ByFurious
Dandelo is a sinister and enigmatic figure encountered near the end of the Ka-tet’s journey, only showing up in the final book. Posing as a charming comedian named Joe Collins, he uses his wit and humor as weapons to drain the life force of his victims through their emotional responses, particularly laughter, while actually being an emotional vampire that thrives on manipulation and cruelty.
Before entering All-World, he claims to have been a stand-up comedian, a role he mimics to ensnare prey. Residing in a cottage on Odd Lane in the White Lands of Empathica, he captures the artist Patrick Danville, holding him prisoner and removing his tongue to prevent him from speaking.
He is implied to be of the same monstrous lineage as creatures like It/Pennywise, connecting his origins to the larger multiverse of Stephen King’s works.
Dandelo appears as an unassuming older man with a pleasant demeanor, disguising his predatory nature beneath a facade of charm and humor.
Dandelo is a cunning, manipulative predator who masks his malevolence with an affable and humorous demeanor. As a psychic vampire, he thrives on the emotions of others, particularly laughter, using his charm and wit to disarm and ensnare his victims. He is meticulous in maintaining his illusions, creating an inviting and deceptively normal environment to lower his prey’s guard. Despite his outwardly jovial persona, Dandelo is cruel and sadistic, as evidenced by his treatment of Patrick Danville, whom he held captive and mutilated to suppress resistance.
Dandelo possesses powers of illusion, enabling him to make his surroundings appear more inviting and spacious than they truly are, further disarming those who encounter him. This allows him to use him primary ability, which is his ability to feed on emotions, particularly laughter, draining the life force of his victims while they are distracted by his humor.
However, his reliance on emotional feeding is also a weakness, as perceptive individuals can deduce his true nature and counter his attacks, as Susannah Dean does. Additionally, he is mortal and vulnerable to conventional weapons, ultimately meeting his end from gunshots to the head.
Dandelo’s most notable connection is with Patrick Danville, whom he captures and holds prisoner, using him as a steady source of sustenance while cruelly mutilating him by removing his tongue to suppress resistance. His later encounter with Roland Deschain, Susannah Dean, and Oy is brief, but shows off his cruelty and ultimately leads to his demise at the hands of Susannah, shortly after their meeting. Beyond these direct interactions, Dandelo’s vampiric nature suggests a connection to the larger multiverse of Stephen King’s works, with some speculating that he is of the same species as It/Pennywise, though Stephen King has clarified that they are not the same being.
Dandelo serves as one of the final obstacles on Roland Deschain’s journey to the Dark Tower, appearing in The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower as a psychic vampire who preys on emotions. His role highlights the recurring theme of deception and hidden danger in the series, as his seemingly benign hospitality masks a lethal predator.
Ultimately, his story also goes to show how far the Ka-tet, especially Susannah, have come in their journey as gunslingers. Her ultimately seeing through his trickery and saving her friends, even after everything, demonstrates how the journey toward the Dark Tower has changed her and made her canny and stoic toward the many threats of the world, rather than susceptible to emotional manipulation from them.
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