The Stand plot
An apocalyptic world has been ravaged by a massive outbreak of a government-created virus called "Captain Tripps". Within a few weeks, 99% of the population has been wiped out. The fate of humanity rests on the frail shoulders of 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a deadly smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg aka The Dark Man.