Scanlan’s Absence In The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 Explained

Warning! This article contains some mild spoilers for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4.

Scanlan has not yet appeared in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, raising questions about his absence. Scanlan is one of The Legend of Vox Machina‘s lead characters, or at least, he had been as of season 3’s ending. Admittedly, the ending of The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 teased a new status quo for the team; after the defeat of the Chroma Conclave, a two-season-long battle, the team went their separate ways to complete their own personal missions.

This included Scanlan, who found out he had a daughter, Kaylie, in The Legend of Vox Machina season 2. Throughout seasons 2 and most of season 3, Scanlan was not his typical self, torn between his duty to Tal’Dorei and his desire to make up for lost time. Ultimately, Scanlan decided the latter was more important, setting the stage for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, which began a year later and showcased Keyleth completing her Aramenté alongside Vax, Vex and Percy living the life of Whitestone nobility, and Pike and Grog longing for more adventures.

Although The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 checked back in with each of the titular team’s members, one strange absentee was Scanlan himself. As opposed to showing what the gnomish bard is getting up to with Kaylie a year later, the show left him in the wings, replacing him with The Legend of Vox Machina season 4’s Taryon Darrington. As for where Scanlan is, the answer lies in the aforementioned knowledge of his daughter’s existence.

Scanlan Is Unlikely To Abandon Kaylie After Their Reunion

While it remains the case that The Legend of Vox Machina has established that Scanlan is traveling the world with Kaylie, the show did not bring them back into the fold. Unlike with the other groups, Pike and Grog, Keyleth and Vax, and Percy and Vex, The Legend of Vox Machina season 4’s first three episodes did not include any strange goings-on with the show’s new villains where Scanlan and Kaylie are concerned. This meant that this duo was not reunited with the others, which, as disappointing as it may be, somewhat makes sense.

After all, Scanlan’s absence from the show is personal, with the bard wanting to spend time with his formerly estranged daughter. Conversely, the other characters were still relatively involved in the wider worldbuilding of the fantasy show, be it the politics of Whitestone, the dangers of Keyleth’s Aramanté, or the introduction of Taryon Darrington. For Scanlan and Kaylie, they were off traveling, performing, and, likely, drinking.

After so many years apart and such a big focus on Scanlan’s desire to be closer to his daughter, it makes sense that he would not want to abandon her again, not unless absolutely necessary. For now, at least, The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 has not felt it necessary to reintroduce Scanlan, with the other characters involved likely feeling the same.

Scanlan Was Becoming Disillusioned With Vox Machina Life

As alluded to, another reason for Scanlan’s departure from Vox Machina is the dangerous life of a hero. Combined with his paternal instincts, Scanlan began to feel disillusioned with the lifestyle he led as part of the titular group. This was also teased in The Legend of Vox Machina season 3, with Scanlan leaving the group right before their return to Whitestone. Scanlan tried to find Kaylie here, too, but was unable to, only to return to the news that Percy had died while he was away.

This, naturally, devastated Scanlan, who both criticized himself for not being around to help and felt the pull towards Kaylie even more, due to the reminder of how short life can be. Although Scanlan helped in the final battle against Thordak and, subsequently, Raishan, he still felt a calling for a life beyond that of a mercenary. This disillusionment, added to the emergence of Kaylie, remains a key reason for his semi-retirement from The Legend of Vox Machina.

Did Scanlan Leave Vox Machina In The Original Critical Role Campaign?

With The Legend of Vox Machina being based on the original Critical Role tabletop campaign, many will be wondering whether Scanlan’s absence in the former is adapted from the latter. The simple answer is yes, Scanlan also left Vox Machina during Critical Role‘s first campaign. However, the way it transpired was slightly different, given the broader alterations made to streamline the Critical Role story into seasons of a TV show.

In Critical Role, Scanlan was actually killed during the battle with Raishan. Although he was revived, he did not wake up from a coma until Kaylie was brought to see him. The latter element was part of The Legend of Vox Machina season 3, but Scanlan was never killed, and not by Raishan. Instead, the TV show showed him being knocked unconscious by Thordak after destroying the dragon’s eggs, with the ensuing coma not being lifted until Kaylie’s arrival. The elements after Scanlan wakes up are also different in Critical Role compared to The Legend of Vox Machina.

Scanlan’s departure from the group is actually much more unharmonious, with the gnome angrily berating his friends for never caring enough to get to know him, treating him only as entertainment and comedic relief. The Legend of Vox Machina included some of this, with Scanlan being angry that none of the others seem to care about Kaylie, but nowhere near to the same extent.

Evidently, there are both similarities and differences between Critical Role and The Legend of Vox Machina where Scanlan’s departure is concerned. The TV show makes Scanlan’s choice a lot more rooted in his desire to be a good father, while the original campaign balanced that with his feeling of being undervalued by his friends.

Scanlan Will Appear In The Legend Of Vox Machina Season 4 (But Not Full-Time)

All that said, fear not, Scanlan fans. The gnomish bard will still appear in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, but, as established in the first three episodes, not as a full-time character. The reveal that Scanlan will still play a role in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 came in the show’s first trailer, with the party member appearing in several different scenes. One seems to be from Scanlan’s first reunion with the group, with the gnome remarking, “Classic Vox Mox!”

Later in the trailer, it is teased that Scanlan has a more active role in the plot, in typical bard fashion. These scenes show Scanlan playing his various instruments in what seems to be a bard battle against another musician. How exactly this makes its way into The Legend of Vox Machina season 4 remains to be seen, but it at least confirms Scanlan’s appearance down the line. Given the inclusion of Taryon Darrington, though, it is clear that Scanlan’s capacity in season 4 will only be brief.

Why Scanlan Will Probably Return In The Legend Of Vox Machina’s Final Season

Image via Prime Video

Concerning a full-time return, Scanlan will likely reclaim his place in The Legend of Vox Machina in the show’s fifth and final season. From a narrative perspective, season 4 will likely keep Scanlan mostly removed from the events with its new villains while the rest of the team tries to stop things from escalating. However, the overarching story that begins in season 4 will lead into season 5, which will conclude the entire show.

This only means that the story and stakes will escalate, bringing Scanlan back into the fold. Using both storytelling logic and the foundations of Critical Role, the battle that faces Vox Machina in season 5 will simply be too big and too important for Scanlan to ignore. After all, The Legend of Vox Machina cannot end without the Scan-Scan Man being involved once more, reversing his absence from season 4 for one final battle.

Release Date

January 27, 2022

Network

Prime Video

Showrunner

Brandon Auman

Directors

Young Heller, Eugene Lee, Alicia Chan

Writers

Eugene Son, Travis Willingham, Chris Wyatt, Kevin Burke, Suzanne Keilly, Mae Catt, Todd Casey, Ashly Burch, May Chan, Marc Bernardin

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  Laura Bailey

  Vex’ahlia (voice)

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  Taliesin Jaffe

  Percy (voice)