While not as epic as the ending of Era One, The Lost Metal, manages to finish every character arc in a spectrum of different levels of satisfactory for each of them. The plot had higher stakes than any of the other previous 3 books but preserves the James Bond, spy, mystery vibe which is good. 

I especially liked  Marasi’s arc. She is probably the one whose growth has been the most apparent. She is now at a point of her career and life, where people recognize and admire her genius and proficiency, opportunities literally present themselves to her without her looking, which is all she ever wanted, but she has also at that point in which she stopped needing validation from the people around her. I liked that. And now, wherever she is to do next, she is free of the burden of expectations. 

Steris, my beloved. I am just so proud of her. In The Bands of Mourning, she figures that her quirks and general way of being are not a flaw or an impediment to finding love. In this book, she gets to do great things not in spite of those traits but because of them. So simple but so beautiful. Steris, I love you. 

Wax on the other hand… was there. I don't mean to say that in a bad way. I think his character arc finished in the last book. This was just his last hurrah. The final victory. Which is good. I enjoyed it but another character stole the show.

This book was all about Wayne. His inferiority complex has always been there but now Brandon Sanderson, finally! for the first time gives all the time and attention to push Wayne to get closure. Him being sad about MeLaan was heartbreaking for me to see. I just want him to be happy. Wax saying to him that he is a good man ToT, healed him (and me). Wayne in general being appreciated by his friends and even Harmony, was all that I ever wanted. 

Second and of less importance. The story. 

The structure and rhythm of the book is a little clunky. A Sanderlarch was expected, I don't have complaints about that. But this is one of those books that feel like the story starts at 50% what happened in the first half? Not nothing but it's a little disjointed. Marasi and Wayne are investigating sewers on one side while having an existential crisis, MeLaan has a special solo mission, Allik is there, and Wax andSteris  are blowing buildings up . It was good, but mostly exposition.

Now, I know people will yell at me for saying this, but I think the story suffered because of some of the cosmere adjacent-stuff. As someone who has only read Mistborn books and Trees of the Emerald Sea, I did feel a little lost sometimes. I got the impression that some things that should have hit, did not because I just didn't know who the new characters were. Sandrson tried to make the story stand on its own, but I don't think he completely pulled it off. Some things were inevitably lost to me.