Get Captured in Words! discussion

**SPOILERS AHEAD! MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FINISHED READING THE ENTIRE BOOK.**

I’m currently writing this in the car on my labtop, on my way to Vancouver XD

I apologize for the inactivity here on GoodReads and everywhere else! I actually finished this book awhile ago, but have been busy with family over that I haven’t seen in a long time. My house was extremely crowded so I was only able to read at night, and I didn’t really take many notes.
I’m going to start the 2nd book today, as I can’t wait to see what happens next, but first let’s discuss the ending of The Final Empire. There’s been SO much that’s happened!

Honestly I’m not even sure where to begin. I guess I’ll start with Kelsier.

Kelsier:

Damn it Kelsier, you’re amazing.
A true hero. A genius. A sacrifice.

His fight to free Renoux and company was so well described and epic; his death was so tragically fast and heartbreaking. Half of his face was smacked off :( I’ll be honest, I was worried about Kelsier’s ulterior motive. I thought maybe he would kill the Lord Ruler, and take his place as dictator after being overwhelmed with power. I was worried about the actions he took to boost his reputation.

But I am happy that my worries were laid to rest.
His plan was brilliant. It still had many risks, but I love how it never felt too easy for the characters. Everything seemed to go wrong at all the perfect moments and there was never too much convenience. It was intense. For the most part I genuinely had no idea how things were going to work out.
For how big his ego was, he really had a meek role in the plan, giving himself as sacrifice to inspire the Skaa. This has a very obvious Jesus-like inspiration to it. In fact, when the Kandra (Renoux) stole Kelsier’s body it was somewhat like a resurrection scene, although I was expecting this Kandra to make an appearance to the Skaa and further inspire them, but I don’t think much happened once it took Kelsier’s body did it?

I’m sad Kelsier died, but his sacrifice put everything in motion. Thankfully it worked out and his death wasn’t in vain.

The Lord Ruler
Wow, I’m still so surprised that The Lord Ruler isn’t the man who was writing the journals, but is actually Rakesh the Terrisman. I guessed that he was using Feruchemy due to how many times the book talked about his jewelry, but I never put it together that that would make him a Terrisman, and of course the hero in the journal wasn’t of Terris descent. The description of how Sazed and The Lord Ruler deflate their bodies is so gross! XD And it’s just odd for me to picture Sazed all muscular and huge.

I did find it a bit odd how Vin was able to rip the metalmind bracer from The Lord Rulers body. I’m not sure how she gained such strength. I know it’s mentioned that she thinks she might have pulled on power from the mist, so hopefully this will get more of an explanation in the 2nd book.
What is it that The Lord Ruler was protecting everything from? Why are they all doomed?
This ‘Deepness’… maybe in some way he was able to hold it back but not defeat it? What is The well of Ascension???? I can’t wait to read book 2.

Elend:
Gentleman. Booklover. The new King.
I would serve under a king like him! Hopefully he will make a huge library, filled with books that were previously banned. I definitely ship him and Vin <3



Marsh:
OMG HE’S ALIVE!!!!! AND AN INQUISTOR WOAAAAAHHHH!!!
I was so excited to see Marsh return! I’m curious though, I always assumed that Inquisitors all had that sort of creepy personality, perhaps from undergoing whatever procedure. But Marsh is still himself, just with two large spikes through his face and 9 more in his body. All the other inquisitors just seemed so…… creepy. I wonder what type of procedure he had to go through, and why there was so much blood?

Vin:
SHE DID IT. SHE KILLED THE LORD RULER.
Vin is an amazing protagonist and I really grew to like her. I felt like her trust issues got a bit old at times, but I still really liked her. I was really worried during the time that she had no Allomantic powers!
I was very surprised to see her brother never betrayed her, and lied even through all the torture.
Hmmm I wonder if maybe Vin’s mom killed her other daughter (Vin’s sister) in order to have a body to lead the Inquisitor’s away? So they would assume the half-blood child was dead? Or maybe she was just psycho. Either way it’s pretty horrible.


BUT WOW THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD! TIME TO READ THE 2ND ONE!

This was such a perfect book, plus this is such a perfect analysis of it, that I really have nothing to add. Our moderator has done it again, offered us inside info, gave the reading added dimension, shared inner thoughts and raised questions that only someone who has read a lot of Fantasy would think of.

I will not go over the things Jay wrote, I agree 100%, except about his initial fear that Kelsier might have an inner motive to take the Lord Ruler's throne. To me, he was - and is - the perfect man with unending impeccable morality. His death gutted me, I didn't expect it because this is a Trilogy. For two days after he was slain I refused to finish the novel, I lost all interest in it. Then I calmed down and read the last 70 pages and was very compensated. Still, I can't imagine two more Mistborn books without him (I see that there are actually six books? I thought this was a Trilogy and not a series!)

I would serve under Elend too! Rarely does a book have two amazing male leading characters (Frodo and Sam) and it's even more rare when they're not on the same side, as here, yet they're both great (only Kell and Alucard come to mind apart from this book here). A one in a million guy! Vin's cries "you came back!" towards the end really moved me. Him being the new King is my main motive for starting the Well of Ascension tonight.

I was shocked with Marsh, not so much because of him being alive at the end, or because he was chosen to be turned into an Inquisitor, but - like Jay - by the fact that his mind and soul, his personality and integrity weren't corrupted by this transformation. He remained loyal to the Skaa cause even with all those long nails going through him. Does this mean all Inquisitors are like that? So they were disgusting sadistic monsters even before they were turned? Also, did the book specify it that only a true Mistborn can become an Inquisitor? Therefore, there are evil mistbors too (this seems legit, such power corrupts....)

Finishing this small contribution, I want to share an old question of mine that wasn't answered: The past years, every time I contemplated this book, one thing always popped out as its number one description: "This book is about what happens when the hero who was promised FAILS." So then, who is this hero who fails in this story? Is it Kelsier? Did he indeed fail, then? Or is it the unknown hero of a thousand years ago that faced the Deepness inside the Well of Ascension and failed because this Rakesh killed him and took his place? And did this happen before or after he defeated this Deepness idea? From Rakesh/Lord Ruler's last words, I gather the fight is not over and he was still needed to keep this world together. But why would this usurper Lord Ruler keep his old hated foe's diary that reveals all this as a relic, guarded inside his own palace for so many centuries then? Any thoughts?

PS: To me, a real hero in this story is Sazed!

Dimitris wrote: "This was such a perfect book, plus this is such a perfect analysis of it, that I really have nothing to add. Our moderator has done it again, offered us inside info, gave the reading added dimensio..."

Hahaha thank you for your kind words!

Man Kelsiers death gutted me as well :( My emotions were pretty much effected all day, I don't blame you for putting the book down. I thought for sure he would be in the next two books!

Oh and yes, this series is kind of 6 books. The next 3 books are part of a "new era" of Mistborn, and technically are a new series called "Wax and Wayne". There's actually a fourth book coming out for this new series as well! It looks a bit more Steampunk to me, as there is actually guns and stuff. So we got a lot of reading ahead of us! Oh and Sanderson has stated that he has two other planed trilogies that will take place in the Mistborn world! :O This man is busy.

Yes, it moved me as well when Vin yelled "You came back". Such a touching moment. Kelsier, Elend, and Vin are all such great characters, I love em.

Right!? I was so suprised to see that Marsh didn't loose any of his humanity and become this sadistic creature that we have seen with all of the Inquisitors. This must mean that the Inquisitors are all messed up and evil before their conversion, perhaps the Lord Ruler picks only the very sadistic to become a spike head. Hmmm I'm not sure if only full Mistborn can become Inquisitors or not...


That is a very good question. Hmmm I think the book being about a hero who fails is more so about The Lord Ruler, since he failed at becoming a hero and instead became a dictator. Because Kelsier was planning to eventually be a sacrifice anyway right, so technically he succeeded. ohhhh but good point, it could be about the hero who Rakesh killed! Good question, it can be interpreted multiple ways.
I never really thought about why The Lord Ruler would keep the old hero's journal... hmmm, well it is true that most physco/sociopaths who murder tend to keep a trinket from their victims and place them like a trophy. That's the only reason I can think of.
I still have no idea what The Lord Ruler has been protecting everyone from though...

YES SAZED!! He needs some appreciation!