Summary
In the vast library of horror author and legend Stephen King, there are many stories that have had a lasting impact on modern-day culture. This includes his magnum opus,The Dark Tower, which is set to be adapted by none other than Mike Flanagan, the mind behind hits likeThe Haunting of Hill HouseandMidnight Mass. A lot of effort, writing, and foresight goes into developing something as ambitious asThe Dark Tower, and that includes finding the right properties and stories that Stephen King has connected to the series. One such story isEverything’s Eventual.
The story follows a young man who is offered a simple job for a lot of money. This escalates quickly as he discovers the nefarious purpose of his job, and yet not even he knows the true depth of his job or the power that got him the job to begin with.This story has a strong connection to the Dark Tower, and the forces looking to topple it and destroy reality as they know it. This character and the company that brings him into the fold have a massive influence on the Dark Tower and its ultimate endgame, which is why adaptingEverything’s Eventualis so crucial to Mike Flanagan’sDark Towerseries.
Everything’s Eventual, Explained
The short story, which is found in the book of the same name, follows Dinky Earnshaw, a 19-year-oldhigh school dropout who is recruitedand hired by Mr. Sharpton for the Trans Corporation. He receives a weekly allowance, as well as a car, house, and any frivolous request he can imagine, including CDs that have not yet been released. The only requests made of him are to not look at who delivers his money, throw any change into a nearby drain, and send emails to the individuals they ask of him.
Dinky’s job is that of a psychicassassin, a skill he hadn’t fully realized until adulthood. Dinky has the unique ability to affect anyone and influence their actions using complex symbols he creates. He discovered this ability as a youth when he confronted a neighborhood dog that was terrorizing him, and encountered it again when another employee at his previous job humiliated him.
Mr. Sharpton tells Dinky that his job is to eliminate all the horrible, criminal elements that terrorize and hurt innocent people. However, Dinky discovers that this is not the true nature of his job. Instead, his emails to these people have in fact ended the lives of innocent people who dared to speak out against Mr. Sharpton and his employers. Guilt-ridden, the story ends with Dinky planning his escape from the company while writing a letter with a symbol to Mr. Sharpton.
But Dinky’s story doesn’t end there. Instead, fans find Dinky in the seventh and final book of Stephen King’sThe Dark Towerseries. He is one of many people who were kidnapped and forced to use their psychic abilities by The Crimson King. Jailed alongside Ted Brautigan, the psychic man that was one of the main protagonists inHearts of Atlantis,the men help Roland and his band of heroes free and release the other psychics being kept prisoner by the Crimson King, who uses psychics tobreak the beams that hold theDark Towerin place.
Everything’s Eventual in The Dark Tower
Needless to say, Dinky Earnshaw is a major player in theCrimson King’s plans for the Dark Tower. While not the strongest of the “breakers,” as the Crimson King has dubbed them, his ability is profound. He is one of the central characters from Stephen King’s universe who has a particular power set that could either make or break the Dark Tower for good.
AdaptingEverything’s Eventualis the perfect backdoor introduction to the breakers and the forces of the Crimson King themselves. The Crimson King’s men are everywhere, as this short story proves through the introduction of Mr. Sharpton. The story introduces the concept of the King’s men searching other worlds for others with these kinds of unique abilities,bringing to mind other characters from Stephen King’s works, from Danny fromThe Shiningor Ted Brautigan fromHearts of Atlantis.
While it may appear to be a short and simple story, the concept and the characters introduced inEverything’s Eventualare the backbone of theDark Tower’scentral storyline. Dinky Earnshaw is one of many so-called breakers who wield extraordinary abilities, ones which the Crimson King hopes to channel and use to break the multiversal energy beams that holdThe Dark Towerin place. Dinky’s place in theDark Tower’sfinal chapter and his contribution to Roland’s final leg of his journey to the Tower make his short story one of vital importance. It will be essential to Mike Flanagan’sDark Toweradaption in future years as well.
