一个全身赤裸的年轻男人蹲在室内靠窗的一株树干上，目光呆滞。他就是芬尼克斯（Axel Jodorowsky 饰），被关在精神病院的一位患者。从小体弱多病性格孤僻的芬尼克斯，童年是在马戏班里度过的。父亲奥高（盖伊·斯托克韦尔 Guy St ockwell 饰）是马戏班班主，母亲嘉西娅（布兰卡·格拉 Blanca Guerra 饰）是空中飞人的演员。嘉西娅信奉拜物教，她供的神是个被两个兄弟奸杀的断臂少女。在她流血的地方，人们挖池贮水建起教堂，取名“圣血”。当神父发现所谓的圣血不过是红油漆水时，同意当地政府拆毁教堂。嘉西娅带领教徒反抗。当嘉西娅发现奥高与人通奸时发起报复，奥高拿飞刀斩去嘉西娅双臂，割脉自杀。芬尼克斯进入精神病院。在嘉西娅的唆使下，芬尼克斯逃出精神病院，成为了嘉西娅的“魔手”。
1934, America. The Dustbowl. A fugitive named Ben Hawkins finds refuge within a traveling carnival comprised of a tarot card reader and her catatonic/telekinetic mother, a blind mentalist, a bearded lady, and conjoined twins, amongst others. The carnival is owned by the mysterious and unseen Management, who has designs on the young Hawkins, for the boy is concealing an untapped gift: he can heal the lame and raise the dead--at a price. Ben also finds himself disturbed by cryptic and prophetic dreams, which he shares with a Methodist preacher in California, Brother Justin Crowe. Brother Justin, convinced by his dreams he is following God's will, has begun to practice his own extraordinary talents, although the preacher's plans increasingly lead to disturbing and tragic consequences. In this "last great age of magic," Ben Hawkins and Justin Crowe are moving toward a great conflict between Good and Evil, although it not yet clear on which sides these men will stand.
