Ruin
MajorA tall, broad-shouldered man with a hard, angular face unrelieved by any humor, standing in a straight-backed posture that conveys authority and occasional benevolence. His eyes are distinctly unnatural and piercing, betraying the immortal force controlling the form of Vin's brother Reen, while his mouth can slacken open in moments of blissful pleasure during destruction. He has fair skin, short dark hair, and a powerful build suggesting a lifetime of hardship, dressed in simple dark garments as he gestures with clasped hands behind his back or folded arms.
Ruin, the malevolent force of decay and destruction in the Mistborn series, emerges fully in The Hero of Ages as the ancient enemy opposing Preservation, having long manipulated events from the shadows to unravel the world. Manifesting through possessed bodies like that of Vin's brother Reen and the Inquisitor Marsh, Ruin's piercing, unnatural eyes and authoritative demeanor reveal its godlike power and insatiable hunger for ruin. Ultimately, Vin sacrifices herself to confront and destroy Ruin by burning away its physical form at the Well of Ascension, averting the prophesied end of all things.
Physical Description
A tall, broad-shouldered man with a hard, angular face unrelieved by any humor, standing in a straight-backed posture that conveys authority and occasional benevolence. His eyes are distinctly unnatural and piercing, betraying the immortal force controlling the form of Vin's brother Reen, while his mouth can slacken open in moments of blissful pleasure during destruction. He has fair skin, short dark hair, and a powerful build suggesting a lifetime of hardship, dressed in simple dark garments as he gestures with clasped hands behind his back or folded arms.
Gallery
Book 3: The Hero of Ages
Evolution
The Hero of Ages
A tall, broad-shouldered man with a hard, angular face unrelieved by any humor, standing in a straight-backed posture that conveys authority and occasional benevolence. His eyes are distinctly unnatural and piercing, betraying the immortal force controlling the form of Vin's brother Reen, while his mouth can slacken open in moments of blissful pleasure during destruction. He has fair skin, short dark hair, and a powerful build suggesting a lifetime of hardship, dressed in simple dark garments as he gestures with clasped hands behind his back or folded arms.
- Possesses the body of Vin's brother Reen, revealing its immortal presence with unnatural piercing eyes.
- Controls Inquisitor Marsh as a servant, directing him to interfere with the protagonists' plans.
- Orchestrates the release of the destructive koloss army and the mists' deadly effects to hasten the world's end.
- Confronted by Vin at the Well of Ascension, who burns its physical form with allomantic power.
- Destroyed when Vin releases Preservation's power, merging it with her own to overpower Ruin.
Relationships
Ruin possesses and controls Marsh as an Inquisitor throughout The Hero of Ages, using him as a key agent to sabotage heroes, retrieve vital information, and execute destructive tasks, with the relationship culminating in Marsh's role during the final confrontation.
Book Appearances
The Hero of Ages
First appears Ch 46