SPOILERS ERA 1 & SH - Question About Secret History

[Era1Forever]

I’m rather late to the Mistborn series and have just had my heart and soul beautifully shattered by HoA and SH. 
 

I have two questions that I think will give the kind of closure I’m looking for. 
 

Was Elend misunderstanding or misled in any way when he looked into The Beyond and smiled? Was he truly “Elend” in this moment or merely a soul seeking/moving towards rest?

 

I truly believe that if Elend was indeed himself there, that he would only smile if he saw something that would facilitate happiness for both himself and Vin.

 

Curious to hear any thoughts that you all may have, and apologies if this topic has been previously answered and I somehow missed it.

[Trusk'our he/him]

52 minutes ago, Era1Forever said:

I’m rather late to the Mistborn series and have just had my heart and soul beautifully shattered by HoA and SH. 
 

I have two questions that I think will give the kind of closure I’m looking for. 
 

Was Elend misunderstanding or misled in any way when he looked into The Beyond and smiled? Was he truly “Elend” in this moment or merely a soul seeking/moving towards rest?

 

I truly believe that if Elend was indeed himself there, that he would only smile if he saw something that would facilitate happiness for both himself and Vin.

 

Curious to hear any thoughts that you all may have, and apologies if this topic has been previously answered and I somehow missed it.

Welcome to the Shard!

You may want to think about introducing yourself in the Introduction Forum.

As for the question here, I believe that this truly is Elend we're interacting with in SH. Even if one has a hard time believing Cognitive Shadows are still the people they were when alive because parts of their souls were replaced with Investiture, Elend hadn't had this happen yet; he was just an Invested person who's soul hadn't yet faded into the Beyond, and his Spiritweb !)and Cognitive Aspect hadn't been changed. 

As for what he saw, it likely was more to do with hope than a sure knowledge of what would come next, or else he could have chosen to stay at that point and live again by Sazed's healing and would retain that information. 

That is beyond what even a Shard can see, so this is my best guess as to what he saw what would become of him and Vin. 

[Treamayne]

Welcome to the Shard. Please consider letting us know in an Intro Post (or your profile) what you have or have-not read (whichever list is shorter). Also, please consider checking out the Sharder FAQ for some forum tips and tricks (since every forum is slightly different) 

9 hours ago, Era1Forever said:

if he saw something that would facilitate happiness for both himself and Vin.

Please rememeber how important the safety of Elend's people were to him - even back at the start of WoA. I beleive Elend smiled here, because he saw the most likely result of his death would be the safety of his remaining people and reuniting with Vin (even if it was in death). If you read SH, then know that what Elend saw with Duralumin-burned Atium was similar to what Fuzz showed Kelsier in Part 3, Ch 3 (See below) - but because Ruin's abilities with Futuresight are different, Elend's expereince would have been more immediate (short-term future) and less possibilties seen. 

M:SH

Spoiler

Everything else was vaporized; nothing could withstand that terrible, wonderful light. Kelsier lost form, thought, very being. He transcended self and entered a place of flowing light. Ribbons of it exploded from him, and though he tried to scream, he had no voice.

<snip>

“I suppose I deserved that,” Kelsier said. “Be careful how you use those visions, Fuzz. Reality isn’t particularly healthy for a man’s ego.”

“I would call it very healthy,” Preservation replied.

“I saw everything,” Kelsier mumbled. “Everyone, everything. My Connection to them, and . . . and . . .”

Spreading into the future, he thought, grasping at an explanation. Possibilities, so many possibilities . . . like atium.

“Yes,” Preservation said, sounding exhausted. “It can be trying to recognize one’s true place in things. Few can handle the—”

“Send me back,” Kelsier said, scrambling up to Preservation, taking him by the arms.

<snip>

Straining, soul crumbling before that terrible reality, Kelsier turned toward the tendrils of light spreading into the distance. Possibilities upon possibilities, compounded upon one another. Infinite, overwhelming. The future.

He dropped out of the vision again, and this time fell to his knees panting. The glow faded, and he was again on the banks of Lake Luthadel. Preservation settled down beside him and rested his hand on Kelsier’s back.

“I can’t stop him,” Kelsier whispered.

“I know,” Preservation said.

“I could see thousands upon thousands of possibilities. In none of them did I defeat that thing.”

“The ribbons of the future are never as useful as . . . as they should be,” Preservation said.

It's the nature of Shards and Intent - Preservation has a strong affinity for the future because the Intent of Preservation is to keep things for the future. Ruin is about decay and entropy - about them expiring before the "future" so Ruin's power is less able to see the possibilities in the Future, or see as far foward as Preservation's power does. SO, Elend's expereince would have been more immediate and less ambiguous than Kelsier's - but still similar. 

[alder24]

11 hours ago, Era1Forever said:

I’m rather late to the Mistborn series and have just had my heart and soul beautifully shattered by HoA and SH. 

I have two questions that I think will give the kind of closure I’m looking for. 

Was Elend misunderstanding or misled in any way when he looked into The Beyond and smiled? Was he truly “Elend” in this moment or merely a soul seeking/moving towards rest?

I truly believe that if Elend was indeed himself there, that he would only smile if he saw something that would facilitate happiness for both himself and Vin.

Curious to hear any thoughts that you all may have, and apologies if this topic has been previously answered and I somehow missed it.

That was Eland, that was his mind, the same as it was in the Physical Realm. And that's a very normal behavior. People smile and feel content when they fade into the Beyond. SH ch 1-1: 

Quote

Nearby, another pair of people faded into the eternities. They seemed to accept it, stepping into the stretching nothingness with relieved, welcoming smiles. Kelsier looked at those departing souls.

We don't know what's in the Beyond, not even Shards can reach there, we don't even know if it exists.

I'm guessing different people sense different feelings from the Beyond. Kelsier felt dark nothingness because he wanted to postpone death for as long as possible out of selfish reasons - he wasn't at peace with himself. Elend was at peace, he saved his people, defeated Ruin, he didn’t fear death - he felt accomplished and could finally rest. He most likely sensed a comforting feeling from the Beyond.