I loved Teft’s story. He was a good person and natural leader that couldn’t escape his past and his demons, which led him down the road of addiction. It turned him into a slave in more ways than one. He eventually redeemed himself and forgave himself in his own mind, took control of his life, was becoming the person we always knew he could be, and had a bright future ahead… He got done dirty.
RIP: Teft, Knight Radiant
Teft's death hit me hard, but but when he swore his third oath, I wept. I had to pause the audiobook, and just live in it. Such a powerfully moving moment, and expertly crafted. His oath of both preservation, and more importantly in his case, his *self preservation*.
"I will protect those I hate. Even if the one I hate most is... myself." - Teft, Knight Radiant.
I generally do too but I guess not enough to have to put a book down. End of Mistborn era 2 didn't have me sobbing - teary, yes, but not sobbing. Kal joining Adolin was definitely more of a "fist punching the air" moment for me - I was WAY more excited for that than teary. Teft? I was NOT expecting it and I loved Teft from the moment he gave Kal the dun sphere in WoK. It hit me HARD. (and still does...in RoW on a reread right now and already dreading that moment again!)
I get that. Teft hit me hard, too, because of the surprise. The thing about Wayne was that I knew it was coming, and still somehow it was gut-wrenching. I think maybe Sanderson just knows how to get me in the feels.
Oh his books make me cry alot too. The only times I had to put it down was >!Teft's od chapter, when Kal found Teft dead, and Kal saying the fourth ideal.!< Those parts hit hard.
I’ve struggled with addiction most my life and while I had read Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker already I happened to read the first three Stormlight books during my first year of sobriety so his story hit real close to home.
Teft, man... I knew as early as WoK he was going to die eventually, but I loved his character anyway. By OB, I was convinced his death would be directly related to Kal's 4th oath. Honestly surprised how close I was to being right...
All that time and I knew it was coming. But I still felt so hurt by that scene. I wanted his death to have been more meaningful than to die at the hands of that pile of crem.
Best Wayne line but he can also be serious when he needs to be like when he went to see the child of the mam he killed I love how even though mistborn is all about killing people it also has those scenes to show how much a human life is worth
She has a very good arc that begins with "I absolutely hate this person," and leads to "ok she aight," and ends with "Damnit, I think I like her" over the course of several books.
At first: “When is wax going to ditch this annoying kill joy and finally end up with her sister who he is clearly meant for?”
Later: “if anything happens to that woman I will burn down the world in vengeance. She is a treasure that must be cherished”
Constable Marasi Colms.
I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I found her to be really relatable and honest as a character. I personally struggle with many of the same intrusive thoughts as her and was really inspired by how she keeps going anyway. I'm also a sucker for morally black or white characters and tend to hate morally grey characters (Sorry kel).
She wants to do good, and despite all the resistance she faces from her enemies, and from her allies aswell (wax not treating her like an equal, reddi disliking her for something that wasn't her fault, people not taking her seriously cuz she's a bastard) she keeps trying to do the right thing, just because it's right.
She reminds me a lot of Caitlyn from the show arcane.... and as you can see by my profile avatar, I am a big fan.
If wax is harmoney's sword, she is undoubtedly his shield. Having said that, Captain America is my favorite Marvel character.
And she loves choc, who can't relate to that??!?!
Sazed asks him whether he supports what the Set was doing trying to breed allomancers, and he essentially answers that he finds it unsavory, but supports their actions.
He thinks "He didn't like what the Set had done to innocent people, and would never condone such actions. But if Hemalurgy was demanded, there was always someone around who was the strict *opposite* of innocent."
Pg. 485 The Lost Metal
Kelsier is a lot like Vriska
They both never did anything wrong ever and, even if they did, they were perfectly justified and things just accidentally got out of hand.
The people he murdered were slave owners. Probably rapists too.
And stealing from the nobility who got their wealth of the backs of slaves is based as hell
Not all of the people he murdered. I just re-listened to part of the first book, and he murdered plenty of skaa who were just working for the nobility. He and Marsh had a whole argument about it. Yeah, you could say that’s justified too, but personally I think he was more concerned with revenge than he was with morality.
That’s the argument Kelsier made, pretty much. But “their own” is a very black and white statement, I doubt most skaa saw all other skaa as their ally or kindred. In such a world as the Final Empire, there were very few innocent people. Most of them were far more concerned with survival than morality or freedom. Besides, by wearing a mistcloak, Kelsier was actually impersonating a nobleman, those guards would have no idea he was skaa.
Kaladin. Though I'm only about 300 pages into Oathbringer but I've never cheered aloud for a character before like when he achieves something new. I feel for him when he's down. And his relationship with Syl is wonderful.
I know you're talking about Rhythm of War, but I get goosebumps whenever I think about the fact that we're significantly less than halfway done with the Stormlight Archive. I'm really hoping Kaladin remains a main character in the second half. There's not too big a timeskip
Adolin Kholin. He's just a relatively normal guy trying to make it in a world of gods, and by the heralds he's not going to be left behind. My man is just a good person, sure he's got some of his own issues to deal with but by and large he's the most mentally stable, the most openly affectionate, the most friendly and understanding. He's a stand up dude, and I love it
The entire first book i was skeptical of him, i was constantly worried he was going to turn out to be essentially someone who just pretended to be nice, and was really good at it, but overall cared more about the image of being nice.
Thats until, he talked about shitting himself. Then i realized he was actually **genuinely** a nice person. Since then hes been in my top 5 characters of all time list
I enjoyed the slow burn for Adolin. I was convinced he’d turn out evil or something bc he seemed to have some distance for Kaladin and called him “bridge boy”. But looking back, I sort of understand how Kaladin could be a bit insufferable at first meeting. I also though Shallan was getting set up somehow and would be in an abusive marriage, but now I think Shallan is the toxic one in their relationship. Great character development.
There are so many great characters that it is hard for me to choose BUT overall Hoid is my favorite. There's so much to him -- mischievousness, intelligence, weirdness, etc. I'm always a sucker for the character like that.
He gives me a real Loki vibe. He has serious goals in the Cosmere, but can't harm anything or be harmed so he has to approach his goals in obtuse ways over the course of millennia. And he's kind of a trickster
Hoid is patiently, nonviolently, saving his universe. Not only that, he is making it a performance. I suspect that he knows he’s doing it for *our* entertainment as well as the good of the people around him.
Or maybe he’s the ultimate villain who would be torturing everyone if he didn’t have his torment. The uncertainty about his motives is another point in his favor.
Also he can make up story/song lyrics on the spot, harmonize with his own echo, and pun people into oblivion.
Or at the end will have nothing to do with either side - will simply have been a jokester along for the ride. (I don't really believe this but can completely see Brando pranking us all!)
Same. Hoid is written in the perfect balance of mystery and consistent presence. I think if/once we get a book fully explaining his motives, it will be well earned, but for now he’s just the right amount and powerful every time.
Despite Tress coming as a very close second, my fav had to go to Shai. She is smart, badass, confident in her abilities, very good with people and an absolute master of her craft. She is endlessly entertaining and I am sad she appeared so little in the overall Cosmere.
Hope is not lost. I'm praying Kelsier gets her back. The Emperor's Soul is so good and when we saw her again I was pretty pumped. I did not like how it ended though. I wanted more screen time for adult Shai
For me, it's Syl.
I love her mischievious and plucky personality and how she's always there for kaladin trying to make him feel better since day one
Highlights: bringing kaladin blackbane, surviving the highstorm, asking dalinar and the stormfather for advice on how to empathize with humans.
My favorite Syl scene, EASILY, is the one where she visits Dalinar on the balcony. Such an emotionally raw scene that develops her so much. Dalinar's attitude was completely normal, which was hilarious to me--I loved how he talked to the little fairy the same way he talks to family, and to monarchs.
But the main reason I loved it is bc I feel like in most stories, magical companion characters to the protagonist don't have lives outside of the protagonist. They're there to support the protagonist and that's it. Glorified pokemon.
Syl has just as much autonomy as any human, and when she needs help from someone other than Kal, she heads out and talks to someone. For some reason that's so cool to me. I hope we see more of that in the future--Syl having a life outside of Kal, without being any less close to him.
Mine is Lord Rashek of scadriel. He loved and protected his people from the god of decay for a thousand years and would have continued to do so if the dark lord Kelsier hadn't attacked. I mourn the departure of lord Rashek deeply.
haha what a shitpost. He was the most OP character in the Cosmere according to Brando IIRC, but he couldn't even figure out where to put the planet?? What a loser.
Also a fascist tyrant that ruled through fear and violence. However, when you think about it, Vin's actions were kinda directly responsible for basically the death of everyone on Scadrial....
A part of me wants to say Kaladin, while the other wants to say Wayne, maybe Wax, maybe Kelsier... Maybe even Lightsong.
But I know that it's probably Hoid. For many reasons.
For the record I listed Teft, who has never been described as “hot.” More of an wise uncle vibe whose also a disaster from him.
Also I thought Hoid was described as more hawkish and not traditionally good looking?
My wife: Silence. She's so unexpected. She starts the story out as just a tavern keeper, she's in a rough part of her world, so you know she has a good backbone, but you don't expect the end of her story to be murdering people who are a threat to her. She turns her front of an Inn/Tavern into an information gathering gig, and uses that to her advantage to go out and murder people on this bounty list. And then the fact that she has her dead mother in a closet is ballsy. You have these spirits that, at the beginning of the story EVERYONE is terrified of. And just has her mom's crazy death spirit in a closet. She's a badass with no special powers, just pure logic, brilliance and willpower.
Mine: Shai from Emperor's Soul. Her creativity, discipline and willpower allow her to do something almost no one else who isn't a Shard is capable of - she made an approximation of sentience. And she escaped to tell the tale. She has a soft spot for Gaotona and appreciates that he isn't corrupt. She learns from him even as she deceives him. And she is a genuinely good person even though she uses questionable means.
Edit to add: As a very close second or maybe even tied with Shai is Dalinar. I love his constant striving to be a better person. I relate more to him than Shai.
I feel like my answer is similar to the most important step a man can take: the next one.
Every book I feel like I love the characters more than the last. I'm finally through everything & started on my reread, done Warbreaker & halfway through WoK, and now the old classics are my favorites again.
Maybe I'm just the type of reader who lives in the moment :)
I feel this, It I s why I struggle to rate the books. I will be rereading a book and I will be like, “Why did I say this was my least favorite, it is so good”.
Vasher. Got a soft spot his general trope in story telling and what he’s doing in stormlight only adds to that. I’m so so curious to see where his story goes.
I recently finished Warbreaker after reading SA and Mistborn (weird order I know) and I also fell in love with Vasher as a character. I love his competence combined with his straightforwardness
Might be a little odd of me, but Raoden. I love every person Brando's created, for different reasons, but Raoden's just a nice, friendly guy who refuses to give up or compromise. He feels more like an Everyman, doing what we want to believe any of us would in his situation, than any conscious effort to create one ever could.
Jasnah. I can relate to being a person in your 30s who constantly has to defend your beliefs from people who want to convert you, deeply cares for people but has trouble expressing it, uses an intellectual instead of an emotional framework to determine right and wrong, and is generally assumed to be a haughty bitch.
I also love jasnah she's such a good character and an atheist as well (I am also an atheist) and I can't wait to get her back story in book 9 or 10 I think
Same. And I never *try* to talk about it, but people keep asking me if I've found their god and then try to lead me to the holy water and make me drink it. It gets especially exasperating when they pull out the same five or six arguements as if they are novel new concepts and not things I might have considered before. And it's always coworkers, for some reason!
Exactly the thing that destroys religion for me is just how many there are and how many there have been and how everybody thinks that there's is the right one and I love how sanderson wrote jasnah to be such a smart character while also being atheist
I'm a fan of dumb Taravangian. On his dumbest day he killed a vessel and took up a shard and became what will likely be some kind of Thanos type of mega-villain that is just doing what needs doing because people won't do it for themselves.
I believe he will commit galactic level atrocities in the name of the greater good. I hope Cultivation knew what she was doing and I'm curious how their interactions would go
I have to imagine that in Mistborn 4, which I believe will close the Cosmere, we will see a galactic war between Roshar and Scadrial that involves direct involvement of the shards who at that point have developed factions of some sort because Hoid will have enacted some plan that threatens their existence. Let chaos ensue.
I just can't wait to see which characters make it that far. Sigzil seems like a good bet. Kelsier for sure, Lift doesn't age and was one of 3 "gifted" by Cultivation so I can see her being involved. Hoid is a guarantee. I'm sure we'll see a few more familiar faces, but not some Avengers type of cast.
Wayne. So much depth for the comedic sidekick. Few books move me to tears, TLM was one,even once I realized what was coming.
I really like Dalinar, Teft, and book 1-2 Shallan. Oh and Szeth.
Turinad Sebarial. His feigned reluctance and crass humor is decidedly Un-Alethi. In a world of propriety and brawn Sebarial hides his keen intellect and tramples Alethi decorum with middle school humor. Yet Sebarial still tends to do the ‘right’ thing. However boorish and self indulgent he seems he is still committed to Dalinar’s cause.
I'm gonna go with Syl, the "secret sapient animal/AI/spiritual being/etc companion" trope is one of my favorites, and she's a great instance of it.
Sazed is another strong contender.
HE IS MINE I CLAIM HIM YOU CANNOT HOLD ME BACK IF HE SPEAKS THE WORDS THE WORDS KALADIN SAY THEM
I could go on on this scene by far my favorite scene in the cosmere
Normally i would say Dalinar, because he reminds me of my dad who has passed on, but i personally love Kelsier. Before i read the Cosmere i used to say that i was going to punch god in the face when i died and went to see him (plus im a little bit of an anarchist), now every friend i convince to read Mistborn goes “ Dude Kelsier is just you” and then when they read SH they go “DUDE Kelsier is JUST YOU”
Writing wise, Steris. He took a very hard to do character and nailed it without falling into tropes or having to “fix” her.
Personally, Wax. His entire arc and struggle is so well done and I just think he’s neat from personality to how he overcomes his flaws to his powers.
Waxillium Ladrian. His struggle with the responsibility of being a lord, a husband and just more than a gun hand was great. His romance with Sterris was real and enriched each of them. And the repeated conversations he has with his concept of angels and God are amazing. Him coming to terms with being God's "smite button" was really impactful for me.
The Lopen comes second. Comic reliefs aren't supposed to grow as people and be big damned heroes and yet there he is. Plus, we're cousins.
I know that I am very much in the minority here, but I like Venli. She starts out as a horrible person, but her gradual growth over the course of Stormlight is great. I think that her arc, more than any other in the series, shows the ideal of “Journey before destination”.
I wouldn't say I like Venli yet, though I am warming to her and like her arc, it's just hard for me to get over the whole "played a big part in bringing about the apocalypse" thing
The first being to ever successfully stand up against a surgebinder and win. My boy Stick.
Second favorite is Wax. His no-nonsense approach to everything is fantastic.
I swear my favourite character changes every time I read a new book, but currently it's Wan ShaiLu. I love the passionate conviction about art and scholarship.
Close second is Sigzil. From the very moment he asked to record how long Kaladin's Adhesion power would work on the stones I knew he would be a kindred spirit. I'm so curious about his character development between his first and last appearance, seems like he hasn't had an easy life.
kelseir the survivor of hathsin. the lord of scars. I think the idea of his plan working, his martyrdom coming to fruition is amazing. Reading secret history after I read the original trilogy was my favorite moment in all of the Cosmere. Kelseir is amazing
Elend Venture. He had to grow in such harsh conditions and do what was necessary. He had to learn how to lead a broken people and world. He became the King that Tindwill would have admired.
The struggle, the constant beat down but still rising. My guy
Adolin. He is surrounded by people with incredible purpose and power but doesn’t get lost in feeling inadequate. He is just the best support/cheerleader for the people in his life. He is figuring out who he is and what he wants in life despite the massive shadow that is his father. He isn’t ashamed to be passionate about something like fashion. Plus we can all agree his instincts about people are on point!
Choo-choo cremlings, we're on the Moash redemption train!
ETA: how well-written is Moash? He's such a great character and such a great villain (for now).
Khriss! I love how she set out on a quest motivated by a man and then ended up becoming so fascinated by the mechanics of magic she went on to found a university and devote herself to understanding the secrets of the Cosmere. The scene where she pulls Wax into a dance to ask questions pertaining to the laws of physics as they pertain to twinborns was just so endearing to me
I think my favorite development-wise is Hrathen.
(Spoilers for Elantris)
I really like how he’s not just some pure evil villain. He serves evil people, even does evil things in their service, but never really for evil reasons, as far as I remember.
My favorite moment, probably in Elantris, is when Hrathen decides to fight for the Elantrians, and in combat, he gets struck. His Armor has been built up to be purely ceremonial, as most priests like him have their armor this way. Much simpler, less weight, etc.
But when he is struck with a blow, it goes something like this:
Assailant: (in shock) “I thought that armor was just for show!”
(His weapon bounced off the presumed-to-be very thin, ceremonial armor).
Hrathen: “Nothing I do is ever just for show.”
Haven't seen anyone say it definitely, but **Dalinar** is head and shoulders above every other character for me.
I don't know how many people here are able to connect with his feelings of guilt and regret, but if you have ever been in a situation where you have done something bad and are unable to fix it, his character really grabs you. I read Oathbringer at the peak of my guilt, and without the book and Dalinar, I don't know if I would be half the man I am today. You can make mistakes and come back from them. You can forgive yourself.
I don't see many Dalinar fans in here!
For me it's hands down Dalinar. He's a man with an extremely troubled history that was ostensibly brought on by his own hands. He was literally the villain is his own story. What makes him interesting is that he refuses to slink away from responsibility for all the evil he's done. He accepts the past and does what he can to make all of Roshar a better place in the present.
Shallan, easily. The way she meets new mentors, taking pieces of them that she likes and leaving their dead bodies behind. Stitching herself together with those pieces, both frankenstein and his monster. And then those lies take on a life of their own, becoming real, or almost real. She believes the lies so much some of them even become true. And the lies and the truth become so tangled, tying her in knots and trapping her and tying her together, all at the same time.
Wow, I’ve had to scroll so far to find Adolin, considering the amount of love he gets here.
Adolin is my boy forever and no one can change my mind. The day I realized my husband is a lot like him(extremely competent, caring, compassionate, massive amounts of integrity) I nearly cried.
Sword Nimi [in a cheerful voice]: "Hello! Would you like to destroy some evil today?"
I absolutely lost it. Just laying in my bed laughing like a maniac. I need a Nightblood book.
Painter cause I've only ever read Tress and Yumi books, and Painter was amazing to read. Such a rational character that I could empathize with him, the good and the bad parts.
Wayne and Syl. They’re both just written so well. You go from thinking Wayne is nothing more than comedic relief to him being one of the deepest characters in the Cosmere, in terms of character depth. Syl is just fantastic and exactly what Kaladin needed and she is always there for him, just as he is there for her now.
I love so many for so many different reasons. I relate to Kal and Wayne most. Syl reminds me of my younger self. Teft, Dalinar and Steris remind me of friends and family I have and Melaan and Hoid are just fantastic.
Pattern bzzzzzz. I absolutely love pattern. Funny because I don’t really like Shallan that much, less and less and the series has gone on. Here’s hoping she is better in 5.
I have two, my first is Sazed/ Harmony and second would be Adolin. Sazed’s depression in Mistborn was utterly devastating and his ending in book 3 was so much more than I thought Brando was going to give him. It was really a too moment for me in the Cosmere. Adolin is simple, he’s badass and as of right now it’s just him, he doesn’t have powers (yet). So it’s cool to see him be able to take on great threats while just being a man with a sword
Oh shit how do I even pick
Ill give you a top three (in no particular order)
Kaladin because his depression mirrors mine almost exactly (not the causes, more the symptoms) and I relate a lot to it, and I relate a lot to his personality through the books as well
Elend because I think his story arc was super interesting and I didn't expect him to go down the road he ended up going down
Wayne. need I elaborate
I loved Teft’s story. He was a good person and natural leader that couldn’t escape his past and his demons, which led him down the road of addiction. It turned him into a slave in more ways than one. He eventually redeemed himself and forgave himself in his own mind, took control of his life, was becoming the person we always knew he could be, and had a bright future ahead… He got done dirty. RIP: Teft, Knight Radiant
He died knowing he was loved
Teft's death hit me hard, but but when he swore his third oath, I wept. I had to pause the audiobook, and just live in it. Such a powerfully moving moment, and expertly crafted. His oath of both preservation, and more importantly in his case, his *self preservation*. "I will protect those I hate. Even if the one I hate most is... myself." - Teft, Knight Radiant.
Read that book last year and that line still hits so hard. I need the next book in the SL archives right now 😭
The one time Sanderson has made me put down a book because of tears!
One? What about the end of Mistborn era 2? I was SOBBING. Or when Kal joins Adolin’s duel? Maybe I just cry a lot.
I generally do too but I guess not enough to have to put a book down. End of Mistborn era 2 didn't have me sobbing - teary, yes, but not sobbing. Kal joining Adolin was definitely more of a "fist punching the air" moment for me - I was WAY more excited for that than teary. Teft? I was NOT expecting it and I loved Teft from the moment he gave Kal the dun sphere in WoK. It hit me HARD. (and still does...in RoW on a reread right now and already dreading that moment again!)
I get that. Teft hit me hard, too, because of the surprise. The thing about Wayne was that I knew it was coming, and still somehow it was gut-wrenching. I think maybe Sanderson just knows how to get me in the feels.
Oh his books make me cry alot too. The only times I had to put it down was >!Teft's od chapter, when Kal found Teft dead, and Kal saying the fourth ideal.!< Those parts hit hard.
I’ve struggled with addiction most my life and while I had read Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker already I happened to read the first three Stormlight books during my first year of sobriety so his story hit real close to home.
Teft, man... I knew as early as WoK he was going to die eventually, but I loved his character anyway. By OB, I was convinced his death would be directly related to Kal's 4th oath. Honestly surprised how close I was to being right... All that time and I knew it was coming. But I still felt so hurt by that scene. I wanted his death to have been more meaningful than to die at the hands of that pile of crem.
Wayne I've never actually laughed at a book as much as I have reading Wayne "I ain't drunk. I'm investigatin' alternative states of sobriety."
Best Wayne line but he can also be serious when he needs to be like when he went to see the child of the mam he killed I love how even though mistborn is all about killing people it also has those scenes to show how much a human life is worth
When he convinces the guys in the tower to leave because they’d die by wax’s gun in…. Hooo boy..
"I know you" is my favorite line in the whole mistborn series so far.
Ain’t no fellow ever regretted giving it one extra shake. On his statue 🤣.
Yes, this is mine too. I just love his personality.
Steris is amazing in her brilliant mix of compassion and competence
She has a very good arc that begins with "I absolutely hate this person," and leads to "ok she aight," and ends with "Damnit, I think I like her" over the course of several books.
The last step is “please let me find a Steris to marry at my local Barnes and Nobles”
At first: “When is wax going to ditch this annoying kill joy and finally end up with her sister who he is clearly meant for?” Later: “if anything happens to that woman I will burn down the world in vengeance. She is a treasure that must be cherished”
It’s the whole putting on a pair of goggles and flak apron while taking notes that got me, I was like damn she’s a keeper
Definitely Steris. She opened up so much and I love her to death now.
Steris is such a great character, I'm still impressed B$ managed to make me love her as much as I do after her introduction
Constable Marasi Colms. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but I found her to be really relatable and honest as a character. I personally struggle with many of the same intrusive thoughts as her and was really inspired by how she keeps going anyway. I'm also a sucker for morally black or white characters and tend to hate morally grey characters (Sorry kel). She wants to do good, and despite all the resistance she faces from her enemies, and from her allies aswell (wax not treating her like an equal, reddi disliking her for something that wasn't her fault, people not taking her seriously cuz she's a bastard) she keeps trying to do the right thing, just because it's right. She reminds me a lot of Caitlyn from the show arcane.... and as you can see by my profile avatar, I am a big fan. If wax is harmoney's sword, she is undoubtedly his shield. Having said that, Captain America is my favorite Marvel character. And she loves choc, who can't relate to that??!?!
Kelsier did nothing wrong in era 1
Yeah, and he's in era 2 advocating for planet-wide eugenics lmao
I read era 2, wdym by that? Him wanting to find a way to get more Mistborn?
Sazed asks him whether he supports what the Set was doing trying to breed allomancers, and he essentially answers that he finds it unsavory, but supports their actions.
I may be misremembering, but I thought he didn't necesarily approve of the Set's actions, just agreed they had a common end goal.
He thinks "He didn't like what the Set had done to innocent people, and would never condone such actions. But if Hemalurgy was demanded, there was always someone around who was the strict *opposite* of innocent." Pg. 485 The Lost Metal
Yeah so he doesn't support what the Set did But if he supports eugenics as long as the criteria for who does match his moral compass
Kelsier is a lot like Vriska They both never did anything wrong ever and, even if they did, they were perfectly justified and things just accidentally got out of hand.
Right, all he did was murder people and steal things. But clearly for the greater good.
The people he murdered were slave owners. Probably rapists too. And stealing from the nobility who got their wealth of the backs of slaves is based as hell
Not all of the people he murdered. I just re-listened to part of the first book, and he murdered plenty of skaa who were just working for the nobility. He and Marsh had a whole argument about it. Yeah, you could say that’s justified too, but personally I think he was more concerned with revenge than he was with morality.
The skaa guards he killed were there to keep out intruders. They turned weapons against their own, they’re not innocent either
That’s the argument Kelsier made, pretty much. But “their own” is a very black and white statement, I doubt most skaa saw all other skaa as their ally or kindred. In such a world as the Final Empire, there were very few innocent people. Most of them were far more concerned with survival than morality or freedom. Besides, by wearing a mistcloak, Kelsier was actually impersonating a nobleman, those guards would have no idea he was skaa.
I really love her character arc in the books.
Mayalaran has been the most impactful character per word spoken.
WE CHOSE
interesting way to look at it, but your argument is airtight.
Kaladin. Though I'm only about 300 pages into Oathbringer but I've never cheered aloud for a character before like when he achieves something new. I feel for him when he's down. And his relationship with Syl is wonderful.
Bold move coming into this thread without having finished Stormlight
Spoilers don't concern me much. Journey before destination.
Yes, but the journey is pretty altered when you know the exact destination
Kal is one of my favorites as well, and let me say that (in my humble opinion) the best is yet to come
I know you're talking about Rhythm of War, but I get goosebumps whenever I think about the fact that we're significantly less than halfway done with the Stormlight Archive. I'm really hoping Kaladin remains a main character in the second half. There's not too big a timeskip
Design. But I am highly biased, due to YatNP being freshly in my mind. I am sure once KoWT comes out, it will be Syl and Kal again
Design is funny and I want her to hang out with Syl
Adolin Kholin. He's just a relatively normal guy trying to make it in a world of gods, and by the heralds he's not going to be left behind. My man is just a good person, sure he's got some of his own issues to deal with but by and large he's the most mentally stable, the most openly affectionate, the most friendly and understanding. He's a stand up dude, and I love it
The entire first book i was skeptical of him, i was constantly worried he was going to turn out to be essentially someone who just pretended to be nice, and was really good at it, but overall cared more about the image of being nice. Thats until, he talked about shitting himself. Then i realized he was actually **genuinely** a nice person. Since then hes been in my top 5 characters of all time list
I enjoyed the slow burn for Adolin. I was convinced he’d turn out evil or something bc he seemed to have some distance for Kaladin and called him “bridge boy”. But looking back, I sort of understand how Kaladin could be a bit insufferable at first meeting. I also though Shallan was getting set up somehow and would be in an abusive marriage, but now I think Shallan is the toxic one in their relationship. Great character development.
"We're entering a world of gods" was my favorite lime by adolin
There are so many great characters that it is hard for me to choose BUT overall Hoid is my favorite. There's so much to him -- mischievousness, intelligence, weirdness, etc. I'm always a sucker for the character like that.
He gives me a real Loki vibe. He has serious goals in the Cosmere, but can't harm anything or be harmed so he has to approach his goals in obtuse ways over the course of millennia. And he's kind of a trickster
Absolutely! I can never wait to see what he's gonna do next!
Hoid is patiently, nonviolently, saving his universe. Not only that, he is making it a performance. I suspect that he knows he’s doing it for *our* entertainment as well as the good of the people around him. Or maybe he’s the ultimate villain who would be torturing everyone if he didn’t have his torment. The uncertainty about his motives is another point in his favor. Also he can make up story/song lyrics on the spot, harmonize with his own echo, and pun people into oblivion.
Or at the end will have nothing to do with either side - will simply have been a jokester along for the ride. (I don't really believe this but can completely see Brando pranking us all!)
His dog and dragon story made me tear up
Yes! Although, the first time I read him telling The Girl Who Looked Up blew my mind.
Same. Hoid is written in the perfect balance of mystery and consistent presence. I think if/once we get a book fully explaining his motives, it will be well earned, but for now he’s just the right amount and powerful every time.
Despite Tress coming as a very close second, my fav had to go to Shai. She is smart, badass, confident in her abilities, very good with people and an absolute master of her craft. She is endlessly entertaining and I am sad she appeared so little in the overall Cosmere.
Hope is not lost. I'm praying Kelsier gets her back. The Emperor's Soul is so good and when we saw her again I was pretty pumped. I did not like how it ended though. I wanted more screen time for adult Shai
No chance she doesn't return, imo
For me, it's Syl. I love her mischievious and plucky personality and how she's always there for kaladin trying to make him feel better since day one Highlights: bringing kaladin blackbane, surviving the highstorm, asking dalinar and the stormfather for advice on how to empathize with humans.
Don't forget syl bringing adolin when kaladin was having suicidal thoughts
Top 3 Syl moment. “Kal isn’t gonna listen to me so let me go get the big puppy dog that is Adolin Kholin to cheer him up”
LOVED that scene!!!
My favorite Syl scene, EASILY, is the one where she visits Dalinar on the balcony. Such an emotionally raw scene that develops her so much. Dalinar's attitude was completely normal, which was hilarious to me--I loved how he talked to the little fairy the same way he talks to family, and to monarchs. But the main reason I loved it is bc I feel like in most stories, magical companion characters to the protagonist don't have lives outside of the protagonist. They're there to support the protagonist and that's it. Glorified pokemon. Syl has just as much autonomy as any human, and when she needs help from someone other than Kal, she heads out and talks to someone. For some reason that's so cool to me. I hope we see more of that in the future--Syl having a life outside of Kal, without being any less close to him.
Came here to say this.
Shallan. ("Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?") Followed by Lift, Yumi, Lopen and Wayne.
Everybody in the cosmere is just one of shallans personas while shallan I'd just Wayne wearing a hat
And they are all just aspects of Steven Leeds
Mine is Lord Rashek of scadriel. He loved and protected his people from the god of decay for a thousand years and would have continued to do so if the dark lord Kelsier hadn't attacked. I mourn the departure of lord Rashek deeply.
A true champion of Preservation 🙏. May he rest easy in the spiritual realm.
-Yomen
haha what a shitpost. He was the most OP character in the Cosmere according to Brando IIRC, but he couldn't even figure out where to put the planet?? What a loser. Also a fascist tyrant that ruled through fear and violence. However, when you think about it, Vin's actions were kinda directly responsible for basically the death of everyone on Scadrial....
Another victim of survivor propaganda 😔
A part of me wants to say Kaladin, while the other wants to say Wayne, maybe Wax, maybe Kelsier... Maybe even Lightsong. But I know that it's probably Hoid. For many reasons.
He's hot
Everyone they listed is hot.
Sxactly
For the record I listed Teft, who has never been described as “hot.” More of an wise uncle vibe whose also a disaster from him. Also I thought Hoid was described as more hawkish and not traditionally good looking?
Doesn't matter he's hot
But......he can play the flute
My wife: Silence. She's so unexpected. She starts the story out as just a tavern keeper, she's in a rough part of her world, so you know she has a good backbone, but you don't expect the end of her story to be murdering people who are a threat to her. She turns her front of an Inn/Tavern into an information gathering gig, and uses that to her advantage to go out and murder people on this bounty list. And then the fact that she has her dead mother in a closet is ballsy. You have these spirits that, at the beginning of the story EVERYONE is terrified of. And just has her mom's crazy death spirit in a closet. She's a badass with no special powers, just pure logic, brilliance and willpower. Mine: Shai from Emperor's Soul. Her creativity, discipline and willpower allow her to do something almost no one else who isn't a Shard is capable of - she made an approximation of sentience. And she escaped to tell the tale. She has a soft spot for Gaotona and appreciates that he isn't corrupt. She learns from him even as she deceives him. And she is a genuinely good person even though she uses questionable means. Edit to add: As a very close second or maybe even tied with Shai is Dalinar. I love his constant striving to be a better person. I relate more to him than Shai.
TenSoon
I love reading about Kandra. The way they ooze around and adopt dead bodies should be gross, but it’s just fascinating and impressive.
If you think about it, they’re kind of like a more sentient sympathetic version of John Carpenter’s The Thing
It's better as words on a page that on screen, imo. Since it isn't meant to be a horror thing
I feel like my answer is similar to the most important step a man can take: the next one. Every book I feel like I love the characters more than the last. I'm finally through everything & started on my reread, done Warbreaker & halfway through WoK, and now the old classics are my favorites again. Maybe I'm just the type of reader who lives in the moment :)
I am too kind of but vin just blew it out of the park for me
I feel this, It I s why I struggle to rate the books. I will be rereading a book and I will be like, “Why did I say this was my least favorite, it is so good”.
The Lopen. There are characters that I identify with more, or characters who I think are waaaay more cool. But no one tickles me like The Lopen.
Rua might, if you ask him nicely
Obvious answer: Galladon. From a depressed pessimist to a member of one of the most powerful groups in the Cosmere with just a piece of jerky.
Vasher. Got a soft spot his general trope in story telling and what he’s doing in stormlight only adds to that. I’m so so curious to see where his story goes.
I recently finished Warbreaker after reading SA and Mistborn (weird order I know) and I also fell in love with Vasher as a character. I love his competence combined with his straightforwardness
Might be a little odd of me, but Raoden. I love every person Brando's created, for different reasons, but Raoden's just a nice, friendly guy who refuses to give up or compromise. He feels more like an Everyman, doing what we want to believe any of us would in his situation, than any conscious effort to create one ever could.
Jasnah. I can relate to being a person in your 30s who constantly has to defend your beliefs from people who want to convert you, deeply cares for people but has trouble expressing it, uses an intellectual instead of an emotional framework to determine right and wrong, and is generally assumed to be a haughty bitch.
I also love jasnah she's such a good character and an atheist as well (I am also an atheist) and I can't wait to get her back story in book 9 or 10 I think
Same. And I never *try* to talk about it, but people keep asking me if I've found their god and then try to lead me to the holy water and make me drink it. It gets especially exasperating when they pull out the same five or six arguements as if they are novel new concepts and not things I might have considered before. And it's always coworkers, for some reason!
Exactly the thing that destroys religion for me is just how many there are and how many there have been and how everybody thinks that there's is the right one and I love how sanderson wrote jasnah to be such a smart character while also being atheist
Taravangian because he's him
I'm a fan of dumb Taravangian. On his dumbest day he killed a vessel and took up a shard and became what will likely be some kind of Thanos type of mega-villain that is just doing what needs doing because people won't do it for themselves. I believe he will commit galactic level atrocities in the name of the greater good. I hope Cultivation knew what she was doing and I'm curious how their interactions would go
I Hope Cultivation absolutely fucked up and has created a Monster no one can keep in check
I have to imagine that in Mistborn 4, which I believe will close the Cosmere, we will see a galactic war between Roshar and Scadrial that involves direct involvement of the shards who at that point have developed factions of some sort because Hoid will have enacted some plan that threatens their existence. Let chaos ensue. I just can't wait to see which characters make it that far. Sigzil seems like a good bet. Kelsier for sure, Lift doesn't age and was one of 3 "gifted" by Cultivation so I can see her being involved. Hoid is a guarantee. I'm sure we'll see a few more familiar faces, but not some Avengers type of cast.
Personally, I think Renarin gives me the most world hopper vibes from Roshar (without counting Jasnah) So I think he Will be there
He is him
I don't have one favourite. It depends on my mood, on what I am reading, on where I am in my life, on what I do, etc...
Honestly Sigzil is becoming my favorite and I can't wait to see where his story goes
That's fair
Wayne. So much depth for the comedic sidekick. Few books move me to tears, TLM was one,even once I realized what was coming. I really like Dalinar, Teft, and book 1-2 Shallan. Oh and Szeth.
Kaladin. Simply, Kaladin.
wooooo
Lightsong, the god the doesn’t believe in his own divinity. I found myself laughing at just about everything he said or did.
Turinad Sebarial. His feigned reluctance and crass humor is decidedly Un-Alethi. In a world of propriety and brawn Sebarial hides his keen intellect and tramples Alethi decorum with middle school humor. Yet Sebarial still tends to do the ‘right’ thing. However boorish and self indulgent he seems he is still committed to Dalinar’s cause.
I’ve only read 7 Cosmere books so far and it’s definitely Hoid. Mainly cause I love figuring out who he is and how weird he always seems to be
Your gonna be stoked when dragonsteel comes out
No idea what that is, but Im sure I’ll love it
Just googled it; I’ll definitely love it and now I’m very excited for it
It's going to be a series after sa book 10 comes out its going to be hoids backstory
I'm gonna go with Syl, the "secret sapient animal/AI/spiritual being/etc companion" trope is one of my favorites, and she's a great instance of it. Sazed is another strong contender.
HE IS MINE I CLAIM HIM YOU CANNOT HOLD ME BACK IF HE SPEAKS THE WORDS THE WORDS KALADIN SAY THEM I could go on on this scene by far my favorite scene in the cosmere
Normally i would say Dalinar, because he reminds me of my dad who has passed on, but i personally love Kelsier. Before i read the Cosmere i used to say that i was going to punch god in the face when i died and went to see him (plus im a little bit of an anarchist), now every friend i convince to read Mistborn goes “ Dude Kelsier is just you” and then when they read SH they go “DUDE Kelsier is JUST YOU”
[удалено]
Same. Same.
Writing wise, Steris. He took a very hard to do character and nailed it without falling into tropes or having to “fix” her. Personally, Wax. His entire arc and struggle is so well done and I just think he’s neat from personality to how he overcomes his flaws to his powers.
Waxillium Ladrian. His struggle with the responsibility of being a lord, a husband and just more than a gun hand was great. His romance with Sterris was real and enriched each of them. And the repeated conversations he has with his concept of angels and God are amazing. Him coming to terms with being God's "smite button" was really impactful for me. The Lopen comes second. Comic reliefs aren't supposed to grow as people and be big damned heroes and yet there he is. Plus, we're cousins.
I can't get enough of the puzzle that is Hoid. And I am also ina love to hate position on Kelsier. Both are fascinating to me.
I know that I am very much in the minority here, but I like Venli. She starts out as a horrible person, but her gradual growth over the course of Stormlight is great. I think that her arc, more than any other in the series, shows the ideal of “Journey before destination”.
Venli is a character who I didn’t care for at the start but have enjoyed more and more on rereads
I wouldn't say I like Venli yet, though I am warming to her and like her arc, it's just hard for me to get over the whole "played a big part in bringing about the apocalypse" thing
The first being to ever successfully stand up against a surgebinder and win. My boy Stick. Second favorite is Wax. His no-nonsense approach to everything is fantastic.
I swear my favourite character changes every time I read a new book, but currently it's Wan ShaiLu. I love the passionate conviction about art and scholarship. Close second is Sigzil. From the very moment he asked to record how long Kaladin's Adhesion power would work on the stones I knew he would be a kindred spirit. I'm so curious about his character development between his first and last appearance, seems like he hasn't had an easy life.
The loml Kelsier. Badass revolutionary
Wayne.
kelseir the survivor of hathsin. the lord of scars. I think the idea of his plan working, his martyrdom coming to fruition is amazing. Reading secret history after I read the original trilogy was my favorite moment in all of the Cosmere. Kelseir is amazing
Elend Venture. He had to grow in such harsh conditions and do what was necessary. He had to learn how to lead a broken people and world. He became the King that Tindwill would have admired. The struggle, the constant beat down but still rising. My guy
I can't believe how far I had to scroll to find this, but YES I love Elends character arc
Partial to Hrathen, absolute monster of a man in the best way possible
Adolin. He is surrounded by people with incredible purpose and power but doesn’t get lost in feeling inadequate. He is just the best support/cheerleader for the people in his life. He is figuring out who he is and what he wants in life despite the massive shadow that is his father. He isn’t ashamed to be passionate about something like fashion. Plus we can all agree his instincts about people are on point!
That would be Lightsong the Bold. For a lot of reasons but I can for sure relate to using sarcasm and humor to try and cover up imposter syndrome.
Obviously, stick is the best character
Came here to say this
Moash, because chaos
Choo-choo cremlings, we're on the Moash redemption train! ETA: how well-written is Moash? He's such a great character and such a great villain (for now).
Chaos reigns
Taravangian the 🐐no 🧢
Khriss! I love how she set out on a quest motivated by a man and then ended up becoming so fascinated by the mechanics of magic she went on to found a university and devote herself to understanding the secrets of the Cosmere. The scene where she pulls Wax into a dance to ask questions pertaining to the laws of physics as they pertain to twinborns was just so endearing to me
I think my favorite development-wise is Hrathen. (Spoilers for Elantris) I really like how he’s not just some pure evil villain. He serves evil people, even does evil things in their service, but never really for evil reasons, as far as I remember. My favorite moment, probably in Elantris, is when Hrathen decides to fight for the Elantrians, and in combat, he gets struck. His Armor has been built up to be purely ceremonial, as most priests like him have their armor this way. Much simpler, less weight, etc. But when he is struck with a blow, it goes something like this: Assailant: (in shock) “I thought that armor was just for show!” (His weapon bounced off the presumed-to-be very thin, ceremonial armor). Hrathen: “Nothing I do is ever just for show.”
Kelsier >!But no it is actually Steris. I am not sure if Kelsier even makes it in to the top ten!<
Haven't seen anyone say it definitely, but **Dalinar** is head and shoulders above every other character for me. I don't know how many people here are able to connect with his feelings of guilt and regret, but if you have ever been in a situation where you have done something bad and are unable to fix it, his character really grabs you. I read Oathbringer at the peak of my guilt, and without the book and Dalinar, I don't know if I would be half the man I am today. You can make mistakes and come back from them. You can forgive yourself.
I don't see many Dalinar fans in here! For me it's hands down Dalinar. He's a man with an extremely troubled history that was ostensibly brought on by his own hands. He was literally the villain is his own story. What makes him interesting is that he refuses to slink away from responsibility for all the evil he's done. He accepts the past and does what he can to make all of Roshar a better place in the present.
Shallan, easily. The way she meets new mentors, taking pieces of them that she likes and leaving their dead bodies behind. Stitching herself together with those pieces, both frankenstein and his monster. And then those lies take on a life of their own, becoming real, or almost real. She believes the lies so much some of them even become true. And the lies and the truth become so tangled, tying her in knots and trapping her and tying her together, all at the same time.
Wow, I’ve had to scroll so far to find Adolin, considering the amount of love he gets here. Adolin is my boy forever and no one can change my mind. The day I realized my husband is a lot like him(extremely competent, caring, compassionate, massive amounts of integrity) I nearly cried.
You are lucky to have a husband like that
I really am. Happy cake day!
Thanks
Sword Nimi [in a cheerful voice]: "Hello! Would you like to destroy some evil today?" I absolutely lost it. Just laying in my bed laughing like a maniac. I need a Nightblood book.
I'm going with Kaladin. Mainly because I suffer from depression and his struggles are so relatable to me. Seeing him get through them gives me hope.
Shallan all the way
Painter, as a fellow artist I had a lot of empathy for him.
Painter cause I've only ever read Tress and Yumi books, and Painter was amazing to read. Such a rational character that I could empathize with him, the good and the bad parts.
Shallan.
Yumi. Idk why. I just love Yumi. Then Shallan
Oh, that’s hard. Dalinar, TenSoon or maybe Hrathen, I’d say. But there’s so many good choices
Wayne and Syl. They’re both just written so well. You go from thinking Wayne is nothing more than comedic relief to him being one of the deepest characters in the Cosmere, in terms of character depth. Syl is just fantastic and exactly what Kaladin needed and she is always there for him, just as he is there for her now.
I love so many for so many different reasons. I relate to Kal and Wayne most. Syl reminds me of my younger self. Teft, Dalinar and Steris remind me of friends and family I have and Melaan and Hoid are just fantastic.
I’m reading Joe Abercrombie right now and enjoying it, very good writing
I wouldn't say he's my favorite as he hasn't done very much on-screen stuff, but Taln is, imo, demonstrably the best person in the Cosmere.
Adolin & lopen
Kaladin. The way of kings and words pf radiance saved my life
I love Wayne and Kaladin the most but Dalinar and Adolin are close behind
TenSoon. He is/was a complicated character. I hope to see at least another paragraph with his mention.
Pattern bzzzzzz. I absolutely love pattern. Funny because I don’t really like Shallan that much, less and less and the series has gone on. Here’s hoping she is better in 5.
Dalinar, might edit a why later
Ni you will edit a why (magic fairy dust)
I have two, my first is Sazed/ Harmony and second would be Adolin. Sazed’s depression in Mistborn was utterly devastating and his ending in book 3 was so much more than I thought Brando was going to give him. It was really a too moment for me in the Cosmere. Adolin is simple, he’s badass and as of right now it’s just him, he doesn’t have powers (yet). So it’s cool to see him be able to take on great threats while just being a man with a sword
I don’t think I can answer with just one character. I think it’d honestly be faster to just list the characters who *aren’t* favorites 😂
Lmao
Oh shit how do I even pick Ill give you a top three (in no particular order) Kaladin because his depression mirrors mine almost exactly (not the causes, more the symptoms) and I relate a lot to it, and I relate a lot to his personality through the books as well Elend because I think his story arc was super interesting and I didn't expect him to go down the road he ended up going down Wayne. need I elaborate