A new poster for Stephen King's The Stand on CBS All Access depicts members of the Boulder Free Zone facing off with the demonic Randall Flagg. Although some have ridiculed the image for showing something that never takes place in King's novel, it does offer some clues into what to expect from this latest adaptation — here's every clue we found.
The Stand is one of Stephen King's early novels, originally published in 1978. It was followed by a complete and uncut version published in 1990, clocking in at no less than 1,152 pages, even longer than IT (by 14 pages). Today, The Stand is still considered one of King's best novels, selling over 4.5 million copies, and spawning an ABC miniseries adaptation in 1994 and a comic book series. That said, it's been criticized for its meandering plot and episodic, multi-character structure. However, it's these very qualities that bring many fans of the novel back to the story again and again.
The Stand centers on a pandemic involving a mutated strain of influenza (developed by the US government for military purposes) that becomes known as the Super Flu or Captain Tripps. After wiping out most of the population of the United States, the survivors find themselves being drawn together by shared dreams. Two groups form, one for the side of the light (good), the other for the dark (evil), which is centered on one of Stephen King's most enduring villains, Randall Flagg. The story builds from there, until the inevitable confrontation between the light and the dark. Interestingly, while the latest promotional poster for the upcoming series of The Stand certainly portrays this inevitable struggle, it also shows a scene that never takes place in either King's novel or the miniseries from 1994. What does this reveal about the newest adaptation?
The promotional poster for the upcoming adaptation of The Stand features Randall Flagg and Mother Abigail, along with four other members of the Boulder Free Zone, facing off on an abandoned road. Flagg, played by Alexander Skarsgård, stands alone, seemingly unconcerned that he is outnumbered. Mother Abigail, played by Whoopi Goldberg, has others with her, but who are they?
Although it's impossible to be sure, it looks like Mother Abigail has two men and two women with her. One of the men is likely Stu Redman, one of the main characters, who becomes the marshal of the Boulder Free Zone. Later, he is one of the men who sets out to confront Flagg. In the book, he breaks his leg on the way to Las Vegas and is left behind. Because of this, he is one of the survivors at the end of the novel.
Another character that's likely on the poster is Larry Underwood, a former musician and narcissistic drug-user. In the novel, Larry undergoes immense transformation, becoming one of the founders and leaders of the Boulder Free Zone. He is also a member of the group that sets out to meet Flagg and his followers in Las Vegas. When he gets to Vegas, along with Ralph Bretner, he is captured by Flagg's minions and dies in the nuclear explosion caused by the Trashcan Man.
The women are a little harder to identify. In King's novel, three men set out on the final journey, leaving the women behind in the Boulder Free Zone. However, it wouldn't be surprising if the writers of the latest adaptation of The Stand decided to switch things up a bit to include men and women embarking together on the final quest. That said, just because there are two women and two men on this poster doesn't mean they are the ones who will make up the traveling party to Las Vegas. Mother Abigail also stays behind in the Boulder Free Zone, meaning the scene depicted is probably more representative of the group overall.
As for the women, one of them is likely Frannie Goldsmith, a young woman who is pregnant before the pandemic hits; she later becomes involved in a relationship with Stu Redman. Frannie is also one of the original members of the Boulder Free Zone Committee and serves as the moral compass for the group.
The other woman could be a couple of different characters from The Stand. She could be Dayna Jurgens, a woman who infiltrates Flagg's people by getting involved with Flagg's righthand man, Lloyd Henreid, and acting as a spy for the Boulder Free Zone. Another possibility is Lucy Swann, a young housewife who forms a relationship with Larry Underwood. Or, it could also be Nadine Cross, a woman who begins as a member of the Boulder Free Zone but later betrays the group — she's chosen by Flagg to be the mother of his child.
What's really interesting about the poster is that Mother Abigail and Randall Flagg never meet in person in the original story. While it's possible this could change in the latest adaptation, the story would have to be altered significantly to achieve it. That said, Mother Abigail and Flagg are well aware of each other. In the novel, Flagg sends a pack of weasels early on to harrass Abigail. In the trailer for The Stand on CBS All Access, Mother Abigail comes face to face with a wolf, another animal that Flagg is able to control.
The poster image seems to serve as a metaphorical representation of the opposing sides, rather than showing a scene that actually takes place. Mother Abigail is a 108-year-old woman who is physically frail. Her strength comes from her faith and from the devotion of members of her group. Flagg, on the other hand, possesses supernatural powers and rules over his followers as a totalitarian leader. To Flagg, his followers are merely pawns to be used and discarded when they are no longer useful. In fact, this may be the reason he is shown alone on the poster.
Randall Flagg is a powerful and demonic figure confident in his abilities. Given his powers, he could easily defeat Mother Abigail in a straight fight. Nevertheless, Flagg has followers too, so why not show them? After all, a couple of the characters on Flagg's side of the conflict are some of the most interesting characters in the story.
For instance, the Trashcan Man (played by Ezra Miller in the latest adaptation) is a fan favorite. His pyromaniac tendencies make him something of a wildcard and one of Flagg's favorite followers. Another main character on Flagg's side is Lloyd Henreid, a former petty criminal who becomes a leader in Las Vegas. At the end of the pandemic, Lloyd nearly starves to death in a prison cell before he is rescued by Flagg. Because of this, he becomes fiercely loyal, overseeing operations and making sure that his master's wishes are carried out.
The fact that Flagg is shown alone on this latest promotional poster for The Stand on CBS All Access says a lot about the nature of this demonic being. His power comes from him and not his followers. He is the at the center of "the dark" and only by working together can Mother Abigail's crew hope to defeat him.
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