Martial arts warrior Nomad is drifting through a post-apocalyptic desert in search of those responsible for the murderer of his friend and mentor Cord when he comes across a small farming community. The farmers are under threat from Damnil an evil warlord and landowner with his sights set on the local water supplies. Hired to work on the farm of a feisty widow named Kasha Nomad finds himself caught in the middle of the brewing conflict when he discovers his friend's murderers are part of Damnil's gang. Steel Dawn is a violent futuristic kind of Spaghetti Western with Swayze in full-on action hero mode as the nomadic drifter bent on revenge.