"Scanbo" (LVM1x07) is the seventh episode of the first season of The Legend of Vox Machina. As Vox Machina discovers more about a revenge pact Percy made years ago, Keyleth tries to magically connect with the Sun Tree. She senses its pain as well as a dark force deep below the city of Whitestone. Feeling underappreciated, Scanlan volunteers to infiltrate Duke Vedmire’s mansion as a distraction while Vox Machina attempts to rescue Percy’s sister Cassandra.
Plot summary[]
Professor Anders tutors Percy and Cassandra about the uses of residuum, a mineral refined from the natural whitestone from which the town gets its name. Cassandra teases and pranks Percy during the lesson. The de Rolo parents interrupt and Anders gets into an argument with them over his requests for a refinery.
Back in the present day, Archibald Desnay tells Vox Machina that he is going to spread the word of their victory over Kerrion Stonefell to the other rebels. Vax angrily confronts Percy about pointing The List at him, and Vex asks him how he first created the pepperbox.
Percy tells them of his escape from the Briarwoods, and how he lived on the streets for a time in hiding. During this time he was plagued with nightmares, but in one dream he had a vision of the pepperbox, which he eventually manufactured. In the flashback, as he creates the gun, Percy is wreathed in black smoke. When he is done, Grog asks him about what is inscribed on the barrels.
As Percy tells this story, Keyleth communes with the Sun Tree and receives visions of necromantic magic in its roots, likely leading to its weakened state. She tries to provide it with some sunlight, but accidentally sets some of the roots on fire, which interrupts the rest of the party's discussion of Percy's guns. Vex and Vax argue about Keyleth potentially blowing their cover, but Archie returns. Percy tells Archie that he needs to know how Cassandra is doing, but Archie tells him that it's too dangerous to get her directly. Instead, the party should go after one of the New Nobles and burn down their house as a distraction. Scanlan volunteers. The party is largely skeptical, but he argues that he is highly suited to be an annoyance, and they reluctantly agree.
Scanlan plays some music to lure a few guards away from their post, and is able to sneak onto Goran Vedmire's property. He climbs in through a window only to interrupt Vedmire himself. Scanlan runs away through the house and becomes trapped in a room full of guards. He drinks one of his potions and finds that it allows him to teleport, which helps him escape the guards, but the effect wears off just as Vedmire confronts him again. Scanlan drinks his second potion and shrinks, which he initially finds frustrating but is again able to escape. That potion wears off too, and he drinks a third potion, which appears initially to only upset his stomach. The guards capture him and Vedmire approaches, just as Scanlan finds that the potion is one of fire-breathing. He injures Vedmire and a number of guards, and sets the house on fire as planned.
During Scanlan's infiltration, Vox Machina rests in their hideout with Archie. Vex asks Percy if he's thinking about Cassandra. Percy admits that Cassandra was very irritating as a younger sibling, and Vex remarks that she sounds a little like Scanlan. Percy agrees, and remarks that he hopes Cassandra is okay. Vex admits that she's worried about Scanlan.
Back at Vedmire's house, Scanlan escapes into an empty room full of hunting trophies and finds a battle map of Tal'Dorei featuring various locations, including Westruun, Emon and Fort Daxio. He wonders what it might be for, but, as Vedmire is breaking down the door, must abandon it. He sings the words on the scroll he'd previously stolen from Brimscythe's lair, and becomes a triceratops. He breaks through the door and rampages through the house, eventually escaping to the roof and resuming his normal form. Vedmire follows.
Screenshot of Grog, by Titmouse from "Scanbo" (LVM1x07).[art 1]
Back at the hideout, Vox Machina debate what to do until Vax notices that the house is on fire, indicating Scanlan had succeeded. Archie leaves to get the rebels. The rest initially begin a careful infiltration of Anders's house, until Grog becomes impatient and breaks through the door, where there are a number of archers stationed. They shoot Grog, but this only sets him on his own rampage. The rest of Vox Machina present join him.
On the roof, Vedmire attacks Scanlan, who initially is unable to effectively fight back until he concentrates and is able to shoot lightning from his crotch, injuring Vedmire. Scanlan then summons his hand to carry him off the roof while flipping off Vedmire.
As the rest of the party fights the guards, Percy finds Anders in his study in the back. Cassandra is also in the study, and Anders takes her hostage. Percy threatens Anders with his gun, but Anders slits Cassandra's throat, leaving her to bleed out.
Credits[]
Cast[]
End credits list main cast, then guest cast in alphabetical order.
- Laura Bailey as Vex'ahlia
- Taliesin Jaffe as Percy
- Ashley Johnson as Pike
- Matthew Mercer as Pale Guard, Game Master, additional voices
- Liam O'Brien as Vax'ildan
- Marisha Ray as Keyleth
- Sam Riegel as Scanlan
- Travis Willingham as Grog
Crew[]
Featured characters[]
Vox Machina[]
- Keyleth
- Percival de Rolo
- Scanlan Shorthalt
- Grog Strongjaw
Pike Trickfoot(absent)- Vax'ildan
- Vex'ahlia
Returning[]
New[]
Mentioned[]
Quotations[]
- Duke Vedmire: I'm afraid this performance is over. You're weak. You're small. And in this world, that means you lose.
Scanlan: Wait, wait, wait. It's true. I'm all talk. Everyone thinks I'm a joke. But the brothels have taught me one thing: size doesn't matter. It's how you use it.[1]
Trivia[]
- The name of this episode is a reference to the character John Rambo from the Rambo series of action films. A "Rambo" is defined as "an exceptionally tough, aggressive man".[2]
- As a surprise for Matt, the design team intentionally designed a character model that looked like him to appear in each episode.[3] The character in this episode, who is also voiced by Matt, is a guard who appears to be running a D&D game for his fellow guards.
- This episode adapts "Gunpowder Plot" (1x31).
References[]
- ↑ See "Scanbo" (LVM1x07) at 20:35.
- ↑ See "Rambo" at Lexico.com, a collaboration between Dictionary.com and Oxford University Press.
- ↑
Matthew Mercer (@matthewmercer) on Twitter: "Oh... it was VERY intentional. (Not on MY part, but definitely on the design team's as a surprise)" (2022-01-28) — in reply to @ThatNerdGurl_: "Need to know if the animators intentionally modeled an NPC to look like @matthewmercer for each episode"
Art: