Roland's choice *HARD spoilers*

[Wuducynn]

As I ponder all of this, I think that most of Roland's selfish decisions are based on self preservation, more than anything else. Going back for Jake would have threatened his own existance. Why chance that for a boy? Even one he loved.

It seems to me that in this loop he is still at that point more obsessed with the Tower and having that make his choices than love for Jake. Its not high morality of saving the universe but just that he wants to climb to the top of the Tower. Then at the end of the series he has changed to the point where he is willing to sacrifice his life and his quest for Jake, thats a big step for him and I'm betting his next loop will be a lot different, different choices because he is different.

[Darkthoughts]

For possibly the first time ever, I agree with every single word you wrote above CK

[Wuducynn]

For possibly the first time ever, I agree with every single word you wrote above CK

Oh, well this is the first time you've been completely sensible then!

[Darkthoughts]

[DocPain]

I'm personally of the opinion that this is what Roland has to do to truly break the cycle.

**SPOILER**
I agree. There are obviously several things that he needs to do on that road. One of which is to get the horn, the other one is to keep Jake alive. What other ones have we observed from the stories?

[Matt]

Perhaps finding a way to not murder the entire town of Tull?

[MonteGss]

So....that's a bad thing?

[Wuducynn]

In the case of Tull, it was only a good thing.

[jayson]

He had no choice whatsoever in Tull. Kill or be killed.

[Jean]

He had no choice whatsoever in Tull. Kill or be killed.

It is choice.

[Míchéal]

He had no choice whatsoever in Tull. Kill or be killed.

It is choice.

oh...touche

[jayson]

He had no choice whatsoever in Tull. Kill or be killed.

It is choice.

Yes, very clever. My point was and remains that if we are compiling a list of things Roland could have chosen otherwise and still pursued the Tower, the depopulation of Tull doesn't make the list. Roland could conceivably have not dropped Jake and kept going, albeit not in direct pursuit of Walter. Roland could have held onto his horn a bit tighter or picked it up when it fell and kept going. If Roland had not emptied his guns in Tull, he'd be dead.

[Jean]

I know what you mean... I have been thinking about that for years, and I am still not sure the choice of death in Tull is not supposed to be the only step the way to he Tower would take next time. I am not sure it is, either, but I am still very far from asserting the Tull situation as "no choice" automatically.

[jayson]

I see it as a grim but necessary choice. I'm not saying it doesn't and shouldn't haunt him, but I personally don't see what non-murderous options he had in that scenario.

[Brice]

I see it as a grim but necessary choice. I'm not saying it doesn't and shouldn't haunt him, but I personally don't see what non-murderous options he had in that scenario.

Maybe if he'd done something different in whatever prior cycle or loop he'd have never gone to/through Tull at all.

[jayson]

I see it as a grim but necessary choice. I'm not saying it doesn't and shouldn't haunt him, but I personally don't see what non-murderous options he had in that scenario.

Maybe if he'd done something different in whatever prior cycle or loop he'd have never gone to/through Tull at all.

Certainly a possibility. I have no reason to believe the loops are similar [except for starting in the desert and ending at the Tower] so if you believe that each one effects the next it is possible Roland could have avoided Tull. Also possible it was Walter's idea to bring him there knowing what was likely to occur.

[TerribleT]

I see it as a grim but necessary choice. I'm not saying it doesn't and shouldn't haunt him, but I personally don't see what non-murderous options he had in that scenario.

Maybe if he'd done something different in whatever prior cycle or loop he'd have never gone to/through Tull at all.

Certainly a possibility. I have no reason to believe the loops are similar [except for starting in the desert and ending at the Tower] so if you believe that each one effects the next it is possible Roland could have avoided Tull. Also possible it was Walter's idea to bring him there knowing what was likely to occur.

Tull happened before the desert, so isn't it reasonable to assume that Tull is fixed? The loop only seems to occur from the time when Roland enters the desert.

[Jean]

the events before the desert are changed, too (he has the horn which I assume he picked at Jericho Hill)

[jayson]

the events before the desert are changed, too (he has the horn which I assume he picked at Jericho Hill)

precisely.

[Matt]

but how is that possible? are we maybe to assume the loop is getting shorter?

hmmm...that's an interesting thought. Lets say this time he saves Jake (he has the horn too) and the next go around he starts after the desert on the beach.--Jakes with him

[jayson]

but how is that possible? are we maybe to assume the loop is getting shorter?

hmmm...that's an interesting thought. Lets say this time he saves Jake (he has the horn too) and the next go around he starts after the desert on the beach.--Jakes with him

we also don't know what elements, if any, are the same each time he loops. maybe it's not a series of do-overs where roland gets to do the opposite of what he did the last time. it's just as likely the only thing that remains the same is that he is chasing Walter.

[Matt]

Well, if we are going to assume anything can be different--I'm not sure even chasing Walter is a constant. However, if anything was, that would certainly be it.

[jayson]

Well, if we are going to assume anything can be different--I'm not sure even chasing Walter is a constant. However, if anything was, that would certainly be it.

well given that walter in the revised version seems to know that roland is looping, it seems likely to me he is the constant starting point.

to me the loop goes...

phase 1 - chase walter
phase 2 - ?
phase 3 - breach Tower

[Brice]

Yes, time needn't be linear there. By necessity if time and space vary in Roland's world, if it is in constant flux than nothing besides him chasing Walter through the desert can be guaranteed or relied upon. Even still we can only be certain of him chasing Walter through this loop and the last. Circumstances through other loops could differ greatly. I would guess though that most likely he would always be chasing Walter.

[TerribleT]

Given the information available to you at the time, would you have dropped Jake?