Most Despicable Characters

[Storming Radiant he/him]

30 minutes ago, WhiteLeeopard said:

Laral doesn't seem someone to despise, but definetely someone to hold in contempt. She might just have been an object to be sold and bought, but she also had some power in that she wouldn't be harmed or thrown away, she could have been a lighteyes who was kind to others and who still showed fondness for a darkeyes friend. It isn't as if she would have received much more than a raised eyebrow or lecture. Instead she chose to be a snob like every other lighteyes despite having grown up with a darkeyes that seemed to have 5x her education, inteligence and knowledge. Just because you accept your place in society, doesn't mean you can't do it your own way. Other lighteyes likely have the excuse they never met a darkeyes on equal terms, like nobles in Scadrial that honestly beleived skaa were another species. Laral does not have that excuse. 

Agreed! Personaly, I'm really looking forward for her reaction when he returns to Hearthstone in OB. I'm hoping he'll just kill them all, though its not going to happen...

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

1 hour ago, WhiteLeeopard said:

I'm not sure I agree with this one. Most of the people we have seen in the Cosmere who were despicable were acting well within their rights. The Lord Ruler? Might makes Right. Sadeas? No trial of Alethkar would ever have found him guilty, as he always acted within the law and his rights. And what about every single repugnant noble in Scadrial Era 1? Killing skaa, drowning children, raping women, all within their rights. That doesn't make any of what they did any less wrong. 

I wouldn't put Roshone on the top 5 Cosmere despicable list, but on the top 10 definetely yes. He treated people like trash, he got good people that could actually do something other than lounge around get killed in his greed, then despised other people that again could actually do something like a child throwing a tantrum. 

Laral doesn't seem someone to despise, but definetely someone to hold in contempt. She might just have been an object to be sold and bought, but she also had some power in that she wouldn't be harmed or thrown away, she could have been a lighteyes who was kind to others and who still showed fondness for a darkeyes friend. It isn't as if she would have received much more than a raised eyebrow or lecture. Instead she chose to be a snob like every other lighteyes despite having grown up with a darkeyes that seemed to have 5x her education, inteligence and knowledge. Just because you accept your place in society, doesn't mean you can't do it your own way. Other lighteyes likely have the excuse they never met a darkeyes on equal terms, like nobles in Scadrial that honestly beleived skaa were another species. Laral does not have that excuse. 

I dont remember the Laral passages that well, but she might just have tried to protect herself by behaving in a shitty way towards Kaladin, who, at the time was disliked by Roshone. She was young, and probably scared, given that she basically can be traded off to people. She tried to be as safe as she could in an unsafe environment, which included being mean to those who were disliked by the guy in power. Yes, it is cowardly, but also quite understandable.

[Calderis he/him]

15 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

I dont remember the Laral passages that well, but she might just have tried to protect herself by behaving in a shitty way towards Kaladin, who, at the time was disliked by Roshone. She was young, and probably scared, given that she basically can be traded off to people. She tried to be as safe as she could in an unsafe environment, which included being mean to those who were disliked by the guy in power. Yes, it is cowardly, but also quite understandable.

I agree. If I remember the kitchen scene correctly, she acted haughty and like she didn't recognize Kaladin, but she also appeared to be hiding embarrassment.

[Nathrangking he/him]

Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to point to the one that constantly flies under the radar. The Vengeance obsessed, serial killing, manipulative, con man,  out and out liar, he uses a child to do his dirty work and almost gets her killed, he also almost single handedly brings about the end of the world,Kelsier who earns great praise for being a hero and yet he is someone who in the real world would be seen as less than dirt. I give to you the cosmere's #1 despicable human being.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

2 hours ago, Nathrangking said:

Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to point to the one that constantly flies under the radar. The Vengeance obsessed, serial killing, manipulative, con man,  out and out liar, he uses a child to do his dirty work and almost gets her killed, he also almost single handedly brings about the end of the world,Kelsier who earns great praise for being a hero and yet he is someone who in the real world would be seen as less than dirt. I give to you the cosmere's #1 despicable human being.

I think that you are right in the sense that most people ignore Kelsiers despicable traits and actions, because they like him. However, I think you are too harsh:

Spoilers for all Mistborn (including Secret History):

Spoiler

Kelsier did not know that killing TLR would bring the end of the world. It was never his intention. When Ruin was unleashed, he was prepared to sacrifice himself (again) in order to save the world, and this time, it wasn't for vengeance.

And I also want to stress that he never wanted to Vin dead, and blamed himself when he almost got her killed at Kredik Shaw.

While you are right about a lot of Kelsiers bad traits (vengeance, lying, manipulation, murdering), you also look away from his good sides: self-sacrifice, love, trust, bravery, encouraging. 

Kelsier is not perfect, and his bad sides are often ignored, but I would not call him more despicable than Straff Venture (using several women in order to breed Allomancers, plus attempted murder of his son), KanPaar (selling the world to the personification of entropy) Sadeas (indirectly killing thousands in order to forge a strong kingdom and grant himself power and satisfaction), TLR (enslaving millions, allowing mass-rape and putting up breeding programs for his own people) or a whole bunch of others.