Double-Meaning Title: The titular "Lost Metal" refers to either atium (which Marsh needs to maintain his immortality), or lerasium (which Kelsier wanted to democratize Allomancy). Many people have tried to split harmonium in the belief that it will create atium and lerasium. It fails, but the giant explosion created instead is the biggest driver of the plot. As it turns out, the reaction does create atium and lerasium, just in amounts too small to be noticed. You plug that fellow in the head with a nice rifle shot,” Wayne said, “and I bet the entire group will fold to us.” If they’re slippin’ in and out of the city fast,” he said, “they musta found a different way out of here. They aren’t makin’ this hike regularly.” Chekhov's Gun: Several. Wax shows off Vindication Two and the Big Gun well before we see them in action. Wayne fires a gun early on, before using one surprises a foe, but not the reader. Moonlight's dangerous, experimental stamp perfectly complements the two jars of liquid Dor, and those inform Marasi what she can do to close the portal Autonomy's troops were going to invade through. So,” Wayne said softly, dangling below, keeping pace with her instead of going on ahead, “wanna hear my list of ways how women break the laws of physics?”

Lightning Can Do Anything: Wayne mentions reading a book about time travel that starts when someone gets zapped by electricity. He lampshades that it was written when most people didn't understand electricity, and there was an older book with an identical plot that used a different plot device involving indoor plumbing. I do, m’lord,” she said, handing Steris the baby, then digging into the enormous bag of extra clothing and washcloths. She tossed the harness to Wax, who gave her his coat and vest in exchange. Unfortunately, he lunged and seized her left arm, the one holding the box. His powerful grip squeezed her flesh, and rusts, it felt like he could crush her very bones. Cursing in pain, she scrambled at her belt and the sheath there. As her eyes started to water, she brought up a small glittering weapon and stabbed him straight through the arm. Two of which was dumb,” he said sullenly. “One was apparently also geriatric. Same jokes as Lord Harms. I’m losing my edge, I am.” He met her eyes, then grinned. “Does this mean I get to be the grumpy old one in the partnership? You can be the young spunky one what swears all the time and makes bad life decisions.” We survived,” Wayne said, “stopped a gang of miscreants, protected the city, denied our enemies resources, and recovered some important metals. In my book we did a rustin’ good job. You’re too hard on yourself, Marasi.”

This book provides examples of:

I…” Ranette said. “Damn. Stop aiming for the vital bits, Wayne. This is supposed to be a friendly meal.”

I’ve never met anyone,” Jaxy said, “who can get inside the heads of other people as well as Wayne can. He’ll understand.”

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Well, after some cleaning up,” she said. “Judging by how you smell, Wayne, I don’t want to know how I smell. But yes. We need to talk to Waxillium.” She’d found occasional uses for it, but mostly she’d internalized the presumed truth that her abilities were weak.

He met her eyes, and saw she was trembling. Hell. This would be just as hard for her, wouldn’t it? Pay attention, you rusting idiot. He took her hands and squeezed them. Okay. Feruchemists weren’t like Allomancers. They couldn’t just pop a new metal charge into their mouths and keep going. Maybe she could run him out of strength. She bit her lip, considering. “We’ll have to split up,” she said. “You’re better with groups. You think you can handle this lot?”

Info Dump: The Lost Metal is arguably more of a Cosmere novel than a Mistborn novel, involving many proper nouns and magic systems from other worlds. Marasi functions as an Audience Surrogate for this, having off-world operatives among the Ghostbloods explain their powers to her and, by proxy, readers unfamiliar with the wider Cosmere. Does she? Does she really, Wayne? Because the way you tell it, sounds like she asks you not to come see her.” Calls of “Metalborn!” echoed through the cavern as the rest of the gangsters noticed that over half their number were frozen. Those would move in turgid slow motion as they tried to escape the bubble—but the ten-minute charge on the grenade would run out before they managed it. Rusts. He really was going to have to talk to Harmony, wasn’t he? As little as Wax liked it, he was a part of this. He needed to finish what he’d begun all those years ago, when he’d fled Elendel—leaving his house to the machinations of his sister and uncle. Then she finally leaned against the wall, groaning softly. Wayne had better have found a way to deal with those other thieves—because Marasi doubted she had the strength to lift a gun at the moment. Instead she closed her eyes, and tried not to think about that terrible voice.