Author Topic: Hero of Ages Chapter 1  (Read 19064 times)

Miyabi

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2008, 10:07:47 PM »
UGH, I HATE  HATE HATE this version of Elend.  Until it is 100% proven that this is the REAL Elend I won't believe.  Also, there is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter that would let us believe that this isn't the REAL Elend.  I mean, he seems to me like a very good actor, but NOT Elend.


Whoa there. Hate this version of Elend? That is insane. As Czanos put it this Elend, and I truly hope this is the real Elend(thanks Darxbane for planting the seed of doubt), simply pwns!
I actually thought that before I read what he had posted.

I just don't like him.  The other Elend was such a sweet idealist that was just cute.  Now he is rugged and EWWY Facial hair?!?! WTF?!?!?!
オレは長超猿庁じゃ〜。

Comfortable Madness

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #16 on: August 11, 2008, 10:18:12 PM »
UGH, I HATE  HATE HATE this version of Elend.  Until it is 100% proven that this is the REAL Elend I won't believe.  Also, there is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter that would let us believe that this isn't the REAL Elend.  I mean, he seems to me like a very good actor, but NOT Elend.


Whoa there. Hate this version of Elend? That is insane. As Czanos put it this Elend, and I truly hope this is the real Elend(thanks Darxbane for planting the seed of doubt), simply pwns!



I actually thought that before I read what he had posted.

I just don't like him.  The other Elend was such a sweet idealist that was just cute.  Now he is rugged and EWWY Facial hair?!?! WTF?!?!?!


I too had an inkling of a doubt about it truly being Elend but it grew after I read Darx post.....

As far as your dislike for Elend because of his facial hair...Well quite frankly I just can't understand that.
“I will never serve you, Father of Lies. In a thousand lives, I never have. I know that. I’m sure of it. Come. It is time to die.” Rand al'Thor

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Miyabi

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2008, 10:32:25 PM »
As far as your dislike for Elend because of his facial hair...Well quite frankly I just can't understand that.
It's not just that.  It's also this sudden hardness and coldness.  He doesn't seem to care anymore.  Like he is heartless.  It's horrible.  The facial hair just increased the dislike.
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VegasDev

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #18 on: August 11, 2008, 11:05:41 PM »
As far as your dislike for Elend because of his facial hair...Well quite frankly I just can't understand that.
It's not just that.  It's also this sudden hardness and coldness.  He doesn't seem to care anymore.  Like he is heartless.  It's horrible.  The facial hair just increased the dislike.

To me it sounded like someone that has admitted to themselves that there is no other choice at this time. When you have 10,000 Koloss coming you don't really have room for debate. As far as Elend forcing them to swear fealty, alot can happen in a years time between books, he probably needs to build his army to withstand all that Ruin can throw at them. He can always try instituting democracy after natural order has been returned.
Now you've got all the ones with beards on one side and all the
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JCHancey

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #19 on: August 12, 2008, 12:30:46 AM »
10k koloss approaching, how to act? exactly like Elend did, take total control and make them swear fealty or he'll still them! oh wait... Or he'll take it by force!
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Reaves

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #20 on: August 12, 2008, 12:40:25 AM »
well hes not exactly taking it by force...he is providing strong, needed leadership in a time of crisis. He is giving the skaa leader room to back out and save face.
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Chaos

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2008, 04:09:32 AM »
I like to think of it from Brandon's perspective: why, if it's the third book of the trilogy with many already established characters, would Brandon ever introduce one of the main characters and then later, somehow not have him actually be the main character? It's unnecessarily convoluted from a storytelling perspective.

Though... I was caught off-guard because of the facial hair, but there are too many things that point to him being Elend than him not being Elend. White cape, just like from MB2, same hair style from MB2, and most of all, he essentially completes the story arc from MB2 about him becoming king. He is the emperor now, and now he acts like it.

The improvement is extraordinary. Elend, I think, has always been my favorite character (series-wise, at least. Kelsier was the favorite for MB1), but now he is even better than I could have imagined. He's a powerful leader, the only thing that has really happened to him is that he's grown. The world is falling into chaos, and he is doing what he has to do to keep it alive. I like to think of it from the perspective of his last line in MB2, where he says, "We are going to survive." Obviously, he is doing it this way--without that pesky "ideals" business--to survive. Already, before we even get into his viewpoint, I can see what Elend's internal conflicts will be in the book: he is going to struggle with trying to keep his ideals (or restore them) in the face of unimaginable chaos.

This is Elend, I am positive of it. He's just stronger now.

Remember, though, that Statlin City is probably more like one of the Lord Ruler's storehouses than the hidden atium supply. Recall from the preview chapter in the second edition paperback of MB1 (the one from Spook's viewpoint) that Elend was going after cities that had these storehouses.

In fact, I believe I just figured out why Vin isn't with Elend: she is commanding the koloss army to conquer places with the storehouses. As to why Elend cannot control koloss, I do not have a sufficient answer for you.

The Hero of Ages, though... wow. Everything is just phenomenal.

Quote
I am, unfortunately, the Hero of Ages.

My first impression, here, is that the Hero is no one we've known before, but an unknown. However, it could simply be here that it is Rashek writing believing himself to be the Hero.

Either way, it is purely phenomenal.
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Miyabi

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #22 on: August 12, 2008, 04:42:39 AM »
I still don't like this version of Elend.  I miss him being his innocent idealistic philosophic self.  He just seems so cold.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #23 on: August 12, 2008, 05:48:32 AM »
miyabi, remember that this chapter is from an outside POV, someone who doesn't know Elend except by reputation. Also remember that a year has passed.

Chaos, something in your most recent post made me cackle with glee. Just wait until you read the book. ;)
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kaimipono

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #24 on: August 12, 2008, 12:01:21 PM »
Hmm.  Well if it's not Elend, who is it?

It's not Vin, obviously. 
It's not a Steel Inquisitor.
It's unlikely (but possible) that there's Yet Another Mistborn out there who just feels like fighting koloss, for fun. 
Kandra don't bounce like that, do they?  (Unless there's another power we haven't seen yet.) 
It could be Zane, if he's not really dead.  (Cue Zane conspiracy theories.  Hey, maybe the facial hair is to cover the slit throat!) 
Maybe it's a Zane Zombie -- a Zanebie? Zambie? -- being controlled by Ruin. 
(If it's Zane or a Zambie, that might explain why he isn't using mind control on the koloss.  But then, why help the people to begin with?)

Maybe it's someone else from Elend's crew, who also was given a Power Pill?  (Let's see -- who survived WoA?)

(n.b.  Isn't it sad that Dox bit it?  He would have been awesome with a Power Pill)

(n.b.2 Holy cow -- they really ought to give Sazed a Power Pill.  Infinite power, Lord-Ruler-esque, in one of the good guys.  That would be pretty cool.) 

Given the lack of obvious alternatives, I'm inclined to say it's really Elend. 
A man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest.

Chaos

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #25 on: August 12, 2008, 05:00:52 PM »
Chaos, something in your most recent post made me cackle with glee. Just wait until you read the book. ;)

Oh, I will. It's preordered on Amazon and if it doesn't come within a single day of the 14th, I'll just go to the nearest bookstore and get it there.

And you can count on me that after I read it, I will hit you up for a chat to discuss some things, I'm sure.
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Pygmalion

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #26 on: August 12, 2008, 06:33:33 PM »
I still don't like this version of Elend.  I miss him being his innocent idealistic philosophic self.  He just seems so cold.

:(

I agree with everyone else that Elend is fantastic. His character has had to evolve. And keep in mind that this chapter is not from Elend's point of view. I'm sure his idealistic self will come out through inner conflicts in his POV chapters. I can't wait until October. I was so happy when I read this that I almost cried.
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Miyabi

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #27 on: August 12, 2008, 06:40:59 PM »
I still don't like this version of Elend.  I miss him being his innocent idealistic philosophic self.  He just seems so cold.

:(

I agree with everyone else that Elend is fantastic. His character has had to evolve. And keep in mind that this chapter is not from Elend's point of view. I'm sure his idealistic self will come out through inner conflicts in his POV chapters. I can't wait until October. I was so happy when I read this that I almost cried.
Why does Pygmallion sound familiar?

Yeah, I hope that he at least struggles to be this way.  I really just don't like the changes he's gone through. ha ha.  Maybe that's why people get divorced? xP
オレは長超猿庁じゃ〜。

apbadd

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #28 on: August 12, 2008, 07:51:42 PM »
Quote
Yeah, I hope that he at least struggles to be this way.  I really just don't like the changes he's gone through. ha ha.  Maybe that's why people get divorced? xP

Well this is the man that Vin seemed to be shaping Elend into.  She loved his sensitive side, but also knew he had to grow a pair in order to rule a nation.  It seems that events as well as Vin's wise council has probably made Elend a better man.  Not just a dreamer, but a man of action.

Miyabi

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Re: Hero of Ages Chapter 1
« Reply #29 on: August 12, 2008, 09:20:10 PM »
Quote
Yeah, I hope that he at least struggles to be this way.  I really just don't like the changes he's gone through. ha ha.  Maybe that's why people get divorced? xP

Well this is the man that Vin seemed to be shaping Elend into.  She loved his sensitive side, but also knew he had to grow a pair in order to rule a nation.  It seems that events as well as Vin's wise council has probably made Elend a better man.  Not just a dreamer, but a man of action.
The last part was supposed to be a joke.
オレは長超猿庁じゃ〜。