What's with Wayne?

[Jbryce]

I'm getting the feeling that there is a lot more to Wayne and his abilities in AoL than we're originally lead to believe. They way he explains his ability to pick up and learn dialects and accents, the completeness with which he creates every persona he adopts (remember the old lady?) and even the way he can turn a group of suspicious officers into fast friends in an instant with one story. Don't want to get ahead of myself, but there seems to be more going on here than just a simple case of an engaging personality.

Thoughts? Am I just looking too deeply at it?

[Joe ST he/him]

hmmm, it does smell of emotional investiture, though I believe there are many normal humans with uncanny abilities to impersonate...so maybe not :\

[darniil he/him]

If you're suggesting he may be a kandra, I have my doubts. We haven't seen any evidence that kandra can be given allomantic - of even feruchemical - abilities via Blessings. (Though, admittedly, Harmony could have changed that.)

Personally, based upon the chapters from Wayne's perspective, I think that's just a talent of his.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

I don't think anyone is suggesting he is a Kandra as kandra can't use allomancy.

If you're thinking he might be more than a Twinborn however... an interesting idea. Vin used allomancy unconsciously well before she started using "luck" on people, but given that Wayne knows about all the other metals, I would assume that he had been presented with them before. How else would someone come to find out that they are a Benalloy Misting given how expensive they keep talking about Bendalloy being in AoL, you'd think somewhere, sometime, most people are presented with different metals to see if they can burn them?

It is an interesting idea, but I like to think of it as more that he is just a good actor and someone who "speaks your language" is more immediately trusted than someone who doesn't. I think of Kvothe in The Name of the Wind when he switches to the yokel's accent to get information out of him...

[DariusJenai]

Keep in mind, Brandon confirmed that Sazed changed the way Snapping worked. Perhaps now when you Snap, you know automatically which types of metals you can burn? Would keep valuable metals from being wasted. Alternatively, since Snapping itself is pretty recognizable, you just work your way up to more expensive metals, stopping when you find which one you can use.

As for Wayne's gift with accents and languages, I expect it's just a friendly nature, combined with many years of disguises and scouting while he was a thief that lets him do it.

[Jbryce]

No, I wouldn't think he was Kandra, that would be almost too strange.. it just seemed that the way it was mentioned in the story made it more important somehow, more than just a gift with people.

@Darnill

I see what you're saying.. but so much of allomancy is based on intuition and "feel" that it might not seem out of the ordinary to just be able to create personas with full backgrounds and motivation as well as pick up dialects instantly (from his perspective).

Again, it's all just speculation anyway, and in all honesty, it wasn't so much the actions themselves that struck me, but more in how other people around them referred to those abilities. I'm just not sure how much has been changed by Harmony(or if he really even has a say in it), or how the God metals work in conjunction with other metals. Or even what the God metals are for that matter. I just know that Brandon has managed to throw me for a few loops in my day

Edit: Actually, I just realized I do know what the God metals are, but not how they would work in conjunction with the other metals. Plus, if I remember correctly, the mist has been known to provide a catalyst for allomancy right?

Edited November 15, 2011 by Jbryce

[FeatherWriter she/her]

While I don't think that Wayne is a kandra, I'm pretty sure kandra can have allomancy. In the books it was just said that a Kandra wouldn't gain an allomancer's powers from eating the allomancer, but there was nothing that said they couldn't aquire the abilities hemalurgically.

Actually, that'd be pretty cool, and a great way to solidify the disguise. Before you kill the allomancer to take their place, spike them and take their power to fool all their friends. Very cool.

[Thor he/him]

No, I wouldn't think he was Kandra, that would be almost too strange.. it just seemed that the way it was mentioned in the story made it more important somehow, more than just a gift with people.

@Darnill

I see what you're saying.. but so much of allomancy is based on intuition and "feel" that it might not seem out of the ordinary to just be able to create personas with full backgrounds and motivation as well as pick up dialects instantly (from his perspective).

Again, it's all just speculation anyway, and in all honesty, it wasn't so much the actions themselves that struck me, but more in how other people around them referred to those abilities. I'm just not sure how much has been changed by Harmony(or if he really even has a say in it), or how the God metals work in conjunction with other metals. Or even what the God metals are for that matter. I just know that Brandon has managed to throw me for a few loops in my day

Edit: Actually, I just realized I do know what the God metals are, but not how they would work in conjunction with the other metals. Plus, if I remember correctly, the mist has been known to provide a catalyst for allomancy right?

I think Wayne is just very talented at imitation and acting, similar to many of the better actors of today. If he was in another time, he would do a very good job as an actor.

Technically the mists act as a substitute for the metals and you can only draw in the mists if Preservation has chosen you. It becomes much easier if you attune yourself at the Well. (Before then, you could only draw so much of the mists in: Vin couldn't have become Preservation during her fight with TLR as she hadn't been attuned yet.)

What bothers me more about Wayne is his confidence in fighting, even against a Pewter Savant! How he manages to do that is a better question imho. Bendalloy creates a time bubble and inside of it, everything runs at the same speed, which wouldn't give any advantage to Wayne. How he manages to draw even against a Pewter Savant with Koloss blood is beyond me. Maybe he is just that good with dueling canes?

While I don't think that Wayne is a kandra, I'm pretty sure kandra can have allomancy. In the books it was just said that a Kandra wouldn't gain an allomancer's powers from eating the allomancer, but there was nothing that said they couldn't aquire the abilities hemalurgically.

Actually, that'd be pretty cool, and a great way to solidify the disguise. Before you kill the allomancer to take their place, spike them and take their power to fool all their friends. Very cool.

I think what you are saying is that the only way for a Kandra to be an Allomancer is through Hemalurgy, which makes sense to me, since Kandra don't have any of the genetic triggers for Allomancy (or Feruchemy, for that matter.)

[Eri she/her]

Since kandra are a normal specoes now, I think he might be a part-kandra, if somethinhg. We've seen part-koloss, so that might be possible too.

But he behaves more like a kender than a kandra. ;D

Edited November 15, 2011 by eri

[fyodor]

Since kandra are a normal specoes now, I think he might be a part-kandra, if somethinhg. We've seen part-koloss, so that might be possible too.

But he behaves more like a kender than a kandra. ;D

Are Kandra a regular species now? I thought that it was only Koloss. I seem to remember Brandon saying that the Kandra were able to reconstitute themselves when their spikes were returned but no more would be created.

[fyodor]

I am dubious - we have a number of first person views from Wayne and it doesn't seem that anything unusual is happening. I know that Vin could do some things unconsciously but I have trouble believing that someone who was already an Allomancer and Feruchemist wouldn't know that he was burning/tapping.

I don't think anyone is suggesting he is a Kandra as kandra can't use allomancy.

If you're thinking he might be more than a Twinborn however... an interesting idea. Vin used allomancy unconsciously well before she started using "luck" on people, but given that Wayne knows about all the other metals, I would assume that he had been presented with them before. How else would someone come to find out that they are a Benalloy Misting given how expensive they keep talking about Bendalloy being in AoL, you'd think somewhere, sometime, most people are presented with different metals to see if they can burn them?

It is an interesting idea, but I like to think of it as more that he is just a good actor and someone who "speaks your language" is more immediately trusted than someone who doesn't. I think of Kvothe in The Name of the Wind when he switches to the yokel's accent to get information out of him...

[pmj812]

There's certainly something unique about his abilities. The way that he so completely becomes his roles, the importance he ascribes to voices, his attitude about the whole thing - it feels supernatural.

That said, I don't think he's using a metallic art when he does it. And we know he's not a Kandra because of the healing - Kandra can't heal broken bones.

Here's a thought: maybe he learned from a Kandra. Think about it: there's a lot more that goes into impersonation than just looking like someone. If he had a Kandra mentor somehow, who taught him about impersonation, that would explain a lot - not just the skill but also the sort of alien, mystical way he thinks about it.

[happyman he/him]

My theory? He's a fun character with interesting quirks and a few extraordinary talents (above and beyond Allomancy) who managed to survive in the Roughs. Anybody who can do that will have extraordinary skills; you can tell, because they are still alive. Yeah, it seems supernatural, but I feel that all it really shows is a deep and abiding and life-long interest in other people, combined with natural talent and a somewhat dissociated personality.

[Aiken Frost he/him]

Here's a thought: maybe he learned from a Kandra. Think about it: there's a lot more that goes into impersonation than just looking like someone. If he had a Kandra mentor somehow, who taught him about impersonation, that would explain a lot - not just the skill but also the sort of alien, mystical way he thinks about it.

This is a theory I like a LOT.

My theory? He's a fun character with interesting quirks and a few extraordinary talents (above and beyond Allomancy) who managed to survive in the Roughs. Anybody who can do that will have extraordinary skills; you can tell, because they are still alive. Yeah, it seems supernatural, but I feel that all it really shows is a deep and abiding and life-long interest in other people, combined with natural talent and a somewhat dissociated personality.

And this is a theory I like even more. EXCEPT! The book seem to highlight his abilities a lot, like if it is trying to show us something... If it wasn't this, I would be on your boat, no doubt.

[pmj812]

Let me put it this way: what he does is very interesting, and therefore it almost certainly has a very interesting story behind it.

It would be a total let-down for the answer to just be "Oh, he's just a quirky guy!"

So whether we've guessed along the right track or not, I believe that any exceptional ability is going to have a great story.

[happyman he/him]

And this is a theory I like even more. EXCEPT! The book seem to highlight his abilities a lot, like if it is trying to show us something... If it wasn't this, I would be on your boat, no doubt.

Thanks!

As for highlighting the ability: I kinda get the feeling that it is related to Wayne's character. His skills are absolutely, 100% perfectly suited for the type of lifestyle known as "con man and petty thief". It is also well-suited for "vigilante investigating, when somewhat restrained". "Professions" like that require an absolutely amazing amount of confidence and the ability to make people see what you want them to see, as well as the ability to observe others closely. Given the nature of the Roughs, Wayne would have had plenty of opportunity and motivation to practice; both jobs are much safer job when people don't realize you were a criminal/cop/impostor until you're five miles away, and even then, all they remember is the persona.

From a meta-fiction standpoint, these qualities are also perfectly suited for that type of character known as "comic relief" and "quirky sidekick." Don't forget that this book was essentially a side project that grew into a full story. If Brandon liked the character, there doesn't have to be a compelling world-building reason for him to be like that.

[name_here]

I don't think it's supernatural; Vin actually also did it kind of subconsciously, acting exactly like a noblewoman or summoning up the power of dramatic inspirational speeches when cornered by worshipers. Wayne's just more conscious of the fact that a uniform, a clipboard, and acting like you have every right to be there will get you anywhere and exploits it more actively.

You might think that Vin also doing it might indicate it's supernatural, but it totally happens in real life. Like when a comedy show crew got most of the way into an international summit by sticking Canadian flags on a limo. I did say anywhere.

[Silus - Shard of Flame he/him]

Essentially, Wayne is taking the skills of a really good improv actor and weaponizing them, a scary thought.

[happyman he/him]

Essentially, Wayne is taking the skills of a really good improv actor and weaponizing them, a scary thought.

Good summary. This also happens in the real world. It's a very real talent.

[Jbryce]

Again, it wasn't so much the actions in and of themselves, but how they were written. The sections where Vin takes on the traits of a noblewoman are markedly different than when Wayne takes on different personas (where Vin acted, Wayne WAS the person). Vin didn't create elaborate back stories replete with grandchildren for a disguise that was being used for a short amount of time. But, I'm also open to the fact that it might just be a natural talent of Wayne, and that is probably honestly the case.

[happyman he/him]

Again, it wasn't so much the actions in and of themselves, but how they were written. The sections where Vin takes on the traits of a noblewoman are markedly different than when Wayne takes on different personas (where Vin acted, Wayne WAS the person). Vin didn't create elaborate back stories replete with grandchildren for a disguise that was being used for a short amount of time. But, I'm also open to the fact that it might just be a natural talent of Wayne, and that is probably honestly the case.

Vin wasn't really used to playing a significant role or taking the initiative. Reem or the other crews had taken all the important parts in most scams. Also, Vin lacked confidence in herself, at least before Kelsier. From inside Wayne, he has none of these weaknesses. People like him exist. It just shows that Brandon can write very different characters.

[DariusJenai]

I know plenty of actors that follow methods similar to Wayne's. They pay attention to the small details, they create backstories for their characters, even if it doesn't actually come into play. All of it has the point of making it harder to break character. I think Wayne is just a superbly talented actor, probably with some natural gifts, but nothing beyond the scope of normal human.

[Aiken Frost he/him]

Well... That's how I create my RPG characters, if that counts for anything...