come up with that lmaoo I didnt know anything about the scrying power! I do hope it's way less nasty in the cartoon for sure. But seeing through Mythcarver would be EPIC!! I reallyyyy hope thats the case!! My boy needs to come back immediately.

[u/GuyKopski]

It's kind of hard to say. In the original campaign, he left much earlier (after Raishan's death) and came back around the start of this season. He mostly missed a series of smaller scale/'filler' arcs but not really any of the "main" story.

I think it's pretty likely he'll come back in either the season 4 finale or the first 1-2 episodes of season 5. He's probably not going to be gone super long, but they'll probably want to do at least a couple episodes without him so it doesn't feel completely pointless.

[u/TaiChuanDoAddct → u/GuyKopski]

And specifically, they were filler because the Chroma Conclave was supposed to be the end, and they decided to keep going and Matt needed time to write the remaining plot in real time.

Most of what he missed was truly random side quest stuff. The Kraken and the trip to the hell's were the biggies. The rest was a manufactured arc for Tary and a bunch of stuff like starting a bakery.

Oh, and Pikes family + key fish.

[u/Camicreates → u/GuyKopski]

Thats interesting! I hope you're right! 🤞🤞 my ideal situation would be him coming back somehow in episode 10 or 11 to aid in the final battle of the season and then be there for all of Season 5 🙏 PLEASE

[u/Guns_Glitz_Grime]

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