This documentary delves into the heart of the American right-wing militia movement and traces the origins of Stewart Rhodes—whose sentence for sedition was commuted on Monday—and his evolution from little-known libertarian blogger to leader of the militant group the Oath Keepers. Featuring rare interviews with Rhodes, the story is told through the perspective of his deradicalized son, Dakota Adams, and ex-wife, Tasha Adams, who share a trove of personal home videos and their thoughts about Stewart’s path to Jan 6, as well as detailed accounts of their escape from his ideology.
The documentary was inspired by Mike Giglio’s September 2020 article in The Atlantic, “A Pro-Trump Militant Group Has Recruited Thousands of Police, Soldiers, and Veterans,” an in-depth investigation of the ways Rhodes tapped into a deep current of anxiety in the U.S. As the film’s narrator, Dakota explains how the Oath Keepers went viral, drawing in members of law enforcement and veterans—and even active-duty soldiers—who became disgruntled with perceived government overreach and felt purposeless and disenchanted after serving in the Forever Wars. Throughout the film, Dakota sheds light on the ideology his father represents, how decades-old ideas have been made more mainstream and tailored to the political moment, and increasingly more ingrained in U.S. culture and politics.
King of the Apocalypse was shot over several years, during which Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the assault on the US Capitol. Throughout Rhodes’ imprisonment, a new generation of militia leaders have continued to emerge, such as Mike Dunn of the Boogaloo Bois, who has said January 6th was only a “dress rehearsal” and has openly called for civil war here in the U.S.. While Dakota finds his way out of the revolutionary life for which he says he was groomed since childhood, Mike Dunn is drawn in deeper.
As it all unfolds, Tasha and the family remain on edge, confronting their feelings about Rhodes’ arrest, trial, conviction and possible release as well as the uncertainty of their post-Oath Keepers identity.
“News about the Oath Keepers played out on the world stage, especially after Stewart Rhodes was arrested, but I wanted to tell the unheard and nuanced story behind this movement,” said Director Dan Vernon. “This is more than a political narrative — it’s also a story about a father and son relationship, which unravels like a Shakespearian tragedy. It felt like our unique perspective was through Stewart Rhodes’s son, Dakota, who had been indoctrinated into his father’s movement for as long as he could remember.”
