In 1981 Afghanistan, a Soviet tank unit viciously attacks a Pashtun people village harboring a group of mujahideen fighters. Following the assault, one of the tanks—commanded by ruthless commander Daskal (George Dzundza)—takes a wrong turn through a mountain pass and enters a blind valley. Taj (Steven Bauer) returns to discover the village destroyed, his father killed, and his brother Istishhad by being crushed under Daskal's tank. As the new Khan (title) following his brother's death, Taj is spurred to seek revenge by his cousin Moustafa, an opportunistic scavenger. Together they lead a band of mujahideen fighters into the valley to pursue Daskal's tank (which they call "The Beast"), counting on their captured RPG-7 anti-tank weapon to destroy it.