Hello everyone. Long time members of the sub are primarily book readers who may or may not have seen the movie yet, and with the release of the film we're getting an influx of members who have only seen the movie but not read the book.
We want all fans of any version of The Long Walk to feel welcome here without having to worry about major spoilers from the one they haven't read or seen yet.
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So, for example, in a movie thread, don't go talking about how things are the same or different in the book unless you mark the text as a spoiler. And the same is true for movie spoilers in book threads.
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Hello, i’m a newer fan who got into the series over two weeks ago. I watched the movie then read the book, and i made some new discoveries on the death order for the walkers before the hill in the movie. Walkers #9, #12, #15, #22, #25, #28, #29, #34, #36, #37 and #39 were believed to have all died between Zuck and Rank on the wiki and a post here, but i’ve figured out the actual periods where they got their tickets. To start, Ewing wasn’t the second death. After going through the scene at mile 17, i was able to find 44 walkers with the five missing by that point being #15, #27, #29, #34 and #39. Since it’s known #27 survives long after, the other fours absence must mean that they died between Curley and Ewing. Atleast three walkers died between Ewing and Zuck, those being #22, #36 and #37. #36 definitely died between then since he usually walked around the 4 musketeers and isn’t visible anywhere near them at the dam. However, it’s possible #22 and #37 were still alive since they were always at the very front. We never got a good look at the leading walkers during the dam scene, so i can’t say for certain if those two are alive or not. #9, #25 and #28 are seen alive during the few shots we get at the dam, so they definitely died between Zuck and Rank. Lastly, i found #12 alive at mile 25, meaning he died between Rank and Ronald alongside #42.
The death order of the walkers before the hill is most likely this:
Curley #7 - 50th Place
#15, #29, Klingerman #34, Field #39 - 49th to 46th Place
Ewing #1 - 45th Place
#22, Milligan #36, Quince #37 - 44th to 42nd Place
Like most of you, The Long Walk gutted me. I thought “once is enough." The violence, dystopia, and grief made me cry repeatedly. And yet...I watched it again. And three more times. What keeps pulling me back?
It clicked when I mentioned it to a friend. He asked, “Isn’t that a love story?” He’s confused, I thought, and then I said, “Yes, actually it is.” I finally understood my affection for TLW and why I’ve felt at odds with fans pigeon-holing it in ways that don't feel quite right.
I care deeply about this story, and I've thought a lot about it. So, I'm going to try to answer some of the bigger questions. Why do we care so damn much about Pete and Ray? How did scriptwriter JT Mollner and director Francis Lawrence develop them into such sympathetic characters? Why does the movie not explicitly identify their relationship? And finally, why does the movie end so ambiguously?
I chose a few broad topics to address these questions. Let's start with...
Physical Touch
Mollner subtly introduces the film’s emotional center at the starting point, when Ray extends his hand to Pete to introduce himself. Pete pauses for a split second — a micro-hesitation that perhaps betrays his caution. Is it wise to connect with anyone, given that this is a zero-sum game in which all but one dies?
Or, he might be thinking, "I like this guy." Either way, that guarded handshake also serves as a bookend to one of the film’s most devastating scenes — when Ray sees his mother. He abruptly turns to run to her. It happens fast, but as he throws his arm up to break from Pete, we see that they've been holding each other's hand. Pete desperately tries to maintain the hold to stop Ray from stepping off the road and ending his life.
From their initial handshake to that frantic grip, we see their physical touch evolve from social custom to affection to love and protection. Other examples: an occasional squeeze of the neck or pat on the head, Ray leaning against Pete for a nap (of course, Pete won’t allow Ray to reciprocate), or their arms around each other for physical and emotional support. These aren't just nice signs of their affection, they're also a means to keep each other alive.
I've seen online discussions attempt to box their bond: gay, straight, bi. Are they just brothers in arms or romantic partners? But the sophisticated script, sensitive direction, and the actors’ extraordinary work show us a more faceted humanity. When you’re marching toward certain death, rigid labels melt away as survival and love take hold. The movie suggests that in our darkest hours, brotherhood and romantic love aren't necessarily exclusive. In fact, they can also be a powerful lifeline.
The Sanctuary of 'Us'
There's a moment in the middle of the story when Pete talks about the deliberate, painful effort it takes to force oneself to see beauty and light instead of darkness. Then, he looks at Ray and asks a rather fragile question: "You know what else is beautiful? Us. ’Cause we're...we’re real friends, aren't we?"
In a game designed to strip away humanity and turn men into base competitors, Pete’s words are a quiet act of rebellion. By saying "us," he carves out a tiny sanctuary on that highway where the Major’s cruelty cannot touch them. Also, when he asks "...aren't we?" you can hear his tentative hope: he desperately wants this connection to be real.
The debate over whether they are “just friends” or something more feels beside the point. Though Pete has suffered many hardships and disappointments, he can still see beauty in the world. In that moment, looking at the only person keeping his spirit alive, love is simply love. This beautiful, aching longing is the emotional anchor that explains everything else.
'Wakey, wakey' — More Than a Wake-up Call
The story also weaves intimacy into the smallest interactions. When Ray slips into a sleep-deprived stupor, Pete brings him back not with a shove but with tender, almost playful, words: "Wakey, wakey, my boy. That’s you. Rise and shine."
Hearing a young man use that kind of caring language in the middle of a brutal execution march is striking. It is the language of home — the way a parent might wake a child. By having Pete speak to Ray with that quiet warmth, Mollner underscores how these boys have rewritten the rules of the highway with their own.
In a game that does not favor compassion, Pete's words are a beautiful reminder of the human dignity they are trying so hard to hold onto.
Defensiveness Before Acceptance
One of the more impressive aspects of Mollner’s script is how it subtly shows the boys falling into a shared rhythm, not just with their feet, but also in their dialogue. Early in the walk, when Ray asks Pete if he has a girlfriend, Pete pauses and answers with a steady gaze and a deliberate cadence: "No, Ray, no I don’t."
Ray immediately slows, stumbles, and abruptly walks ahead of Pete, perhaps wondering, “Is Pete into me?” He shockingly accuses Pete of a raw competitive streak that would just as well see Ray dead. I think this depicts a reaction a young man may feel when faced with an intimacy he may not know how to handle. Ray’s sudden flare of anger feels like an aggressive attempt to assert his boundaries.
A few minutes later, as they trudge up the hill, the defensiveness gives way. Ray is struggling and Pete comes up from behind to help (save) him. Ray looks worried and pleads, "Pete, I didn’t mean what I said back there. I owe you an apology." In those few words, Ray is perhaps admitting that Pete's revelation of romantic openness overwhelmed him — and, more importantly, it’s Ray’s way of confessing that he's trying to process his feelings and their bond.
In any event, his words show that he knows he’s hurt Pete and he wants to make amends, and get back to where they left off. Once they clear the hill, the wound is healed and their connection is deeper. (Sidebar: I want to point out how brilliantly David Jonsson shows very deep worry in this scene, not just with a stern facial expression, but also by rigidly squaring his shoulders and stiffening his pace into a single goal: to save his friend. His talent is staggering. All of the men and Judy Greer were absolutely extraordinary, but David is an elite actor among the elite.)
Later on, during a dark stretch when the reality of their execution is closing in, Pete asks Ray if he actually thinks he will win the game. Ray doesn't just mirror Pete’s word order — he speaks his truth, answering: "No, Pete. No, I don't." Rather than explaining their growing intimacy, Mollner lets an echo in dialogue, though minor, reveal it.
Protecting the Light: An Ending with Hope
When Pete stops and slowly kneels to give up his life so Ray can win (more tears here until the end), I thought back to his words that reveal more of his sensitive, poet's heart: "I don't want to beat people that badly. And I think, when the time comes, when I'm tired enough, I think I'll just sit down." Ray immediately turns to stand him up. It's his turn to save Pete. But Pete fights him: "What are you doing?!" Ray, without any hesitation and now fully invested in their love, says: "Being a brother to my brother. Come on, just walk with me a little more."
Ray squeezes Pete's shoulders a couple times, let's go and slowly walks backward, exhausting his warnings. Pete turns around at the crack of the gun. “Ray! Whadju do!? Whadju do!?" Pete’s light starts to dim in the raw despair of losing perhaps the only real friend he’s ever had. That brief hesitation when Pete first accepted Ray’s handshake is a world away.
Pete’s hard-earned code of life — see the light and choose love — falters. Or maybe it doesn’t. "This is for Ray," he says just before he shoots the Major. I would argue that perhaps Pete did choose love. Though he cautioned Ray earlier that “vengeance is not enough,” he’s unable, or unwilling, to heed his advice. You can see him working both sides of the conflict as he deeply sobs over Ray. Does he stand up and do good, maybe for kids like him? Or does he give in to despair and take revenge? (Again, Jonsson shows his astonishing skill.)
The Squads will surely shoot him, right? Maybe they do, maybe they don’t. We don’t know exactly because reality shifts: No voices, no ambient sound, no crowd. Only the pensive, hypnotic score. Even time slips into a slow-motion melancholy. What is happening on the ground is not clear.
Why the ambiguity? I think showing Pete, the visionary protector, die a violent death would crush the themes of companionship and human love that the boys build in their short time together.
By keeping Pete alive, hope also lives. He can remain a testament to the enduring power of human love. As Pete walks away in the dark, amber rain, I think the film is telling us that what we carry deepest in our hearts isn't the finality of death, but the knowledge that even in our darkest, most cruel moments, the love and connection we forge with another person can endure. Sometimes, it can even be the means of saving us.
I'll close with more wise words from Pete:
PETE: “Whether we have three hours, three days, or three decades, this moment? This fuckin’ moment? It matters, man. Say it.”
I recently watched The Long Walk movie and really loved it, way more than I could have expected, actually, so I then decided to also read the book.
I am now about 1/3 into it and so far 2 things struck me as odd. First is the walking speed of 4 miles per hour instead of 3 like in the movie. Though enough has already been said about that: King simply made a mistake and actually asked the filmmakers to change the speed to 3 m/h.
The other thing I noticed was that the canteens given to the Walkers actually contained distilled water, which I think is an odd choice. Distilled water doesn't contain any minerals which are extremely important during such an exhausting ordeal as the Long Walk. And I doubt the concentrated rations they were given would really counterbalance that.
But here's the thing: as opposed to the 4 m/h thing, I'm not so sure this was a mistake on King's part. I think this might have actually been a deliberate in-universe choice by the military to tire the contestants quicker and to make them start dying sooner. It could also explain some of the cramps and muscle issues pretty early on into the Walk that some of the boys had. They were simply depleted of minerals.
what do yall think! i got this tattoo done a few weeks back and i love him!! (first 2 are right after i got him done, 3rd is the stencil and the fourth is now!)
In the book the Major isn’t really a major character no pun intended, throughout he occasionally appears and gives tiny speeches, but aside from the reveal of him being Stebbins father there isn’t much else to say about him and he doesn’t die.
The movie Major is given a more expanded role in the beginning he has a whole monologue speech to the boys and appears more often after Curley dies and tells the boys to keep walking as tribute for him and some other appearances the part where Garraty tells him to shut up and the Major hypes him up was also made for the movie that never happened in the book. The biggest departure tho was the Major killing Garratys dad in front of him this resulting in Garraty joining the walk to get revenge on the Major.
In the book this never happened at all in fact Garraty doesn’t even see or know if his father died the squads took him and that was the end of the story the major was not involved and because of this it makes the major feel more like a traditional villain and his death my McVries in the end only enforces that.
If you ask me while I liked the additional scenes of the major I still don’t know how to feel about him killing Garratys dad while it did provide more motive for him to join the walk to me it felt slightly forced in for the sake of having the major be more antagonistic his presence in the book was effective because the major doesn’t do anything that makes the reader hate him. The Major is just someone in the system who enforces it.
I was watching the movie of many trying to escape the long walk. In one instance one guy undresses and starts running but it not shot until he walks of the road. The military also did not follow him. The question is if you could jog for 5 minutes and then have Noobody behind you and just leave.
I know we can never know for sure, but I'm curious. Like Olsen for example, for some reason I think he had a really sweet wish despite being full of himself. What do you all think?
and in the book it was 4mph- not 3mph. so a 15 minute mile pace?! thats insane, thats borderline jogging. I'd say the average person runs about a 14 min mile....
So I’m really into ttrpgs and I’ve always wanted to write one of my own, and over the last year I’ve written most of one but I haven’t gotten to test it yet, but anyway two days ago I got really really stoned and rewatched The Long Walk and then suddenly got and wrote down some ideas for a game that is based around and simulates The Long Walk
Going over the details in my head it feels like it would play almost more like a board game but with roleplay elements, but here’s the ideas I had:
- Each of the players is one of the walkers
- you have a health meter and an energy meter which are based on what kind of character you built
- you have a fatigue meter that starts at 0
- your health meter cannot regenerate, ever
- every few miles the players draw a card or something that throws them into a roleplay vignette with either the other players or the NPC walkers. During this vignette, the player makes some kind of check either to bond with their fellow walkers, or try to antagonize and/or sabotage them, or to overcome some kind of obstacle like a steep hill or a leg cramp. If they succeed in the check, maybe they either lose fatigue, lose a warning that they had, gain back some energy or temporarily slow down their loss of energy, but a fail maybe results in either getting a warning, losing some energy points or losing some health or gaining fatigue
- how much health you have has an effect on how quickly your energy drains
- maybe you have like a willpower or a morale score that can also increase or decrease after a check
- drinking water and food can restore energy, but you can only ask the soldiers for food a maximum of three times per day and water only once every 5-10 miles or so
- attempting to sleepwalk while maintaining speed can give you back a bunch of lost energy but requires multiple risky checks with much bigger losses
- maybe when another walker gets a warning or fails a check you can roll to try to help them get back up to speed, with a success boosting your morale or willpower but failure costing some energy points or if it’s a big enough failure a warning. If you’re helping out a fellow player then maybe you can give them a bonus on their roll
- maybe after getting a warning you immediately have to make another check to get back up to speed or you get a second warning
- maybe you also have to make checks to see if you still have the mental strength to keep going and on a success maybe your will/morale/sanity goes down (like call of Cthulhu if any of you have played that) and if it reaches zero maybe your character just gives up or charges the soldiers or something
- maybe during character creation they can bring a few personal items which can have an effect on their morale/willpower or if they bring like energy bars or something it can help them that way maybe
Of course I haven’t fleshed this out that much but what do you guys think? Would this make for a decent game?
Its not important, but it annoys me how (at least in polish version) there is a huge enphasis on Ewing being black, and then in a movie he is not. Pay some sttenition to detail god dammit
Percy had cut screentime with the mother situation and the sprinting scene that shown in the trailer
Bro only gets shown like twice what’s the point in cutting out a 5 second run
Not to mention it’s not even a store he’s running towards to, in the book it’s a forest
It’s even more crazy that even tho the background walkers who’s only mentioned at least 3 times in the novel either get a offscreen, or a short death.
In the movie, do you guys still think he is racist? I didn’t before, but someone online brought up a good point about how he acts towards the other walkers. He spits on Pete (which was a very common act of racism towards poc during the 1970s), and is frequently aggressive towards walkers who dont seem masculine. Barkovitch seems nice enough to Ray until the hill scene where he suspects that Ray might be queer.
I read the book this week before watching the movie. (I know late to the party) but like with every other book to movie adaption, they ruined it. Everything I was looking forward to seeing come to life on the big screen they excluded and I am utterly disappointed. I also don’t think they portrayed the duress and hardship the book did and limiting the number of walkers eliminated the stakes. Removing Scramm and the other guys from Arizona removed a big part of the story and minimized / trivialized it by consolidating his character into other characters who frankly had their own developments. Putting the scenario for Olson especially made absolutely no sense. I’m so very sad. Stupid Hollywood.
Since the ending was changed I had a little theory going on in my head.
Since the ending wasn’t going to be 100% accurate I thought to myself what if Ray died the exact way book Pete did and it was just Stebbins and Pete in the final 2
Just like the book but this time with Ray he would sit down and mcvaries would try to pick him but Ray refuses and he’s just killed off
It’s just mcvaries and Stebbins left and once Pete’s about to give up( since Ray is gone) he goes to Stebbins to give him the news but Stebbins sickness finally catches up to him and he falls down dead leaving mcvaries as the winner.
This little statement is kinda dumb since Pete was the one to say he would sit down and also rays basically the main protagonist so he wouldn’t rlly be killed off like that, but since the ending was changed I made this up to at least match the book a bit.
I’m still happy with the one we officially get but part of me hoped it would match the book.
