Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian

Head of House Ladrian, special constable, and a Twinborn who Pushes metals and stores weight. He's spent two books grieving Lessie and raging at Harmony; this book kills him, sends him before his god, and hands him the choice to come back as Harmony's sword.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Grief as a cage you build yourself; Underestimation as a weapon; Faith, doubt, and unreliable gods; Family as the deepest infiltration

Wayne

Wax's best friend and deputy, a master of disguises who creates speed bubbles and stores health in goldminds. He sabotages Wax's wedding out of loyalty, saves Wax's life in the pit, and seemingly kills Telsin — who slips away anyway.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Family as the deepest infiltration

Marasi Colms

A constable reporting directly to Governor Claude Aradel, Steris's illegitimate half-sister, and a Pulser who slows time in a bubble. She claims the cube, recovers ReLuur's spike, and is the one who finds the real Bands of Mourning.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Underestimation as a weapon; Family as the deepest infiltration

Steris Harms

Wax's betrothed, a wealthy noblewoman famous for being a bore — and for contingency plans that save lives. She proves invaluable in the New Seran infiltration and escape, and finally hears Wax say he loves her.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Grief as a cage you build yourself; Underestimation as a weapon; Family as the deepest infiltration

MeLaan

A kandra of the Seventh Generation who worked with TenSoon in the original trilogy and helped take down Bleeder. She joins the mission and is incapacitated when Telsin springs her trap at the temple.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 3: The Temple of Lies
Themes:: Family as the deepest infiltration

Edwarn Ladrian

Wax's uncle, former lord of House Ladrian, and a high-ranking Set member who frames Wax for murder. He bought Allomancy through Hemalurgy, opens the temple's final door, and dies in prison to a servant of Trell's bomb.

Appears in:: Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face

Telsin Ladrian

Wax's sister, unseen for decades and believed a Set captive. She's actually the Set's leader, ranked above Edwarn; she shoots Wax down and escapes even after Wayne seemingly kills her.

Appears in:: Part 1: The Wedding That Never Was; Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Family as the deepest infiltration

Allik

A wooden-masked prisoner of the Set from a frozen land beyond the Roughs. His medallions grant powers to anyone, his people's savior wore a spike through his right eye, and his airship carries the team home.

Appears in:: Part 2: New Seran: Murder, Frames, and a Cube That Eats Power; Part 3: The Temple of Lies; Part 4: Beyond Death, and the Survivor's Face
Themes:: Underestimation as a weapon; Faith, doubt, and unreliable gods

How they are connected

Key relationships

Wayne Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian
Wax's best friend and deputy, a master of disguises who creates speed bubbles and stores health in goldminds.
Wayne Telsin Ladrian
He sabotages Wax's wedding out of loyalty, saves Wax's life in the pit, and seemingly kills Telsin — who slips away anyway.
Marasi Colms Steris Harms
A constable reporting directly to Governor Claude Aradel, Steris's illegitimate half-sister, and a Pulser who slows time in a bubble.
Steris Harms Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian
Wax's betrothed, a wealthy noblewoman famous for being a bore — and for contingency plans that save lives.
MeLaan Telsin Ladrian
She joins the mission and is incapacitated when Telsin springs her trap at the temple.
Edwarn Ladrian Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian
Wax's uncle, former lord of House Ladrian, and a high-ranking Set member who frames Wax for murder.
Telsin Ladrian Waxillium "Wax" Ladrian
Wax's sister, unseen for decades and believed a Set captive.
Telsin Ladrian Edwarn Ladrian
She's actually the Set's leader, ranked above Edwarn; she shoots Wax down and escapes even after Wayne seemingly kills her.

Go deeper

Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning themes & symbols

Grief as a cage you build yourself · Underestimation as a weapon · Faith, doubt, and unreliable gods · Family as the deepest infiltration

Themes explained

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