Mistborn author Brandon Sanderson recently critiqued the way many modern stories handle “antihero characters,” and one of his most beloved characters is proof that he knows what he’s talking about. Brandon Sanderson is an author of high fantasy and sci-fi books, with his first novel published all the way back in 2005. As a veteran of the industry, at this point, Sanderson has become one of the most widely respected voices in speculative fiction literature, often sharing his thoughts on other media and franchises via his YouTube channel, podcast, and various panels.
Brandon Sanderson’s magnum opus is his Cosmere universe, an enormous shared universe that encompasses fantasy titles like Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, and Elantris. He’s already released seventeen full-length novels in the Cosmere, along with several unconnected books, so he’s no beginner to the vast number of characters it takes to keep a shared universe compelling. There are a number of archetypal fantasy heroes in his stories, but there’s also a ton of variation. His best-known antihero is the Mistborn character, Kelsier.
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In a recent clip from one of Brandon Sanderson’s teaching lectures, he shared his thoughts on the problems with modern antiheroes. He listed three prominent Marvel characters as examples: Venom, Deadpool, and the Punisher. Given that he referenced Deadpool 2 and that the Punisher recently appeared in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again, it seems like he’s referring specifically to the film and television versions of these characters. He certainly has a point.
That’s not to say these aren’t entertaining or well-crafted characters. Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is one of the strongest characters in the MCU franchise, but it’s hard to call him an antihero at this point. These characters do bad things for morally good reasons, but that’s not what being an antihero is. An antihero is specifically defined as a character who can be viewed as a protagonist due to the framing of the story but who often lacks qualities like morality. The Punisher, for example, undoubtedly has a moral compass that guides his heroic intentions.
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Kelsier Is The Ideal Antihero Character
Kelsier is one of Brandon Sanderson’s most well-written characters, and he represents the true meaning of what it means to be an antihero. Kelsier is the first protagonist in the Mistborn books, and he seems like a relatively likable character in the first novel. By all accounts, his plan and actions are a major force for good on his planet, but the distinction that makes him an antihero is his intention, which isn’t to protect people; it’s to seek out vengeance on the Lord Ruler and those who took his wife from him.
Kelsier’s mission is revenge disguised as rebellion.
Brandon Sanderson has described Kelsier as being the clinical definition of a psychopath. He is deeply egotistical and has a lack of empathy all around. His goals see him working toward the betterment of Scadrial, but he’s not doing it because he believes it is the right thing. Kelsier’s mission is revenge disguised as rebellion. Unlike his brother Marsh, Kelsier only pursued this path after Maeve was taken from him, and he’s perfectly fine killing any Luthadel nobles he can find, as they’re all the enemy, no matter what.
What Other Fictional Antiheroes Can Learn From Kelsier
Antiheroes Shouldn’t Just Be Characters Doing Bad Things For The Right Reasons
Kelsier’s story in The Final Empire makes him a quintessential antihero. He’s a character who wants revenge, but his target just so happens to be an evil dictator. Therefore, he benefits from his pursuit of revenge socially, as many flock to his side as followers, believing his journey to be righteous, fueling his ego. This even goes as far as Kelsier’s deification. It’s apparent that in different circumstances, Kelsier could be a villain. For instance, imagine if Maeve had been killed due to the secondhand actions of a benevolent monarch.
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It’s challenging to make a truly compelling antihero, as it requires the characters to not learn from their wrongdoings. Let’s use Walter White as another example. In Breaking Bad season 4, he faces off against Gustavo Fring. In the show’s framing, Walter is our protagonist, and Gus is the more dangerous villain. However, Walter isn’t looking to kill Gus because Gus is a bad person; he’s doing it to save his own life. I’d love to see fictional antiheroes taking a page out of the Mistborn book more often, embracing figures whose morality is actually questionable.
Mistborn
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Vin, Kelsier, Sazed, Marsh, Elend Venture, Waxillium “Wax” Ladrian, Wayne, Steris Harms
Summary
The Mistborn series, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy, Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, including Era 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.
