Dark Tower VII ending discussion *** WARNING: SPOILERS INSIDE ***

[MrChad]

Thought I'd start up a new thread on the Dark Tower VII ending, since I just finished the book and I'm jumping at the bit to talk about it. I'll throw out some questions.

1. What implications does the ending have for the concept of ka? Throughout the story, Roland always seems to know what to do and where to go. He explains it as "ka's will". Isn't it really because he's lived the quest before?

2. Is the quest for the Dark Tower even necessary? Would it really fall if Roland didn't pursue it? Or is the quest supposed to end after he defeats the Crimson King?

3. As he ascends the tower, Roland thinks "this is a place of death". The tower responds with "only because your life made it so." Do you think he is in a "Groundhog Day" scenario -- he must repeat the quest over and over until he "gets it right"?

 

[nageov3t]

ka is a wheel

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: loki8481
ka is a wheel

But the voice at the end says: This is your promise that things may be different, Roland -- that there may yet be rest. Even salvation. ... If you stand. If you are true

It implies that ka can be changed, even broken. What prevents Roland from breaking the cycle?

 

[MrChad]

Where are all the DT fans?

 

[nablio]

I was thinking that Roland repeating his quest is ka's way of maintaining the beams with magic rather than machines as the old ones tried to do. Not sure this makes sense but I think that he is doomed to repeat the quest for eternity.

 

[nablio]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Thought I'd start up a new thread on the Dark Tower VII ending, since I just finished the book and I'm jumping at the bit to talk about it. I'll throw out some questions.

1. What implications does the ending have for the concept of ka? Throughout the story, Roland always seems to know what to do and where to go. He explains it as "ka's will". Isn't it really because he's lived the quest before?

2. Is the quest for the Dark Tower even necessary? Would it really fall if Roland didn't pursue it? Or is the quest supposed to end after he defeats the Crimson King?

3. As he ascends the tower, Roland thinks "this is a place of death". The tower responds with "only because your life made it so." Do you think he is in a "Groundhog Day" scenario -- he must repeat the quest over and over until he "gets it right"?

In a possible answer to 2.) perhaps sending Roland on the quest over and over again is the Tower's way of making sure Roland is there to stop CK in case he tries a different way of destroying the tower. Kind of like how the machines in Terminator could send someone back at different times to change the future.

 

[psiu]

Well, he needs his magic horn, damnit. I like how the end shows the burst of realization in the split second before he starts over (that he's been trapped in this hellish journey over and over again) and then when he's starting over that, maybe, just maybe, this time might be different. He's got his horn.


Cheesy, but appropriate.

 

[nablio]

Originally posted by: psiu
Well, he needs his magic horn, damnit. I like how the end shows the burst of realization in the split second before he starts over (that he's been trapped in this hellish journey over and over again) and then when he's starting over that, maybe, just maybe, this time might be different. He's got his horn.


Cheesy, but appropriate.

What was the signifigance of the horn?

 

[cKGunslinger]

Originally posted by: nablio

Originally posted by: psiu
Well, he needs his magic horn, damnit. I like how the end shows the burst of realization in the split second before he starts over (that he's been trapped in this hellish journey over and over again) and then when he's starting over that, maybe, just maybe, this time might be different. He's got his horn.

Cheesy, but appropriate.

What was the signifigance of the horn?

I thought in most of Roland's dreams, he always blew his horn in the Field of Roses as he approached the Tower.

 

[nablio]

So would blowing the horn somehow change what would happen when he got to the tower?