Mistborn was right to keep his best permadeath (especially after an unexpected twist)

Born from the mists could have found a way around the death of one of its best characters, but the fantasy series was right to keep it permanent. Despite taking place in a world with a metal-based magic system, powerful deities, and many other fantastical elements, the Born from the mists the books take a realistic approach to mortality. Era 1 does not avoid the horrific impact of the Lord Ruler’s reign, nor does it prevent the losses that accompany any war. The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of All Ages all feature deaths of important characters, making it clear what is at stake in the story.

Born from the mists rarely undoes major losses – although you could argue that some of the Era 1 deaths deserve more attention – and that’s part of what makes Brandon Sanderson’s books so powerful. It’s even more impressive that Sanderson could have bypassed one of the saga’s biggest sacrifices, but chose not to. Mistborn: Secret History reveals that there is, in fact, a way to cheat death. However, Sanderson is right to leave Vin’s fate alone regardless of this fact.

The secret story was certain to keep Vin’s death permanent after Mistborn Era 1

The soap opera reveals that she and Elend moved on voluntarily

Mistborn: Secret History is essential reading before finishing Era 2, as the novel reveals that Kelsier is not as dead as The Final Empire suggests. Secret History unveils what happens to Kelsier after he is killed by the Lord Ruler in the first book, detailing his impact on the events that follow. It turns out that Kelsier is the one who stabs Elend at the end of The Well of Ascension, and he tries to stop Ruin throughout the original trilogy. He is not yet alive, but he refuses to go to the Afterlife.

AND Vin and Elend could have followed Kelsier’s example after dying in The Hero of All Ages. However, Secret History ends any hope of their survival, revealing that they venture into the Afterlife when they have the opportunity. This makes their deaths more permanent, but Sanderson is right to leave Vin and Elend’s fates final. Vin, in particular, makes a big choice by sacrificing her life at the end of The Hero of All Ages. His death is without a doubt the most powerful in the original Born from the mists trilogy, and it would be cheap to remake it.

Undoing Vin and Elend’s deaths would have diminished the Hero of the Ages’ ending

This would hinder Vin’s character growth throughout Mistborn Era 1

The Hero of All Ages offers one of the best fantasy endings out there, and later undoing Vin’s death Born from the mists book would weaken this ending. Sazed finding Vin and Elend in a field of flowers is one of the most powerful and moving moments in the Sanderson saga and highlights why they sacrificed themselves to rid the world of Ruin in the first place. Vin and Elend imagine a better world than the one they live in and are willing to give up the chance to see that world if it means bringing about change.

This choice also highlights Vin’s growth throughout Era 1.as his motives in the first part are very much related to self-preservation. Vin eventually begins to fight for something bigger than herself, however, taking Kelsier’s words into consideration. The Final Empire for the heart. She continues to show her evolution by choosing to go to the Afterlife after her death. Vin knows what he’s giving up and does it anyway. This is the power of her ending, and it wouldn’t be the same if she took the chance to return.

Vin’s return would have felt repetitive after Mistborn’s big Kelsier twist

The return of two main characters would raise eyebrows

In addition to weakening the ending of the first Born from the mists series, bringing Vin back from the dead would feel a bit repetitive later Secret HistoryKelsier’s big reveal. Born from the mistsThe brutal stakes are a strong point of the Sanderson saga, and it’s shocking enough that Kelsier manages to defy death. But Kelsier’s escape from the Afterlife can at least be attributed to his relentless stubbornness and determination. And Kelsier’s return doesn’t completely destroy Born from the mistsis in play, because the other major deaths remain permanent.

However, bringing back two main characters would raise eyebrows regarding the stakes and Sanderson’s world. Additionally, wouldn’t recognize the differences between Kelsier and Vin – differences Born from the mists Era 1 goes to great lengths to emphasize this. Despite his idealism, The Final Empire proves that Kelsier is angrier and more ruthless than Vin, while Vin can still see the good in even nobility. It’s not hard to believe that Vin would make peace with her fate and move on with Elend, although it’s easy to see Kelsier raging against even his own death.