Walter General Discussion: The Gunslinger **spoilers

[Letti]

Where was it exactly, Liz? If you give us some more it will be easier to find the true meaning of the words.

[LadyHitchhiker]

Page 201 in my copy of the Gunslinger.

[Brice]

Shortly before/at the beginning of their palaver...am I right, Liz?

[LadyHitchhiker]

No, this was before he dropped Jake, and before they saw the slow mutants. Before they went into the mountain. Before the handcar escapade. Walter was taunting Roland, and at the same time letting him know that he wouldn't talk to him if he didn't lose the boy.

[Brice]

Okay, I'd need a longer quote, although I think I understand his saying that.

[LadyHitchhiker]

""Gunslinger! How well you fulfill the prophecies of old! Good day and good day and good day!"
(Roland fires three times and misses all three times)
"Woud you kill all your answers so easily, gunslinger?"
"Come down", the gunslinger said. "Answers all around."
Again that huge, derisive laugh. "It's not your bullets I fear, Roland. It's you idea of answers that scares me."
"Come down."
"The other side I think," the man in black said. "On the other side we will hold much council. Just the two of us. Come with me or stay."

[LadyHitchhiker]

Or maybe Roland's idea of answers is to get to the tower so Walter is scared of Roland reaching the tower? (I don't think that's a spoiler but if I need to I can fix it)

[Wuducynn]

I think what he means by that is the idea that Roland would not stop until he reached the Tower no matter how many times he was warned. Roland's "idea of answers" is to not stop no matter what, even if it is to bring about the destruction of everyone around him and to potentially bring about the events that destroy the Tower itself. Wizard and Glass spoiler -

Spoiler:

A warning we see in Eddie's dream of Roland behind the wheel of the bulldozer points to this in Roland

[LadyHitchhiker]

well if that's true I still don't understand. Why would it frighten Walter?

[Wuducynn]

well if that's true I still don't understand. Why would it frighten Walter?

I think because he is afraid that no matter what he does to try and keep Roland from the Tower it won't work. Remember - Whole series spoiler

Spoiler:

Walter is under huge pressure to keep him from the Tower until the Red King can bring it down and from his own plans to get their before Roland and before the CK can bring it down

[Wuducynn]

If you come back with a "yeah but I don't get it" after I explained all of that Liz, I'm coming up to Michigan and peeing all over your rug in the middle of the night.

[LadyHitchhiker]

So Walter didn't even word himself in truth; Roland's idea of answers isn't what really scares him, it's the consequences if he cannot discourage Roland from the tower... He's scared of what may happen to himself because of Roland's one-mindedness...

[Wuducynn]

So Walter didn't even word himself in truth; Roland's idea of answers isn't what really scares him, it's the consequences if he cannot discourage Roland from the tower... He's scared of what may happen to himself because of Roland's one-mindedness...

No, he was speaking truthfully I think, like I said Roland's idea of answers is getting to the Tower no matter what.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I still didn't think it would scare Walter since Walter is supposed to be this big bad-ass. I just didn't really picture Walter being scared of much of anything... *shrugs* Maybe my impression of him is too hardcore?

[Letti]

We mustn't forget that Walter loved making jokes. That's his way to hide his real thoughts, feelings or goals.
So many times it doesn't matter what he says because his only goal is to mislead his enemy or to make some gook jokes to have fan.

[LadyHitchhiker]

So you think this was just a joke, Letti?

[Letti]

I think he wanted to get rid of Roland at that moment. Roland wasn't ready to choose him instead of the boy. So first of all I think he tried to give very mysterious answers to make Roland more curious and secondly he tried to win time.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I kind of thought it was too, just him pushing Roland to see if he was ready to give up the boy. To see if Roland was ready for the palaver between them.

Another thing I don't understand is why Jake couldn't join their palaver...

I thought perhaps Walter wanted Roland to sacrifice something important to him to show how badly he wanted the tower.

[Letti]

Jake was the perfect trap for Roland.

[LadyHitchhiker]

But why was it important to Walter to know what he would give up for the tower? Roland's devotion to the quest truly shows Walter how he will not stop, but why is this information important to Walter? Or is he just being cocky and not thinking that far ahead?

[Letti]

But why was it important to Walter to know what he would give up for the tower? Roland's devotion to the quest truly shows Walter how he will not stop, but why is this information important to Walter? Or is he just being cocky and not thinking that far ahead?

It's not the information he needs. He wanted to be sure that Roland would drop the kid.
Jake was a double trap.
On the one hand when Roland drop Jake Roland got farther from the Tower.

Spoiler:

During his long journey he realises that he needs his ka-tet his friends to reach the Tower. And to be able to enter.

On the other hand in DotT

Spoiler:

Roland almost got insane. He saved Jake's life - you know he stopped the Pusher - and he started to have two story lines in his head.
There was a boy.
There was no boy.
There was a boy. I killed him.
There was no boy.
And so on and so on.
Remember?

So I think Walter was sure if Roland dropped Jake he would lose the way to the Tower.

[LadyHitchhiker]

Ooooooooooooooooooooooh..... so

Roland loses Jake, that means he

Spoiler:

loses it

and Walter thinks then he will not be able to finish his journey. Very interesting. I like that idea.

[Wuducynn]

I still didn't think it would scare Walter since Walter is supposed to be this big bad-ass. I just didn't really picture Walter being scared of much of anything... *shrugs* Maybe my impression of him is too hardcore?

So you don't think the idea that Roland would never stop until he reached the Tower, potentially ruining everything Walter has worked for, would make Walter frightened? Just because someone is a "badass" doesn't mean they're not fearful at certain moments.

[flaggwalkstheline]

As I hhave posted b4, walters fate in dt7 proves that he actually ISNT a big badass he just (except for one fatal slipup) convinces everyone that he is which in my opinion makes him more of a badass than if he was some godpowered freak, the same reason the joker is so much cooler than all those superpowered villain

[LadyHitchhiker]

Well maybe my opinions of Walter are more of those of Randall Flagg... I didn't think Randall was scared of anything. His arrogance was one of his strengths and faults. He thought he was unbeatable, so no, I didn't think he was scared of Roland. I thought that even if Walter believed that Roland was able to reach the tower, wrecking his plans, that Walter would think to have a backup plan and so therefore he wasn't really scared of anything. Of course matters didn't always go his way, but I'm not sure how much foresight he really had. But then again, I may have to think more about this.