Makoto from Powerless: Character Analysis of the Hidden Wielder Blacksmith

Overview: The Hidden Wielder Blacksmith of Ilya's Slums

Makoto Khitan is one of Powerless's most layered characters: a blacksmith who forges weapons for the slums, a Wielder who hides his power from a kingdom that would kill him, and a young man whose plan to save his cousin Hera from the Purging Trials unravels when he falls for a seamstress named Adena. He is introduced as a schemer, but the story reveals a boy shaped by abuse, guilt, and a desperate need to protect the few people he loves. His arc moves from calculated manipulation to genuine vulnerability, and his fate is bound to the very Trials he tried to escape.

Makoto's power—the ability to wield other Elites' abilities—makes him a direct threat to the king, who has ensured his son Kai is the only known Wielder. To survive, Makoto hides in plain sight as a blacksmith, arming slum residents for self-defense. His plan to rescue Hera from the Trials requires Adena's Phaser ability, so he recruits her under false pretenses. But as they work together, his cold exterior cracks, and he finds himself caring for her in ways he never intended.

Plot Role: From Schemer to Grieving Lover

Makoto's plot role is twofold: he is the catalyst for Adena's involvement in the castle intrigue, and he is a mirror to the kingdom's cruelty. He first appears in Chapter 1, watching the Trials' celebration and reading Hera's name on the banner of the dead. He feels he should be dying instead, and he spots Adena—the seamstress who is close to the Silver Savior—and begins forming a plan. He later saves Adena from an Imperial chase, posing as a Phaser, and convinces her to help him sneak into the castle to see Hera.

His deception drives the middle of the book. When Adena is summoned to the palace as Paedyn's seamstress, Makoto's plan collapses. He reveals he is a Wielder, and Adena accuses him of using her. This confrontation forces him to confront his guilt and his growing feelings. He then attempts to rescue Hera alone, disguised as an Imperial, but fails—Hera dies in the first Trial. The rest of his arc is defined by grief and his relationship with Adena, which deepens into love. He attends the final Trial to surprise her, only to watch her die as the criminal in the Pit. His final moments are spent counting seconds, clutching a vest she sewed with the message “See you in the sky.”

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Makoto's motivations are rooted in survival and guilt. He hides his power because the king would kill him, and he carries the weight of his father's abuse. His initial plan to use Adena is driven by his need to save Hera, the cousin who saved him when they ran away at fourteen. He is fiercely protective, as shown when he arms himself with daggers to find the men who chased Adena, and when he makes other men memorize her appearance to keep them away.

His traits are revealed through his actions: he is pragmatic, blunt, and self-deprecating, but also deeply caring beneath his harsh exterior. He teaches Adena to punch, gives her his bed, and brings her sticky buns. He is honest about his past when he finally opens up, revealing the scar on his lip from his father's sword. He is also prone to guilt—he blames himself for Hera's death, saying “it should have been me.” His actions show a man who believes he is undeserving of love, yet he risks everything for Adena.

Chronological Arc: From Manipulation to Devotion

Makoto's arc can be traced through key moments:

Chapter 1: He observes Adena and forms a plan to use her.
Chapter 2: He saves her and recruits her, lying about being a Phaser.
Chapters 3–8: They work together; he teaches her to fight, she teaches him to sew. He begins to enjoy her company and calls her “Dena.”
Chapter 9: He reveals his true power when she is summoned to the palace; she leaves him.
Chapter 10: He reflects on his guilt and finds her note “Keep practicing!”
Chapter 11: He sneaks into the castle as an Imperial and confesses his care for her.
Chapter 12: He shares his traumatic past and reveals his full name, Makoto Khitan.
Chapters 13–16: He mourns Hera, learns to skip, and grows closer to Adena. He gives her a handmade weapons belt and she gives him a vest.
Chapter 17: They share a kiss, and she confesses she is falling for him.
Chapter 18: He plans to surprise her at the final Trial, carrying a silver needle gift.
Chapters 20–22: He watches her die in the Pit, counts seconds, and finds her vest with “See you in the sky.”

This arc shows a man who moves from using people to loving them, but his past and the kingdom's cruelty ultimately destroy his chance at happiness.

Relationships: Adena, Hera, and the Weight of the Past

Adena is the heart of Makoto's transformation. He initially sees her as a means to an end, but her brightness and resilience break through his walls. He calls her “honey” because she is sweet, and he tells her she makes the stars envious. Their relationship is built on trust that he betrays, then rebuilds through honesty. He promises to stay with her, and she gives him a vest with an embroidered message about the sky. His love for her is shown in his final act: he counts seconds until he can see her again, and he thanks her for picking the closest star.

Hera is his cousin and the reason for his initial plan. She saved him when they ran away, and he feels he owes her his life. Her death in the first Trial devastates him, and he carries guilt for failing to save her. He mourns her quietly, seeing her in the rain and in the smiles of strangers.

His father is the source of his trauma. He was abused, told he was useless, and threatened with being sold to the king. The scar on his lip is a constant reminder of his father's cruelty. Makoto becomes a blacksmith to spite his father, turning his pain into a craft.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Lying about being a Phaser: This allows him to recruit Adena, but it destroys her trust when the truth comes out. It forces him to confront his deception and ultimately leads to a deeper honesty.
Revealing his power: He does this in desperation when Adena is leaving. It costs him her trust but also frees him from the lie.
Choosing to stay for Adena: After Hera's death, he decides he cannot leave the kingdom because Adena is still there. This choice ties him to her fate.
Attending the final Trial: He goes to surprise her, but instead witnesses her death. This decision leads to his greatest loss.
Counting seconds after her death: He counts to forty-two, a ritual that connects him to her memory and his grief.

Themes and Symbol Connections

Makoto embodies several of the novel's central themes. His hidden power speaks to class and worth—he is a Wielder like Prince Kai, but because he is poor, he is a threat to be eliminated. His plan to save Hera and his eventual sacrifice connect to sacrifice and redemption. His deception of Adena explores deception and trust, and his grief over Hera and Adena ties to grief and guilt. His love for Adena versus his duty to save Hera reflects love versus duty.

Symbolically, the forge represents his hidden identity—he creates weapons for others while hiding his own power. The needle and thread he learns to sew with symbolize his growing connection to Adena and his attempt to mend his broken self. The vest she makes him, with the message “See you in the sky,” becomes a talisman of their love and his hope for reunion. The scar on his lip is a mark of his father's abuse and his stolen smile.

Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Makoto initially approach Adena?

He needs her Phaser ability to sneak into the castle and rescue his cousin Hera from the Trials. He lies about being a Phaser to gain her trust.

2. What is Makoto's true power, and why does he hide it?

He is a Wielder, able to use other Elites' abilities. He hides it because the king would see him as a threat and kill him, as there can only be one Wielder in the kingdom.

3. How does Makoto's past with his father shape his character?

His father abused him, called him useless, and threatened to sell him to the king. This trauma makes him believe he is undeserving of love and drives his guilt and self-loathing.

4. What does Makoto give Adena as a gift, and what does it symbolize?

He gives her a silver needle carved with half-moon designs. It symbolizes his affection and his desire to support her craft, as well as his hope for a future together.

5. How does Makoto react to Adena's death in the final Trial?

He watches her die, counts seconds, and falls to his knees weeping. He finds her vest with the message “See you in the sky” and thanks her for picking the closest star, showing his belief that they will reunite in the afterlife.

Conclusion

Makoto Khitan is a tragic figure whose hidden power and hidden heart are both revealed too late. He begins as a schemer, but his love for Adena transforms him into someone willing to risk everything. His story is a reminder that even in a world of Trials and cruelty, connection can change a person—but it cannot always save them. His final act of counting seconds toward the sky is a testament to his enduring love and his hope for a reunion beyond death.

For more on the novel's themes, see class and worth, sacrifice and redemption, deception and trust, grief and guilt, and love versus duty. You can also explore the ending explained or questions and answers for further analysis.