Martin Carr reviews the fifth episode of The Stand…
There is a decadence to the world of Randall Flagg which provides this show with some precious life blood. Ensconced within an ivory tower of gaudy extravagance, he surveys the domain like a feudal lord, bestowing leniency upon his subjects. That this perfect personification of hell exists in the barren dust bowl which is Las Vegas, only adds to its shallow opulence. Forty stories up and manipulating the outcome of numerous human narratives, Randall Flagg plays at being God wielding omnipotence like a weapon of war.
Controlling the vulnerable and offering up salvation for those foolish enough to seek refuge, this literal inferno offers guidance only for the weak. People like Nadine Cross and Harold Lauder who are in need of a saviour, open to suggestions or lacking a moral compass. Those are the people Randall Flagg prays upon guaranteeing a sense of purpose, a sense of family and ultimately acceptance into his perpetually expanding brood.