I Wish Mistborn Era 1 Spent More Time On 1 Tragic Well Of Ascension Storyline

There isn’t much I would change about the original Mistborn trilogy, but I do wish Era 1 spent more time on one tragic Well of Ascension storyline. The Well of Ascension is the second book in Mistborn Era 1, and Brandon Sanderson raises the stakes of the story as Vin, Elend, and Kelsier’s crew fight to maintain their hold on Luthadel. The group faces challenges from Elend’s father and other lords seeking power — and that’s not to mention the mysterious power lurking in the mists. A lot happens in The Well of Ascension, and it comes together in a satisfying way.

I don’t think Sanderson favors any storylines over the others, and the author certainly doesn’t forget to tie up loose ends. Sanderson masterfully weaves the threads of the Mistborn trilogy together, and he typically gives every character and subplot the depth they deserve. However, there is one storyline from The Well of Ascension that I wish he expanded on further. Even though it ends in tragedy, it deserves more attention, especially after its major twist.

I Wish Mistborn Era 1 Spent More Time Unpacking Zane’s Storyline From Book 2

Zane Is One Of Brandon Sanderson’s Most Intriguing Characters

The original Mistborn books feature plenty of interesting characters, and Zane is among the most fascinating and tragic — but I wish The Well of Ascension spent more time on him. Zane is Elend’s secret half-brother, and he’s another Mistborn. He and Vin spend much of Mistborn book two sparring with one another, but things turn deadly during their final confrontation. Although Sanderson gives readers a look at Zane’s relationship with Straff Venture, it’s a shame we never get to see him interact with Elend. It’s also disappointing that the book doesn’t explore his backstory in more depth.

Although Zane is a fairly divisive character among readers, his narrative in The Well of Ascension paints the picture of a flawed man who doesn’t know where he stands. He develops feelings for Vin, leading him to disobey his father’s commands. However, I didn’t find his advances towards Vin all that interesting. I would much rather have delved more deeply into his psyche, especially after learning that Ruin was manipulating him the entire novel. This, plus his conflicted desires, would have made for a gripping character study.

The Well Of Ascension Doesn’t Dig Into Zane’s Backstory As Much As It Should

I Want To Know More About The Venture Family

Zane is a product of Straff Venture’s affairs, as well as his efforts to produce a Mistborn child. With Elend lacking Allomantic powers at the beginning of the Mistborn trilogy, it makes sense that a power-hungry man like Straff would find other ways to conceive a Mistborn. However, it’s surprising that he manages to hide someone like Zane from Elend and the other nobles for so long. The fact that Zane isn’t referenced in The Final Empire raises questions about where he was before joining Straff’s army. I want to know more about his upbringing, as well as his tense relationship with his father.

In general, I don’t think the Mistborn novels explore the Venture family enough, especially given the impact they have on the Final Empire. Elend clearly has a lot of trauma from his father, and Zane seems to as well. Despite this, the books don’t take a deep dive into their pasts or relationship dynamics. It’s clear Straff doesn’t have a bond with either of his sons, but that just raises questions about why Zane agrees to do his bidding. There’s also the matter of Zane’s and Elend’s mothers, neither of whom are ever addressed.

Mistborn Doesn’t Give The Well Of Ascension’s Final Zane Reveal Enough Attention

Ruin’s Role In Zane’s Story Should Be A Bigger Deal

In addition to wanting more of Zane’s backstory, I also wanted the original Mistborn books to properly address that Ruin is the one speaking to Zane throughout The Well of Ascension. While this becomes clear to the reader as Sanderson ties everything together, it doesn’t really get the weight it deserves. For one, no one ever realizes that Zane is hearing voices — or that Ruin is manipulating him the entire time. This is an incredibly tragic revelation, and it makes me wonder what Zane would be like without his Hemalurgic spike giving way to Ruin’s influence.

The fact that Zane is essentially forgotten immediately after his death makes this worse, as the characters move on with little fanfare. His arc does a good job of foreshadowing what’s to come, and it helps Vin decide what she wants. However, it would have been nice to see him get some form of justice or closure, as Mistborn implies that his more violent tendencies come from Ruin. It doesn’t make up for what he does throughout The Well of Ascension, but it still deserves more recognition.