The Mistbornmovies have the chance to expand on smaller storylines from Brandon Sanderson's books, and the adaptation can even highlight the series' most underused villain after 17 years. There are numerous villains over the course of Mistborn Era 1, though the Lord Ruler and Ruin are the two biggest and most noteworthy threats to Scadrial. The series also showcases smaller antagonists, like Elend Venture's father and Zane, both of whom seek to destabilize the power structure put in place by Kelsier's crew.
Minor villains like Elend's family members get adequate attention from the fantasy series, but there's one Mistborn character who deserves a bigger story: Jastes Lekal. The adaptation can finally rectify this, expanding on one of Elend's most interesting relationships in the process. While villains like the Lord Ruler and Straff Venture come off as one-note, Jastes can offer the film series a deeper portrayal. He can prove a better villain than he is in the books and improve the emotional stakes of the series when it comes to the big screen.
Jastes Lekal Is The Most Underused Villain From The Original Mistborn Books
His Motives & Actions Aren't Fully Explored In Era 1
Jastes Lekal is one of the most underused villains from the original Mistborn series, despite having a major impact on the Final Empire. Jastes is one of the characters whose attacks on Luthadel has a massive impact on Elend's reign as king. One of Elend's oldest friends, Jastes betrays him and leads an army to Luthadel — one that's full of Koloss soldiers. The Koloss are destructive and pose a huge danger to the people living within Luthadel, so this is a questionable choice. It's also a head-scratcher, since Jastes initially sees eye to eye with Elend.
The upcoming Mistborn movie can finally fix the books’ most disappointing character death, making another important story better in the process.
Jastes is one of Elend's friends who sneaks off to debate philosophy with him during the first Mistborn book. It originally appears that he has similar values and questions about the Final Empire. Unfortunately, when the Lord Ruler is finally overthrown, Jastes goes in a much different direction than Elend. Resentful, he gathers an army of Koloss to attack his former home. This turns him into a full-blown villain, but he's one whose motives and actions aren't fully explored in the original series.
The Mistborn Movie Can Finally Give Jastes Lekal The Attention The Books Should Have
His Betrayal Of Elend Should Be Front And Center
Custom image by Yeider Chacon
Although the original Mistborn trilogy doesn't give Jastes Lekal the attention he deserves — especially since he's Elend's former friend — the movie can do this justice. More than 17 years after The Well of Ascension's debut, the films can bring Jastes' story to the big screen with more nuance. While it makes sense for characters like Straff Venture to feel sociopathic and one-note, villains like Jastes should be more interesting. Someone who doesn't stick to his alleged values makes for an interesting figure, and it's not just his solo arc that should be expanded.
Expanding Jastes' storyline and his bond with Elend will make his villainous turn more powerful, and it will allow it to hit harder for viewers.
His relationship with Elend before his betrayal should also receive more attention, as Elend eventually needs to execute Jastes for the sake of his kingdom. The emotional weight of this decision isn't as apparent in the Mistborn books, but it can be in the movies. Expanding Jastes' storyline and his bond with Elend will make his villainous turn more powerful, and it will allow it to hit harder for viewers. Readers don't get a lasting impression of Jastes, but his underrated story can leave one once it's adapted.
How Highlighting This Mistborn Character Will Help The Movie Adaptation
The Emotional Stakes Will Be Higher
Highlighting Jastes' story will make him a more intriguing villain — something Mistborn could use more of — but it will also raise the emotional stakes of the story. The adaptation needs to deliver when it comes to characters, and giving Jastes a deeper relationship with Elend will make his arc more compelling later on. Although he still winds up betraying his friend and choosing the wrong thing, it lands better if he's got a more nuanced portrayal in the earlier books. A few extra scenes of Elend's philosophy meetings should make this work well.
Additionally, fixing Jastes' storyline will improve Elend's rise to power. He spends much of The Well of Ascension learning to become a better leader, and having to kill his friend is a tragic part of that. Showing the weight of this decision by depicting his friendship with Jastes is crucial. It will make the Mistborn movies that much more heartbreaking, and it will highlight how much Elend deserves the title he steps into.
The Mistborn series, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy, Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, including Era 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.
Books:
Mistborn: The Final Empire (2006) Mistborn: The Well of Ascension (2007) Mistborn: The Hero of Ages (2008) Mistborn: The Alloy of Law (2011) Mistborn: Shadows of Self (2015) Mistborn: The Bands of Mourning (2016) Mistborn: The Lost Metal (2022)
The Mistborn series, created by Brandon Sanderson, is a high-fantasy saga set in the world of Scadrial, where magic is powered by metals through a system called Allomancy. The series focuses on political intrigue, heists, and the battle between good and evil. The first trilogy, Mistborn: The Final Empire, follows the struggle to overthrow a tyrannical ruler, the Lord Ruler. Later books in the series, including Era 2, take place hundreds of years after the events of the original trilogy, expanding the story into new settings with new characters, all while maintaining connections to the original storyline.
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
Custom image by Yeider Chacon 
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