A multi-stage control valve, comprising: a valve body; a flow control element disposed within the valve body and including: an outer liner including an inlet section having a plurality of inlet openings extending between outer and inner surfaces (58, 60), generally perpendicular to the liner axis; a cage having an outer surface and an inner surface at least partially defining a bore which extends therethrough along an axis; a plurality of discharge openings which each fluidly communicate with the bore; and which extend radially through the cage between the outer and inner surfaces (80, 82); and a plurality of resistance paths, each of the resistance paths being at least partially formed in the outer surface to a prescribed length therein and extending along the axis of the bore, each of the resistance paths having a tortuous configuration; wherein each of the resistance paths communicating with a single, dedicated one of the inlet openings which is proximate one of the opposed ends and a single, dedicated one of the discharge openings which is proximate the remaining one of the opposed ends to collectively define one of a plurality of flow paths of the flow control element, each flow path being in communication with the bore only at the single, dedicated discharge opening; wherein each flow path comprises the combination of a feed slot, and its corresponding resistance path and a sleeve plug reciprocally movable along the axis in a manner which allows for selective variations in a number of inlet openings of the flow paths, covered thereby. a valve body; a flow control element disposed within the valve body and including: an outer liner including an inlet section having a plurality of inlet openings extending between outer and inner surfaces (58, 60), generally perpendicular to the liner axis; a cage having an outer surface and an inner surface at least partially defining a bore which extends therethrough along an axis; a plurality of discharge openings which each fluidly communicate with the bore; and which extend radially through the cage between the outer and inner surfaces (80, 82); and a plurality of resistance paths, each of the resistance paths being at least partially formed in the outer surface to a prescribed length therein and extending along the axis of the bore, each of the resistance paths having a tortuous configuration; wherein each of the resistance paths communicating with a single, dedicated one of the inlet openings which is proximate one of the opposed ends and a single, dedicated one of the discharge openings which is proximate the remaining one of the opposed ends to collectively define one of a plurality of flow paths of the flow control element, each flow path being in communication with the bore only at the single, dedicated discharge opening; wherein each flow path comprises the combination of a feed slot, and its corresponding resistance path and an outer liner including an inlet section having a plurality of inlet openings extending between outer and inner surfaces (58, 60), generally perpendicular to the liner axis; a cage having an outer surface and an inner surface at least partially defining a bore which extends therethrough along an axis; a plurality of discharge openings which each fluidly communicate with the bore; and which extend radially through the cage between the outer and inner surfaces (80, 82); and a plurality of resistance paths, each of the resistance paths being at least partially formed in the outer surface to a prescribed length therein and extending along the axis of the bore, each of the resistance paths having a tortuous configuration; wherein each of the resistance paths communicating with a single, dedicated one of the inlet openings which is proximate one of the opposed ends and a single, dedicated one of the discharge openings which is proximate the remaining one of the opposed ends to collectively define one of a plurality of flow paths of the flow control element, each flow path being in communication with the bore only at the single, dedicated discharge opening; wherein each flow path comprises the combination of a feed slot, and its corresponding resistance path and a sleeve plug reciprocally movable along the axis in a manner which allows for selective variations in a number of inlet openings of the flow paths, covered thereby.