Mistborn · Character

Paalm

Also known as Paalm the kandra, Lessie, Bleeder

Major
First seen · Book 5

Paalm is a major character in Mistborn (Book 5).

Gender: female
First appears: Book 5
Books: 2

Paalm is an ancient kandra, once a servant of the Lord Ruler, whom Harmony assigned to guard Waxillium Ladrian in the Roughs under the guise of Lessie, the bounty hunter who became Wax's lover and later his wife. After she removed one of her own spikes and replaced it with unusual Hemalurgic spikes, she broke free of Harmony's influence and descended into madness. She faked Lessie's death at Wax's hand and returned years later as the killer known as Bleeder, impersonating Governor Innate and sowing political and religious chaos across Elendel. In The Lost Metal her spike removal is cited as the direct cause of her unravelling, and her ties to trellium spikes link her to the wider Hemalurgic conspiracy.

Description

A lean young woman with a squarish face, wearing dark trousers. In the earliest described appearance she has an unlit cigar in her teeth and carries a rifle. The text does not describe Paalm’s appearance. Her age, build, skin tone, hair, eyes, face, clothing, and distinguishing features are not established and should remain unspecified.

Connections

Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals

Harmonyconflicting source relationships
Harmony assigned her to guard Wax, hoping they would be good for one another. She came to see him as a controller of people and worked to undermine his influence.
Marasi Colmsadversary
Marasi works to thwart the riot Paalm engineers.
MeLaanfellow kandra
MeLaan helps the humans oppose Paalm but hopes she can be captured and helped, since she is one of a dwindling people.
TenSoonconflicting source relationships
TenSoon is among the oldest surviving kandra with her. He condemns her betrayal of their people and her use of Hemalurgy.
Waxillium Ladrianconflicting source relationships
As Lessie she was Wax's trusted partner and lover. He believed he had shot her, and her apparent death left him grieving and vulnerable. She later returned as Bleeder, the tormentor who exploits that grief and evades his attempts to stop her.
Wayneconflicting source relationships
Wayne pursues Bleeder and is turned on by the crowd at her rally. She later captures him and strips away his metalminds, yet spares his life.
EL
Edwarn Ladrianuneasy ally
Edwarn's faction, the Set, rides the upheaval she creates rather than working with her directly.
GJ
Granite Joegang associate
She worked in Joe's name, then killed him to save Wax.
Replar Innateimpersonator
She wore the governor's identity for a long time to advance her plan, then killed him.
LR
Lord Rulerformer master
Before Harmony, she carried out missions for the Lord Ruler, including suppressing rebellions.

Story so far

BOOK 5Shadows of Self
- In the prologue, Paalm, as Lessie, works beside Wax as a bounty hunter and kills Granite Joe rather than let him execute Wax.
- As Bleeder, she murders Winsting Innate and Father Bin, framing others and inflaming religious tensions in Elendel.
- She impersonates Governor Replar Innate, kills the real governor and tries to incite the crowd at a rally.
- She taunts Wax through his Hemalurgic earring, threatens his father and captures Wayne, but cannot bring herself to kill him.
- She is revealed to be the kandra who wore Lessie's face, driven by rebellion against Harmony and her altered spikes.
BOOK 7The Lost Metal
- She is mentioned in connection with trellium spikes.
- The removal of one of her own spikes is identified as the direct cause of her behavior.