The Be-That

Lore & Background

Throughout the series, characters sense when Be is weakening. This manifests as reality becoming thin, memories fading, or the landscape decaying into gray nothingness. The Tower acts as the keystone holding this balance together. While there are no 'members' of Be, every living being contributes to its strength through their existence and choices. Ka (destiny) guides those who fight for Be toward the Tower.

In Their Own Story

The air in Gilead tasted like dust and old iron. Roland stood at the edge of the town, looking not at the horizon, but into the space between things. He felt it then—a subtle thinning, a quiet unraveling where the grass should have been green. Not-Be was whispering through the cracks in the world, hungry for the silence that comes after the end. He tightened his grip on his revolver, feeling the weight of every living soul depending on him to keep the thread from snapping.

Reader's Guide

There is no hierarchy or membership roster for Be, as it is a state of being rather than an institution. However, individuals who fight to preserve reality are often grouped under the banner of Ka-tet. The primary goal is the preservation of existence against the erosion caused by Not-Be and its agents, such as the Crimson King's minions or the Crimson Moon. Methods of operation involve physical travel toward the Dark Tower, maintaining one's humanity, and resisting the temptation to surrender to despair or the void. Conflicts arise primarily with forces that seek destruction, including the Man in Black (Randall Flagg) and the entities dwelling within the Crimson King's realm.

Did You Know?

• The concept of Be vs. Not-Be is a central philosophical theme running through all eight books of the series.
• Roland Deschain's journey is essentially a crusade to stabilize Be so that the Tower does not fall.
• In the final book, Roland realizes he must choose between saving his world or stepping into another reality where Be is preserved differently.