That Thing, You Can Only Talk About If You've Finished the Series

[Letti]

What he felt was so surprise but something much stronger... realisation. Shocking realisation.

[Ka-tet]

Could be....

[Mark]

Well, he'd been having Déja vú all the way up the tower, i think the Tower reminds him when he reaches the top and sees the desert.

[sarah]

I think he is slowly getting his memory back all the way up the Tower and when he goes through the last door he knows his fate....again.




Personally, I think this thread can stay open for a bit before it is merged with other threads discussing this topic. ~maerlyn

[Letti]

Anyway I think it's very hard to surprise Roland.
I don't remember he was surprised anywhere in the series...

[Ka-tet]

Thats true enough Letti *thinks hard* ill have to get back to you on that one.

[Storyslinger]

I think he is slowly getting his memory back all the way up the Tower and when he goes through the last door he knows his fate....again.




Personally, I think this thread can stay open for a bit before it is merged with other threads discussing this topic. ~maerlyn

Exactly, couldn't have said it better.

[Matt]

I agree, he begins to realize at the top what is going to happen to him and STILL can't cry off. I wasn't just the Tower right? It had to be the top and I believe he began to understand near the end of his climb

[MonteGss]

There are countless other threads that discuss the ending.

What he said.

[Matt]

Okay, so we know its a loop. But why is the Tower doing this to Roland?

Are we to assume that the time in the series is the first time through and if so--why must it return him to the beginning.

Did that "shimmer" happen the first time he went through the desert? After Tull?

So my question would be what about the first time through, what did Roland do to make the Tower suck him into this weird damnation?

[Storyslinger]

I'm going with what Others have said, that until Roland finds his soul, (not letting Jake drop, the horn) and show care, he's doomed.

[jayson]

it's a question i've thought about, is the loop we read the first? i think we haven't enough evidence to say one way or the other with any surety. i still don't think he is being punished with the loops, but i'm always interested in the theories of those who think he is...

[Matt]

I'm not sure it is, he was always disoriented at the beginning as far as I know.

I bet King thought of the loop from the very beginning--I am just not sure if that moment of disorientation was written into the version before it was revised.

[aurora]

My question I have been wondering is why was leaving the Horn with Cuthbert a bad thing, other then He should have taken it with him as hire to the line of Eld and 'believed' he should take it with him on his quest for the Dark Tower? I take this as love and compassion for Cuthbert.

[Matt]

I'm not sure aurora--maybe it simply signifies that he took one second to think of something other than the Tower when he picked it up.

I bet we are going to find out in the next comic arc that Roland was literally itching to get on his journey to The Dark Tower at Jericho Hill.

[jayson]

I'm not sure aurora--maybe it simply signifies that he took one second to think of something other than the Tower when he picked it up.

I bet we are going to find out in the next comic arc that Roland was literally itching to get on his journey to The Dark Tower at Jericho Hill.

He spent that second thinking about his dead best friend rather than pick up the Horn. He'd take the Horn bc he knows he needs it for the Tower, so by NOT picking up the horn he stops obsessing on the Tower for a second and that moment is to mourn 'Bert. Is that what you mean Matt or the opposite of what you meant bc I can't tell?

[ManOfWesternesse]

I don't think the one we read about is the first Loop..... probably not even close to being the first.
Walter told Roland (Palaver) that he keeps on doing the same thing. Then Roland -when he realises whats happening for that split second at the top of the Tower- is horrified at what is about to happen again.
I believe he's been round the Loop a good few times before the one we read about.

[Matt]

I'm not sure aurora--maybe it simply signifies that he took one second to think of something other than the Tower when he picked it up.

I bet we are going to find out in the next comic arc that Roland was literally itching to get on his journey to The Dark Tower at Jericho Hill.

He spent that second thinking about his dead best friend rather than pick up the Horn. He'd take the Horn bc he knows he needs it for the Tower, so by NOT picking up the horn he stops obsessing on the Tower for a second and that moment is to mourn 'Bert. Is that what you mean Matt or the opposite of what you meant bc I can't tell?

I meant he took a second and thought about something other than the Tower (horn of Eld, duty, the White...whatever you like) and that might be the beginning of him thinking of something other than that for this loop.

Can only be good for him.

And I agree Brian, totally

[jayson]

I'm not sure aurora--maybe it simply signifies that he took one second to think of something other than the Tower when he picked it up.

I bet we are going to find out in the next comic arc that Roland was literally itching to get on his journey to The Dark Tower at Jericho Hill.

so you're take is that Roland forgot to pick up the Horn bc he was in such a hurry to resume his quest? I always take it as Roland was so out-of-it after watching his best friend die that he didn't think to take the thing he needs for his quest from his friend's dead hand. funny how one event can be seen so differently. that's why i said before that NOT taking the Horn is a moment where Roland didn't think of the Tower at all. i don't know, maybe you agree with me and i just can't read today.

[Matt]

Well first off, I don't think Roland needs the horn for the tower in any way accept that it signifies his ability to think of something other than that.

I do not believe it is a talisman or anything like that.

So not getting it or getting it wouldn't help with the Tower imo. The reason I say it might be important for the next loop is because it shows that Roland cares for something other than his quest. He cares for that horn because it matters to him--it is the Horn of Eld and should not be left in the dust.

That is something other than Tower obsession and may be the beginning of his salvation.

[jayson]

ok, so a third option altogether different from the two i suggested. cool.

[fernandito]

Okay, so we know its a loop. But why is the Tower doing this to Roland?

...what did Roland do to make the Tower suck him into this weird damnation?

The two questions that elude and haunt me (I believe I asked these same two questions in the dt-ending thread I started).

What did Roland do to deserve this particular fate? I'm sure that every single one of his ancestors had sins to atone for, hell, Arthur Eld even slept with another woman, why didn't the Tower punish him for that? Why is Roland such a special case? Is it because he is the last of his kind and must therefore pay for the unpunished sins of those before him?

WHY? WHY? WHY?

[Ka-tet]

Like many others have already said i belive it has to do with roland finding his soul, obtaining the horn.

[blackrose22]

I don't think the one we read about is the first Loop..... probably not even close to being the first.
Walter told Roland (Palaver) that he keeps on doing the same thing. Then Roland -when he realises whats happening for that split second at the top of the Tower- is horrified at what is about to happen again.
I believe he's been round the Loop a good few times before the one we read about.

That's a good point but if it was just the first time Roland had reach the Tower he'd still be horrified at having it to do again for the second time. Also if Roland had travelled the loop countless times before he'd have more injuries than just the fingers and toes he lost on the beach (I think anyway). Wouldn't his mind be weight down with the memories of previous loops or is his mind cleared of these memories by the tower so it doesn't overwhelm him at the start of each loop.

[Matt]

I think a part of him retains the loops in his mind.

And I agree, this would not have been the first time through but I can't wait to listen to the version that is unrevised. Its been a long time since I heard the original.