Stephen King’s risky ending toThe Dark Towerseries proved to be a deeply satisfying conclusion.The firstDark Towerbook,The Gunslinger, was published in 1982, combining several short stories that King previously wrote.The subsequentDark Towerbooks would be published over the span of more than two decades, with the final book in the series,The Dark Tower, released in 2004. An eighth book,The Wind Through the Keyhole, which takes place between the fourth and fifth installments, was later published in 2012.
After seven novels that were published over 22 years, and a multiverse that connects to manyStephen King booksoutsideThe Dark Towerseries, ending cohesively and satisfyingly felt like a nearly impossible challenge. Roland Deschain ultimately reaching the titular Dark Tower after his long and arduous journey felt like an inevitability, but that alone would not make the ending to such an intricate series feel rewarding. Despite these challenges,King madeThe Dark Tower’s ending more compelling than anyone could have imagined.
The Dark Tower’s Risky Ending Turned Out To Be Stephen King’s Best Conclusion Yet
Roland realizing that he is stuck in a loop of searching for the Dark Tower isStephen King’s best ending. Ever since the Battle of Tull and sacrificing the life of young Jake Chambers inThe Gunslinger, it was clear that Roland was no hero, andit would not have made sense for his story to simply end with him saving the Dark Towerand thereby the entire multiverse. That was never the story that King was telling and ending on such a victorious note would have felt contrived.
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Instead,The Dark Tower was a tragic tale of a man so hellbent on completing his quest that he was willing to sacrifice those closest to him, all while being punished in an endless cycle.The Dark Toweris a multi-genre series, but the genre King excels at the most is horror, and this ending is appropriately one ofStephen King’s most terrifying book moments. It is true existential horror that was hinted at and gradually built up throughout the long-running series in an ending that is equally twisted, shocking, and also makes perfect sense with Roland’s character.
Why The Dark Tower’s Ending Was Such A Risky Choice For The Fantasy Series
It Was A Nontraditional And Harsh Ending
Even though King is a master of horror,The Dark Towerwas largely a fantasy series about the last gunslinger trying to save the multiverse. This naturally created an expectation of a more traditional fantasy happy ending where the protagonist and his allies save everyone. King also went down a dark route with the rest of Roland’s ka-tet, with Jake dying yet again, along with Eddie Dean and the lovable billy-bumbler Oy dying as well. The whole purpose of the series can also seem questionable sincethe Dark Tower was never in need of saving in the first place.
Roland made his fair share of ruthless and violent choices, many of them in the name of reaching the Dark Tower, but this eternal loop can be seen as too harsh even for him.
Many of the characters' sacrifices feel like they were in vain and the journey arguably loses some of its weight when realizing this is only one of innumerable times that Roland has been on this quest.Roland made his fair share of ruthless and violent choices, many of them in the name of reaching the Dark Tower, but this eternal loop can be seen as too harsh even for him. The Crimson King, one ofStephen King’s best villains, being defeated by Patrick Danville erasing a drawing can also be considered anticlimactic.
Stephen King’s Conclusion Might Not Be Satisfying, But It’s Perfect For The Series
No Other Ending Would Have Worked Better
The Dark Tower’s ending may not be satisfying in a traditional sense, but it aligns perfectly with the series' themes. Ka, the force of fate, being a wheel, is present in many of King’s books, includingThe Stand. There is no better way to show this than to have the protagonist begin the story where it started, asThe Dark Towerends withThe Gunslinger’s iconic first line,“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.“Moreover,there is nothing Roland could have discovered at the top of the Dark Tower that would have been more satisfying.
1982
1987
1991
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass
1997
1998
2003
2004
The Wind Through the Keyhole
2012
As cruel as the ending may feel, it is not devoid of hope. Susannah reunites with alternate versions of Eddie and Jake in an alternate version of 1980s New York City. This time, Roland begins his quest for the Dark Tower with the Horn of Eld, which he did not have last time. Susannah, Eddie, and Jake’s lives will definitely be different in their alternate universe, andthe Horn of Eld suggests that perhaps Roland’s journey will end differently this time. Any other ending toThe Dark Towerseries would not have been as rewarding.
The Dark Tower
The Dark Toweris a multimedia franchise based on Stephen King’s epic series of eight novels. The story follows Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, as he embarks on a quest to reach the Dark Tower, a mystical structure that stands at the center of all worlds and realities. The series blends elements of dark fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Western genres. Over the years, the franchise has expanded beyond the original books to include a film, comic books, and upcoming TV adaptations, making it one of King’s most ambitious and interconnected works.
