Timewaster's Guide Archive
Local Authors => Brandon Sanderson => Topic started by: Andrew the Great on September 22, 2008, 03:35:14 AM
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What metal is Zane's Spike? I couldn't find it anywhere, and I was wondering if anyone else had the reference?
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I believe it simply states metal spike.
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And it seemed metal enough for Zane to nearly be controlled. *shrug*
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I think in the past it has been theorized that his spike is Steel, based on the fact that he has extreme control over his steelpushes, to the extent he can hover in the air.
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I think thats a good thought. I didn't even think about it but I guess it makes sense.
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From it's position (at the top of the spine/nape of the neck), I assumed it was just a standard Steel Inquisitor lynchpin spike. He has more than one, doesn't he? At least one in the heart and one in the spine, I thought.
Zane's control over his steelpushing may just be the result of his own skills as much as any ability conferred by the spikes.
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I thought he just had the one in his chest that also stuck out the back a bit.
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I also thought he only had the one.
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Ditto.
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Agreed. Just one spike. I believe it was Atium; he was able to burn it so long without swallowing more beads. In fact, he is the only Mistborn to use Atium without Euol mentioning that he swallowed a bead first. Since we know it dissolves fairly quickly in the stomach if not used, it is not a metal you can just swallow at the beginning of the day and keep. His ability to burn Atium is Inquisitor-like.
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Agreed. Just one spike. I believe it was Atium; he was able to burn it so long without swallowing more beads. In fact, he is the only Mistborn to use Atium without Euol mentioning that he swallowed a bead first. Since we know it dissolves fairly quickly in the stomach if not used, it is not a metal you can just swallow at the beginning of the day and keep. His ability to burn Atium is Inquisitor-like.
But we also know that he had a rather large stock of it as well. SO he probably just swallowed a few beads before the fight.
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Therein lies the rub, doesn't it? No mention of him actually ingesting the Atium, but two different mentions of him having a stash of it. I believe he leaves the stash behind with his mistcloak, but it is never mentioned that he actually takes any beads. It could also be steel, but that wouldn't be as cool. A question that is just as important is who nailed the spike into him, and why?
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I believe he leaves the stash behind with his mistcloak, but it is never mentioned that he actually takes any beads.
I thought he took both when he left the last time and eventually fought Vin.
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He definitely leaves behind the mistcloak, because that is how we learn about the metal spike, as the spike shows when he wears the cloak. I don't know how he hides it with his regular clothes, but nonetheless, that is what was written.
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I think it's possible that he swallows it before a fight, because stomach acid doesn't dissolve it THAT quickly. After all, Vin pukes her unused bead up again that one time.
However, I'm leaning toward the idea that Zane does not need to swallow atium, because there's that whole thing about Straff thinking he can control Zane if he bribes him with atium, thinking that all Mistborn are addicted to the stuff, and Zane knowing that he doesn't need the atium Straff gives him. Now this could be because Zane has another source of atium, other than his father, but it could also be that he just doesn't need it.
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I don't know about you people, but I'm just content to wait four weeks to find out.
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I don't know about you people, but I'm just content to wait four weeks to find out.
Oh but then what are we supposed to do with our free time? Imagine Vegas dressed in a Japanese schoolgirl outfit as he beats up bullies? No matter how amazing that might be . . . I think it would get old after a while. . . while this is endless. :]
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I think the reason he gets targeted by bullies is because he wears the schoolgirl outfit.
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I think it's possible that he swallows it before a fight, because stomach acid doesn't dissolve it THAT quickly. After all, Vin pukes her unused bead up again that one time.
However, I'm leaning toward the idea that Zane does not need to swallow atium, because there's that whole thing about Straff thinking he can control Zane if he bribes him with atium, thinking that all Mistborn are addicted to the stuff, and Zane knowing that he doesn't need the atium Straff gives him. Now this could be because Zane has another source of atium, other than his father, but it could also be that he just doesn't need it.
He says outright in his viewpoint that the reason he doesn't need it from Straff is because he stockpiled it himself. Unless he was suppressing memories when he thinks this, he has to swallow atium just like everybody else.
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Huh, I didn't remember that. Do you have the quote?
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I think the reason he gets targeted by bullies is because he wears the schoolgirl outfit.
They're just jealous.
Having a stockpile might support the theory that he doesn't need Atium, because he never had to burn it. However, I'm not sure that I agree with this theory. I'm still trying to theorize what Hemalurgy entails so I will sit on the fence at the moment. The thing about schoolgirl outfits is that they provide no protection to splinter from a wooden fence.
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The thing about schoolgirl outfits is that they provide no protection to splinter from a wooden fence.
You need to get an old-style British schoolgirl outfit, with a heavy sweater and thick tights.
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You need to get an old-style British schoolgirl outfit, with a heavy sweater and thick tights.
Mmmmm, you'll have to PM me with more details.
What if Hemalurgy was actually cannibalizing your own body, as has been suspected and to see into the future like Atium you have to cannibalize your past memories? If you flared too far into the future, you could lose large parts of your past and eventually forget who you were, knowing only pain.
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The outfit is his cover. Ever see Boondock Saints? He's like Willem Defoe's character (that scene is extremely disturbing, by the way). Anyway, Zane's point of view points out that he has his own stash when you first see him talk to Straff. He pretends to be interested in the Atium Straff waves in front of him to keep up the ruse that Straff has some control over him.
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You need to get an old-style British schoolgirl outfit, with a heavy sweater and thick tights.
Mmmmm, you'll have to PM me with more details.
What if Hemalurgy was actually cannibalizing your own body, as has been suspected and to see into the future like Atium you have to cannibalize your past memories? If you flared too far into the future, you could lose large parts of your past and eventually forget who you were, knowing only pain.
That is a pretty intense theory. I never thought of that. . . but then why the metal spikes? What roll would they play?
Japanese school girl is much more fun though. xD
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That is a pretty intense theory. I never thought of that. . . but then why the metal spikes?
Honestly, I was just throwing something out there to match some of the other speculation. I am still trying to form my theory about Hemalurgists. Perhaps when a Mistborn burns metal or a Feruchemist taps a metalmind, they give off power which can be collected by the spikes of a Hemalurgist. This would explain why their rooms would be so close to the Lord Ruler's throne, because he is always burning age, which they could use to keep themselves alive longer. For Zane, it could be that his spike feeds off atium, so when he burns it, he only needs to burn it very slowly because he has it's effects doubled. Who knows. THere's still much to think about and discover.
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Of that I think we all agree, Vegas. Of course, the Inq's being next to the throne room could simply be so TLR can call them quickly to his aid, like he tried to do at the end of FE. If TLR's allomancy was needed, wouldn't the Inq's now be weak and/or dying without him?
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I kinda assumed it was just the sort of thing a hated, milenia-long ruler does when he has an elite, undead guard of supersoldiers protecting him. Keep them close, so that if he were to be attacked (say by a crazy, grieving young mistborn girl) they would be in place to defend him if needed.
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But we also know that he had a rather large stock of it as well. SO he probably just swallowed a few beads before the fight.
A rather large stock of it.. in is back :P
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But we also know that he had a rather large stock of it as well. SO he probably just swallowed a few beads before the fight.
A rather large stock of it.. in is back :P
Well, it does mention that Zane worked in the Pits of Hathsin. What if he got stabbed with like an atium shard? Or perhaps someone got him with an atium dagger of some sort. (I was thinking of like...prison shanking thing)
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Atium's rare enough as it is. Somehow I have to doubt someone made a dagger out of it. Besides, someone would have to die for him to not die when the spike was stabbed into him. That sort of thing doesn't happen casually. Hemalurgy is done on purpose, not accident.
Also, Atium comes only in beads. Beads in special geodes.
And finally, he didn't work in the Pits. The scars on his arm that made Vin think that he had worked in the Pits were from him cutting himself to lessen the voice in his head.
I'm not ruling out the idea of the spike being Atium, I just don't think it's likely; that would take a lot of Atium.
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Atium, like any other metal, can be smelted and formed into any shape you want. Examples: The Lord Ruler's Bracelets that Vin tore from him were made of Atium (Elend sells them in book 2). It would take a lot of atium, but TLR did comment on how difficult they were to replace. Also, there is the possibility that only the outer layer of the spike be Atium, and the rest be some other metal. When Vin burns the Atium covered lead bead, she does get a small effect from the coating at first. In the case of Hemalurgy, you may be able to get away with it. It is possible, and he is so comfortable burning it. The only other thing it could be is Brass. I don't know where I read it, but EOUL mentioned something about Zane Soothing her almost constantly, it is just never mentioned.
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Atium's rare enough as it is. Somehow I have to doubt someone made a dagger out of it. Besides, someone would have to die for him to not die when the spike was stabbed into him. That sort of thing doesn't happen casually. Hemalurgy is done on purpose, not accident.
Also, Atium comes only in beads. Beads in special geodes.
And finally, he didn't work in the Pits. The scars on his arm that made Vin think that he had worked in the Pits were from him cutting himself to lessen the voice in his head.
I'm not ruling out the idea of the spike being Atium, I just don't think it's likely; that would take a lot of Atium.
Oh, I was just throwing out random ideas haha. I completely understand that a atium spike/dagger would take quite a lot of atium, but like others have mentioned, he seems to be able to burn it for quite a long while. I understand that he has a stockpile, but atium burns out quickly, so even a stock pile would run out rather quickly.
Also with the Pits, good call. I could swear that his father had mentioned it at some point, though. It's been a while since I read it, so I there is a high chance I completely missed the target. :)
I don't know where I read it, but EOUL mentioned something about Zane Soothing her almost constantly, it is just never mentioned.
You read that in one of the latest annotations. However, I don't think hes got anything magically special in regards to steel pushing or soothing--Zane is just a very subtle character and his powers follow suit.