Elend Venture begins Born from the mists as a love interest for Vin, but he quickly becomes a much bigger player in the fight for the Final Empire. An idealist who is empathetic despite being a noble, Elend takes on the responsibility of ruling the Central Domain after the fall of the Lord Ruler. Becoming king is a tumultuous experience for Elend, but it teaches him what it takes to be a leader. When the last book of Born from the mists Era 1 arrives, he is well equipped to assume the title of High Emperor.
Elend’s character arc is one of the strongest in the Born from the mists saga, and his bonds with Vin and Kelsier’s crew members are highlights of the series. However, Brandon Sanderson’s books don’t explore one of Elend’s most interesting Era 1 relationships with almost enough depth, despite having a dramatic ending. THE Born from the mists the film could fix that, expanding the connection between the two characters and making Elend’s story much more exciting as a result.
Elend’s friendship with Jastes Lekal deserved more attention in the Mistborn books
The emotional stakes of the ascension pit should have been greater
During The Final Empire, Vin and Elend spend much of their time together on the sidelines of Luthadel’s parties and balls, and later books show Elend interacting mainly with her and the crew. However, The Final Empire makes a point of establishing Elend’s life before the Lord Ruler falls. In particular, Sanderson notes that he and two of his friends get together to discuss philosophy – something that is not very common among nobles. One of the friends Elend exchanges ideas with is Jastes Lekaland Jastes plays a larger role in the second Born from the mists book.
Unfortunately, the Born from the mists the books don’t do enough to unpack Elend’s internal conflict when it comes to turning her back on other nobles and, in particular, her friends.
Despite that, readers don’t see much of Elend and Jastes’ friendship before Elend becomes king. This makes it less annoying when Jastes raises an army of koloss and attacks the city of Elend. It also lessens the emotional weight of Elend having to kill Jastes later in the series. Given their joint history, such developments should be much more devastating than they actually are. Unfortunately, the Born from the mists the books don’t do enough to unpack Elend’s internal conflict when it comes to turning her back on other nobles and, in particular, her friends.
The Mistborn movie may finally expand on Elend’s friendship with Jastes
Can show how close they are before becoming enemies
Sanderson’s source material may not delve into Elend’s friendship with Jastes, but the Born from the mists film offers an opportunity to elaborate it. Of course, the adaptation already has its work cut out for it, as it must capture all the important details from the sprawling fantasy book. And there is quite of stories Born from the miststhe film adaptation cannot afford to cut. However, it would be worth it for the writers to work on some extra scenes with Jastes. This will make the emotional impact of Elend’s disagreement with him much greater in The Well of Ascension.
And the film doesn’t need to go overboard with new scenes detailing this important friendship; There are a few built-in ways to show viewers Elend and Jastes’ interactions without detracting from the main story. On the one hand, the film could simply show a little more of Elend’s encounters with his friends, whether by inserting his perspective into the story earlier or by having Vin spy on him. This would also offer a great opportunity to further characterize Elend and his beliefs.
THE Born from the mists the adaptation sequel could also expand the scene where Elend tries to negotiate and reason with his old friend. By inserting more dialogue and adding more internal conflict for both characters, it would be able to hit the right notes.
The Mistborn Sequels Will Have the Right Emotional Impact With This Book Change
This will be crucial for adapting the film to the terrain
By showing more of Elend and Jastes’ friendship the Born from the mists the adaptation may have a stronger emotional impact when Elend finally executes it. While many scenes in Sanderson’s books provoke powerful feelings, this one doesn’t particularly stand out. The film could change that, adding the necessary weight to make viewers sympathize with both characters. This is important if the adaptation is to be successful, as the characters will be what hooks audiences unfamiliar with Sanderson’s system or magical world.
Adding more emotional weight to this moment will also highlight how much Elend grows throughout the series, showing how dedicated he is to protecting his people. In the end, this will make him a stronger leader, a change that will later Born from the mists books eventually lead to anything. Getting this point across will be even easier if viewers can feel the sacrifices he needs to make.