In a post-apocalyptic 2013, an unnamed nomad performs Shakespearean plays to survive. He is forced into the Holnists, a militia led by General Bethlehem, but escapes and adopts the guise of a U.S. postal worker. He arrives at Pineview, claiming to be from a restored government, and inspires the locals, including a teenager named Ford Lincoln Mercury.

Bethlehem learns of the nomad’s deception and retaliates by burning Pineview, killing Michael, abducting Abby, and raiding other towns. The nomad and Abby escape, taking refuge through the winter. By spring, they discover that Mercury has been reviving the postal service and spreading hope.

Bethlehem escalates his hunt, executing postal carriers. The nomad, now a symbol of resistance, leads a battle against Bethlehem’s forces. He challenges Bethlehem to a duel, wins, and spares his life. Bethlehem’s second-in-command, Col. Getty, takes over and surrenders.

Thirty years later, Hope, the postman’s daughter, unveils a statue of her father in St. Rose, Oregon. Her speech and the advanced technology around her reveal that the postman’s efforts helped rebuild the United States.