Mistborn: The Hero of Ages Characters: Full List & Analysis

Who drives the story

Main characters

Vin Venture

Empress and Mistborn, believed by nearly everyone—including herself—to be the prophesied Hero of Ages. She spends the book protecting humanity's remnants, discovers her mother's earring was a Hemalurgic spike blocking Preservation, Ascends to become Preservation, and annihilates Ruin at the cost of her own life.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 2: The Trap at Fadrex City; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice; Part 4: The Pits of Hathsin
Themes:: Faith and Its Loss; Prophecy as a Weapon; The Cost of Salvation; Creation Needs Destruction; Trust and Control

Elend Venture

Emperor, scholar-turned-warrior, given extraordinary Mistborn power by Preservation's dying gift. He leads humanity's last army to the Pits of Hathsin, burns away Ruin's body atium, and dies smiling at Marsh's axe, knowing they have won.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 2: The Trap at Fadrex City; Part 4: The Pits of Hathsin
Themes:: Faith and Its Loss; The Cost of Salvation; Trust and Control

Sazed

A Terrisman Keeper crushed by Tindwyl's death, who has abandoned his metalminds and his faith while secretly studying every religion he has stored. He discovers the Hero of Ages prophecy points to his own copperminds, takes up both fallen powers as Harmony, and remakes the world.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice; Part 4: The Pits of Hathsin
Themes:: Faith and Its Loss; Prophecy as a Weapon; Trust and Control

TenSoon

A kandra who broke his people's laws to tell Vin the truth, sentenced to death for it. He escapes, convinces the kandra that the Resolution is real, and leads them to aid humanity in the final battle.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice
Themes:: The Cost of Salvation; Trust and Control

Spook

The crew's young spy in Urteau, now a tin savant whose flared senses make him vulnerable to Ruin's voice posing as Kelsier. He rips out his spike to save the city, suffering permanent burns, and is later healed and made a Mistborn by Sazed.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice
Themes:: The Cost of Salvation; Trust and Control

Marsh

Kelsier's brother, a Steel Inquisitor controlled by Ruin. In flashes of will he rips Vin's spike free and apologizes; under control, he kills Elend and the last Terris Keepers.

Appears in:: Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice; Part 4: The Pits of Hathsin
Themes:: Trust and Control

Breeze and Ham

Kelsier's veterans: Breeze the aristocratic Soother, Ham the Pewterarm who loves philosophical arguments. They work Urteau's politics with Sazed and survive into the new world.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice

Quellion, the Citizen

Skaa ruler of rebel Urteau, an extremist of the Church of the Survivor who burns nobles alive. His enforcement depends on a spike-driven monster Spook exposes.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice

Ruin

The god of destruction, freed by Vin at the Well of Ascension, who manipulates prophecies, spikes, and armies to end the world—and is destroyed by the very humanity he helped create.

Appears in:: Part 1: A World Drowning in Ash; Part 2: The Trap at Fadrex City; Part 3: Ascension and Sacrifice; Part 4: The Pits of Hathsin
Themes:: Prophecy as a Weapon; Creation Needs Destruction; Trust and Control

Also in the story

Supporting characters

Yomen

The obligator king of Fadrex City, a Seer with a bead of atium who genuinely believes the Lord Ruler still lives. He captures Vin and holds the cache against negotiation.

Appears in:: Part 2: The Trap at Fadrex City

How they are connected

Key relationships

Vin Venture Ruin
She spends the book protecting humanity's remnants, discovers her mother's earring was a Hemalurgic spike blocking Preservation, Ascends to become Preservation, and annihilates Ruin at the cost of her own life.
Elend Venture Marsh
He leads humanity's last army to the Pits of Hathsin, burns away Ruin's body atium, and dies smiling at Marsh's axe, knowing they have won.
Elend Venture Ruin
He leads humanity's last army to the Pits of Hathsin, burns away Ruin's body atium, and dies smiling at Marsh's axe, knowing they have won.
TenSoon Vin Venture
A kandra who broke his people's laws to tell Vin the truth, sentenced to death for it.
Spook Ruin
The crew's young spy in Urteau, now a tin savant whose flared senses make him vulnerable to Ruin's voice posing as Kelsier.
Spook Sazed
He rips out his spike to save the city, suffering permanent burns, and is later healed and made a Mistborn by Sazed.
Marsh Ruin
Kelsier's brother, a Steel Inquisitor controlled by Ruin.
Marsh Vin Venture
In flashes of will he rips Vin's spike free and apologizes; under control, he kills Elend and the last Terris Keepers.
Breeze and Ham Sazed
They work Urteau's politics with Sazed and survive into the new world.
Yomen Vin Venture
He captures Vin and holds the cache against negotiation.
Quellion, the Citizen Spook
His enforcement depends on a spike-driven monster Spook exposes.

Go deeper

Mistborn: The Hero of Ages themes & symbols

Faith and Its Loss · Prophecy as a Weapon · The Cost of Salvation · Creation Needs Destruction

Themes explained

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