Randall Flagg
Fictional character created by Stephen King / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Randall Flagg is a fictional character created by American author Stephen King, who has appeared in at least nine of his novels. Described as "an accomplished sorcerer and a devoted servant of the Outer Dark",[1] he has supernatural abilities involving necromancy, prophecy, and influence over animal and human behavior. His goals typically center on bringing down civilizations through destruction and conflict.[4] He has a variety of names, usually with the initial letters "R. F." but with occasional exceptions, such as Walter o'Dim and Marten Broadcloak in The Dark Tower series.[1]
Randall Flagg | |
---|---|
Stephen King character | |
First appearance | The Stand (1978) |
Created by | Stephen King |
Portrayed by | Jamey Sheridan (1994) Matthew McConaughey (2017) Jasper Pääkkönen (2019 pilot) Alexander Skarsgård (2020–21) |
In-universe information | |
Alias | Walter Padick[1] Walter o'Dim[2] Marten Broadcloak[2] [1] Bill Hinch Russell Faraday[3] Richard Fannin Richard Freemantle Rudin Filaro Raymond Fiegler The Covenant Man Richard Fry[3] Robert Franq[3] Ramsey Forrest[3] |
Nickname | The Walkin' Dude[3] The Dark Man[3] The Hardcase[3] Ageless Stranger[2] The Man in Black[2] |
Species | Quasi-immortal human[1] |
Family | Sam Padick (father) |
Nationality | Delain |
Flagg first appeared in King's 1978 novel The Stand as a demonic figure who wreaks havoc after a plague kills most of the world population.[3] He makes his second appearance in the 1984 novel The Eyes of the Dragon as an evil wizard trying to plunge the fictional medieval city of Delain into chaos.[5] Flagg was a primary antagonist in King's epic series, The Dark Tower, who tries to keep protagonist Roland Deschain from reaching the Tower – the linchpin of existence – so he can claim it for himself and become a god. The Dark Tower expanded on Flagg's background and motivation, linking his previous appearances. Flagg was portrayed by Jamey Sheridan in a 1994 television miniseries adaptation of The Stand,[6] by Matthew McConaughey in a 2017 The Dark Tower film adaptation,[7] and by Alexander Skarsgård in a 2020-21 television miniseries adaptation of The Stand.[8] He has additionally appeared in adaptations of The Dark Tower and The Stand by Marvel Comics.[9][10]
King initially cited Donald DeFreeze, primary kidnapper of Patty Hearst, as his inspiration for Flagg.[11] Later, he attributed Flagg to an image of a man walking the roads in cowboy boots, denim jeans and a jacket, a notion which "came out of nowhere" when he was in college.[12] Flagg's character and the nature of his evil have been the subject of considerable critical attention.