Brandon Sanderson is known for his unique and complex world-building found in the Cosmere, butMistborn’s magic system is what makes the series stand-out most compared to others in the fantasy genre. While the novels are mainly centered around the metal-based magic of Allomancy, there are two other branches of magic—Faruchemy and Hemalurgy—that also play a significant role in the narrative.Mistborn’s magic systemis incredibly complex, and often not an easy skill to undertake throughout the novels—but Sanderson’s main heroine, Vin, has some innate understanding and unique relationship to the metals that no other character comes close to.
Vin is considered to be one of themost powerful characters from theMistbornseries—or even out of all ofSanderson’s fantasy books. However,Vin’s easy adoption of her abilities has caused some to consider her character of being too overpowered. Due to Vin’s natural ability with allomantic metals, it’s understandable how some come to this conclusion—but Sanderson makes sure to include several obstacles and challenges that help to make Vin’s rise in power all the more believable. And her character’s evolution throughout the series is one of the reasons her powerful abilities don’t feel forced.
What Powers Vin Has In Mistborn
As A Mistborn, She Can Burn All Known Allomantic Metals
Vin has several skill sets and powers throughoutBrandon Sanderson’s book series, and while she operates very similarly to other mistborn in the novels, there are a few traits that make her stand out from the rest. A mistborn is someone who can manipulate, or burn, all the allomantic metals—rather than a misting who can only burn one. This alone makes her more powerful than most of the population, asbeing a mistborn gives her access to all allomantic metals, and therefore abilities. These metals provide varying degrees of power but provide her with physical, mental, temporal, and enhancement abilities.
Ability Given
Steel
The ability to push on nearby metals, also known as “Coinshots”
Iron
The ability to pull on nearby metals, also known as “Lurchers”
Tin
The ability to enhance all five senses, also known as “Tineyes”
Pewter
The ability to enhance one’s physical abilities (become stronger, jump higher, run faster, etc.), also known as “Thugs”
Zinc
The ability to enflame an individual or a group’s emotions, also known as “Rioters”
Brass
The ability to soothe or guide an individual or a group’s emotions in a certain direction, also known as “Soothers”
Bronze
The ability to sense and detect others using Allomancy nearby, also known as “Seekers”
Copper
The ability to hide an individual or a group’s use of Allomancy from others, also known as “Smokers”
Aluminum
The ability to clear out all other metal reserves, more typically used against enemies.
Duralumin
It grants the user a burst of power and the ability to enhance another metal, but quickly drains reserves.
Gold
The ability to see an alternate version of oneself, had they made different choices.
Electrum
The ability to see into one’s own future, and is used primarily to cancel out the use of Atium in others.
Atium
The ability to see seconds into the future, and view your attackers' next set of actions.
After training with Kelsier, it’s clear her allomantic abilities are similar to other mistborns, although with a few differences. Due to Ruin’s hemalurgic spike through her ear, she was granted the ability to pierce copperclouds, and negate another mistborn’s use of Copper—something other mistborn’s can’t accomplish.Vin also had the ability to absorb the mists, the entity of Preservation, into her body—making her allomantic abilities more powerful. This isn’t necessarily due to any unique ability on her part, but by being Preservation’s “chosen one”.
Vin Snapping At Birth Makes Her More Powerful
She Was More Attuned To Her Abilities Than Other Mistborn
Sanderson explains throughout theMistbornseries thatmany people “snap” into their mistborn powers when they experience a significant amount of stress, pain, or even a life-threatening experience. For most, this happens much later in life, and even Kelsier didn’t snap until he was sent to the Pits of Hathsin. It is also explained in the novels that most noble families will beat their children, almost to the point of death, in order for them to snap. However, Vin snapped into her powers at birth, making her experience unique to other mistborn in the series.
In the firstMistbornnovel, Vin believes herself to be using the power of Luck, and is unaware she’s actually burning a combination of Zinc and Brass.
Having snapped from the minute she was born,Vin has never known life outside of being a mistborn. This greatly affects her natural ability with the allomantic metals compared to others, and provides an explanation as to why she appears to be overpowered. However, it’s clear that Vin was not aware of her Allomancy until much later in life—as her natural instincts would guide her through using her powers unknowingly. Because of this, Vin’s mistborn abilities are much more a part of her than other mistborns who have snapped at a later age, explaining her natural affinity and overall power.
Vin’s Family Bloodline Makes Her Strong At Allomancy
Her Mistborn Lineage Comes From A Powerful Obligator
TheMistbornbook seriesexplains that at the beginning of the Lord Ruler’s reign he created a set number of mistborn. From there, every generation could inherit some of the original mistborn’s power, albeit growing weaker as the years passed—hence the arrival of mistings. This power was supposed to be kept within the noble families, making Vin, who was born Skaa, an outlier among the others. At first her lineage is kept a mystery, but it’s later revealed thatshe was the daughter of Tevidian, the Lord Prelan, and the most powerful obligator.
Mistborn’s Biggest Vin Complaint Doesn’t Hold Up After The Later Books
Vin’s character undergoes a massive transformation throughout the series, refuting an early criticism of her role in the first Mistborn book.
It was illegal to have relations with lower born Skaa and to let them live after if they became pregnant—but it’s clear that Vin’s mother escaped notice—as she had tricked Tevidian into believing she was a noble.Vin’s father was from House Tekiel, a very pure noble line, making her a descendent of noble blood. While it’s unknown who in her lineage was a strong mistborn, it’s clear her ancestry is what provided her with the ability to become a powerful mistborn to begin with.
The Hemalurgic Spike Gave Vin Greater Power
Her Earring Allowed Her To Pierce Copper Clouds
Vin’s ability to pierce copperclouds was one of her more mysterious qualities when compared to other mistborn, and it isn’t until Sanderson dives deeper into Hemalurgy that it starts to makes sense.Hemalurgy is a branch of magic found in theMistbornseries that allows one to steal or transfer magicfrom one individual to anotherby inserting a metal spike through their body. It’s one of the more gruesome and terrifying magics throughout all ofMistborn, and in The Hero of Ages, Sanderson finally reveals the reason for Vin’s greater powers.
The spike was able to enhance Vin’s allomantic bronze, and therefore made her much more powerful than other mistborn—giving her the ability to pierce copperclouds and sense the Well of Ascension.
As it turns out,Vin’s earring, gifted to her by her mother as a child, was actually a hemalurgic spike. Under the influence of Ruin, Vin’s mother killed her younger sister—who was a Seeker—and then placed the spike through Vin’s left ear. The spike was able to enhance Vin’s allomantic bronze, and therefore made her much more powerful than other mistborn—giving her the ability to pierce copperclouds and sense the Well of Ascension. While she almost stops wearing the earring entirely, she puts it back on just before beginning training with Kelsier.
Is Vin Overpowered?
Her Additional Powers Come From Ruin & Preservation
WhileVin’s mistborn abilitiesare definitely more powerful than others,the circumstances that allowed her to become so don’t necessarily indicate her character is overpowered. Vin’s unique relationship with Allomancy comes strictly from accessing it her entire life—having snapped at birth—enabling her natural ability and understanding of the various metals. Vin’s ability to pierce copperclouds and draw on the mists also comes from Ruin and Preservation—powerful entities that seemingly chose Vin by chance. But for Ruin, it was merely because of Vin’s circumstances that he singled her out.
While access to Ruin and Preservation makes Vin more powerful, it’s clear she could have been easily replaced by another throughout theMistbornseries had their circumstances been similar to hers.
Ruin didn’t choose Vin due to some extraordinary power she would one day come to wield, but because he knew Vin would be born a mistborn, and her younger sister a Seeker—circumstances that aligned with his plans for escaping The Well. This inspired Preservation to allow Vin access to the mists in order to help her become more powerful, and ultimately, to help destroy Ruin once and for all. While access to Ruin and Preservation makes Vin more powerful, it’s clear she could have been easily replaced by another throughout theMistbornseries had their circumstances been similar to hers.
