The skaa rebellion is the underground resistance movement fighting against the Lord Ruler's thousand-year reign over the Final Empire. The skaa - the oppressed lower class, kept in near-slavery by the nobility - have attempted uprisings before, but all have been crushed with overwhelming force. The rebellion operates in secret cells across the empire, coordinated by leaders like Yeden, who serves as its figurehead during the events of The Final Empire. Kelsier's plan to overthrow the Lord Ruler gives the rebellion its first real chance at success, combining Allomantic power, strategic deception, and the rallying symbol of the Survivor himself. The rebellion's army, trained by Ham and funded by the crew's stolen wealth, ultimately plays a decisive role in the fall of Luthadel - though the victory comes at a cost far higher than anyone anticipated.

The Church of the Survivor is the dominant religion of post-Catacendre Scadrial, founded on the worship of Kelsier - the man who defied the Lord Ruler and died to inspire the skaa rebellion. Kelsier's sacrifice and the subsequent fall of the Final Empire elevated him to the status of a messianic figure, and the religion that grew around his legend became one of the defining institutions of the new world. The Church venerates Kelsier as the Survivor of Hathsin and teaches that his example proves even the powerless can overcome tyranny. By the era of Wax and Wayne, the Church is a powerful cultural force in Elendel, though its relationship with Harmony - the god who actually remade the world - is complicated.