Mistborn: The Final Empire Discussion #4

Saloni, from MyFantabulousBookShelf, and I are reading the Misborn trilogy over the summer and occasionally we have discussion posts to discuss the different sections throughout the books. Just was a warning, this post will contain spoilers through section four of the first novel, so if you have not read it or are not up to that point yet, wait to read this post.

Do you think Kelsier really died?

Courtney: I don’t really see any possibility for there to be a different outcome. The fight was rather detailed and Vin saw his body afterward, I don’t see how he could have survived. It’s possible that it was some kind of imposter but since they were using Allomancy I don’t think that is likely. That scene was heartbreaking to read. I also feel like this will somehow play into his plans. I’m not sure exactly how this would have been included, but I feel like he had a plan that the others didn’t know about that had this built in as a possibility.  

Saloni: For some reason I don’t think he really died. I know all the evidence seems to point towards his death, but there just seems to be something missing. His death was too short and quick to be real. I think this might be where the Terrisman’s powers come into play, perhaps the aspect of Vin being able to access the Terrisman’s powers. I’m not completely sure, but I think this aspect will play a role in the future.

Do you think the Inquisitors broke Marsh or that their information was obtained some other way?

Courtney: I don’t feel like we have enough information about what happened to Marsh to really know for sure. I don’t think they broke him though. I kind of feel like that would have come out in Kelsier’s fight with the Inquisitor if they had because he could have used the information against Kelsier to defeat him more easily. If Marsh broke then they would have known his relationship to Kelsier. That seems like too valuable of information to ignore.    

Saloni: It seems too easy that the inquisitors broke Marsh, too predictable. I really don’t think Marsh would have betrayed them that easily, especially after going through the effort of trying to blend in with the Ministry. Perhaps they have a spy on the crew? I hate to say this but maybe Sazed, Breeze, or Spook?

What do you think the crew will do now that they no longer have Kelsier to lead them?

Courtney: Things are once again up in the air it seems. Without Kelsier’s passion for the job the others will lack focus. However, since they all loved Kelsier so much I don’t think they will completely abandon the mission. And again, I feel like Kelsier will have had a plan that included this possibility and some way of informing them. He wouldn’t die without some way for his plans to go forward, he was too smart for that. 

Saloni: While Kelsier’s death wasn’t as noble as it could have been, I think his death will spur the skaa and the rest of the crewmembers to take action and avenge Kelsier. His death will serve to push everyone else over the edge, hopefully furthering his plan.

Why do you think Elend is so interested in skaa? Do you think it’s more than curiosity?

Courtney: Elend has shown extreme interest in skaa where other nobility just ignore them. He isn’t even bothered by the fact that Vin is skaa (he even seems rather intrigued by the possibility that he’s falling in love with a skaa woman). Where this curiosity stems from I’m not sure, but I think it’s more than just the idle curiosity of a bored lord. He has to have reasons for his interest in them. 

Saloni: There’s something quite interesting about Elend. He seems very disinterested in the lives of other nobility but is very interested in skaa life. I agree that it probably stems more than from simple curiosity, what it is exactly I’m not sure. Perhaps something to do with his childhood/ past? A theory is that perhaps he actually was skaa from birth and somehow ended up as the heir to the largest noble house.

Do you think that the Lord Ruler’s overwhelming power (even when a Smoker is present) is simply because he’s stronger or because something else is aiding him?

Courtney: The end of this section is the first time we’ve actually seen the Lord Ruler (through Vin’s eyes). I’m not sure if it’s that he’s extremely powerful on his own and can thus break through a copper cloud or if there is some other explanation for his extreme display of allomantic strength. I also think the fact that he wears so much metal has to be important somehow. 

Saloni: I would say that something is most definitely aiding him. Everyone has a weakness, and I don’t think the Lord Ruler is any different, especially since he wasn’t always like this. His power is linked to something, perhaps a rare metal supply like the Eleventh metal? Since we’ve gotten to see bits and pieces of his past, we can tell that there’s a Before and an After, now we just have to find out what’s separating these two.