The
Crimson King, also commonly known as Los, is a fictional character created by
Stephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American writer of contemporary horror fiction, science fiction, fantasy literature, and screenplays. An estimated 300–350 million copies of King's novels and short story collections have been sold, and many of his stories have been adapted for film, television, and...
. He is the antagonist in the novel
InsomniaInsomnia is a novel written by Stephen King and first published in 1994. Like It and Dreamcatcher, its setting is the fictional town of Derry, Maine. The original hardcover edition was issued with dust jackets in two complementary designs...
and one of the main
villainA villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
s in the latter half of
Stephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American writer of contemporary horror fiction, science fiction, fantasy literature, and screenplays. An estimated 300–350 million copies of King's novels and short story collections have been sold, and many of his stories have been adapted for film, television, and...
's
Dark Tower seriesThe Dark Tower is a series of seven books written by American author Stephen King between 1970 and 2004. The series incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy fiction, science fantasy, horror and western elements. They describe a gunslinger's quest toward a tower whose nature the...
.
In the series, The Crimson King is described as a powerful immortal being whose characteristics mirror both the physical realm as well as the Prim; which is a magical realm that predates the creation of the worlds within the Stephen King universe. He is the leader of the Random; the opposing universal force to the Purpose. The King is the controlling power behind such villains as
AtroposInsomnia is a novel written by Stephen King and first published in 1994. Like It and Dreamcatcher, its setting is the fictional town of Derry, Maine. The original hardcover edition was issued with dust jackets in two complementary designs...
,
Mr. MunshunMr. Munshun, alias the Monday Man, is a fictional character within the pages of the Stephen King and Peter Straub collaboration Black House, itself a sequel to their first joint effort, The Talisman....
, Dandelo and
Randall FlaggRandall Flagg is a fictional character created by Stephen King. Flagg has appeared in nine novels by King, sometimes as the main antagonist and others in a brief cameo. He often appears under different names, most are abbreviated by the initials R.F. There are exceptions to this rule; in The Dark...
. He also controls many minions such as
vampireVampires appear throughout Stephen King's fictional multiverse. They appear in the novels Salem's Lot, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, and The Dark Tower; the short stories "One for the Road", "The Night Flier", and "The Little Sisters of Eluria"; and are mentioned in a number of other stories...
s, the
taheenThe Taheen are fictional creatures humanlike in proportion, but with animal characteristics. They are mostly mammals and birdlike creatures, and most are under control of the Crimson King. They are mentioned in Stephen King's Dark Tower series; most specifically, they are first hinted at in the...
, the
can-toiThe Can-Toi are fictional creatures from Stephen King's Dark Tower series and related works. They are unofficially but more commonly known as Low Men in Yellow Coats due to their often garish yellow clothing...
(or low men) and a great number of humans via
John FarsonJohn Farson is a fictional character from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels and comic books. Known as "The Good Man", Farson was the leader of a revolution in the land of Gilead who appealed to the common people, wanting to end the training of Gunslingers and re-distribute power. His...
. He has a number of godlike powers, such as
telepathyTelepathy is supposed to be the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five senses . The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H...
,
shapeshiftingShapeshifting is a common theme in mythology and folklore, as well as in science fiction and fantasy. In its broadest sense, it is when a being undergoes a transformation. Commonly the transformation is purposeful, and not a curse or spell...
, weather control, and mental suggestion, as shown in
Insomnia sometimes in the form of nightmares. He is also able to travel and exist on different levels of the Dark Tower simultaneously which explains his presence in several different Stephen King novels.
The Crimson King can take whatever guise he chooses, usually one that terrifies the viewer. In the novel
InsomniaInsomnia is a symptom of any of several sleep disorders, characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both"...
, he appears to Ralph Roberts as a Kingfisher (a
catfishCatfish are a diverse group of hairey fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores , and even to a tiny...
) because the Crimson King was able to see into his mind and assume a form from his past memories to frighten him. In
The Dark Tower VII, he is shown trapped on a balcony of the Dark Tower as an old man with a long white beard and burning red eyes. The comics show him in a guise that is closest to his true form; that of a spider-like humanoid much like that of
Mordred DeschainMordred Deschain of Discordia is a fictional character from Stephen King's Dark Tower series. He is one of the major villains of the seventh book, and can morph between a human form and that of a large spider...
in
The Dark Tower VII. This is because he is the child of both a human and a creature from the Prim. In almost every form he is described to have red eyes which are said to both fascinate and terrify even at a distance.
There is really not much of a back story given to the Crimson King. The only thing that is known about either his origins or his past is that like
Roland DeschainRoland Deschain of Gilead is a fictional character, the protagonist and antihero of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is the son of Steven and Gabrielle Deschain and is descended from a long line of "gunslingers", peacekeepers and diplomats of Roland's society...
, he is also a descendant of Arthur Eld. Because they both share the same bloodline, a prophecy in the novels states that only Roland can kill the Crimson King. His main objective is to destroy the Dark Tower and likewise all of the worlds and universes that are contained within. His chief means of doing this is to establish a camp of psychics called the Breakers, to eat away at the Beams which hold the Tower standing along with raising an army of various creatures to combat anyone who would stand in his way. His plan is to rule over the darkness and chaos that is to prevail after its fall. Roland and his ka-tet are the only major forces standing between the Crimson King and his ultimate victory over the forces of the Purpose. Because of this and the prophecy, the Crimson King spends a lot of time trying to either kill or divert Roland from his quest for the Dark Tower.
His symbol is that of a glaring and hateful red eye that is either worn by his servants or used as graffiti as seen by Roland and his ka-tet in the
Dark Tower novels. The slogan "All hail the Crimson King" is also seen throughout the novels.
Insomnia
The Crimson King first appears as a mysterious, malevolent force
controlling the mindMind control refers to a broad range of psychological tactics thought to subvert an individual's control of his or her own thinking, behavior, emotions, or decision making...
of a citizen of Derry, Maine, Ed Deepneau, in order to commit an act of
terrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion.At present, there is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism...
, which would result in the death of
Patrick DanvillePatrick Danville is a fictional character created by Stephen King, featured in the novels Insomnia and The Dark Tower.-Insomnia:Patrick was introduced as a child in Insomnia, a budding artist who was destined to die saving the lives of two men, one of whom must not die...
. Danville plays a significant role against the Crimson King in
The Dark Tower VII. The King intervenes to prevent protagonist Ralph Roberts from stopping the terrorism. Picking a traumatic childhood memory from Ralph's mind, the Crimson King manifests itself as a monstrous catfish. This incarnation of the Crimson King is wounded by the power of Ralph's determination and ability to overcome his fear. The wounded, enraged Crimson King is sucked into the Deadlights (which is also described as "It's", the title character's true form in Stephen King's
novel of the same nameIt is a 1986 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The story is about seven children being terrorized by a shape-shifting, child-killing malevolent entity - known as "IT" - that takes the form of their deepest fears but primarily appears in the form of a clown, calling itself "Pennywise the...
).
Black House
The plot of this book revolves around saving a talented boy, Tyler Marshall, from the forces of the King. The Crimson King wishes for Tyler to join his Breakers because Tyler is a powerful breaker. The King himself never makes an appearance, but directs events from his balcony prison at the Dark Tower. At the climax of the book, the Crimson King's forge, the Big Combination, is destroyed by the Marshall boy. This results in a massive loss of power for the King. This is the protagonist Jack Sawyer's contribution to the Way of the White.
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower
In End-World where the physical manifestation of the Dark Tower exists, the Crimson King resides in the castle Le Casse Roi Russe. He and his servants have access to a wealth of technology there, including travel between alternate
dimensionIn mathematics and physics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify each point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
s and advanced
weaponA weapon is a tool used to apply force for the purpose of hunting, attack, self-defense, or defense in combat.Weapons can be as simple as a club, or as complex as an intercontinental ballistic missile, and include those that damage individual or group morale.-Prehistoric weapons:Very simple weapon...
ry, but they do not understand it and are unable to replace it.
According to what was told by one of his servants, the sorcerer Rando Thoughtful, after using his powers to witness the ka-tet's victory at the Devar-Toi, the Crimson King flies into an insane rage and kills nearly all of his subjects. He then commits
suicideSuicide is the intentional killing of one's self. Many dictionaries also note the metaphorical sense of "willful destruction of one's self-interest"...
by swallowing a razor-edged spoon (to thwart Roland as he draws nearer; reasoning that if he is already dead, Roland's guns will not be able to kill him). The now-
undeadUndead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
King races furiously ahead of Roland to the Dark Tower to enter it first and destroy the multi-verse.
The Crimson King gains access to the Dark Tower, but is trapped on a balcony on the second floor. When Roland and Patrick Danville reach the edge of the Scarlet Field which surrounds the Dark Tower, the King begins to throw Sneeches (flying grenades) at them. Roland and Patrick take shelter while Patrick draws a picture of the Crimson King on the balcony. Patrick then erases the picture, which erases the King from existence, leaving only his red eyes on the paper which were created using Roland's blood and thus not able to be erased. Roland is then allowed to access the Tower.
Comics
The Crimson King also plays an important role in the
comic book adaptationsThe Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born is a seven-issue comic book limited series, published by Marvel Comics. It is the first story arc of five based on The Dark Tower series of novels by Stephen King. It is plotted by Robin Furth, scripted by Peter David, and illustrated by Jae Lee and Richard...
of
the Dark Tower seriesThe Dark Tower is a series of seven books written by American author Stephen King between 1970 and 2004. The series incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy fiction, science fantasy, horror and western elements. They describe a gunslinger's quest toward a tower whose nature the...
.
The Gunslinger Born
The King is seen briefly in Chapter 2 in the guise of a spider-like humanoid (which is closer to his true form) listening to Randall Flagg as he discusses the events transpiring in Gilead against the Affiliation. It is at this point that the Crimson King orders Randall Flagg to kill Roland to prevent the prophecy of his future death by Roland from coming true.
The Long Road Home
Randall Flagg in the form of a raven delivers Roland to his master, while Roland is trapped in Maerlyn's Grapefruit. The Crimson King reveals that he and Roland are both descendants of Arthur Eld, making them akin to cousins, suggesting that only those of the same blood of the King, are able to kill him. He seems to contradict the previous statement of his true form by saying that if Roland ever saw his true shape, his mind would shatter. However, he says this to Roland while Roland sees him in human form. Therefore, the "true form" of a large spider is still possible. The Crimson King then attempts to convert Roland to joining him. Meanwhile,
Sheemie RuizStanley "Sheemie" Ruiz is a character in the Stephen King series The Dark Tower. He is a mentally challenged boy who works in a bar in Hambry. He is gifted with "the touch", or telepathic powers...
who has by this point, caught up to
Alain JohnsAlain Johns is a fictional gunslinger in Stephen King's Dark Tower series of novels. Alain was a member of Roland Deschain's original ka-tet along with Cuthbert Allgood and Jamie De Curry. In the original version of The Gunslinger, Alain was not mentioned, although Roland recalls having a friend...
and
Cuthbert AllgoodCuthbert Allgood is a fictional character from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is Roland Deschain's childhood friend and a member of his original ka-tet. Cuthbert, often called Bert, is first featured in The Gunslinger, but he does not play a major role in the series until Wizard and...
delves into Maerlyn's Grapefruit in order to save Roland with his new found powers and is able to prevent the Crimson King from converting or killing him this time.
Treachery
Upon returning home, Roland is still fascinated with staring into Maerlyn's Grapefruit, and using it, sees himself at the Dark Tower itself, only to be ambushed by the Crimson King, and nearly killed until Roland looks away.
In popular culture
The
power metalPower metal is a style of heavy metal music combining characteristics of traditional metal with thrash metal or speed metal, often within symphonic context...
band
Demons & WizardsDemons & Wizards is a power metal band conceived as a side-project of the metal bands Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. It is made up of the vocalist for Blind Guardian, Hansi Kürsch, and the guitarist of Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer. Schaffer writes the music and Kürsch writes the lyrics...
released
Touched by the Crimson King
Touched by the Crimson King is the second album of power metal/ heavy metal band Demons & Wizards and was released in June 2005. The album contains a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song." It was also released as a limited edition digipak in Europe with an alternate cover and four bonus...
in
June 20052005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- →
- News collections and sources :* Wikipedia:News collections and sources....
, which referenced the character. The album featured songs such as "Crimson King", "The Gunslinger", and "Terror Train".
The Crimson King is also mentioned in the
Stephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American writer of contemporary horror fiction, science fiction, fantasy literature, and screenplays. An estimated 300–350 million copies of King's novels and short story collections have been sold, and many of his stories have been adapted for film, television, and...
novel
Hearts in AtlantisHearts in Atlantis is a collection of two novellas and three short stories by Stephen King, all connected to one another by recurring characters and taking place in roughly chronological order....
.
External links