"Ascendant" is inspired by Vin, the protagonist of Brandon Sanderson’s acclaimed Mistborn series. Vin exemplifies the powerful female archetype in speculative fiction—yet she begins her journey as a street urchin and member of a thieving crew. During the three novels, she undergoes a profound transformation, gradually rising in trust, strength, and emotional depth until she achieves mastery over her powers and herself.

 

This sculpture captures Vin at the beginning of Book Three, where she has matured from an emaciated fifteen-year-old into force of nature. To authentically portray this evolution, I worked with a world-champion gymnast as the model—filming her in high-speed motion while she leapt repeatedly into the air to capture the perfect pose. Vin is shown mid-ascent, having just launched herself using her signature ability to push off metal coins. One hand draws her glass dagger—rendered here in an obsidian-like texture. Her eyes have narrowed almost imperceptibly, as if she has spotted danger in the distance.

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I read the entire trilogy four times to ensure accuracy. Every detail of her design has been carefully considered. The only visible metals are the coins in her pouch and her earring. Elements that may appear metallic—such as her belt buckle or elements of her satchel—are revealed on closer inspection to be crafted from rawhide, preserving authenticity to Mistborn of Scadrial.

 

The mistcloak—an iconic symbol of Mistborn—was the most challenging aspect to sculpt. While each Mistborn personalizes their cloak, as Sanderson has noted, translating its chaotic elegance into a physical form proved complex. After multiple failed attempts with clay and armature, I ultimately sculpted it digitally, where it emerged as a key compositional element of the piece.

 

For narrative and visual balance, I added a wooden bracer on her arm—something not mentioned in the book, but fitting within the world and necessary for the composition. It made sense to me that she could use a bracer to block or deflect if she ran out of pewter.

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Other notable areas include vials with metal flakes on her belt and in her satchel, and hidden beneath the lower spires is Kwaans quote from the second book in the series, Well of Ascension, "I write these words in steel, for anything not set in metal cannot be trusted." 

 

The base of the sculpture is rich in symbolism. Viewed from above, it reveals an Allomantic chart with symbols grouped by function, centered around a coin bearing Vin’s visage and a date—a subtle nod to the possibility that this is the very statue referenced in the later Mistborn books featuring Wax and Wayne.

 

From the side, the base evokes a fortress-like structure reminiscent of Kredik Shaw. A second tier is ringed by uniquely sculpted Steel Inquisitor faces, complete with signature eye-spikes—two of which are female, referencing a little-known detail Brandon once shared about an early draft of the trilogy.

 

To enhance the atmospheric effect, I engineered the sculpture to emit mist from the mouths of the Inquisitors via a hidden, remote-controlled fog machine.

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