Summary
For every great hero or villain, there are secondary characters that either take on a deep presence of their own, or work to lift the primary characters to all new heights. In the acclaimedDark Towerseries by author Stephen King, one such character is found in Books 3 and 4 of the series (The WastelandsandWizard and Glassrespectively). That is the Tick-Tock Man, a secondary villain who proves to be a powerful thorn in Roland’s side and has a hand in twopivotal moments in Roland’s journey. In order to capture Tick-Tock Man properly, the series adaptation needs to bring in an actor with a wide range, who has embodied villainy well in the past and can bring that darkness without stealing attention from the main villains of the series. One such actor is a newStar Warsicon that has the skill to pull this off:Oscar Isaac.
TheStar Warsand Marvel star is a popular name these days. He’s brought popular characters like Poe Dameron, Apocalypse, and more recentlyMarc Spector, aka Moon Knight, to life in both film and television series. Between that and roles in sci-fi films such as Ex Machina and the upcoming role of Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and the actor is sure to strike a chord among audiences. Such a captivating actor essential to have a quick and powerful impact on the audience, and possibly even expand on the role as well, becoming another servant of the Crimson King’s goals inthe Dark Tower. That is why Oscar Isaac would be the perfect actor to bring The Tick-Tock Man to life.
The Tick-Tock Man, Explained
Otherwise known as Andrew Quick, the Tick-Tock Man debuts inStephen King’sThe Dark Towerseriesin the third book of the series,The Wastelands. The character is first introduced after another secondary villain known as Gnasher abducts Jake Chambers, one of Roland’s ka-tet, in the famed city of LUD. The city has become the home of a civil war of sorts. Quick is the leader of a faction known as The Grays, who are at war with the Pubescents. The latter were once the younger generation of LUD and defenders of the city, before they grew old and the Grays became the invading force. Andrew Quick is the great-grandson of the famed outlaw prince of LUD known as David Quick, and furthers the goals of the Grays to conquer the city and destroy the Pubescents once and for all.
Gnasher, having stolen Jake from Roland, gives the boy to Andrew, who plans to brainwash the boy in an effort to use him to destroy his enemies. But Roland and Jake’s pet billy-bumbler, Oy, tracks Jake down, causing confusion in the Tick-Tock Man’s base of operations. This allows Jake to strike, taking a shot at Andrew and leaving him for dead. He and Roland, along with their allies, thentravel aboard Blaine the Monoand leave the city behind.
But Andrew Quick survives, with the Man in Black arriving to offer him another chance at revenge against Roland and Jake. The Tick-Tock Man agrees, taking his role as the servant of the Man in Black right away. They are next seen inWizard and Glass, towards the end of the book in the fictional Emerald Palace that Flagg creates to lure in Roland’s group. Making the Tick-Tock manhis version of Oz the Great and Powerful, Flagg uses Andrew Quick as a distraction in an effort to derail Roland’s journey once more. However, the gambit fails and Roland, Eddie, Sussannah and Jake defeat the Tick-Tock Man once and for all.
Oscar Isaac Is the Perfect Choice For the Role
What makes Oscar Isaac such the perfect choice to bring this role to life is just how quick of an impact the actor needs to have, and the level of intensity Isaac brings to his roles. Andrew Quick rapidly turns from a powerful leader of an invading army in a war-torn city with a legacy to live up to, to suddenly being left powerless by a young boy. The hatred and rage he embodies in his survival needs to be felt immediately, as does his reverencefor The Man in Blackas his savior. The character is often compared to the Trash Can Man in another Stephen King book featuring Randall Flagg,The Stand.Both characters speak of Flagg by muttering the phrase “My Life for You.”
That level of devotion and wrath is the perfect medium for an actor of Oscar Isaac’s caliber to bring to life in a multi-episode arc, perhaps across multiple seasons, depending on the directiondirector and writer Mike Flanaganplans to take the adaptation ofThe Dark Towerwhen the series finally comes to life. Moon Knight was a perfect example of the actor’s range, with his role embodying several characters with varying personalities and traits. The subtle change in Andrew Quick, aka Tick-Tock Man’s, standing in the world of theDark Towerwould suit the actor perfectly.
