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The next Mistborn series must break the strangest romance trend in books

The next Mistborn series must break the strangest romance trend in books

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Mistborn Era 1 and Era 2.


Summary

  • Brandon Sanderson’s
    Mistborn
    The series takes up a strange romance trend that involves love triangles in which two siblings compete with each other.
  • The next
    Mistborn
    The series was intended to break with the romance novel tradition of the books and use new relationship dynamics and tropes.
  • Mistborn
    The books run the risk of becoming predictable if the same character trends continue into Era 3 and beyond.


Romance is far from the focus of the Mistborn Books, but The next series in Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy saga should break a strange romance trend of the previous twoSanderson’s saga currently spans two eras: the original Mistborn Trilogy and the Wax & Wayne series. The latter takes place centuries after Era 1, and Sanderson plans to jump forward in time again in the next one. Mistborn book. This means that readers can expect significant changes to the setting as well as a new cast of characters.

Such narrative elements shift from Mistborn Era 1 to Era 2, but there are some similarities between the series. This includes a romance setup that doesn’t seem similar at first glance. Mistborn Era 2 repeats a dynamic that was seen in the earlier Mistborn Books. This is a bizarre trend for the series, and one that is also evident in other books by Sanderson. If the author wants to keep things fresh and unpredictable, he should really break this trend in Mistborn Epoch 3.


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Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series repeats a strange romance trend

In both eras there are love triangles with two competing siblings

The cover of The Bands of Mourning separated from the cover of The Well of Ascension
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

Vin and Elend’s relationship in Mistborn Trilogy feels very different from the romance between Wax and Steris in Era 2. However, both series repeat a romance trend before their endgame characters get married. In each era, Sanderson introduces a love triangle in which two siblings compete with each other. The Fountain of the Ascension Vin is torn between misery and his half-brother Zane. Although Vin has no feelings for Zane, he emulates her – and embodies a life that she prefers to her future of misery.


In each era, Sanderson introduces a love triangle in which two siblings compete with each other.

In Mistborn Era 2, both Steris and her half-sister Marasi have feelings for Wax for a while. Marasi eventually overcomes her interest in Wax and her sister marries him. Like the dynamic between Vin, Elend and Zane, The love triangle of Era 2 doesn’t last long and doesn’t have massive consequences. But it is a bit strange that Mistborn repeats this romantic subplot. And it is one that appears in other stories from Sanderston’s program, including The Stormlight Archive and myself Warbreaker to a certain degree.

The next Mistborn series should break with the romance tradition of the books

It could instead use other romantic dynamics and tropes

Wax and Wayne from the cover of Alloy of Law
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury


Although there is nothing fundamentally wrong with repeating similar love dynamics in multiple series, It would be interesting if the next Mistborn Series broke the trend of love triangles from the first two. With the characters, the setting and even MistbornAs The Witch’s magical system evolves over time, it seems necessary for relationship dynamics to do the same. While relationships aren’t the focus of a fantasy saga like this, it’s important to keep things fresh. And using new dynamics and tropes is one way to set the third layer. Mistborn era apart from the previous two.

With the characters, the setting and even
Mistborn
As the magical system evolves over time, it seems necessary that the relationship dynamics evolve as well.


There are so many other relationship structures that Sanderson’s next story could usewhich allows him to completely break away from love triangles. An even bigger surprise would be the next Mistborn series that forgoes romance entirely. But there is no denying that such bonds strengthen a narrative and serve as a bright spot in an otherwise dark and risky fantasy story. Whatever path Sanderson takes in the upcoming Mistborn Books, the most important thing is to make sure that the relationships don’t become stale or predictable.

The Mistborn books risk becoming predictable if they continue this trend

The main characters of Era 3 should not be confronted with the same situations as Vin & Wax

The covers of Mistborn: The Final Empire and Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson
Custom image by Yeider Chacon


Future Mistborn The books will still be exciting, even if Sanderson continues to incorporate love triangles with two rival siblings. However, repeating similar relationship dynamics from series to series runs the risk of making character arcs too predictable. Just as readers want to see new conflicts, villains, and settings, they also want to explore new territory with the main characters. That means Mistborn The leads of Era 3 should not be exposed to the same situations that Vin and Wax faced. And since the outcome of their love triangle was pretty obvious, it’s best to avoid repetition in the next chapter.

Of course, Sanderson’s plot twists are always surprising – and that would probably make up for any predictable outcomes on the relationship side of the series. But with Mistborn Era 3 confirmed and the possibility of more books beyond that, there are good reasons to change things. Not only will future chapters of the Mistborn Saga is different from what came before, but it will keep readers guessing even when it comes to the smaller elements of the fantasy series. That’s a great way to keep them hooked and impressed.