Who is your LEAST favorite character in the Cosmere?

[the winter system]

Did you enjoy his play date with Tonk Fah?

That was really his only purpose. I didn't even notice until like my fifth read through.

(I just thought he got lost)

[Wubdor]

I can't stand Elend. Not even in a "love to hate him" kind of way. I genuinely dislike the character and I would've liked the Mistborn trilogy better without him. I think I'm allowed to post spoilers here without a tag, right? Just joined the forums. I'll just leave it without spoilers for now until I'm sure.

[cem]

I know I'm gonna be pretty much alone here, but Wayne. He always came across as too silly for me. I didn't appreciate his humor, because that kind of humor doesn't work for me in books without visual or auditory cues like it would with a stand-up comedian or a sitcom. I didn't see anything else that was interesting about him either.

[Iarwainiel I]

Really enjoyed reading everyone's opinions! It shows how unique we all are, and illustrates what Brandon says - that the reader actually co-creates the book with the author, by imagining the characters and their actions. We each bring ourselves to the page, reading and understanding through our own personalities and experiences. No idea why anyone would hate reading - it's so creative!

 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

 

My least favorite POV characters were Vivenne in Warbreaker and Sarene in Elantris. Mistborn was the first book I read from Brandon, and the Vin character was (IMO) so well-developed that I was surprised to not like Vivenne and Sarene better - I would have seriously doubted Brandon's ability to write female POVs if not for Vin. And to me, Siri in Warbreaker wasn't much better. Those three just didn't seem like real people - kind of cardboard-y or something. For Sarene, I chalked it up to him still being single when he wrote the book, but that wasn't true for Warbreaker so that theory was shot down. All the female characters in Stormlight Archives are better, so no more doubts on my part.

 

My least favorite name for a POV character is for sure Elhokar. I have to keep calling him "El-hokey-doke" to keep from confusing him with other characters. Probably my grapheme synesthesia getting lost in too many characters with the same letters in their names ... but to be clear, it's not that I dislike the character: just his name.

Edited August 15, 2015 by old aggie

[DreamEternal]

Elhokar is not a POV character.

Or is he?

[Adamir]

Please don't crucify me, but first impressions of Elend Cullen were of Meyer-esque true wuv. Feel free to call me a cynic - its my only sense of identity - but my eyes rolled back far enough to give me a good look at my own brain when we got to the point where Kelsier's crew just decides to put him on the throne with no justification other than because the story demanded it; wait, the story didn't demand it. Elend would have been a lot more interesting if he had to actually fight for his throne as well as fighting to keep it, but he became a bit of a Gary Stu with his unflinching ideologies when he could have saved dozens, perhaps hundreds, if he hadn't stuck as firmly to his moral code.

[maxal]

Please don't crucify me, but first impressions of Elend Cullen were of Meyer-esque true wuv. Feel free to call me a cynic - its my only sense of identity - but my eyes rolled back far enough to give me a good look at my own brain when we got to the point where Kelsier's crew just decides to put him on the throne with no justification other than because the story demanded it; wait, the story didn't demand it. Elend would have been a lot more interesting if he had to actually fight for his throne as well as fighting to keep it, but he became a bit of a Gary Stu with his unflinching ideologies when he could have saved dozens, perhaps hundreds, if he hadn't stuck as firmly to his moral code.

 

I agree about the sentient on Elend. I rather liked him, but I too felt his ascension was slightly uncalled for. The entire rebellion was not brought up properly I felt: it was way too easy.

 

However, to stop the comparison with Meyer, at least, Elend kept his shirt on... though in his case, it would have been more realistic had he taken of from time to time... Vin and Elend, the most platonic union ever, the one true love I never truly believed in because they never really looked.... in love. Bah. This is an aspect of story telling Brandon still has to work on.

[Humpty]

     Ghostbloods and Mr. T for sure. I hope Jasnah comes back and beheads all of those meddling Bastards. Dalinar and the radiants will have enough problems without secret societies and Meddlers.

[+Slowswift]

WHAT THE STORMS ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE HATING ON ELEND

 

ELEND VENTURE IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL

 

AAAAAAHHH

 

...sorry. Of course y'all are entitled to your opinions. I just really, really love Elend.

[Zathoth]

I think the inner conflict of Elend who wants to be a kind leader and the Elend who has to be a tyrant is kind of interesting. What makes me like Elend more than Vivenne who has the same "Cant do what I need to do because my morality says I cant" problem (Kind of funny how a lot of Brandons characters needs to become anti-heroes in a way...) is that Elend has a sense of humor and he doubts himself.

 

And what are you talking about Elend not having to fight for the throne? Thats more or less half the book XD Sure he is put on the throne at first because they are not really sure who else to put on the throne and everyone just goes with it because he is young and should be easy to manipulate, but after he loses the throne he has to fight to get it back and Elend in Hero Of Ages has no trouble going against his morality to do what needs to be done.

 

Rant over, Elends flaw is his morality and wanting to do what is right rather than what needs to be done.

[natc]

Elend would've made a good Windrunner before he went tyrant out of necessity.

HoA Elend on the other hand basically is encountering the Dalinar problem of getting people to shut up and listen.

Being the guy in charge sucks.

Edited August 16, 2015 by natc

[maxal]

I think the inner conflict of Elend who wants to be a kind leader and the Elend who has to be a tyrant is kind of interesting. What makes me like Elend more than Vivenne who has the same "Cant do what I need to do because my morality says I cant" problem (Kind of funny how a lot of Brandons characters needs to become anti-heroes in a way...) is that Elend has a sense of humor and he doubts himself.

 

And what are you talking about Elend not having to fight for the throne? Thats more or less half the book XD Sure he is put on the throne at first because they are not really sure who else to put on the throne and everyone just goes with it because he is young and should be easy to manipulate, but after he loses the throne he has to fight to get it back and Elend in Hero Of Ages has no trouble going against his morality to do what needs to be done.

 

Rant over, Elends flaw is his morality and wanting to do what is right rather than what needs to be done.

 

I was not criticizing the character: I simply thought it was too easy. One book and their rebellion struggled to get started, one other it is done with a new government in place. Rebellions hardly ever are this easy or simple. I wished more had been written on the matter which I feel is a valid critic. 

 

As for Elend himself, as I said previously, I rather liked him. The fact I think he ended on the throne too easily is not a critic towards the character, but the story plot. 

[Ascendant Warrior]

I was not criticizing the character: I simply thought it was too easy. One book and their rebellion struggled to get started, one other it is done with a new government in place. Rebellions hardly ever are this easy or simple. I wished more had been written on the matter which I feel is a valid critic. 

 

As for Elend himself, as I said previously, I rather liked him. The fact I think he ended on the throne too easily is not a critic towards the character, but the story plot. 

 

You also have to remember that the events of WoA take place about a year after the end of the first book.  And Elend was pretty much the only noble from a major house in Luthadel after the Lord Ruler was killed.  A void like that, along with no one else who really wants to rule, equals a pretty easy rise to kinghood. 

 

My least favorite characters in the cosmere do not actually come from any of the major villains of the books.  I dislike Stick, Hoid and Lift, if only for the fact that none of them are really well fleshed out characters yet, and yet there seems to be a large fandom for each of them.  I love hating Sadeas and was beyond ecstatic when Adolin took that into his own hands.  Nightblood also gets under my skin, but that's perhaps because I listened to Warbreaker, rather than reading it and possibly didn't get the full effect.

[Awesomness]

Vivenna is the most annoying creature that ever existed in the whole cosmere. She thought so much of herself that I was hoping to see her fall, and I was actually happy when she became a beggar. Unfortunately, she didn´t became that much better after that, just a bit more tolerable.

 

Sometimes I worry Shallan is following her path. Specially in her trip to the shattered plains. It was unbearable. I think my problem is that in WoR  everything seems to go too well for her. I do like her anyway, that´s why it hurts.

 

BTW why does some people love Adolin so much? It´s not that I don´t like him, but we done know him that much. And what we know is not that awesome. He is quite vain, his calling is dueling (which is ridiculous) and is the typical pretty prince good with swords.

[maxal]

Sometimes I worry Shallan is following her path. Specially in her trip to the shattered plains. It was unbearable. I think my problem is that in WoR  everything seems to go too well for her. I do like her anyway, that´s why it hurts.

 

Shallan has had everything going her way in WoR, that is true. As a result, she has grown too self-confident and slightly arrogant in her know it all manner. However, I bet she is going to bite bigger than she can in the next book and her ego will deflate. She has forgotten to be careful and I am convinced she will learn a lesson or two there. 

 

 

BTW why does some people love Adolin so much? It´s not that I don´t like him, but we done know him that much. And what we know is not that awesome. He is quite vain, his calling is dueling (which is ridiculous) and is the typical pretty prince good with swords.

 

Here is not the appropriate thread to explain in length why people love Adolin (and fear not, not everyone likes him). However, if you do wish to challenge your first opinion of him which is rather negative, I invite you to PM me. I can there address your critic and perhaps help you understand what's the deal with Adolin.

[Eby]

Shallan is not really interesting for me 

Then there's ruin who didn't live up to his standards I hope odium won't end up like ruin 

[supersmith]

My very least favorite character is Ruin. He has no depth other then, well, ruining things. Next is Drehy. Now I’m not against gay people or gay characters, but there’s no reason to make him gay. Nothing even happens with it. There just like: “he’s gay”. And that’s all that really happens.

[The Sovereign]

1 hour ago, supersmith said:

My very least favorite character is Ruin. He has no depth other then, well, ruining things. Next is Drehy. Now I’m not against gay people or gay characters, but there’s no reason to make him gay. Nothing even happens with it. There just like: “he’s gay”. And that’s all that really happens.

Time to pick some nits... Drehy is a cameo of one of Brandon's friends from college 'Ryan Dreher', Ryan is gay, therefore Drehy is too.

Edited March 14, 2018 by The Sovereign

[CrazyRioter]

Also, does there need to be a reason for a character to be gay? Some people are gay, so it's sensible for some characters to be gay. There doesn't need to be a reason.

As for my least favourite character, that's a tough one. Probably Allraine(sp). It says a lot about Brandon's writing and how good it is that it's hard for me to think of a character that's just bad.

Edited March 14, 2018 by CrazyRioter

[marles]

1 hour ago, supersmith said:

there’s no reason to make him gay. Nothing even happens with it. There just like: “he’s gay”. And that’s all that really happens.

But there doesn't need to be an obvious reason. Just as some characters are short and some are tall, some of the characters are gay and some are not. There doesn't have to be a purpose in mind for every aspect of a character when they're created. But having character differences like Drehy being gay gives us another look into the world and making it more immersive or relatable to things we see around us. It gives us a chance to see how it is treated in-world and how it impacts the characters we read about. Are things like this generally accepted, generally rejected, known about but mostly ignored, or handled in some other way? Do the characters we know treat it any differently then how the rest of the world generally does?

 

As for my least favorite character, I would have to say that KanPaar ranks up there. He treats TenSoon so poorly after he turned himself in and then commits worse crimes soon after even though the most knowledgeable group within their culture has agreed that the end of the world has come. He's mostly just a power-hungry coward.

[MonsterMetroid]

23 minutes ago, The Sovereign said:

Time to pick some nits... Drehy is a cameo of one of Brandon's friends from college 'Ryan Dreher', Ryan is gay, therefore Drehy is too.

What are nits!? Sounds gross.  You know drehy isn't on my list as he didn't bother me or wow me either way, but I can understand why he and some of the other people that are cameos (especially lyn) could be on someones list.  For me it felt pretty jarring to the story line sometimes with them because they didnt feel like they quite fit, they felt like a character in a scooby doo crossover episode as a kid or something where they are based on a real person or different cartoon and you don't know who that character is so its going to bug you until you figure it out. However its Brandon's books and as long as it doesn't ruin my immersion too much I don't really care.

For me Steris is my least favorite character, I can't stand her and I find it hard to put into words why.

[Pagerunner]

Just a preemptive reminder from the mods. It is OK to revive old topics, but make sure you're observing the spoiler policy for any Oathbringer discussion. This thread is not tagged for OB discussion, but it is in the Cosmere Theories board, which means you may discuss it as long as you place it in a spoiler box.

Oathbringer Spoilers:

Spoiler

I had to make sure I got that out before the Moash hate started flowing!

 

[supersmith]

2 hours ago, marles said:

But there doesn't need to be an obvious reason. Just as some characters are short and some are tall, some of the characters are gay and some are not. There doesn't have to be a purpose in mind for every aspect of a character when they're created. But having character differences like Drehy being gay gives us another look into the world and making it more immersive or relatable to things we see around us. It gives us a chance to see how it is treated in-world and how it impacts the characters we read about. Are things like this generally accepted, generally rejected, known about but mostly ignored, or handled in some other way? Do the characters we know treat it any differently then how the rest of the world generally does?

 

As for my least favorite character, I would have to say that KanPaar ranks up there. He treats TenSoon so poorly after he turned himself in and then commits worse crimes soon after even though the most knowledgeable group within their culture has agreed that the end of the world has come. He's mostly just a power-hungry coward.

I have no problem with gay people or characters but I do have a problem when it doesn't add to the story at all.

[Zelly]

I never really like Steris.  She seemed too caricature for me (though Era 2 in general seems to have some wackier personalities, tbh).

[CrazyRioter]

1 hour ago, supersmith said:

I have no problem with gay people or characters but I do have a problem when it doesn't add to the story at all.

Do you have a problem with heterosexual romances that exist for the sake of romance without adding anything else to the story?

Edited March 15, 2018 by CrazyRioter