wordplay - Superhero words!

Quietly walking among us are words which are actually superheroes in disguise! Just as Diana Prince spins around to become Wonder Woman, some seemingly ordinary words can spin around to reveal their super identities!

For example, STRESSED turns into DESSERTS just when you need it, and REVILED can turn around to DELIVER.

Meanwhile...
Poor little THINK is sitting all alone, thinking about how he could become the KNIGHT, if only he had a spare "G" ...

Just a mere mortal word without powers of transformation? Well, never fear! There is no shame in using an accessory (or ten) to enable your superpowers! (Respect, Batman, Green Lantern, and Iron Man!)

So now STINGIER can become the fiery REIGNITES(1), EMERGED can become the brilliant doctor DEGREE(2), and SALAMI can become fleet-footed IMPALAS(3)!
(1) with addition of an "E", sold separately
(2) after subtraction of an "M", not responsible for lost or missing pieces
(3) with addition of a "P", not included

But wait, there's more! With a well-stocked utility belt, some words can take on multiple transformations!

For example, DUAL becomes DUEL through the following transformation sequence:

 DUAL

.   .
 . .
  .         ---U-->
 . .
.   .
 LAD
.   .
 . .
  .         <--E---
 . .

.   .
 DEAL
.   .
 . .
  .         ---A-->
 . .
.   .
 LED
.   .
 . .

  .         <--U---
 . .
.   .
 DUEL

Now let's see if you can help other superhero words find their own transformation sequence!

At each step, you may add or subtract a letter as you choose. You don't need to alternate additions and subtractions.

As always, I construct my puzzles in such a way that they can be solved using only well-known words, so if you find yourself conjuring up increasingly obscure words, you may be overthinking it.

The first three are just to get you warmed up, while 4-8 are serious:

1.  start:  SCAM
    end:    MAGES
    (suggested 2 intermediate words)


2.  start:  TROOPER
    end:    TROOPED
    (suggested 3 intermediate words)



3.  start:  XENON
    end:    WOK
    (suggested 5 intermediate words)


4.  start:  SLEEPY
    end:    SLEEPER
    (suggested 16 intermediate words)



5.  start:  SEAPORT
    end:    SPIRITS
    (suggested 17 intermediate words)


6.  start:  KNIGHT
    end:    TIME
    (suggested 23 intermediate words)



7.  start:  GURU
    end:    SERIES
    (suggested 27 intermediate words)


8.  start:  BLOG
    end:    ABOUT
    (suggested 36 intermediate words)

Super helpful hints or diabolical distractions?
guar vs. gaur
taro vs. tarot

---

Epilogue:

Wow, we really got a refresher on some vocabulary-building words! GARS, DIT, DEMIT, SOU, SOT, SI, STIM, STOB, NOB, TA, TAT...

1-3 were nicely handled by @Mohirl

Note on 4:

The solution provided by @PiIsNot3 is well done. If you feel that LEE is no longer as well known as it once was, take a look at the solution provided by @arbitrahj which detours around it using

SEE --> EVES --> SEVER --> REVELS --> LEVER --> REEL

Alternative solution to 5:

SEAPORT --> TROPES --> SPORT --> TOPS --> POT --> TO --> OAT --> TARO --> RAT --> TARS --> SAT --> TEAS --> SET --> TIES --> SIT --> TIPS --> SPITS --> STRIPS --> SPIRITS

Alternative solution to 6:

KNIGHT --> THINK --> KNIT --> STINK --> NITS --> SIN --> IS --> SIT --> TIES --> SET --> TEAS --> SAT --> TARS --> RAT --> TARO --> OAT --> TO --> LOT --> TOIL --> LIT --> TILE --> RELIT --> TIER --> REMIT --> TIME

Note on 7:

The solution provided by @PiIsNot3 uses GARS. Here is an alternative to the segment from RAG to PAR:

RAG --> GARB --> BAG --> GRAB --> BAR --> CRAB --> ARC --> CRAP --> PAR

Alternative solution to 8:

BLOG --> GOB --> BOGS --> SOB --> BOBS --> BOB --> BOMB --> MOB --> BOOM --> MOO --> DOOM --> MOD --> DORM --> ROD --> DOER --> RED --> DEAR --> RAD --> DART --> TAD --> AT --> A --> AD --> DAB --> BAUD --> DUB --> BUDS --> SUB --> US --> SUN --> NUBS --> BUN --> SNUB --> BUS --> STUB --> BUT --> TUBA --> ABOUT

Answer

Partial

SLEEPY -> SLEEPER (14 words):

(Based off of arbitrahj’s answer)
SLEEPY
PEELS
SEEP

PEE
WEEP
PEW
WE
EWE
EWES
SEE
EELS
LEE
REEL

LEPER
REPELS
SLEEPER

SEAPORT -> SPIRITS (11 words):

SEAPORT
TROPES
SPORT
TOPS

SOT (not sure if this is considered a “common” word or not)
TOES
SET
TIES
SIT
TIPS
SPITS
STRIPS
SPIRITS

KNIGHT -> TIME (11 words):

KNIGHT
THINK
KNIT
TIN
IT
TIP
PI
DIP

ID
DIT
TIED
DEMIT
TIME

GURU -> SERIES (25 words)

GURU
RUG

GUAR
RAG
GARS
SAG
GAPS
SPA
RAPS
PAR
RAPT
TAR

AT
TAD
DART
RAD
DEAR
RED
DEER
REEDS
SEER
FREES

SERF
FIRES
SERIFS
SIRES
SERIES

BLOG -> ABOUT (20 words):

BLOG
GOB (?)

BONG
NOB (?)
BORN
ROB
OR
ROD
DO
SOD
DUOS
SOU (?)

US
SUN
NUBS
BUN
SNUB
BUS
STUB
BUT
TUBA
ABOUT