In the book Charles D. Campion has no idea why he is able to get out of his guard tower when the facility is locking down, instead focusing more on the opportunity to be with his wife and daughter, but the miniseries adds a new wrinkle by establishing that the door to his station is kept ajar by Flagg’s boot.
Instead, the episode opts to go the tease route instead, and does so by inserting the character into some new, key places in the story.
Having the villainous character showing up in the backseat of Campion’s car after first appearing as a hitchhiker is another original detail, but it certainly fits with the way things play out in the big picture.
Alexander Skarsgard turn as the powerful, sinister Randall Flagg is certainly one of the most anticipated aspects of the new miniseries, but with the majority of The Stand’s series debut centering on protagonists battling the invisible enemy that is Captain Trips there isn’t much room made for his proper introduction.