In the Mistborn series, Allrianne is the daughter of Lord Ashweather Cett and a Misting Rioter. She is in a relationship with Breeze (a member of Kelsier’s crew), and is notably playful, manipulative, and a skilled horseback rider.
See below for a table of contents on Allrianne’s character analysis:
Personality
Playing Games
Allrianne Cett seems to find everything to be a fun little game throughout the Mistborn series.
For example, when she is captured by bandits in The Well of Ascension, she uses her allomancy on them to manipulate them into asking her father for her ransom. Of men, she notes:
“There was a certain charm to simple men like Hobart’s crew. They really only wanted three things: money, food, and sex…When she’d first run across this group, she’d blessed her fortune—despite the fact that they had been running down a hillside in ambush, intent on robbing and raping her. Another charm about men like these was that they were rather inexperienced with Allomancy” (2.642)
Despite being in obvious danger, Allrianne is amused by these simple men; they are like toys to be played with. Her Allomancy has allowed her to approach life as if it were all one big game like this.
Even using her allomancy on Breeze is like a game to her
As she is Pushing and Pulling on the emotions of the bandits who have captured her, she notes that “it was hardly a challenge, not as it had been with Breezy.” She thinks, “Now that had been fun. And rewarding too. She doubted she’d ever find a man as aware of his emotions, and as aware of the emotions of others, as Breezy” (2.642).
Manipulating him is just a game to her, a great “challenge,” in fact. Even using the nickname “Breezy” implies her playful, carefree (or careless) nature.
Lastly, she treats politics like a game.
She tells her father he owes her five dresses, because she was right that they should have made an alliance with Elend. Cett responds by saying “this isn’t a damn game, girl,” to which she says, “Fashion, Father, is no game.” (2.645)
She treats their very dire political situation as just another game, a ploy in getting the superficial things that she wants. Nothing is ever that serious to Allrianne, and she provides a bit of comedic relief in an otherwise dark and grim atmosphere.
Fashion
In the example above, we see just how important fashion is to Allrianne, even if it is just another part of the little games she plays with people.
Her father, Cett, amusingly illuminates her interest in fashion as the final battle between Elend and Straff’s armies is taking place:
“At least I can count on her to be slowed down by getting ready in the morning, he thought with amusement. She wore one of her dresses, immaculately arranged, her hair done. If a building were burning down, Allrianne would still stop to do her makeup before escaping” (2.726)
Later, in The Hero of Ages, Sazed notices her penchant for flamboyant clothing. As she approaches him and Breeze in the beginning of the novel, he notes:
“The bobbing figure resolved into a young woman with golden hair, wearing a bright pink dress—one that made her look younger than her twenty years. Allrianne had a fondness for lace and frills, and she tended to wear colors that made her stand out” (3.97)
Allrianne the Equestrian
Allrianne is noticeably good with horses. At the end of The Well of Ascension, we are rather surprised that such a seemingly dainty, fashionable girl is so skilled with horses.
“She smiled sweetly, then swung easily up into her saddle, suggesting considerable horsemanship” (2.631)
When she, Elend, and Vin are intercepted by Straff’s horsemen, Elend takes note of her abilities:
“What caught Elend’s attention was Allrianne: she rode with amazing proficiency, a look of determination on her face. She didn’t seem the least bit nervous” (632)
Later, in The Hero of Ages, Sazed takes note of her profound ability with horse-riding as well:
“Sazed might have expected someone like her to be a poor equestrian. Allrianne, however, rode with easy mastery, something one would need in order to remain astride a galloping horse while wearing such a frivolous dress” (3.97)
Like Ham, Allrianne has a surprising charcaterization that serves to make her more interesting. We don’t expect a dainty, playful, fashionable girl like her to be skilled with horseback riding. By introducing an aspect to the character that makes her unexpected, Sanderson has avoided making her flat, stereotypical, or predictable.
Boldness
At the end of The Well of Ascension, she boldly rushes into the battle unfolding outside of Luthadel, and tells Cett that if he wants to protect her, he better charge with his army.
Allomantic Abilities
We learn towards the end of The Well of Ascension that Allrianne is an Allomancer, as she Riots the emotions of some bandits who intend to capture her. She is quite brazen with her abilities as a Rioter, in fact.
For example, when she is captured by bandits, she notes how easy it is to Riot men like this, but with Breeze, it had always been more of a challenge. Playing with his emotions— a man that cares deeply for her— is part of some game to Allrianne. Despite this brazenness, she does seem to genuinely care about Breeze.
She also frequently manipulates her father with her allomancy in order to get what she wants.
In the beginning of The Hero of Ages, she uses her allomancy on Sazed, and he notes the brazen nature of her Rioting abilities:
“Allrianne looked up. She smiled prettily toward Sazed, then bent herself in a horseback version of a curtsy. “Lord Ambassador,” she said, and Sazed felt a sudden—and unnatural—fondness for the young lady. She was Rioting him. If there was anyone more brazen with their Allomantic powers than Breeze, it was Allrianne” (3.97)
Relationship with Breeze
It is apparent that Allrianne has manipulated Breeze to fall in love with her:
“Getting a man like him—a man so expert in Allomancy, so determined that his age made him inappropriate for her—to love her…well, that had been a true accomplishment” (2.642)
However, despite the way she plays with Breeze’s emotions, she does seem to genuinely care about him.
After Cett vacates Luthadel, she pleads with her father to go back and wait for a battle to start and help whichever side is going to win. Her father responds by saying if they do go back, it’s likely going to be to help Breeze’s enemies, as they are stronger. To this, she thinks:
You can’t help him if you’re not there, Father…They’re going to lose anyway—if you are in the area, then there’s a chance you’ll end up helping Luthadel. A very small chance, Breeze. That’s the best I can give you. I’m sorry. (2.646)
Later, she boldly rushes into a battle unfolding outside of Luthadel, and tells Cett that if he wants to protect her, he better charge with his army.
All of this is in an effort to save Breeze. She risks her life to save Breeze’s, which shows that she cares deeply for him, even if she does play with his emotions from time to time.
Relationship with Her Father
Allrianne uses her Allomancy on her father in order to get what she wants.
When she returns from being captured by bandits in The Well of Ascension, she asks him if Cett had missed her, then she “made sure to Tug strongly on his sense of devotion” (2.644)
To this, Cett responds by calling her a “fool of a girl” and that he should have left her home.
Later on, as she is begging him to help Elend’s army when they are under attack from the koloss, she Riots his emotions as she does so. However, Cett had “grown used to her manipulations long ago” (2.703). He tells her their help wouldn’t matter now.
Perhaps Cett has starved her of attention throughout her life, and that’s why she tries to manipulate him. Or perhaps this is just the way that Allrianne operates in the world. Either way, she has an emotionally manipulative relationship with her father, one that falls on deaf ears. She is like the spoiled girl with a rich father; however, in this case, the father does not acquiesce – he is used to her antics by now.
Analysis
In the Mistborn series, Allrianne serves as a bright spot and a bit of comedic relief. In an otherwise dark and depressing world, she is a brightly dressed blonde girl who stands out like a sore thumb. She treats life like one big game, and she continually surprises us with things like her ability to ride horses and to care deeply for those she manipulates with her allomantic powers.
