He was supposed to be king

[Rg2045]

So I just got done listening to well of ascension, and one thing that I expected (because of the wiki) but didn’t understand, was Dockson and Elends stressed relationship.  so I thought about what kelsiers  original plan. Who did he expect to be king, who did he expect to succeed him. 
who else then his right hand man. The one that works day and night to make kelsiers dreams come true. 
I think he wanted Dockson to become king of the skaa. 
but our favorite idealist surrendered and showed Dockson that he didn’t have to slaughter all the nobility. But I think this is another underlying reason that Dockson didn’t like elend. That he felt that he was snubbed the kingship. 

[AidenTollis]

I don't know, Dockson and Elend are two very different people, and they have very conflicting ideas on how to run a kingdom. 

[Duxredux]

I think there is something to the idea that Elend as a good person made Dox uncomfortable with his past actions. I still remember the conversation Vin had with him (while trying to figure out who the kandra impersonator was) where Dox came to the conclusion that he was a monster for killing so many noblemen. That conclusion didn't happen overnight, and interacting with Elend repeatedly proved that the nobility weren't intrinsically evil. That seems like a really hard conclusion to personally arrive at, that even if Dockson was a better bureaucrat, Elend was a kinder ruler. I don't know if I would have been as willing to see things that way or admit them. Maybe Dox hated Elend for showing him that the way he had lived was wrong.

I do think there's good evidence that Kelsier intended Dockson to rule, especially after Yeden died (well... probably before Yeden died).

[TheWanderer]

8 hours ago, Duxredux said:

I think there is something to the idea that Elend as a good person made Dox uncomfortable with his past actions. I still remember the conversation Vin had with him (while trying to figure out who the kandra impersonator was) where Dox came to the conclusion that he was a monster for killing so many noblemen. That conclusion didn't happen overnight, and interacting with Elend repeatedly proved that the nobility weren't intrinsically evil. That seems like a really hard conclusion to personally arrive at, that even if Dockson was a better bureaucrat, Elend was a kinder ruler. I don't know if I would have been as willing to see things that way or admit them. Maybe Dox hated Elend for showing him that the way he had lived was wrong.

I do think there's good evidence that Kelsier intended Dockson to rule, especially after Yeden died (well... probably before Yeden died).

That is a very astute observation that admittedly flew right on by me. I figured that he was getting there long before given he wanted to Kelsier to reign himself in a bit in book one. Even so, really love this discussion and analysis everyone.

[cometaryorbit]

On 4/22/2022 at 10:11 PM, TheWanderer said:

That is a very astute observation that admittedly flew right on by me. I figured that he was getting there long before given he wanted to Kelsier to reign himself in a bit in book one. Even so, really love this discussion and analysis everyone.

Kelsier's violence could have kind of gotten the idea started .. but I think in book one he was worried about Kelsier jeopardizing the plan due to his impulsiveness, rather than concerned about the *morality* of Kelsier's actions.

[TheWanderer]

5 hours ago, cometaryorbit said:

Kelsier's violence could have kind of gotten the idea started .. but I think in book one he was worried about Kelsier jeopardizing the plan due to his impulsiveness, rather than concerned about the *morality* of Kelsier's actions.

Quite fair, Doxson definitely had his own prejudices against the nobility, for quite fair reasons.