The Dark Tower: Todash Space, Explained

Summary

Todash Space is a dark void between universes in The Dark Tower series.
It's filled with deadly monsters, and those who enter risk getting lost forever.
The concept connects to other Stephen King works and is crucial to the series' narrative.

One aspect of any science fiction, fantasy, or even horror-driven story that always fascinates audiences is how they draw upon real-life scientific experiments, theories, and ideas. In recent years, the real-world idea of a possible multiverse has fascinated physicists, writers, and even paranormal enthusiasts. One aspect of this theory involves the concept of a space that exists between universes. A barrier or void that separates realities from one another would make sense if there were multiple realities to begin with. In Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, this theory is brought to life in the form of something called Todash Space.

Todash Space is an endless void of darkness that exists between universes. Within this nothingness, deadly monsters roam free. The threat of these creatures finding a way out of that space and into the world of Roland Deschain, the last of the gunslingers, exists anytime someone opens a door between realities. When Mike Flanagan brings the Dark Tower series to life in live-action, concept of Todash Space is going to be crucial to the story, especially in later years of the series.

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By Oliver VanDervoort

Todash Space, Explained

The idea of Todash Space has been explored a lot in Stephen King’s works, both within the Dark Tower series and in other books as well. There are individuals within the Dark Tower universe and beyond that have the rare ability to go Todash, or travel through the void and to another world entirely. One such person is Sheemie, an ally of Roland who is captured by the Crimson King’s forces and used as a Breaker. One of the inherent dangers of this power, however, is that if a person isn’t able to focus and appear in their world or the reality of their choice, they become stuck in that endless void.

Underneath Castle Discordia, a castle on the edges of Mid-World and End-World, there exists a series of doors that lead to other worlds. Most of these are doors in time and space that go to pivotal historical moments and tragedies, such as the Lincoln assassination or the gladitorial fights of Ancient Rome. One such door leads to Todash space, and any who enter it are lost forever in its darkness. Made by the Great Old Ones, this door is considered one of the few “mistakes” that they have made in their long history (at least, one of the few that they would admit to).

Castle Discordia is also connected to the home of the Crimson King, who would use the door to throw his enemies into Todash Space. He considered this one of the ultimate forms of punishment, for any thrown through this door would be forced to walk through the void until one of the hidden, deadly creatures decided to feast on them. One such creature escapes from this door in the later half of the series, entering a tunnel that Roland and his allies are using to get to the Dark Tower. It nearly ends their lives in the process, until they are able to drive it away using Sterno lighting cans.

Todash Space in Live-Action

If Mike Flanagan is going to take the time to dive deep into the tapestry of The Dark Tower and focus on elements that are unique to the story, Todash Space is one idea in the series that needs to have its moment. The depths of this void are mysterious, as well as very dangerous. Yet, its ability to bridge the gap between worlds makes it all the more vital to understanding how grand the Dark Tower universe is.

In addition, Todash Space has several important connections to other Stephen King works. Many theorize that the creatures introduced in Stephen King’s The Mist are escaped creatures from Todash space, having been brought to our world thanks to a crack in reality. Such cracks are called Thinnies in The Dark Tower, making this idea all the more plausible. There are also theories suggesting that other creatures originated from Todash Space, such as the Guardian and great turtle Marturin. This also applies to Marturin's evil counterpart:the creature from IT, Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Not all of these stories will be usable in future Dark Tower seasons, due to the complex copyright laws separating Stephen King’s stories between film studios. However, some of them surely will appear in Flanagan's series. When they do, having those connections will help develop the universe that the Dark Tower occupies. Adding to this is how important Todash Space is to characters like Sheemie, who have vital roles in Roland’s flashbacks and journey overall. It would be difficult to make a true adaption of The Dark Tower series without including the mysterious, deadly realm of Todash Space in the narrative.