After a long wait, Netflix is finally gearing up to drop the long-anticipated live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s popular fantasy comic-book series “The Sandman.” Arriving on the streamer on Aug. 5, the ambitious 10-part series chronicles the journey of the titular cosmic entity, Morpheus – best known as Dream – who must restore the balance of his realm after being held captive and unconscious for more than a decade at the hands of Roderick Burgess. While the story centres on Dream, his six immortal siblings, collectively known as the Endless, also play a pivotal role in the story.
Born to Night and Time, the Endless consist of seven immensely powerful immortal beings who are as old as existence itself and the anthropomorphic personifications of various states of existence – namely Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium. Each member of this dysfunctional family holds unique power and is an intriguing part of the rich and deep universe created by Gaiman in his graphic novels. Though they all might not grace the screen in season one itself, rest assured, they’ll eventually come into play in the story. Read on to get a brief rundown of the Endless before you dive into the forthcoming Netflix series.
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Who Is Dream in "The Sandman"?
Played by Tom Sturridge in the upcoming series, Dream is one of the most powerful beings of the Endless, who rules over his realm of Dreaming, the place humans slip into whenever they are, well . . . dreaming.
Dream goes by many aliases – Morpheus, Sandman, Oneiros, and Kai’ckul being among his most notable monikers. His three magical totems (the objects from which he derives his powers) are a ruby amulet, a helm, and a pouch of sand.
Among Dream’s many superpowers are the ability to manipulate reality, teleport, and shapeshift and telekinesis.
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Who Is Death in "The Sandman"?
Tasked with guiding the deceased souls to their afterlife, Death is possibly the strongest among the Endless, possessing nigh-omniscience.
Deviating from the traditional gothic demeanor of the Grim Reaper, “The Sandman”‘s embodiment of Death is a fun-loving, sprightly, kind individual. Death is the sibling who’s closest to Morpheus, and they often turn to one another whenever they need some tough love or unflinching advice.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste will play the role of Death in the screen adaptation.
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Who Is Desire in "The Sandman"?
Portrayed by Mason Alexander Park, Desire is an androgynous, menacing figure who materializes as whatever one desires the most. Incredibly vane, it makes sense that Desire’s domain (called the Threshold) is a statue of itself, and their sigil is a heart made of cut glass.
Desire has a habit of meddling in their siblings’ affairs, which often puts them at odds with Dream and explains why they’re an antagonist in the Netflix series.
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Who Is Despair in "The Sandman"?
Despair’s role will be brought to life on screen by Donna Preston in the Netflix series. Despite being the younger twin of Desire, Despair is a far cry from them.
As suggested by her name, Despair lords over all the human feelings that encapsulate sorrow, hopelessness, anxiety, and fear. Her ominous realm, The Gray Realm, is filled with all things gloomy: enveloped in fog and filled with rats and free-floating mirrors that she peers into to look upon humans in their misery.
Despair’s second form (because she had two forms) doesn’t wear a single piece of clothing in the comics, though this is not the case in the show. Her magical totem is a hooked ring that she places on her left hand.
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Who Is Destiny in "The Sandman"?
The oldest sibling is Destiny, who, while physically blind, can envision the fate of every single living being that has ever come into existence in a book he carries. The realm of Destiny, who wears a cowl over his head, is a labyrinthian garden that represents life’s course and contains all probable as well as predetermined destinies. Destiny will not appear in “The Sandman” season one.
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Who Is Destruction in "The Sandman"?
The fourth-oldest among the Endless and the younger brother of Dream, Destruction (who will not appear in season one of “The Sandman”) is perhaps the most personable member of the family. Somewhat of a trailblazer, Destruction is the only one who abandoned his responsibilities and realm altogether.
Better known as the Prodigal or Olethros, Destruction is the lord of, well, you guessed it – destruction and creation. He is omnipresent and has shapeshifting powers.
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Who Is Delirium in "The Sandman"?
Formerly known as Delight, Delirium is the youngest sibling of the Endless, who over time morphed into her current version for inexplicable reasons.
Ruling over sanity and madness in humanity, Delirium is somewhat of a scatterbrain with a short fuse, often losing her train of thought. She rocks eccentric hair and apparel to match her current mood, and her vast powers include precognition, the ability to warp reality and manipulate the human mind, and more. Delirium is not set to appear in season one of “The Sandman.”
