The Legend of Vox Machina's favorite bard is back! Well, for a little while, anyway. The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 8 follows through on the previous chapter's parting promise: the gang does, indeed, track down Scanlan. Scanlan's been MIA for most of the current season, with newcomer Taryon Darrington replacing him as the seventh member of the team. However, with recent episodes establishing that the show's heroes need Mythcarver to beat the Whispered One, finding Scanlan becomes a priority. SPOILERS ahead for The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 8.
Fortunately, locating the bard doesn't prove all that difficult, as his spice dealer is apparently very open to bribes. He gives up Scanlan and Kaylie's traveling cabaret easily, so "The Bard's Lament" opens with Vox Machina showing up at their latest show. Scanlan's distressed by their presence, confirming that he really has been avoiding them. His feelings about their sudden arrival kick The Legend of Vox Machina season 4's drama into high gear. The long-awaited reunion also gives the Prime Video series one of its coolest action sequences yet.
Scanlan's return in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 8 kicks the drama into high gear
If there were any questions about Scanlan's true feelings in previous episodes of The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, "The Bard's Lament" wastes no time clearing them up. As soon as Vox Machina arrives at his and Kaylie's performance, he freaks out about it. His resentments and fears coming spilling out, with Scanlan telling Kaylie, "I'm not exactly my best self around them."
Scanlan doesn't believe the group would visit purely out of love, either, and they spend much of Episode 8 trying to convince him otherwise. There's a lot of kicking under tables every time cultists and zombie ninjas come up. They can't keep their true reason for visiting hidden forever, though.
As a show of friendship, Vox Machina agrees to do spice with Scanlan — and they actually seem to enjoy each other's company for a while. When Scanlan's called back on stage, however, he reveals he's turned Mythcarver into a guitar. It's as absurd as it is impressive, but the appearance of the Vestige of Divergence leads to a slip-up. Grog happily admits how convenient its arrival is, since getting the sword is "the whole reason" they're there. The admission infuriates Scanlan, and understandably so.
Scanlan unloads on the group, hitting them with his own harsh truths. "You only kept me around 'cause I make jokes, play songs, give you a fancy chateau, and feed you f***ing chicken," he tells them. When they insist they love him, he shoots back that they barely know him. It's another display of The Legend of Vox Machina's excellent character work. The series unpacks what it is to be the comic-relief character from his own perspective. It proves that the archetype demands the same depth and growth as any other. It uses Scanlan to show exactly what that looks like. Sam Riegel does an impressive job with the voice performance, selling all the complicated emotions warring within his character.
Following his angry outburst, the bard kicks his old friends out of Château Shorthalt, something that upsets Pike most of all. Pike continues to struggle the most with Vox Machina's strange new dynamics, and her pain in this episode is as palpable as Scanlan's. Both give Kaylie the chance to be the voice of reason, endearing us further to Scanlan's daughter. Hopefully, she'll convince him to rejoin Vox Machina eventually. "The Bard's Lament" does throw him into action once, at least, before having him part ways with the group again.
The action in "The Bard's Lament" is some of the strongest of the entire show
Scanlan may be reluctant to get looped into Vox Machina's latest conflict, but he's not given much of a choice in "The Bard's Lament." At the beginning of the episode, a guitarist appears to audition for his and Kaylie's group. His intentions turn out to be more sinister than that, as he's one of the Whispered One's acolytes — and is also hoping to get his hands on Mythcarver.
He reveals himself just after Scanlan kicks Vox Machina out of the chateau, nearly making off with the sword-turned-guitar. Scanlan and the team run after him, and our favorite bard is forced to join the fray. He and the thief end up having a musical face-off, which is every bit as fun as it sounds. It's also stunningly animated to boot. It's one of the series' most distinct action sequences, and it gives the team a chance to come together again.
After spending the episode referencing his a cappella skills, Taryon suggests that they lend their voices to the showdown. It's enough to give Scanlan an edge, temporarily incapacitating the new enemy. Of course, since he's one of the Whispered One's followers, he doesn't stay dead for long. He does retreat, though, leaving Mythcarver in the right hands for the time being.
When Scanlan parts ways with Vox Machina again — this time, after apologies and an emotional admission that he's still not sure who he is — he entrusts the Vestige to Pike. The two share a moment that offers hope for both of them healing. Whether that will stick remains to be seen, but "The Bard's Lament" leaves things on a somewhat upbeat note.
Verdict
Scanlan's return in The Legend of Vox Machina season 4, Episode 8 is everything we could've hoped for — well, with the exception of him deciding to stay behind at the end. "The Bard's Lament" really brings the group's issues to the surface, even if they're mostly carrying on as if everything's normal. Scanlan and Pike are struggling with the fallout of Vox Machina's adventures and separation, and though the others hide it better, they're probably not alone in that.
The emotional core of "The Bard's Lament" lands, and the later action balances it nicely. It could've gone further in resolving the group's issues, but it's a step in the right direction. And assuming we see Scanlan again (which we absolutely should), there'll be time to mend things later. For now, Vox Machina has what they need to fight the Whispered One. This leaves them precisely where they need to be with four episodes left in the season.
Episode grade: A
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