Hero of Ages Chapter 1

[Andrew the Great]

I think that it's Rashek after having ruled the world for like 500 years. He'd be pretty tired of things by then, giving cause for the "I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages."

And stating chaos' opinion for him is not cheating. He actually does think that. I think. That's what I remember anyway. I seem to remember a post from him that said he thought it was Rashek and would until offered proof otherwise. So it's not cheating. Besides, if I'm wrong, he'll come back and tell everyone I'm an idiot, and I'll get what I deserve.

[Comatose]

No, even when Vin killed him, he still viewed himself as god's (or his own, since he called himself a sliver of infinity) gift to humanity, thus he would not view his status as the hero to be unfortunate, thus the writer is not him.

[Andrew the Great]

He doesn't have to think he is fortunate or anything like that to think that he is God's gift to humanity or whatever. He knows that he is pretty much the only thing holding ruin back (we think) and so he would take that view. That doesn't mean he enjoys it. He might as well give himself a few cool titles to try to spice his life up a bit...

[Comatose]

But this isn't jsut any title.  This is The Hero of Ages.  Rashek probably dreamed of being the hero all his young life, and he thinks it should be a terrisman and not Alendi.  He WANTS to be the hero of ages.  I don't care that he's lived a thousand years, I know he's probably tired and PO'd at the world, but he still wouldn't think that being the Hero is unfortunate.  Thus it is not him writing the bumps.

[Andrew the Great]

I think he's revised his opinion on what it means to be the hero of ages. And when I say title, I was actually referring to the 'sliver of infinity' deal.

[Coof]

Hello to everyone.
I am both new to the forum and new to Brandon's writing.
After having read all of my books and being bored until new ones came out, I picked up Elantris, read it in one night, and then picked up Mistborn 1 & 2, read it the following night.
Once those were done, I found myself waiting once again for another book, so I went searching for more Mistborn info and talk and came upon this forum.
I must admit that I have been reading a lot of your posts and find that the majority of them are quite valid.

Now on to the topic at hand:
After having read many of the posts, I have the following questions/comments:

1. Unless Alendi is in fact not dead a thousand years ago, he can't be the present Hero of Ages.

2. I do not believe that Elend is the Hero of Ages. I agree with Accident that it is common for the protagonist of a series to be introduced in the first couple of chapters and for them to get many POV's. Elend wasn't introduced until later in the first book and he did not get a POV until the end of the first book. I believe he is important, just not the Hero of Ages.

3. I don't believe that Rashek could have been the Hero of Ages because basically, he died. How can someone be the Hero of Ages who lived a thousand years and be killed by a girl who only really discovered her Allomantic powers a couple of years ago?

4. I believe Vin is the Hero of Ages as we know that concept to be. She was being called by the Well of Ascension and she has been able to do things with Allomancy that nobody else has been able to do for a presumably long time.

Finally, I don't believe that what we understand to be the Hero of Ages is really the Hero of Ages from the third book. Remember that Ruin has altered the mythology of the Terris people explaining the Hero of Ages for both the Alendi in the past and Vin in the present. I am just not convinced that we understand who or what the Hero of Ages really is meant to be or do.

Maybe I am just confusing things but the entire Hero of Ages thing seems a little weird to me.

[Andrew the Great]

Well, the thing is, for what we were discussing, the person doesn't have to be the hero of ages, they just have to think they are. So Rashek is still in the running there.

[VegasDev]

Many of our theories are based upon the belief that Rashek killed Alendi. Vin whispers 'Rashek' to the Lord Ruler and he gets startled. That is the only piece of evidence (that I am aware) that the Lord Ruler was in fact Rashek. The immediate response we get from him is 'You know nothing!' 'You know nothing of that!'

Alendi heard whispers stating that if he failed, another would finish his task.

We need to keep these two things in mind when thinking about the Hero of Ages. It's possible that Alendi had succeeded and became the Lord Ruler. He mentions that he had even killed his own friends, so Lord Ruler behavior isn't a stretch. And since he hears whispers that another would finish his task IF he failed, then maybe he's A Hero of Ages as opposed to THE Hero of Ages, meaning that someone else could take up the title after him. Kind of like 'The President of the United States'; where many still refer to them by their title when they no longer hold office.

Just throwing more against the wall for people to sift through.

[Comatose]

But when Vin burns Malatium, she sees a TERRIS PACKMAN, when looking at the Lord Ruler, meaning he is Rashek.  Sazed alos mentions the language they speak now is originally similar to Terris, if Alendi was the lord ruler he would have used Khlennium, we know Rashek was instructed to kill Alendi.  I think it would be too much of a twist, for one of the biggest twists in book one to be false, also, Alendi isn't a feruchemist, the lord ruler is.
As for Coof, welcome, and when we were discussing Alendi as the Hero of Ages, we're talking about him being the OLD hero.  We don't know when these bumps are written, thus they could be written by him.  I doubt this since the bumps in book one are written by him.  Andrew, yes Rashek thinks he is the hero, but for the hundredth time, to him that wouldn't be a bad thing!  So he wouldn't say unfortunately.  I agree the Lord Ruler thing works with the whole clinical look at the world, and who knows lots about allomancy and feruchemy and hemalurgy, but he would not say unfortunately.  Based on this I think the mist Spirit is my next guess.

[Andrew the Great]

He wouldn't say unfortunately at first. After 500 years of ruling the world, putting down rebellion after rebellion, doing the same thing every day, and associating all that with being the hero of ages...you'd say unfortunately.

And if there's any doubt as to whether the lord ruler is in fact Rashek after Coma's post, this should clear it up.

So, my favorite secret in the novel is the fact that the Lord Ruler is actually Rashek.

[Comatose]

Thank-you Andrew?  You agreed with me.  Wow.  I know it's hard to disagree with things that are obviously true but still.  Don't make it a habit though, I enjoy our debates
I see what you are saying Andrew.  Yes the Lord Ruler is tired of putting down rebellion after rebellion.  I can see how he could become tired of being God emperor, I can see how he could become tired of constantly protecting the people.  I can see that.  I think your theory has merit, and might very well be true.  But I don't think that Rashek would get tired of being the Hero of Ages.  I could very well be wrong (you are sort of starting to convince me), but I don't think Rashek would say that.  After the next couple of bumps though, I'm fairly certain we will see who the writer is (Look I'm coming around.  What's happening here.)
Not budging on the obsidian though.  Sorry.

[Andrew the Great]

Oh don't worry. I'll be happy to debate with you the next time you're not clearly right. I just happen to agree completely with you on that issue.

And the only problem I have with the mist spirit writing the bumps is that, quite frankly, we know nothing about the mist spirit. I tend to shy away from theories that involve making everything up, unless they make a whole lot of sense to me. I have a (in my opinion) plausible alternative to your mist spirit theory, that I feel is more likely, so I go with that. Until I see something I like more. For instance, if someone were to come up with a way that made sense for some random character like OreSuer to write the bumps, I'd have to go with that just for coolness.

[Reaves]

I suppose technically the mist spirit could write the bumps. It can hold a knife, at least. But you would think it would be writing in the sand to Vin USE THE POWER or something if it could.

[SarahG]

... if someone were to come up with a way that made sense for some random character like OreSuer to write the bumps, I'd have to go with that just for coolness.

Ooh, that WOULD be cool!  And now that you mention it, it doesn't seem impossible.  Kandra are the only ones to have a separate religion that survived, so clearly there are things they know that no one else does - that's almost like omniscience.  OreSeur is the Hero of Ages.  When TenSoon took his bones, OreSeur took the bones of someone else - maybe Demoux.  Eventually he'll convince all the humans to destroy each other using the koloss as their pawns.  Then when the kandra are all that's left, he'll be their leader and the world will be preserved forever.  He'll then start to miss being a wolfhound, and will regret being the Hero of Ages; thus, the much-disputed "unfortunately".  (The bumps take place in the future.)  I like it!

[Miyabi]

I suppose technically the mist spirit could write the bumps. It can hold a knife, at least. But you would think it would be writing in the sand to Vin USE THE POWER or something if it could.

I never thought of that. . . why DIDN'T the Mist Spirit just do that? I mean it COULD use the knife. . . maybe it doesn't speak the same language. :/