Steelheart

Steelheart is the titular character, primary antagonist, and Newcago’s tyrant. He is an Epic with prime invincibility—meaning he cannot die by conventional methods—and his powers include super strength, immunity to all firepower, steel transfersion (he can turn any nonliving object to steel), flight, and shooting deadly energy blasts from his hands. Disregarding Steelheart’s evil nature, he is an exported character resembling Superman in both powers and physical appearance, with his silver cape, perfectly muscular physique, long black hair, and aura of magnificence. Sanderson crafts the story around how a world might operate under an evil Superman’s rule and how regular people could overcome him.

Steelheart’s governance is undoubtably corrupt: His system serves his own interests, he favors other Epics’ well-being, and he can kill as he pleases. Nevertheless, he maintains enough order for his “subjects” to have access to jobs and basic utilities, which is rare among the Fractured States. As Prof explains, “Newcago works on two principles: fear and stability” (180). Steelheart’s ego demands that he acquires people to rule, so he provides a level of security; however, he weaponizes fear to keep people obedient and prevent anyone from using his weakness against him: fearlessness itself. He kills indiscriminately to perpetuate terror—partially for his own amusement, but mostly because of his severe paranoia. Paranoia prompted him to destroy the bank the day David’s father accidentally activated his weakness and cover his tracks thoroughly. Even though Steelheart is nearly impossible to kill, he takes extra measures to make his palace unnecessarily complicated, and he sleeps and eats in a different room every day. Before David tricks Steelheart to his death, he admits that the Epic’s meticulous plan worked:

You kill, you allow the Epics to kill, you turn men’s own weapons against them. You even spread false rumors about how terrible you are, as if you can’t be bothered to be as evil as you want to be. […] you can only be hurt by someone who doesn’t fear you. […] But such a person doesn’t really exist, do they? (375).

Despite his painstaking paranoia, his own arrogance becomes his downfall because he doesn’t fear his own powers—he revels in them. Consequently, he is the only one who can cause his downfall.

Megan, later revealed to be an Epic named Firefight, is the Reckoners’ point person and David’s romantic interest. She always acts professional and is an excellent shot with a handgun. She initially draws David’s interest with her looks, but he grows to appreciate her qualities: “Megan didn’t seem afraid of anything, ever. […] She did what needed to be done, and she was very good at it” (189). However, Megan regards David coldly for most of the novel because she holds a fundamentally different perspective on Steelheart—that he is a relatively good administrator who provides people with basic amenities found in few other places. She admits to David, “I don’t think we should be killing Steelheart, and I don’t like how you’ve hijacked the team to fight your own personal war against him” (201). She reveals that she comes from Portland, where Epics’ power squabbles turned the whole state into a wasteland. Instead of creating a rift between her and David, Megan’s confession removes an unspoken burden from their relationship, and she becomes more relaxed around him.

Megan is also the “mole” who betrays the Reckoners to Steelheart. The ending reveals that Megan is Firefight, one of Steelheart’s closest allies. Firefight presents as a male Epic with basic fire capabilities; however, she’s really a gifted illusionist with reincarnation powers. After reincarnating, she slowly remembers David and the other Reckoners, causing her emotions to war with each other. Spending time among them and hiding her abilities made her more human and empathetic, but her hateful Epic nature is difficult to subdue, especially after using her powers to reincarnate. Megan’s arc ends with her feeling confused and uncertain, but the title of the sequel—Firefight—implies further character development to come.

Prof is the founder of the Reckoners and, secretly, an Epic. He has a mad-scientist aura with his grizzled appearance, thin black lab coat, goggles around his neck, and a “face that showed he had lived through the death of one era and had worked ten hard years trying to end the next era” (111). He refuses to talk about his past and often works alone in his thinking room, making him the most mysterious among the Reckoners. He is also intensely loyal to his team, and when David refuses to leave Megan’s dying body behind, Prof agrees, “I’d much sooner have you stand your ground and make Enforcement gun you both down” (287), making Megan’s later betrayal more bitter for him.

David admires Prof as a mentor, though his character deviates from typical mentor tropes. Instead of encouraging David’s moral nature, he openly condones David’s vengeance motive to get the job done—which is ironically unlike what David’s real father would advise. Prof doesn’t care about the societal implications of Steelheart’s death, either: “Our job is to cut out the infected flesh. Only then can the body start to heal—but it’s going to hurt a lot first” (222). This perspective helps him focus on the goal without becoming distracted by doubt.

The end reveals that Prof isn’t what he initially seemed. For example, he worked as a fifth-grade science teacher before Calamity; contrary to the Reckoners’ assumption, he didn’t work in a science lab or even invent the Reckoners’ most valuable devices. In truth, he hates using the devices because he powers them with his own Epic abilities, activating his cruel Epic nature. Prof is a gifter, meaning he can lend his powers to others without them feeling the same side effects. Throughout the novel, Prof’s character doesn’t evolve—making him a static character—though the characters’ and readers’ perspective of him changes over time.

Abraham is the Reckoner responsible for heavy weaponry. In accordance with that stereotype, he is an intimidating and muscular man; however, he has a gentle personality, highlighted by his calm, French-accented voice. When he speaks, as David describes, “You almost didn’t notice the enormous machine gun—with mounted grenade launcher—resting on his shoulder” (130). He believes in humanity’s goodness and that, given the option, most people would choose to not harm others. Though Abraham doesn’t extend this same assumption toward most Epics, this philosophy lends to his hope as one of the Faithful—a person who believes that good Epics can exist and will save humanity from tyrants. Abraham was born in Canada, and he doesn’t reveal much more about his past. He is another static character in the novel, though his diversified worldview helps shape David’s character to care more for individual human beings.

Tia is the team researcher among the Reckoners. David describes her as middle-aged with red hair, glasses, and a business suit. She remains at the base during the Reckoners’ missions, controlling the operations’ technological aspects. She often serves as the voice of reason in both comedic and intense situations. Her frankness carries comedic undertones especially when conversing with Cody; for example, as Cody describes the “sublime” music of bagpipes—“a sonorous mix of power, frailty, and wonder” (250)—Tia reports a realistic translation to David, saying, “It sounds like dying cats being stuffed into a blender” (250). Tia’s voice of reason also helps keep David calm during missions, helping him work through problems and see reason when he panics. She often mediates between team members, especially Prof and the others. When David tries to reconcile Prof’s contemptuous attitude as he rescued him and Megan from Enforcement soldiers, Tia assures David, “He’s not mad at you […] and he’s not bothered by having to rescue you […] He just needs some time alone” (305). The narrative suggests that Tia and Prof are (or were) romantically involved, though neither character explicitly confirms this relationship.

Cody is the Reckoners’ sniper who often helps with the odd jobs, or as he describes it, “filling in the spaces with mayonnaise” (119). Cody is a laid-back man who often thinks the others take their missions too seriously. For example, when he sees David’s note collection, he lightheartedly suggests putting his organization skills to better use: “Think of what he could do if I got him to organize all of the pubs in town, by brew!” (98). He recognizes the other Reckoners are prepared to die for their cause, but Cody believes in finding something to live for.

To compensate for the intense atmosphere, Cody adopts the archetypal jester’s role, providing comedic relief with ridiculous commentary. He merges his Nashville upbringing with Scottish ancestry, resulting in Scottish diction intended to be read in a Southern accent: “Wee daemons. Don’t let her fool you, lad. I think she works for them. I saw her leaving out pie for them the other night” (120). As depicted, Cody also incorporates elements of Scottish mysticism to further compound incredulity. Nevertheless, Cody’s unflinching expression makes David wonder whether he’s serious, though Prof assures David that Cody just wants a reaction.

David discovers Cody’s deeper motives when David asks about his past. Cody was a Nashville cop, and despite his goofy demeanor, he takes his vocation seriously: “I took an oath. Serve and protect. I ain’t going to stop that because some thugs with magic powers start shoving everybody around” (123). The Reckoners trust him with their lives because they trust his courage and commitment to his people’s safety, even as he also strives toward a life not only free of Steelheart, but one worth living.

Nightwielder is an Epic and one of Steelheart’s closest allies. His powers include incorporeality—meaning he can fly and walk through walls—and manipulation of darkness, with which he “could make tendrils of that dark mist turn solid and spear a man” (158). His weakness is UV light, which artificial light does not usually emit. Nightwielder agrees to serve Steelheart in exchange for maintaining constant darkness over Newcago, which empowers his full abilities and protects him from the sun’s UV rays. Steelheart leverages Nightwielder’s power to make his “subjects” more reliant on his basic infrastructure, including electrical light. Nightwielder’s death brings Newcago’s first sunrise in 10 years, signifying an end to the city’s dark age.