Mistborn opens with the following epigraph written by the Hero of Ages: “Sometimes I worry that I’m not the hero everyone thinks I am” (1). By opening the novel in this way, Sanderson immediately presents to the reader the novel’s theme of heroism and leadership. This quote further explores the complexities of maintaining heroism and leadership, as the Hero of Ages is full of “worry” about his abilities. Through this lens, Sanderson explores the sacrifices a hero must make to become a great leader and focuses this discussion on the characters of the Hero of Ages and Kelsier.

Each chapter of the novel opens with writing from the Hero of Ages’s logbook, thus implying his continual presence and relevance to the plot of Mistborn. The Hero of Ages struggles with his transition from an ordinary man to one endowed with the ability to defeat the Deepness. His greatest and most haunting challenge is to not take the power at the Well of Ascension for himself but to display humble heroism by using it only towards the Deepness. After that, he can unite the nations of Scadrial under a unified government and transition from hero to leader.