Not every aspect of Brandon Sanderson’sMistbornseries will make it into a film adaptation, andone uncomfortable romance is the perfect choice to cut. After decades of developing hisCosmere book universewith series likeThe Stormlight Archiveand beloved standalone novels likeTress of the Emerald Sea, the originalMistborntrilogy remains the author’s most widely read work. Given that it’s the general starting point for his books, it will also mostly likely be the first series from his collection to be adapted into a feature film.
Brandon Sanderson has shared progress on the potential of aMistbornmovie adaptationseveral times, but it doesn’t seem like there’s any movie currently in development. His last positive updates were before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, but he announced later that year that progress had halted once again and likely wouldn’t pick back up until Hollywood was in a more stable position. Still,Sanderson suggested that it was just a matter of time before his stories were brought to the screen, and there’s plenty to speculate about in the meantime.
A third era of Mistborn books will begin soon, but Sanderson’s next release isWind and Truth, the fifth book ofThe Stormlight Archive.
The Mistborn Movie Should Cut Breeze & Allrianne’s Romance From The Books
Breeze & Allrianne’s Relationship Isn’t The Trilogy’s Strongest
Brandon Sanderson’s novels have some outstanding romances, from Vin and Elend to Shallan and Adolin. One that’s less appealing is that between Breeze and Allrianne, which begins inThe Well of Ascensionand progresses throughThe Hero of Ages. Given the vast amount of lore and story-building the films will have to do just for the central plotline, itseems likely that romantic subplots for supporting characters will be cut anyway. These books have such an outstanding supporting cast, and it’s sad to consider their roles might be reduced in a movie.
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The only reason Breeze and Allrianne’s relationship could be important would be to have a clear foundation forMistbornEra 2. Breeze is Waxillum Ladrian’s ancestor, so presumably, Allrianne is also. However, this detail isn’t crucial to the story, as the 300-year time gap makes Wax very far removed from his ancestors. Their romantic dynamic also provides an interesting exploration of how Allomancy works, but it’s not very impactful on the main story arc of the series.
Why Breeze & Allrianne’s Relationship Won’t Work For A Modern Audience
There’s A Massive Age Difference & Questionable Tactics At Work
Breeze and Allrianne’s relationship has some uncomfortable aspects on both ends. First, Breeze is significantly older than her, and the age gap would be a hard sell for modern movie audiences. Aging Allrianne up would be possible, but her youth is important to creating contrasts with Vin in the ways they display their femininity. The other uncomfortable aspect is thatAllrianne subtly uses Allomancy to make Breeze interested in her, which is rather problematicwithout fully providing context for how the magic works and their respective arcs pertaining to their allomantic abilities.
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Now, it’s important to note that this doesn’t damage the enjoyment of theMistbornbooks. These stories have proven to work with massive audiences over nearly two decades of accumulating new readers. The issue arises in adaptation, as any adaptation ofMistbornwill have roughly 2 hours to sell audiences on a giant fantasy world with history, multiple magic systems, and an ensemble of characters. Trying to deliver Breeze and Allrianne’s relationship as it exists in the book would be an immense challenge of placating audiences that might not be worth taking for a film adaptation.
Mistborn’s Adaptation Already Has Multiple Relationships To Sell In A Limited Runtime
These Three Romances Are The Top Priority
Before aMistbornmovie adaptation could even think about Breeze and Allrianne, there are three relationships pertaining to more important characters that the story needs to explore. First,understanding the romantic relationship between Kelsier and Mare set before the events ofThe Final Empireis vital to Kelsier’s character, and he’s arguably themost important character for aMistbornmovie to get right. If the film wants to set Kelsier up as a long-term Cosmere character, establishing this background is a must. Not to mention, it ties to Kelsier’s feelings toward Vin and Marsh in the first book.
Next,Vin and Elend are the primary romantic subplot of theMistbornbooks, and their dynamic would be the most prominent in the movies. Not only is the romance between the two main protagonists a beautiful part of the story that leads to the emotional impact ofThe Hero of Ages’ending, but it’s also invaluable for Vin’s character arc. At first glance, one could criticize Vin for being a “not like other girls” stereotype, but Sanderson writes her to have a nuanced relationship with her femininity, and exploring her dynamic with Elend is essential to that gradual internal discovery.
Sazed is one of the most important characters for the Cosmere at large
Lastly,Sazed and Tindwyl would be the secondary romantic plot ofThe Well of Ascension, with its effects carrying over toThe Hero of Ages. Seeing as Sazed is the titular hero, examining how this relationship dynamic and its heartbreaking fallout affects him and his emotional state in the final volume is crucial. Like with Kelsier, Sazed is one of the most important characters for the Cosmere at large. Understanding the most humanistic elements of his character arc in theMistborntrilogy is imperative to the inhuman contrast of his becoming Harmony.
The Mistborn Movie Could Keep Breeze & Allrianne’s Romance If It Makes 2 Big Changes
Reducing The Age Gap And Exploring The Psychology Of Allomancy Could Save This Relationship
As mentioned, Breeze and Allrianne’s relationshipdoeswork in the books with added context. TheMistborntrilogy importantly touches on how Allomantic powers affect their users, with stories pertaining to Vin and Spook. But a much more subtle narrative explores howBreeze and Allrianne have fully adapted their powers as part of their general method of human interaction. It’s not that Allrianne is forcing Breeze to like her, it’s that she’s inherently pulling on an emotion that already exists. This can be explained, but the point is to say that it may not be worthwhile or translate well to film.
Secondly, Breeze and Allrianne’s age gap could be closed a bit, making their romantic relationship feel more authentic to begin with. This would create less need for the allomantic aspect of it, even if it is important to their individual expressions. TheMistbornmagic systemis going to be a challenge to explain regardless, so the films might as well prioritize examining how it works in action sequences. This relationship isn’t inherently negative, there just might not be a place for it in aMistbornfilm adaptation.
Mistborn
TheMistbornseries, 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, includingEra 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)
