History Characters / TheDarkTowerRolandsKaTet

* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy And His Bumbler.

* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy and his Bumbler. Oy is Jake's best friend and follows him everywhere at his heel like a shadow.

* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy and his Mule. Sheemie calls him "Cap" or "Capi", which is short for Caprichoso.

A ka-tet is a group of individual beings with a shared purpose brought together by "ka", an approximate equivalent of destiny, fate and/or karma. Ka is said to be the will of Gan, the ultimate creator in Creator/StephenKing's multiverse and is entirely neutral and does not recognize or favor good or evil, it can and will manipulate both sides. During his life, Roland Deschain has been the leader (or "dinh") of two different ka-tets, the first comprised of himself, Cuthbert Allgood, Alain Johns and allies and honorary members, Susan Delgado, Sheemie Ruiz and Jamie De Curry. The second, the "Ka-tet of Nineteen and Ninety-Nine" is comprised of himself, Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, their animal companion Oy, and ally and honorary member Father Donald Callahan, who are the main protagonists of the ''Dark Tower'' series.

!Allies

[[folder:Father Callahan]]
!!Father Donald Callahan
[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fathercallahan.jpg]]

!!! '''Also Known As:''' Pere Callahan, The Old Fella

!!! '''Appears in:''' ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla'' | ''Literature/SongOfSusannah'' | ''Literature/TheDarkTower''
!!! '''Also Appears In:''' ''Literature/SalemsLot'' | ''Series/SalemsLot'' (portrayed by James Gallery) | ''Salem's Lot'' [2004 mini-series] (portrayed by Creator/JamesCromwell)

->''"It didn't occur to me until later that there's another truth, very simple: greed in a good cause is still greed."''

An alcoholic priest first introduced in ''Literature/SalemsLot'' who fought vampires. After killing himself in our world (rather than be taken by agents of the Crimson King), he wakes up in the very same Way Station that Jake found himself in after his death in ''Literature/TheGunslinger'' with the Man in Black, who gives him an unwanted gift. He later meets Roland's ka-tet in Calla Bryn Sturgis and travels with them until he shoots himself on Keystone Earth rather than let the elder vampires consume him in the final novel.

* TheAlcoholic: In his backstory, Callahan turns to drink due to his disillusionment with the church and his faith. At one point, he wonders at having been a walking stereotype: an Irish Catholic priest with a drinking problem.
* BackFromTheDead: Like Jake, Callahan dies in his own world and ends up in the Way Station in the Mohaine Desert of Mid-World. But, unlike Jake who was murdered, Callahan actually [[DrivenToSuicide committed suicide]] by jumping out of a skyscraper window rather than be taken by the can-toi, who had finally caught up with him after years of searching.
* BadassPreacher: In the years after ''Literature/SalemsLot'' he started hunting and killing vampires after one of them infected his ([[IfItsYouItsOkay possibly more than]]) friend Lupe Delgado with AIDS, which got him on the Sombra Corporation's shit list and resulted in him being hunted by the can-toi.
* CanonForeigner: PlayedWith. He is a character from one of Creator/StephenKing's first novels, ''Literature/SalemsLot'', and has to provide an InfoDump in ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla'' on how he got from that continuity to this. {{Justified}}, given that Mid-World is the hub of King's personal MultiVerse.
* DrivenToSuicide: Poor Callahan actually kills himself ''twice''. The first time, he jumps out of a window to escape the can-toi and a FateWorseThanDeath. He then ended up in Mid-World and eventually met Roland's ka-tet and assisted them with their quest for the Dark Tower. The second time he shoots himself in the head to escape yet another FateWorseThanDeath, being eaten alive by the Grandfather Vampires. It's implied that this time there's no coming back, as he kills himself in the Keystone World, where dying actually ''sticks''.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: Having fully regained his faith, he kills ancient vampire lords in the Dixie Pig ''with his bare hands'' before being overwhelmed and deciding to [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled shoot himself rather than be eaten alive by the vampires]].
* IfItsYouItsOkay: He falls in love with his male friend Lupe Delgado, despite otherwise identifying as heterosexual. Nothing physical ever occurs between them however, aside from a kiss on the cheek.
* SixthRanger: To Roland's ka-tet, they even proclaim him to be an honorary member of the ka-tet by the end of ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla'', knowing that his ka is intertwined with theirs and they were always meant to meet him.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: A huge chunk of ''Wolves of the Calla'' is taken up by his explanation of what happened to him after the events of '''Salem's Lot'' and how he ended up in Mid-World.
* UnfortunateNames: His nickname in Calla Bryn Sturgis, "The Old Fella", is slang for 'penis' in some circles in RealLife.

[[folder:Susan Delgado]]
!!Susan Delgado
[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/susandelgado.jpg]]

!!! '''Also Known As:''' The Girl at the Window, 'Miss Oh So Young and Pretty'

!!! '''Appears in:''' ''Literature/WizardAndGlass''
!!! '''Also Appears In:''' Comics: ''The Gunslinger Born'' | ''The Long Road Home''

->''"Keep my love safe; take my love safe to where he goes, give him joy in who he sees, and make him a cause of joy in those who see him."''

Roland's true love, Susan Delgado is a beautiful, free-spirited and tomboyish young woman from the town of Hambry in the Barony of Mejis who was forced into becoming the gilly (mistress) of the mayor, Hart Thorin, in exchange for money and her spinster Aunt keeping their family's land. Unfortunately her secret relationship with a young Roland kicks off a chain of events that culminates in poor Susan being burned alive by the townspeople of Hambry who are tricked into thinking that Roland (and by extension, she) is a traitor to the Affiliation.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Unlike his first ka-tet who all grew up and trained to be gunslingers together, Roland's second ka-tet are all total strangers at first, each of them pulled from different 'wheres and whens' and forced together through 'ka'. Each of them are also misfits and loners in their own way.
* TrueCompanions: Roland's first ka-tet started off as this, but his second become true companions through their arduous quest, eventually seeing the others as their true family. This makes the breaking of their ka-tet in the final book all the more [[TearJerker heartbreaking]].

!!! '''Also Known As:''' Bama

!!! '''Also Known As:''' 'Boy', The Brave

Roland's true love, Susan is a beautiful, free-spirited and tomboyish young woman from the town of Hambry in the Barony of Mejis who was forced into becoming the gilly (mistress) of the Mayor, Hart Thorin, not just for pleasure but also to bear his child, in exchange for money and her spinster Aunt keeping their family's land. Unfortunately her secret relationship with a young Roland kicks off a chain of events that culminates in poor Susan being burned alive by the townspeople of Hambry who are tricked into thinking that Roland (and by extension, she) is a traitor to the Affiliation.

* TheAce: Roland is perhaps the greatest gunslinger that ever lived, other than Arthur Eld himself, and is the one fated to save the Dark Tower, and therefore the entire multiverse. He is also stated to be ruggedly handsome and was born into the wealthiest and most influential family in Gilead.

* BadassBeard: Roland always has a very manly stubble, likely because his 'ka' to WalkTheEarth (or multiverse!) means that he often has neither the time or equipment necessary to shave.

* CosmicPlaything: He has been the target of the Crimson King since childhood due to his lineage and his status as the last gunslinger, thereby opposing everything that the Red King stands for.

* {{Fingore}}: He loses two of his fingers early in the second book during an encounter with a mutated sea creature that he dubs a 'lobstrocity'. It bites his fingers off whilst he is sleeping.

* HeartbrokenBadass: It's not surprising when you consider all he has been through, losing his entire family, friends ''and'' the love of his life. This trope is taken UpToEleven in the last book when he loses two members of his ka-tet in rather quick succession, firstly Eddie and then Jake (who he considers to be his true son) for a second time.

* HurtingHero: See HeartbrokenBadass above, poor Roland has a ''lot'' of emotional baggage.

* IHatePastMe: This is pretty much how he feels toward the end of the story, regretting all the mistakes he made during his quest for the Tower.

* ImprobableAimingSkills: He is capable of shooting the blade off an attacker's knife from afar. His shots never miss, and if they do, they were likely ''meant'' to.

* MommyIssues: And ''how''. When he's 14, he discovers that his mother is having an affair with [[TheMole Marten Broadcloak]], one of [[TheDragon Walter's]] guises. This is the catalyst for his early gunslinger trial. Later, after the events in ''Literature/WizardAndGlass,'' he glimpses her in a mirror carrying a belt that she intends as a peace offering. He mistakes her for [[WickedWitch Rhea]] and her snake (magical illusion may or may not have been involved), and guns her down out of pure reflex.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: In the final book, she is the last living member of the ka-tet other than Roland himself, and she decides to abandon the quest when she realizes that even with their ultimate goal completed, the Breakers freed and the Tower saved, Roland ''still'' won't stop looking to enter the Tower itself. Patrick Danville draws her an 'Unfound Door' which she uses to leave Mid-World and return to a version of the Keystone World to live out the rest of her life.

* SympathyForTheDevil: Though regarding her with suspicion and dislike due to thinking Eddie may be dead because of her, Susannah can't help but feel like this about [[DemonicPossession Mia]], who's actions she deems were necessary to finally have the son she had yearned for.

[[folder:Patrick Danville]]
!!Patrick Danville
[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patrickdanville.jpg]]

!!! '''Appears in:''' ''Literature/TheDarkTower''
!!! '''Also Appears In:''' ''Literature/{{Insomnia}}''

->''"Him's name is Roland, Mama. I dream about him, sometimes. Him's a King too."''

A young artist with the remarkable ability to reshape reality through his drawings who Roland saves from the psychic vampire Dandelo in the last book. He is the gunslinger's very, ''very'' last companion, and is the one actually responsible for destroying the [[BigBad Crimson King]].

* ArtAttacker: Why did Dandelo snip off all the erasers from Patrick's pencils? Because his drawings ''reshape reality''. Once he has managed to draw a picture of the Crimson King, he simply erases him. [[EyeScream Except for his eyes.]]
* ArtInitiatesLife: Once Susannah twigs Patrick's super power, she gets him to draw an Unfound Door which enables her to escape Mid-World to a version of New York.
* DeusExMachina: He is almost explicitly airdropped into the last section of the last book just so he can give Susannah her happy ending, and kill the [[BigBad Crimson King]].
* IdiotSavant: Patrick cannot talk, is frail and has obviously been damaged by his time with Dandelo. You wouldn't ''believe'' the pictures he can draw, though.
* TheLoad: Roland sees him this way, especially after his weak-mindedness gets Oy killed. Even then he knows Patrick and his remarkable ability will come in handy, though.
* TooDumbToLive: After Susannah leaves, Roland has nobody to share night watches with, and sleep deprivation eventually forces him to put Patrick in charge. It takes Patrick all of about ten minutes to fall asleep himself, after which Mordred attacks.
* TheWoobie: Dandelo tore the boy's tongue out just so he didn't have to listen to him beg for mercy whilst the creature fed upon his emotions. Dandelo apparently had him chained up and using him this way since his childhood. He displays dog-like love for the gunslingers once they bust him out, particularly Susannah.

[[folder:Ted Brautigan]]
!!Ted Stevens Brautigan

!!!'''Appears in:''' ''Literature/TheDarkTower''
!!!'''Also Appears In:''' ''Literature/HeartsInAtlantis'' | ''Film/HeartsInAtlantis'' (portrayed by Creator/AnthonyHopkins)

->''"Talent won't be quiet, doesn't know how to be quiet."''

Ted Brautigan is an incredibly powerful Breaker with telepathic powers that is being held at Algul Siento by agents of the Crimson King. Because of his ability as a "Facilitator" (meaning he also has the ability to boost the powers of all nearby telepaths), he is considered the most valuable Breaker ever captured by the can-toi. Ted, along with Sheemie and Dinky Earnshaw, help the ka-tet destroy Algul Siento and free the Breakers, saving the Dark Tower from destruction in the process.

* ArcNumber: Ted's full name, '''Ted Stevens Brautigan''' contains exactly '''19''' letters.
* CrazyPrepared: He is definitely [[ImpliedTrope implied]] to be this. He, Dinky Earnshaw and Sheemie have filled a hidden cave in Thunderclap with canned food, drink, bedding and lots and ''lots'' of weapons, all for use in the event that Roland comes along to capture Algul Siento and free (or kill) the other Breakers, the provisions being for Roland and his ka-tet so that they can hide out in Thunderclap undetected by the Algul's staff.
* DefiantCaptive: Ted, Sheemie and Dinkie are seemingly the only Breakers being held at Algul Siento that are actively trying to escape. Not openly, but behind the scenes with Sheemie secretly teleporting them all outside of the facility and into Thunderclap when they're not being watched to make [[CrazyPrepared their plans]] and wait for the ka-tet to arrive.
* MustMakeAmends: Part of the reason that Ted is trying to help the ka-tet overthrow Algul Siento is his overwhelming guilt over using his psychic abilities to help an insane EldritchAbomination bring about the end of the multiverse. Once the Battle of Algul Siento has been won and the surviving Breakers freed, Ted goes with them to the Callas to try and rebuild their lives and make amends with the people of Mid-World.
* PsychicPowers: He is considered to be the most valuable Breaker ever recruited by the can-toi, not only for the fact that he is a powerful [[{{Telepathy}} telepath]], but also because is something rare known as a "Facilitator", or a telepath that also heightens the powers of any fellow telepaths near him, thus his abilities are capable of greatly speeding up the process of destroying the Beams and toppling the Tower.

A ka-tet is a group of individual beings with a shared purpose brought together by 'ka', an approximate equivalent of destiny, fate and/or karma. Ka is said to be the will of Gan, the ultimate creator in Creator/StephenKing's multiverse and is entirely neutral and does not recognize or favor good or evil, it can and will manipulate both sides. During his life, Roland Deschain has been the leader (or 'dinh') of two different ka-tets, the first comprised of himself, Cuthbert Allgood, Alain Johns and allies and honorary members, Susan Delgado, Sheemie Ruiz and Jamie De Curry. The second, the 'Ka-tet of Nineteen and Ninety-Nine' is comprised of himself, Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, their animal companion Oy, and ally and honorary member Father Donald Callahan, who are the main protagonists of the ''Dark Tower'' series.

->''I do not aim with my hand;\\
He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.\\
I aim with my eye.\\\
I do not shoot with my hand;\\
He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father.\\
I shoot with my mind.\\\
I do not kill with my gun;\\
He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father.\\
I kill with my heart.''

* BadassNormal: Unlike many of the [[Characters/TheDarkTowerAntagonists villains]] they come up against, the gunslingers are all normal humans (and one billy-bumbler) with no magical powers or supernatural abilities, other than Jake and Alain who are strong in 'the touch', a psychic ability that gives them the ability to read minds, track enemies and project their thoughts to others.

* CrazyPrepared: He is definitely [[ImpliedTrope implied]] to be this. He, Dinky Earnshaw and Sheemie have filled a hidden cave in Thunderclap with canned food, drink, bedding and lots and ''lots'' of weapons, all for use in the event that a gunslinger comes along as fated to help them capture Algul Siento and free (or kill) the other Breakers, the provisions being for the said gunslinger or gunslingers so that they can hide out in Thunderclap undetected by the facility's staff.
* DefiantCaptive: Ted, Sheemie and Dinkie are seemingly the only Breakers being held at Algul Siento that are actively trying to escape. Not openly, but behind the scenes with Sheemie secretly teleporting them all outside of the facility and into Thunderclap when they're not being watched to make [[CrazyPrepared their plans]] and wait for the gunslingers to arrive.
* MustMakeAmends: Part of the reason that Ted is trying to help the ka-tet overthrow Algul Siento is his overwhelming guilt over what he is doing, using his psychic abilities to help an insane EldritchAbomination bring about the end of the multiverse. Once the Battle of Algul Siento has been won and the surviving Breakers freed, Ted goes with them to the Callas to try and rebuild their lives and make amends with the people of Mid-World.
* PsychicPowers: He is considered to be the most valuable Breaker ever recruited by the can-toi, not only for the fact that he is a powerful [[{{Telepathy}} telepath]], but also because is something rare known as a "Facilitator", or a telepath that also heightens the powers of any fellow telepaths near him, thus his abilities are capable of greatly speeding up the process of destroying the Beams and toppling the Dark Tower.

* BackFromTheDead: Like Jake, Callahan dies in his own world and ends up in the Way Station in the Mohaine Desert of Mid-World. But, unlike Jake who was murdered, Callahan actually [[DrivenToSuicide committed suicide]] by jumping out of the skyscraper window rather than be captured by the can-toi, who had finally caught up with him after years of searching.
* BadassPreacher: In the years after ''Literature/SalemsLot'' he started hunting vampires after one of them infected his ([[IfItsYouItsOkay possibly more than]]) friend Lupe Delgado with AIDS, which got him on the Sombra Corporation's shit list and resulted in him being hunted by the can-toi.
* CanonForeigner: PlayedWith. He is a character from one of Creator/StephenKing's first novels, ''Literature/SalemsLot'', and has to proide an InfoDump in ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla'' on how he got from that continuity to this. {{Justified}}, given that Mid-World is the hub of King's personal MultiVerse.
* DrivenToSuicide: Poor Callahan actually kills himself ''twice''. The first time, he jumps out of window to escape the can-toi and a FateWorseThanDeath. He then ended up in Mid-World and eventually met Roland's ka-tet and assisted them with their quest for the Dark Tower. The second time he shoots himself in the head to escape yet another FateWorseThanDeath, being eaten alive by the Grandfather Vampires. It's implied that this time there's no coming back, as he kills himself in the Keystone World, where dying actually sticks.

* ActionGirl: Only briefly, but she helps break Roland, Cuthbert and Alain out from jail after they are falsely arrested for the murders of Hart Thorin and Kimba Rimer. She even uses one of Roland's guns to shoot two deputies, an act that she feels a great deal of regret for afterwards.

* TheChick: To Roland and his first ka-tet, who she is an honorary member of as she both helps them break out of jail and also with their plans against John Farson and his followers.
* DaddysGirl: She adored and was incredibly close to her father, Pat, who died in what was apparently a riding accident, but later revealed to be a murder. Pat seemingly raised Susan alone, it is never revealed what happened to her mother.
* DeathByOriginStory: Pretty much the entirety of the internal flashback in ''Literature/WizardAndGlass'' is to tell Roland's long story of his relationship with Susan and how she died, he mentioned her often during his sickness-induced ramblings in ''Literature/TheDrawingOfTheThree'' and thought his new ka-tet should know her tale.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: She has golden hair and is one of the most purely good hearted characters in the entire series.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Susan has this reaction after she shoots dead two of the town's deputies to break Roland, Cuthbert and Alain out of jail. She apparently went to school with one of them, and thinks of him as a good man who was just doing his job.
* PetTheDog: She is literally the only person in Hambry (other than Coral when she's in a good mood) that treats Sheemie well and like a friend. As a result, Sheemie adores her and is ''devastated'' when she dies, still feeling overwhelming guilt over her death decades later when Roland meets him again in the final book.
* PluckyGirl: Susan is endlessly brave and optimistic, seemingly no matter what gets thrown at her. Her beloved father was killed being trampled by a horse (and it turns out he was actually murdered and her aunt, his ''own sister'', was complicit in it), she is the target of the evil witch, Rhea of the Cöos, she is forced into being the gilly for DirtyOldMan, Hart Thorin, who constantly subjects her to his wandering hands, the boy she is madly in love with (and who's baby she is carrying) gets framed for Thorin's murder and thrown in jail, and she finally gets dragged through the town whilst being verbally and physically assaulted and is ''burned alive''. Even when she is dying, she doesn't lose hope. She pictures Roland and shouts, ''"Roland, I love thee!"''

* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Oh, ''yes''. Susan's beauty is the source of a majority of her woes. Her incredible looks are the whole reason why Hart Thorin is so obsessed with taking her virginity and having her as his gilly. Her looks are also the reason why both Rhea of the Cöos and her aunt Cordelia despise her so much, they are old and unattractive while she is young, gorgeous and desirable.

* {{Tomboy}}: Being solely raised by her father, she constantly followed him around when he was working as the town's main stockliner and horse breeder. She prefers wearing his clothes, much to her Aunt Cordelia's chagrin, who is constantly trying to get her to wear the more feminine, revealing clothes that Hart Thorin buys for her.

* MixAndMatchCritters: He has characteristics of a raccoon, a dog, a badger, ''and'' a civet. Some of his characteristics (his deftness, agility and the fact that he sleeps with his 'corkscrew' tail wrapped around him) also makes him seem quite feline in nature.

* JiveTurkey: Detta speaks in an almost incomprehensible dialect that is meant to be an extremely stereotyped version of how black people speak. This is because Detta's personality is seemingly a result of the racism and hatred that her alternate self, Odetta, had to endure year in and year out.

* TheAllAmericanBoy: Jake is pretty much this at the beginning of ''Literature/TheWasteLands'' before the GrandfatherParadox takes over his psyche and he gets drawn back into Mid-World. He is blonde, blue-eyed, handsome and polite to his elders, but has a healthy appetite for adventure and something of a 'gee whiz' attitude about him.

* BreakTheCutie: He goes through an extended one throughout the whole series. Firstly after his first death was prevented, again when he is kidnapped by Gasher during the ka-tet's entry into the city of Lud, and again when his friend Benny is shot down during the battle against the Wolves in Calla Bryn Sturgis. Lastly, the ka-tet losing Eddie after the Battle of Algul Siento... poor Jake has to do a lot of growing up during his quest with Roland.

* TheHeart: Jake seems to fulfill this role within the ka-tet, likely because he is by far the youngest member. Roland, Eddie and Susannah all feel highly protective of him.

* KidHero: Jake is only twelve years old when he is drawn into Mid-World, yet he is as heroic and badass as anyone else in the ka-tet.
* ParentalNeglect: His real parents were neglectful and didn't give much attention to him, to the extent that he was actually closer to the housekeeper than them.
* ParentalSubstitute: He sees Roland as being his true father. In ''Literature/TheDarkTower'' when he and Roland are reunited after having to face their own battles in two different 'whens' during ''Literature/SongOfSusannah'', Roland holds his arms out to Jake (an act which is very unlike Roland) and [[HeartwarmingMoments Jake asks Roland for his permission to call him 'father']].
* PsychicPowers: Jake is stong in 'the touch', a psychic ability that enables him to [[{{Telepathy}} read minds]], [[MySignificanceSenseIsTingling track enemies]] and [[MindManipulation project his thoughts to others]].
* SociallyAwkwardHero: To an extent. Being a gunslinger seems to be as easy as breathing to Jake, but he's shown to struggle in social situations and be something of a loner in his previous life, not knowing how to talk to other children his own age.

* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: Jake doesn't exactly have a normal life for a twelve-year old boy, and it begins to show later on in the books. He threatens a taxi-driver with a gun for ''nearly'' running Oy over in ''Song of Susannah'', to Pere Callahan's shock. It's clearly a matter of concern to Roland, who convinces Jake to stay with the Slightman family during their stay in Calla Bryn Sturgis in ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla'', purely because the Slightmans have a son of Jake's age, and Roland wants him to have the opportunity to simply be a child again, for a short time at least.

* WellDoneSonGuy: After a lifetime of getting no affection from his real parents, he often turns toward Roland for approval and acceptance.

A ka-tet is a group of individual beings with a shared purpose brought together by 'ka', an approximate equivalent of destiny, fate and/or karma. Ka is said to be the will of Gan, the ultimate creator in Creator/StephenKing's multi-verse and, like fate, is entirely neutral and does not recognize or favor good or evil, it can and will manipulate both sides. During his life, Roland Deschain has been the leader (or 'dinh') of two different ka-tets, the first comprised of himself, Cuthbert Allgood, Alain Johns and allies and honorary members, Susan Delgado, Sheemie Ruiz and Jamie De Curry. The second, the 'Ka-tet of Nineteen and Ninety-Nine' is comprised of himself, Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, their animal companion Oy, and ally and honorary member Father Donald Callahan, who are the main protagonists of the ''Dark Tower'' series.

* TrueCompanions: Roland's first ka-tet started off as this, but his second [[FireForgedFriends become true companions through their arduous quest]], eventually seeing each other as their true family. This makes the breaking of their ka-tet in the final book all the more [[TearJerker heartbreaking]].

* AntiHero: Whilst he is certainly TheHero of the series, Roland does also have some definite Anti-Hero traits. He is often dry and unemotive, can be callously straight with the other members of his ka-tet, will do literally ''whatever'' it takes to learn more about and reach the Dark Tower (even if that means having to sacrifice a member of his ka-tet), and will kill anyone or anything he needs to in order to continue his quest, whether that be man, woman, adult, child or animal. When you consider that the purpose of his quest is to save ''every'' being in the entire multiverse through saving the Dark Tower, it is perhaps understandable...
* ArchEnemy: While the Crimson King may be the actual BigBad of the series, Roland's true nemesis and arch enemy is Walter Padick, or the Man in Black, the King's [[TheDragon second-in-command]].

* ByronicHero: He is pretty much a note-perfect embodiment of this trope. He is handsome and rugged, he has a DarkAndTroubledPast, he is dark and brooding, he has strong passions and ideals, he is a {{Determinator}} and TheUnfettered, and he is incredibly emotionally conflicted, self-critical and introspective.
* ChickMagnet: Roland is noted to be rather handsome, especially as a young man, with dark hair and pale blue eyes. He has a number of romantic encounters throughout the story. Even in his advanced age, he is described as being rather rugged and craggy looking (and Eddie affectionally thinks of him as 'Old Long, Tall and Ugly'), but he still has no problem attracting the ladies.

* {{Fingore}}: He loses two of his fingers early in the second book during an encounter with mutated sea creatures which he dubs 'lobstrocities'. They bite his fingers off whilst he is sleeping.

* TheGunslinger: If not a TropeNamer, he is almost certainly a TropeCodifier. Hey, it's even his secondary name! He is an ''insanely'' fast draw with a deadly aim.

* HeartbrokenBadass: It's not surprising when you consider all he has been through, losing his entire family, friends ''and'' the love of his life, Susan Delgado. This trope is taken UpToEleven in the last book when he loses two members of his ka-tet in rather quick succession, Jake (who he considers to be his true son) for a second time, ''and'' Eddie.

* HeroicLineage: He is the last living descendant of Arthur Eld himself. Arthur Eld was the legendary High King of All-World whose seventy-year long reign was said to be the 'Golden Age' and a time of peace of enlightenment in All-World which has never been seen since. All of Eld's descendants are therefore bound to continue the 'Way of Eld' and protect the Dark Tower at all costs.

* HopeBringer: When the ka-tet encounter a group of elderly people (who are the town's only survivors) in the small town of River Crossing in ''Literature/TheWasteLands'', they openly weep at the sight of Roland because they had previously thought that all the gunslingers were dead and gone, and therefore his mere existence in a world that has 'moved on' gives them hope. A similar thing happens when the ka-tet first enter Calla Bryn Sturgis in ''Literature/WolvesOfTheCalla''.

* IWasQuiteALooker: Proven true in ''Wizard and Glass'', although Susan Delgado reflects upon meeting Cuthbert that he is actually more charming and attractive and suppresses the thought.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He is repeatedly shown to be an inherently good man beneath his cold and deadly exterior throughout the series, often surprising his ka-tet with occasional shows of surprisingly open affection and love towards them. The reader can often see how deeply he cares for all of them (especially Jake who he considers to be his true son) through his inner monologue.

* NiceHat: Has wears a classic cowboy hat as part of his outfit. He loses his first one, but gains a second white version from the 'folken' of Calla Bryn Sturgis.

* SoleSurvivor: He is the only survivor of the Battle on Jericho Hill (except Walter who it later turns out was in disguise as one of Farson's men and was the one who actually killed Cuthbert Allgood), as well as the last surviving gunslinger and resident of the city of Gilead which was sacked by John Farson and his followers.
* StarCrossedLovers: With the beautiful Susan Delgado, as told in his flashback story in ''Wizard and Glass''. They fall deeply in love with each other, but have to keep it a secret as Susan is promised to the mayor, Hart Thorin, who wishes to take her virginity. Unbeknown to them, they also have the evil [[WickedWitch Rhea of the Cöos]] working against them. She manages to whip the town of Hambry into a murderous frenzy against Roland, his original ka-tet and Susan, who they are led to believe are traitors to the Affiliation, and therefore they burn Susan at the stake whilst Roland and his ka-tet are elsewhere, fighting against the forces of John Farson.
* TheStoic: He comes across as incredibly dry and unemotive and is often proclaimed to have very little imagination in the books. He is, however, also described as having a very 'romantic' soul and feels deep emotion for others, even if he doesn't let it show very often externally.

* TragicHero: Roland is utterly determined to find the Tower, even if it means sacrificing everyone close to him, and he's not at all happy about this fact but is painfully aware of how it is his 'ka' and an unfortunate necessity if he means to complete his quest.

Ted Brautigan is an incredibly powerful Breaker with telepathic powers that is being held at Algul Siento by agents of the Crimson King. Because of his ability as a 'Facilitator' (meaning he also has the ability to boost the powers of all nearby telepaths), he is considered the most valuable Breaker ever captured by the can-toi. Ted, along with Sheemie and Dinky Earnshaw, help the ka-tet destroy Algul Siento and free the Breakers, saving the Dark Tower from destruction in the process.

* ArtAttacker: Why did Dandelo snip off all the erasers from Patrick's pencils? Because his drawings reshape reality. Once he's managed to draw a picture of the Crimson King, he simply erases him. [[EyeScream Except for his eyes.]]
* ArtInitiatesLife: Once Susannah twigs Patrick's super power, she gets him to draw an Unfound Door which enables her to escape to a version of New York.
* DeusExMachina: Is almost explicitly airdropped into the last section of the last book just so he can give Susannah her happy ending, and kill the Crimson King.
* IdiotSavant: Patrick cannot talk, is frail and has obviously been damaged by his time with Dandelo. You wouldn't believe the pictures he can draw, though.
* TheLoad: Roland sees him this way, especially after his weak-mindedness gets Oy killed. Even then he knows Patrick will come in handy, though.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: He dies off-page of an infection after unwittingly treading on a piece of broken glass.
%%* TheFool
* TheRainman: Despite being mentally handicapped, Sheemie is revealed to be a powerful Breaker.

* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Described in Cuthbert's internal monologue as the most beautiful girl any of them had ever seen, and is made of IncorruptiblePurePureness.
%%* TheChick
%%* DeathByOriginStory
%%* HumanSacrifice
%%* PluckyGirl
* StarCrossedLovers: With Roland.

* TheAlcoholic: In his backstory. At one point, Callahan wonders at having been a walking stereotype: an Irish Catholic priest with a drinking problem.
* BadassPreacher: In the years after ''Literature/SalemsLot'' he started hunting vampires after one of them infected his ([[IfItsYouItsOkay possibly more than]]) friend Lupe Delgado with AIDS, which got him on the Sombra Corporation's shit list.
* CanonForeigner: PlayedWith. He is a character from one of Creator/StephenKing's first novels, ''Literature/SalemsLot'', and has to proide an InfoDump on how he got from that continuity to this. {{Justified}}, given that Mid-World is the hub of King's personal MultiVerse.
* DyingMomentOfAwesome: Having fully regained his faith, he kills ancient vampire lords in the Dixie Pig ''with his bare hands'' before being overwhelmed and deciding to [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled shoot himself]].
* IfItsYouItsOkay: He falls in love with Lupe, despite otherwise identifying as heterosexual, but nothing physical ever occurs between them aside from a kiss on the cheek.
* SixthRanger: To Roland's ka-tet.
* SpotlightStealingSquad: A huge chunk of ''Wolves of the Calla'' is taken up by his explanation of what happened to him after the events of '''Salem's Lot'' and how he ended up in Roland's world.
* UnfortunateNames: His nickname in Calla Bryn Sturgis, "the Old Fella", is slang for 'penis' in some circles in RealLife.

%%* {{Adorkable}}
* BewareTheNiceOnes: At least according to Roland, Alain was generally gentle, patient, and understanding, but you do NOT want to piss him off.
* FriendOrFoe: Roland and Cuthbert kill Alain after mistaking him for an enemy scout.
%%* TheQuietOne
%%* SpiderSense: The Touch.

* CompanionCube: In ''Literature/WizardAndGlass'', Cuthbert always carries around a rook's skull (either around his neck or on the pommel of his saddle) which he talks to, calls "The Lookout", and refers to his best friend other than Roland and Alain. He is saddened and sees it as a very bad omen when he loses it, a premonition that turns out to be true when the Big Coffin Hunters find it and use it to frame the ka-tet for Mayor Thorin's murder, as the Hambry townspeople recognized it as belonging to Cuthbert.

* TheLancer: To Roland. Like Eddie after him, Bert's light-hearted and jokey demeanor greatly contrasts with Roland's serious personality.

* PluckyComicRelief: He is ever the jokester and usually has a positive outlook on things which, like with Eddie, can sometimes grate on the much more serious Roland. For example, Cuthbert named his horse, "Glue Boy", a joke referencing the use of dead horse tissue to make glue. Roland's response to this is exasperation that "can't even name his horse like a normal person".

* BullyHunter: When he notices Roy Depape messing with the mentally disabled Sheemie, he immediately leaps to Sheemie's defense.
* ChildhoodFriends: Roland and Cuthbert were friends from an early age and remain very close until Cuthbert's death.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Cuthbert jokes around and acts childish sometimes, but his mind is razor-sharp, and he is ''lethal'' with a slingshot.
* DeadpanSnarker: Not ''quite'' as much as Eddie, but he still has his moments.
* EyeScream: The comics have him shot in the eye with an arrow at the battle of Jericho Hill.
* FamilyThemeNaming: All known members of the Allgood family have a 'bert' in their name: Cuthbert Allgood, his father Robert Allgood, distant ancestor Sir Bertrand Allgood...

* PhotographicMemory: [[ImpliedTrope Implied]] to be in possession of this trait when Roland puts him on observation duty during the party in Seafront.
* PluckyComicRelief: Ever the jokester and usually has a positive outlook on things.
* ShirtlessScene: The reader first meets him in person when Roland returns to the ka-tet's camp at night and Bert just woke up wearing nothing but a pair of jeans.

-->'''Susan:''' If I had met ''this one'' first....
%%* SadClown
%%* TheLancer
%%* TheSmartGuy

* BadassAdorable: A cute, raccoonlike creature who survives the myriad trials the ka-tet faces.
* MixAndMatchCritters: He has characteristics of a raccoon, a dog, a badger, and a civet.
* HeroicSacrifice: If it hadn't been for him, [[spoiler:Mordred would have ended Roland's quest for the Tower just before he'd achieved it.]]

%%* TeamPet

* ActionGirl: She's a crack shot with the pistol and later the oriza.

* AntiVillain: Detta tries to kill Roland and Eddie in the second book; however because of fake memories due to her SplitPersonality she believes they torment and even sexually assault her all the time so she not unreasonably believes she has every right to do so. And Roland ''did'' basically kidnap her from her world into his.
* ClusterFBomb: Almost everything Detta says.
* HandicappedBadass: Her legs were cut off above the knee a few years before the events of the series. That does not slow her down.
* JerkassWoobie: Detta is murderous and basically impossible to approach in the 2nd book, but when you consider she genuinely believes Roland and Eddie do nothing but cause her harm and her personality is a product of racism Odetta had to endure it's hard not to feel bad for her.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: In the final book, she is the last member of the ka-tet, and abandons Roland when she realizes that even with their goal completed, he still won't stop looking to enter the Dark Tower, showing himself for value finding his way in over actual completion of their goal.
* TheSmartGuy: Odetta for literature, Detta for mathematics.
* SplitPersonality: Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker.
* SplitPersonalityMerge: Happens at the end of the second book, resulting in her merge into Susannah. Her alter-egos are still there and do resurface occasionally however, particularly Detta.
* SympathyForTheDevil: Though regarding her with suspicious and dislike due to thinking Eddie may be dead because of her, Susannah can't help but feel like this about [[DemonicPossession Mia]], who believes her actions were necessary to finally have the son she had yearned for.
* ThenLetMeBeEvil: 'Evil' is a stretch, but Detta is heavily influenced by Odetta suffering from racism, getting hit with stereotypes and negative assumptions due to her skin color, so she embraces every ugly accusation thrown her way and acts like the racist caricature that people accuse her of being. [[EstablishingCharacterMoment Detta's first appearance involves her stealing something from a racist clerk out of spite despite having more than enough money to buy it]], and [[LampshadeHanging Eddie even notes that she's clearly putting on an act and may not even notice it herself.]]
* TwoferTokenMinority: A black woman with multiple personality disorder in a wheelchair. Particularly notable in that every other member of the ka-tet is a white male.
* ValuesDissonance: In-universe. In her time, the politically correct term for African-Americans is "Negro". She doesn't like it when Eddie calls her "black". Eddie has a hard time with this because in his time, calling a black person a Negro is considered almost as offensive as that other 'N' word.
* WorthyOpponent: Detta grudgingly admits to herself that Roland scares her; it's as much of an admission of respecting him as she is capable of.

* DeadpanSnarker: The most potent one in the series.
* DisappearedDad: He finds the Mid-World expression "forgotten the face of my father" ironic, because he wouldn't recognize his father if he met him. When he introduces himself as "Eddie Dean of New York, son of Wendell" in Calla, he thinks that leastwise, his mother always said that.
* FullFrontalAssault: In the second book, while in a shootout with a bunch of mobsters.
* GoingColdTurkey: There's no heroin in Roland's world and going through the withdrawal cold turkey was not pleasant…but it was better than going ''baked'' turkey.

* GoodIsNotSoft: He threatens Andolini with killing his entire family when he rescues Calvin Tower from him and Balazar's goons. It's implied he meant it.
* TheLancer: To Roland.
* SadClown: Uses jokes and sarcasm to cover up his lack of self-worth, which came from his emotionally manipulative brother and years of being a junkie.
* SarcasticDevotee: "All things serve the fuckin' Beam." He often makes light of their quest and is always quick with the jokes, but he becomes loyal to Roland and wants to see things through to the end.
* SinsOfOurFathers: He tries to rationalize threatening to kill Andolini's family as this trope, saying that "a wolf gives birth to a wolf", so essentially killing his children wouldn't be a bad thing since they would turn out crooked like him anyway. [[BadassPreacher Callahan]] isn't very impressed with [[InsaneTrollLogic his logic.]]
* TookALevelInBadass: Goes from a strung-out junkie looking for his next hit to a true gunslinger.

!!! '''Also Appears In:''' ''[[Film/TheDarkTower2017 The Dark Tower]]'' (portrayed by Tom Taylor)

* BackFromTheDead: He dies in Roland's world in ''The Gunslinger'', but when Roland is in control of Jack Mort's body during ''The Drawing of the Three'', he is able to prevent Jake's death in Jake's own world by stopping Jack from pushing Jake into traffic. Roland, Eddie, and Susannah later find a door through which they are able to draw Jake back into Mid-World.

* BadassBookworm: He's an avid reader and shows a bit of talent at writing.
* BerserkButton: He really doesn't take [[TeamPet Oy]] getting hurt well, to the point where he threatens to shoot someone for almost running the bumbler over in the sixth book.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: He's pretty easygoing, and he's got the same wants and needs as a regular kid his age, but he doesn't hesitate to kill when it is necessary.
* ABoyAndHisX: A Boy And His Bumbler
* BreakTheCutie: Goes through an extended one after his first death was prevented, and again when he is kidnapped by Gasher.
* HeroicSacrifice: In the final book, he shields [[AuthorAvatar Stephen King]] with his own body, taking the brunt of the car crash.
* ParentalNeglect: His parents didn't give much attention to him, and he was actually closer to the housekeeper than them.

* WellDoneSonGuy: After getting no affection from his real father, he turns toward Roland for acceptance.

* HurtingHero: See HeartbrokenBadass above, poor Roland has a ''lot'' of emotional baggage.

* RaceLift: Roland is played by the black actor Creator/IdrisElba (who is of Sierra Leonean/Ghanaian heritage) in the [[TheDarkTower2017 2017 film]].