Walters influence over Steven Deschain

[LovesSweetExile]

Doesn't it seem odd that Walter pretty much, and without much resistance, broke Steven's control over Gilead?

So first we learn he had it away with Gabrielle, he was Steven's court advisor/sorcerer or whatever, then that Steven had to send Roland away because Walter, somehow, could have killed him in his own home, in what is essentially, an empires fortress, did he have so much inside treachery and control over Steven's people that Steven couldn't do nothing about protecting Roland in Gilead ?

I don't understand this, there's no hint at Steven being under some kind of mind control, being the Dinh of Gilead, therefor having a vast amount of power, why couldn't he have banished Walter into exile or just have him killed? Steven was aware that Walter was working for Farson and has known for 2 years about the affair with his wife, so what, he just lets it all happen?

Walter can't possibly be THAT powerful that he couldn't have been dealt with by a group of Gunslingers, has anyone have ideas about this?

[LovesSweetExile]

Sorry about the presentation, not really sure how to use these annoying spoiler tools.

[Brainslinger]

I think Steven may have kept Marten close because he knew he was a traitor. Once you know who a traitor is, you can use them. At the very least you can be careful not to breathe your hidden plans around them. At the most you can sow misinformation and effectively have the traitor inadvertently work for you. If you kill them (although it's arguable if he would be successful. Marten/Walter might not be as powerful as he professes to be, but he is still a very dangerous and formidable enemy) the enemy can send in someone else*. Someone you don't know. Unfortunately I think in Marten/Walter's case Steven underestimated him.

Not that there couldn't be more than one traitor in the first place of course.

[lordmerchant]

I always find the walter/martin thing confusing - are walter and martin the same?, I believe in the gunslinger even Roland is unsure of this and even says if they are not one and the same, then they must be twins - he then goes on to tell Jake he never saw them in the same room. And although it has been established that Walter/Martin is NOT Flagg, in my mind I liken walters influence over Stephen to the influence Flagg held over King Roland in The Eyes Of The Dragon Novel, this is how I have put the pieces together in my mind at least.

[Roland of Gilead 33]

you know what? this IS CONFUSING! it does feel like "Steven" had no power whatsover & got killed pretty easily. but i think part of the reason is that "SK" i don't think unless i'm proven wrong here, i don't think we were told the full story. maybe i the comics they tell more about it, i dunno i've never read any of the comics so ya got me.

i've always been confused on who walter actually was. he in the expanded version said one thing than it makes some says than the dark man says another in 'The waste lands' i'm to tired to put the spoiler thing in so that's why i didn't put in it. i just came home from work.

in short it's confusing, i wonder if 'SK" is also confused about it as well?