Summary:The Lost Metal

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Summary pages have spoilers through the end of the book they summarize. However, they also have links to the rest of the Coppermind, which has full spoilers. To safely browse non-summary pages, consider using the Time Machine.

This page contains a chapter by chapter summary of The Lost Metal. We hope this summary will make it easier to find specific areas of the book, as well as providing a quick plot refresher for anyone who doesn't want to take the time to reread the entire book.

Prologue

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Plot Summary

An eleven year old Wayne sits on a stool in he and his mother's house, playing with a stolen deck of cards and waiting for his mother to return from the mine. Wayne sees the light of his mother's lantern approaching, and quickly hides his cards and pretends to be asleep. She spots a card, however, and Wayne admits to having stolen the cards. Wayne's mother lectures him on stealing, then asks him if he wants to hear a story. She tells him a story about Allomancer Jak defeating three infamous bandits, with Wayne frequently interrupting with comments. The next day, there is a collapse at the mine, and Wayne's mother does not return home.

Part 1

Chapter 1

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Plot Summary
Twenty-nine years later

Marasi and Wayne trudge through a sewer beneath Elendel, tracking a group of criminals. Wayne brings up the subject of MeLaan, saying that she's going to break up with him soon. They come across a large locked door, and Marasi uses a knife to undo the bar holding the door closed on the other side. They dim their lantern and continue forward.

Chapter 2

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Steris helps Wax prepare for his speech before the Elendel senate, Wax's son giving him two drawings to take with him. Wax enters into the chamber to give his speech, arguing against a bill that would give the Elendel governor more power, especially over the Outer Cities. Wax argues that the bill is a stupid idea, saying that it will only make the Outer Cities more furious with Elendel, and incite civil war in the Basin. He presents the senate with sixty letters from Outer City politicians, who want to work with Elendel peacefully, without conflict. When Melstrom stands to argue, Wax presents the chamber with a letter from Houses Hasting and Erikell, bribing him to support the bill. Though he had the goal of delaying the vote by having Melstrom investigated, the vote on the bill proceeds anyways with Melstrom, Hasting, and Erikell excluded from the voting. The bill passes, with 122 for and 118 against.

Chapter 3

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Marasi and Wayne move down the tunnel, finding old footprints. They come across a few guards playing cards. They sneak past the guards and find a natural gap in the rock, which lets them see into the cavern where the majority of the criminals are. Marasi counts thirty-seven armed men and women in the cavern, including the two guards. Wayne identifies the leader of the group, a Cycle in the Set. Marasi wants to get backup and return, but Wayne argues that they should go ahead and go in. Wayne agrees, but as they head back, they stumble across one of the guards relieving himself in the tunnel. He cries out right before Wayne takes him down, and Wayne and Marasi are forced to go with Wayne's plan.

Chapter 4

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Marasi shoots the first few enemies who rush in through the main tunnel, and then goes up to the gap in the rock above the cavern to cover Wayne from above. Marasi uses two Malwish Allomantic grenades, trapping eighteen enemies in speed bubbles. Wayne enters the main cavern to fight, and Marasi follows shortly after. The Cycle attempts to flee the cavern, and Marasi decides to go after him and let Wayne finish up in the cavern.

Chapter 5

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Wax returns to his chambers in the Senate building, frustrated with himself. Steris tries to comfort him, telling him they did all that they could. Wax finds an envelope, with an earring inside. It's accompanied by a note from Harmony, which tells him that he'll need to make a second earring once "the proper metal arrives". Wax is annoyed, wanting Harmony to leave him alone. Max comes up to Wax, speaking in an accent that Wayne taught him. Max asks Wax if they can go flying, and Wax agrees. He straps Max into a custom harness on his back, and takes off into the sky.

Chapter 6

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Marasi catches up to the Cycle in an underground cavern with a ravine running through it. He shoots at Marasi, but she uses a Allomantic grenade that Wax had charged to repel his bullets. As she approached him, his pistol was also flung away. She tells him to surrender, but he just smiles and taps Feruchemical strength, growing larger and stronger. He says that Trell wants her specifically, and thanks her for coming to him. She stabs him in the arm with a glass dagger, but he heals immediately. Marasi realizes that he's using Hemalurgy to grant himself extra abilities. The Cycle's eyes start glowing red, and he tells Marasi that Trell is choosing hosts to bestow his power on. Marasi manages to shoot the Cycle three times in the head, though he starts to heal. She frantically uses her knife to remove one of the four spikes from his chest, as his eyes grow a more vivid red. He tells her that the end is coming, either from ash or the men of gold and red. Marasi pulls the spike out, killing him.

Chapter 7

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Wax travels across the city to the top of Ahlstrom Tower, where he and his family live. Max happily busies himself with dropping twirly-seeds off the side of the tower. They play a kind of fetch that Max invented, involving a wicker ball with a metal weight at its center. Wax gets distracted, however, by a Malwish warship above the city. With Max still strapped to his back, Wax heads towards the ship to investigate.

Chapter 8

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Marasi finds a book of numbers and shipping dates on the Cycle's person, and removes the other spikes. One of them is a Trellium spike, which pulls away from the other spikes when near. She returns to the main cavern, where Wayne is playing cards with several tied-up criminals. Wayne had to tie up the criminals with shoelaces, which won't hold long. Marasi stays behind with the captives, subtly trapping them in a speed bubble while Wayne runs off to get backup. She sees a blurred figure wearing a cloth mask approach the perimeter then run off. Shortly after, Wayne arrives with a multitude of constables, and they decide to go talk to Wax about what happened.

Chapter 9

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Once the Malwish on the ship notice Wax, they send a skimmer down to collect him and bring him up to the warship. They are greeted by Admiral Daal, the new ambassador from the Malwish Consortium. Wax cordially welcomes Daal to the Basin, whose response borders on hostile. Max interrupts by saying he needs to use the bathroom. An annoyed Daal leads them to the restroom, and him and Wax continue talking. Daal makes it clear that he thinks the Bands of Mourning belong to his people, and Wax says that he isn't the person to discuss the matter with. He and Max leave the ship, and head back to their home. Steris gives Wax a note from Marasi, saying to meet her at the mansion.

Chapter 10

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Marasi is warmly welcomed at the constabulary office. She debriefs Reddi, while doing so, Reddi reports several complaints about Wayne, and adds them to a file (he thanks here for keeping Wayne in check). Two men are searching for Wayne, presumably debt collectors, they stopped by the station looking for him. Marasi gives Reddi the Cycle’s book, it details shipping manifests and outlines ways of smuggling supplies INTO Elendel. Marasi outlines a plan to fake the next weapon drop as a sting ops, using MeLaan and the Cycles corpse. The op is approved. She shows Reddi the spikes, and gives him the regular 3. She meets Wayne again in the lunch room, he steals her sandwich and reveals he does know about the 2 men looking for him, he promises to take care of it.

Chapter 11

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Allik is staying in Ladrian Manor, while Wax is in a penthouse suite. He does have a lab set up in the manor though, and everyone meets there. Allik makes tea and cookies for everyone. Marasi debriefs everyone, and suggests that the Trellium spike is the reason the Cycle could have 4 spikes and not be controlled. Wax theorizes that the Trellium is the 2nd metal Harmony wanted him to make an earring out of. MeLaan reveals she cant go on the mission as she is on a mission for Harmony Off World (The first Kandra to do so). This does mean she will be dropping Wayne as her romantic partner after 6 years (Wayne had for warning of this and isnt taking it well). Wayne ducks out to go to another "appointment" while Marasi, Steris, and Wax commence their Metallurgy experiments.

Chapter 12

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MeLaan gives Wayne The "Its not You, its Me" speech; The "I’m Immortal and You’re Not" speech; The "It Had to End Sometime” Speech; The "I thought I would let you down gently" speech. She admits that she asked Harmony for this particular mission, but is genuinely very excited about exploring the Cosmere and visiting Shadesmar. Wayne reveals that she was his first heart break, but he understands. MeLaan compliments Wayne as her "best lay ever". Wayne goes off to his next “appointment” feeling depressed.

Chapter 13

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Electrolysis has been discovered. Wax is into hobby metallurgy, Steris has equipped the lab with safety equipment including Flak vests, thick Goggles, and an Aluminum lined Steel Blast vault for containing Explosions. Various tests are done on the Trellium, it is definitely Trellium as god metals have distinct and identifiable "impossible" spectrum lines (Solid white with a spike above max at the shard's color). The Trellium cannot be melted, even by electrical melters. The Safebox can contain a Harmonium explosion up to 3 ounces, so they are comfortable experimenting with Trellium in it. No reaction to any chemical, but repels Harmonium like similar magnets. Marasi discovers that Wax and Steris have been trying to SPLIT Harmonium into Lerasium and Atium, but have been unable, but only to see if it is possible. The university has discovered everything Wax has and more, making his contribution seem minimal.

Chapter 14

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Wayne dodges the debt collectors on his way to a Rusts-Themed Restaurant, where he meets up with Ranette and her girlfriend Jaxy. They reminisce and console him for loosing MeLaan. The conversation eventually moves to his monthly money delivery to Allriandre, and the girls convince him that he is being selfish and cruel to deliver the money in person each month. Outside the restaurant, Wayne is finally cornered by the 2 debt collectors. Turns out they are actually Investment counselors here to talk to Wayne about his Fortune, they drag him off to a bank to talk Investment Strategy.

Chapter 15

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Trellium is repelled by Allomancy too. VenDell arrives as a substitute for MeLaan on the mission, and is curious about Wax's project. He claims Harmonium can’t be separated while Harmony is Harmony. Wax has an idea and fires up an old Harmonium experiment where Harmonium is almost melted and stretched apart (This almost separates the 2 metals, but doesn’t actually work). They set up a timer to push a tiny flake of Trellium into the melted Harmonium. Being extra cautions, they lock the whole experiment in the Safebox, and then exit the lab and basement.

Marasy finds a note delivered to her by the ghostbloods, she suspects it was the girl she saw outside the speed bubble. When questioned VenDell reveals he is FORBIDEN to speak about them. The chapter ends with a loud detonation.

Chapter 16

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Wayne made a series of high risk investments in an attempt to go bankrupt, but accidentally ended up becoming one of the richest men. Among these investments are electricity, and a highly profitable real estate deal. Wayne eventually gives in and puts on a bankers hat and becomes a banker temporarily. Wayne then proceeds to accidentally invent professional noseball (soccer-esque) as a way of spending exorbitant amounts of money. His reasoning being that it is a controlled environment for rage in the same way a bar is for drinking. Wayne brushes off several questions about how he could be spending/making more money, buys a new car company (only 5%), and changes the rules of noseball to let each team have 3 metalborn (Goalie and both Full-backs). He then arranges for the bank to handle his monthly money drops to Allriendre, the bankers misinterpret this as child support.

Chapter 17

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Wax, Steris, Marasi, and VenDell go down to check the experiment only to find the lab basically destroyed. The safebox was completely destroyed and all the equipment was broken. The resulting explosion was roughly 100x more powerful than expected. The Harmonium appears to be unchanged, albeit highly distributed now. Wax sets to work gathering it up and VenDell suggests that the explosion was a "nuclear" matter->investiture Fission reaction, so presumably trace amounts of A&L were made. Wax intuits that the Set might know. Wax gets hit by a secondary Harmonium explosion from the trace amounts contacting humid air.

Chapter 18

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The group discuss the meaning of the new Ambassador, and Wayne arrives. Harmony is worried. Wayne lectures VenDell about impersonation techniques. Wax decides not to join the Sting.

Chapter 19

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Night of the Sting, Wax and Steris are poring over headlines looking for accidental explosions. They then realize they should be looking for disguised explosions and earthquakes, so they pivot. They quickly discover Bilming is working on a new subway system, and has for about 5 years, with very little progress. Wax realizes the Set is building a city destroying Harmonium-Trellium "nuclear" bomb, and that is what they need to smuggle into the city. Wax decides to talk to Harmony. Harmony gives him an info dump. Trell has blinded Harmony's detail and future sight (temporarily (for a shard, could be years)). The danger is close. Harmony can see and hear what Wax does through their Connection. Trell is Autonomy, and is trying to capture Scadrial via an Avatar. The leader of the Set (Telsin) is the Avatar candidate. Wax decides he can’t have that. Harmony confirms that Telsin is in Bilming, and she plans to destroy Elendel. Harmony confirms the 2nd earring is supposed to be Trellium, wearing it will connect Wax to Telsin. Harmony is playing for time VS Autonomy, but has a Way out. She will let him Quit Scadrial peacefully if he chooses (he does not plan to). Harmony is not hiding information. After the vision, wax gets a delivery of 16 Allomancer Vials as replacements for his regular ones. One vial is corked with a red cork and labeled "For emergencies only." Wax gears up with Aluminum and 2 Aluminum-Ceramic Explosive Anti Hemalurgist rounds designed to forcibly remove a spike from a body. He also took some regular ammo that he can boost by pushing. He has an aluminum lined metals pouch and took 8 of the new vials. He leaves Steris in charge of their Senate vote, and runs off towards Bilming.

Part 2

Chapter 20

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Chapter 21

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Chapter 22

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Chapter 23

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Chapter 24

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Chapter 25

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Chapter 26

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Chapter 27

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Chapter 28

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Chapter 29

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Chapter 30

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Chapter 31

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Chapter 32

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Chapter 33

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Chapter 34

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Part 3

Chapter 35

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Chapter 36

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Chapter 37

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Chapter 38

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Chapter 39

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Chapter 40

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Chapter 41

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Chapter 42

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Chapter 43

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Chapter 44

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Chapter 45

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Chapter 46

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Chapter 47

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Chapter 48

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Chapter 49

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Chapter 50

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Chapter 51

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Chapter 52

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Chapter 53

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Chapter 54

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Confronted by Set soldiers, Moonlight uses a soulstamp to rewrite her history and become an Elantrian. She does not recognize Marasi, nor does she remember where she is. Using purified Dor, she reinforces the wall beyond which she and Marasi are hiding before Marasi enters the Community. Moonlight (now calling herself Shay-I) remains behind.

Chapter 55

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Chapter 56

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Chapter 57

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Chapter 58

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Chapter 59

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Chapter 60

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Chapter 61

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Chapter 62

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Chapter 63

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Chapter 64

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Chapter 65

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Chapter 66

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Chapter 67

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Chapter 68

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Chapter 69

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Chapter 70

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Chapter 71

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Chapter 72

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Chapter 73

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Chapter 74

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Epilogues

Epilogue 1

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Epilogue 2

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Epilogue 3

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Plot Summary
5 days after the detonation

Allriandre returns to her apartment to Miss Coussaint scolding Allriandre’s daughter, Ruri. While Allriandre was working at the forges, Miss Coussaint was watching Ruri, and the child painted on the walls in toothpaste. Allriandre calms her daughter before answering a knock at the door. While Allriandre assumes the guests are there for her debts, she discovers that she inherited Wayne’s wealth following his death. She considers her feelings on the man who killed her father, and thinks optimistically for the future of her family.

Epilogue 4

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Epilogue 5

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Epilogue 6

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Nineteen months after detonation

MeLaan and her guide, Jan Ven, sit in a boat off a coast in Shadesmar. An invested entity from the Silverlight Mercantile delivers MeLaan a letter from Harmony telling her of Wayne's death. Despite the news, MeLaan decides to continue her task to save the people on the land ahead.

Epilogue 7

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Notes

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