Summary
No matter what film, show, or even video game a person may become invested in, the heart of what makes it popular and beloved is always that story’s hero. The protagonist drives the story forward, and gives audiences a figure that they can root for or become invested. For fans ofThe Dark Towerseries by Stephen King, that hero is Roland Deschain, the last of the gunslingers.With Mike Flanagan’s upcoming adaptationof the series approaching, many have been wondering will be cast in the role of Roland. Considering his rising popularity in recent years, there is one actor who would be able to carry the gravitas and stoicism of Roland, and that isJensen Ackles.
While celebrated for playingDean Winchester on the hit showSupernaturalfor well over a decade, Jensen Ackles is also known for his role inThe Boys, and is currently starring inCountdownon Amazon Prime. With his history of action hero roles, he’s known for finding ways of blending supernatural and horror elements into more gritty thriller stories. He would make a great addition to the list of actors who could properly bring Roland Deschain to life inThe Dark Towerseries.
Who Is Roland Deschain?
The story of Roland Deschain is the heart of the story of the Dark Tower series as a whole. As a young man growing up in the kingdom of Gilead, his father and mother were the de facto leaders of the kingdom, and Roland was born to eventually become a gunslinger. After discovering his mother was having an affair withhis future villain, the Man in Black, Roland took the test of adulthood that marked a man’s journey into becoming a gunslinger officially. Despite the Man in Black’s scheming, Roland not only survived, but became the youngest gunslinger ever.
However, Roland’s father knew of the affair, and knew the Man in Black was able to paint a target on Roland’s back as a result. And so, he sent his son and his friends away on a mission to protect them from the politics and scheming going on in his court in Gilead. Roland and his friends discovered a plot in a small town to aid theGood Man, aka John Farson, in his war against Gilead, and managed to stop the plot from unfolding. However, this came at a cost. Roland experienced both love and loss in rapid succession after the woman he loved, Susan, lost her life to the townspeople.
From there, Roland’s life fell apart,giving him quite the tragic background. Under the influence of a powerful artifact collected on their mission, a young Roland was tricked into taking his mother’s life, who herself had been manipulated into trying to take her husband’s life. Soon after, Gilead fell to the overwhelming forces of John Farson’s army, and Roland led the surviving gunslingers on the run. Months later, with Gilead gone, the gunslingers made one last stand on Jericho Hill, but ultimately they all perished, save for Roland. From there, Roland began his quest to find the Dark Tower, and chased the Man in Black across the desert.
Jensen Ackles Could Carry Roland’s Story with Ease
Many fans ofSupernaturalwill remember Jensen Ackles for his unique brand of humor and charm in the face of supernatural horrors. However, the other side of Dean Winchester is one branded by grief, loss, and the struggle with his identity as a hunter and soldier in his and his family’s war against the demons and supernatural creatures who preyed on humanity.
Each loss, and each development in Dean Winchester’s role, saw him struggle with the ease with which he killed. He faced some of the show’s most powerful villains due to this. When Roland Deschain faces the likes of the Man in Blackand his master, The Crimson King, that kind of intensity and duality to Roland is what the role is going to need more than anything. Jensen Ackles can do just that.
Many actors' names have been brought up by fans in recent years for this role,such as a certainWalking Deadstar. But among them, Jensen Ackles should be considered equally. Seeing Ackles step into the shoes of this battle-scarred, hardened gunslinger who must face cosmic and supernatural-level horrors across multiple worlds sounds like a journey worthy of Dean Winchester himself.
What’s more, Roland’s allies, including the comedic Eddie Dean, eventually break down Roland’s hardened exterior. Roland needs to be able to convey pain in his most vulnerable moments due to his many losses, and that’s something Ackles did so emotionally onSupernatural. This makes him such an ideal candidate for such a legendary role in the upcomingDark Towerseries.
