The Official End Thread

[Jimmy]

So close and yet so far.

Of course, maybe that's why he got the horn, because he gave away one of the guns...

THAT is a VERY interesting question Jimmy my man.

It really could have been anything though. King left so much up in the air that interpretation can run the gamut of why's and how's.

Roland might've gotten the horn because he had tuna fish and Pepsi instead of a cheesesteak and a Mr. Pib.

Maybe it was because of all the women he slept with through the story.

It could've been anything.

[Matt]

Roland is doomed to repeat because he didn't learn what is important.

That is my opinion anyway, the end of the loop is Roland crying off.

Its the same for all of the loops each of us is in. Ever do the same thing over and over and wish every time you are there that you weren't?

He doesn't remember because we seldom do.

[fernandito]

I never understood what roland ever did that was so bad that he had to live his life in a loop.

<<SNIP>>

My gut feeling to this....

Roland sacrificing an innocent in his quest for the tower.

I'm really, really liking this theory. He made a conscious act of self - damnation, if that isn't punishment-deserving then I don't know what is.

[Jimmy]

That makes no sense though. He got the horn at the end of the last loop, meaning that he can end the cycle now. He wouldn't have gotten the horn if it was sacrificing Jake that got him stuck in the first place.

[fernandito]

Hmmm, good point there. But remember, the horn signifies that things might be different, nothing definite. Maybe he has to have the horn AND not purposely sacrifice Jake in order to reach the man in black. However, with this I'm pretty much implying that he has to go through the loop two more times...so many questions!

[Jimmy]

Maybe by having the horn, Roland won't be so quick to let Jake fall.

Maybe Jake takes the horn after finding Roland at the way station, and later in order to save the horn, Roland has to save Jake too.

[fernandito]

That works also. Since having the horn means that he's made at least some progress within himself, can we assume that not sacrificing Jake and thus damning himself will be a result of said progress?

[Jimmy]

No we can't. Anything is possible in the apocrypha of the series. Anything could've happened in the other loops that we didn't see.

Just my opinion.

[fernandito]

Well we could, but we shouldn't.

Alright, let me pose another question that I think falls within the lines of what we've been discussing thus far: What does Gan/The Tower hope to ultimately accomplish by sending Roland through these seemingly infinite number of loops? Is it trying to prepare him for something? Does the tower want it's current Guardian (Roland) to be pure in both mind and soul and hence the loops which serve as a way for him to 'better' himself each time? What do you guys think?

[I eagerly await your replies, Jimmy and Jean ]

[Jimmy]

Have you ever played a video game where you kept beating the game without all the items, so you go back again and again?

It could be like that.

[ZoNeSeeK]

Well we could, but we shouldn't.

Alright, let me pose another question that I think falls within the lines of what we've been discussing thus far: What does Gan/The Tower hope to ultimately accomplish by sending Roland through these seemingly infinite number of loops? Is it trying to prepare him for something? Does the tower want it's current Guardian (Roland) to be pure in both mind and soul and hence the loops which serve as a way for him to 'better' himself each time? What do you guys think?

[I eagerly await your replies, Jimmy and Jean ]

I think you've answered your own question - Roland is the Guardian of the Tower and has been entirely for his long life, cast your mind back to the massive statue of him in Lud, it was very impressive - enough for an entire civilisation to recognize his importance, once upon a time. Perhaps there is no reason, he could be just doing his job. Every action taken in the DT series is to either thwart Walter/Flagg or the Crimson King or to get closer to the Tower. But since distance from one point to another is meaningless in Roland's world (especially with the application of the doorways), the geographical journey to the Tower is just a cover for Roland to fulfil his position as its Guardian. Ka is a wheel, and the threats to the Tower are cyclical, so Roland must match the cycles.

Its a kind of unusual way for the Tower to protect itself - who can figure out Gan's thinking, though?

Or another way to look at it would be to consider the Tower is malfunctioning - its taken alot of damage over the centuries, what if sending him back to the desert was a glitch? A flawed prize given by a flawed objective to a flawed character.

[MonteGss]

Roland is the Guardian of the Tower and has been entirely for his long life, cast your mind back to the massive statue of him in Lud, it was very impressive - enough for an entire civilisation to recognize his importance, once upon a time. Perhaps there is no reason, he could be just doing his job. Every action taken in the DT series is to either thwart Walter/Flagg or the Crimson King or to get closer to the Tower. But since distance from one point to another is meaningless in Roland's world (especially with the application of the doorways), the geographical journey to the Tower is just a cover for Roland to fulfil his position as its Guardian. Ka is a wheel, and the threats to the Tower are cyclical, so Roland must match the cycles.

Its a kind of unusual way for the Tower to protect itself - who can figure out Gan's thinking, though?

Or another way to look at it would be to consider the Tower is malfunctioning - its taken alot of damage over the centuries, what if sending him back to the desert was a glitch? A flawed prize given by a flawed objective to a flawed character.

You seriously rule Zone.

[Storyslinger]

Well said Zone

[ZoNeSeeK]

Roland is the Guardian of the Tower and has been entirely for his long life, cast your mind back to the massive statue of him in Lud, it was very impressive - enough for an entire civilisation to recognize his importance, once upon a time. Perhaps there is no reason, he could be just doing his job. Every action taken in the DT series is to either thwart Walter/Flagg or the Crimson King or to get closer to the Tower. But since distance from one point to another is meaningless in Roland's world (especially with the application of the doorways), the geographical journey to the Tower is just a cover for Roland to fulfil his position as its Guardian. Ka is a wheel, and the threats to the Tower are cyclical, so Roland must match the cycles.

Its a kind of unusual way for the Tower to protect itself - who can figure out Gan's thinking, though?

Or another way to look at it would be to consider the Tower is malfunctioning - its taken alot of damage over the centuries, what if sending him back to the desert was a glitch? A flawed prize given by a flawed objective to a flawed character.

You seriously rule Zone.

root?

[Jean]

Zone's post is brilliant! Though I definitely disagree that Roland is the Guardian, or anything else but a regular human mortal man (the story would have lost all interest for me, be it otherwise).

By the way:

Roland of Gilead stood atop the Cradle of Lud, dressed in gold.
No, she thought, at last remembering to breathe again. It's not him . . . but in another way, it is. That man was a gunslinger, and the resemblance between him, who's probably been dead a thousand years or more, and Roland is all the truth of ka-tet you'll ever need to know.
(The Waste Lands)

[fernandito]

I was chatting with a former dt.net member just a few days ago, and he had an interesting theory - all the roses in Can Ka No Rey are actually manifestations of the tower from all it's different levels, and each one is singing to Roland for it's salvation..and the quest to save each is just a little different than the previous. Interesting

[MonteGss]

I was chatting with a former dt.net member just a few days ago, and he had an interesting theory - all the roses in Can Ka No Rey are actually manifestations of the tower from all it's different levels, and each one is singing to Roland for it's salvation..and the quest to save each is just a little different than the previous.

Interesting

Very!


Cool, thanks for sharing amigo!

[Wuducynn]

Interesting, considering the implications of the fact that in order for Patrick Danville to get the right shade of Los's eyes that he had to mix one of the roses and Roland's blood, the blood of the Eld.

[Erin]

oh wow. I love that theory.

[Storyslinger]

Those are great ideas fp and CK

[LadyHitchhiker]

All this talk of Jake and the horn I thought of something silly. How big is the horn? Does anyone remember? Would he be able to still keep Jake from falling if he's lugging this horn around?

Sorry.. had to ask.

[Storyslinger]

It is just a small hand-held horn

[LadyHitchhiker]

I felt immense grief and betrayal.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I also thought the cycle may end someday with one rose at the top of the tower, and Roland will have to tend to that keystone rose. I know it's not likely, but that's what I thought would happen once Roland got to the top of the tower.

[Matt]

Wow! Those are some pretty strong feelings Lady, disappointed by the ending?