John Farson

Moving away from John Farson, who led the revolt which toppled the world I grew up in and who wanted my head on a pole in his courtyard—he had good reason to want that, I …

Roland names Farson as leader of the revolt and his pursuer.

… of ka that you have not been sent west, one more true gunslinger out of Marten’s road . . . out of John Farson’s road . . . and out of the road which leads to the creature that rules them.” He stood and held out his arms. “If I had lost you, Roland, I should …

Roland’s father connects Farson and Marten to the hostile forces threatening his son.

… here on Jericho Hill-betrayed by one of their own and then overwhelmed by this barbaric remnant of John Farson’s army-then let it end splendidly. “Aye!” he shouts. “Aye, very well. Ye of the castle, to me! Gunslingers, to me! To me, I say!” “As for …

Roland’s Jericho Hill vision identifies the opposing force as Farson’s army.

His service to the Crimson King was a late thing, as was his service to John Farson, the Good Man who’d brought down Gilead, the last bastion of civilization, in a tide of blood and murder.

Walter’s history identifies Farson as the Good Man who brought down Gilead.

We called those far western lands Out-World, and they served John Farson’s purposes well. He was, after all, just a land-pirate himself. One with pretensions.

Roland explains Farson’s use of the outlying lands and compares him to a land-pirate.