The following is commentary, written by Brandon, about one of the chapters of MISTBORN: THE HERO OF AGES. If you haven’t read this book, know that the following will contain major spoilers. We suggest reading the sample chaptersfrom book one instead. You can also go to this book’s introduction or go to the main annotations page to access all annotations for all of Brandon’s books. For those who have read some of MISTBORN 3, any spoilers for the ending of this book will be hidden, so as long as you’ve read up to this chapter, you should be all right.

The Crew Moves into the Cavern

Some of my alpha readers were far more worried about Sazed’s team getting trapped in the cavern than I was—and of course one of the most vocal was Skar, my military friend. They figured that it would be so easy to box Sazed and company into that chamber that it was a tactical mistake for them to stay down there.

I, however, figure that the dangers of possible assassins from the Citizen and of the building being rushed by soldiers were far more serious threats. If I were Sazed and Breeze, I’d rather be trapped in the well-stocked cache than in danger up above. But to each his own, I guess.

Sazed Thinks about Kelsier’s One Flaw

Kelsier’s hatred of the nobility—and the terrible brutality he manifested in killing them—was indeed his greatest flaw. Some would disagree with me. I’ve read a lot of fantasy, particularly lately, where Kelsier’s style of brutality is the norm for characters. Anyone who isn’t like that is chewed up and spit out.

The Inscription on the Cache’s Steel Plate

The Lord Ruler’s words here are probably the most altruistic things he wrote in his entire life. Elend worries sometimes that he’s becoming like the Lord Ruler, and the truth is that—in part—he is. The difference is that the Lord Ruler started out as a spiteful, petty man and learned through the power he held to be more responsible with it. Elend was a good-hearted, idealistic man—and leadership tempered him into someone a little more realistic.

I guess I’m saying that power doesn’t always have to corrupt. In many ways, I think it can change a man for the better.