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Mistborn and Shannara (Shannara spoilers)


KandraAllomancer

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This is more of an observation than a theory, but I didn't see anything similar on the forum and decided to post it. The whole post can be considered one big Shannara Original Trilogy spoiler.

 

First Mistborn trilogy is a deconstruction of many common epic fantasy tropes (Evil Overlord, Chosen One, Prophecy etc.). It is often described in Tolkienesque terms (like in this WoB). Yes, there are some specific similarities (lerasium given to aristocracy being the equivalent of rings given to nine humans who became the Nazgul) and even an homage to Tolkien (Slowswift), but in the end Mistborn is much better described as a deconstruction of Shannara series (an inspiration acknowledged by Brandon in this WoB).

Seriously, the similarities between these two are staggering:

  • Both are set in post-apocalyptic settings
  • Most non-human races were once human and were changed by the same power that destroyed the old world (Well of Ascension, radiation)
  • The key to defeating the initial Big Bad (Lord Ruler, Warlock Lord)  is the realization that someone was dead all along  (Alendi, Warlock Lord himself)
  • There is a Greater Scope Villain (Ruin, Ildatch) capable of mind control behind the initial Big Bad (Lord Ruler, Warlock Lord)
  • The Big Good's (Preservation, Ellcrys) plan was for the female protagonist (Vin, Amberle) to sacrifice herself to save the world
  • The mentor figure (Kelsier, Allanon) dies, but remains as a shadow/shade using the power of the magical pool (Well of Ascension, Hadeshorn)
  • Said pool is connected to the Big Good (Preservation, Bremen) who can read minds, see the future and eventually passes away
  • Elven magic is limited to Jerle Shannara's lineage (the Ohmsfords). The same finally happens to Allomancy and Spook
  • The shapeshifting spy (TenSoon, the Changeling) uses dog's body
  • Generation skips between Shannara books and time skips between Mistborn Eras
  • Steel Inquisitors' equivalent are the the Skull Bearers and the Mord Wraiths. Initially, they're treated as an even bigger, unstoppable threat – just like the Reaper
  • Koloss' equivalents are the Furies/Jachyra
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18 minutes ago, KandraAllomancer said:

Elven magic is limited to Jerle Shannara's lineage (the Ohmsfords). The same finally happens to Allomancy and Spook

Spook's descendants aren't the only ones who can use Allomancy. People can still inherit Allomantic powers from any ancestors that were descended from nobles from Era 1 and I think people can just snap too(Southern Scadrians have Allomancy, just not a lot), no noble/Spook bloodline needed. However, Spook's descendants are much more likely to have Allomancy, which is why they were targetted for the breeding program in AoL. Otherwise, the rest of your analogies seem to work. 

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45 minutes ago, Harrycrapper said:

Spook's descendants aren't the only ones who can use Allomancy. People can still inherit Allomantic powers from any ancestors that were descended from nobles from Era 1 and I think people can just snap too(Southern Scadrians have Allomancy, just not a lot), no noble/Spook bloodline needed. However, Spook's descendants are much more likely to have Allomancy, which is why they were targetted for the breeding program in AoL. Otherwise, the rest of your analogies seem to work. 

Yeah, I  completely forgot about them. Although, given the relatively small size of original population and the number of children Spook had, at some point virtually all of Northern Scadrians will be his descendants :)

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