The Sandman is coming to Netflix this August, and with it presumably comes the mythology that Neil Gaiman and co-creators assembled carefully throughout the groundbreaking comics line. Beyond The Sandman himself (who is formally named “Dream”) the most important characters in the saga are likely The Endless – Dream's immortal siblings who embody key aspects of existence in the universe. Fans of the character are eagerly anticipating how and where The Endless might appear in the new series.
As embodiments of eternal concepts, The Endless are all but omnipotent. Indeed, much of The Sandman comics series – particularly the final chapters – dealt with the specifics of their existence and what happens when great change comes to them. How much the series explores that side of the mythology has yet to be seen, but at least a few of Dream’s cosmic siblings are confirmed to appear. Below is a list of all seven Endless in alphabetical order, along with a brief description and speculation on their possible function in the new series.
Death Is The Sandman's Closest Sibling
Besides Dream himself, Death is readily the most recognizable of The Endless, with both a prominent place in the Sandman comics and stand-alone comics such as Death: The High Cost of Living. She appears with a Goth aesthetic and alabaster skin, black hair and a silver ankh around her neck. Unlike more traditional depictions of Death, she’s rarely scary. Indeed, she seems to genuinely like the living and can be friendly and gregarious on most occasions. But she’s unyielding when it comes to her duties, which will last until the death of the last living being at the end of the universe. Death will be played by Kirby Howell-Baptise in the new series.
Delirium Is Chaotic But Sees More Than The Sandman
Delirium is perhaps the most overt representation of chaos among the Endless, appearing as a thin-shouldered woman with multicolored hair and a variety of mismatched clothing. She began her existence in the comics as Delight, but shifted to a less stable embodiment sometime before the rise of humanity. Her attention wanders wildly, and she often has difficulty focusing on specific takes, claiming that the act of doing so causes her pain. Despite her kaleidoscopic persona, Delirium possesses insight that the other Endless lack, and they are deeply protective of her accordingly. It is uncertain whether she will appear in the new series.
Desire Is The Sandman's Best Frenemy
Desire is gender-neutral, and can take on the form and appearance of any being they wish. They are always gorgeous regardless, and instantly match the mood and zeitgeist of whatever environment they find themselves in. As the embodiment of unbridled emotions, they are often the cruelest and most indifferent of the Endless. They also have an ongoing feud with Dream, stemming from their periodic efforts – seemingly on a whim – to destroy his various romantic relationships. Despair is their twin sister. Desire will be played by Mason Alexander Park in the new series.
Despair Is Desire's Twin and The Sandman's Foe
If Desire embodies physical beauty, then Despair is the opposite: a nude, obese, white-skinned woman with a perennially sour face and an affinity for rats. She wears a hooked ring which acts as her symbol, and periodically uses it to scratch and poke at herself. Her realm is hopelessness, and she is responsible for imbuing mortals with nihilism and dread. She regularly works with Desire to undermine the machinations of Dream. Despair will be played by Donna Preston in the new series.
Destiny Cares Little for The Sandman or Anyone Else
Destiny is the eldest of the Endless, and also the most detached from the reality they collectively influence. He appears as an old man in a simple robe, chained to a book in which is written the whole of collective existence. He rarely takes action and seems the most focused of The Endless on his duties. That gives him an aloof and distant persona, and he seldom even ventures an opinion on the affairs of the other Endless. It is uncertain whether Destiny will appear in the new series.
Destruction Is Far Less Terrible Than The Sandman
As with many of The Endless, Destruction defies typical expectations of the concept he embodies. His realm involves creation as well as destruction, and he embodies the apex point when one entity ends and another begins. He’s depicted as a large red-headed man dressed in vagabond’s clothes, carrying a knapsack made from a tied handkerchief. In the comics, he abandoned his responsibilities to reality a long time ago, which has created a schism between him and his siblings. Destruction isn't currently mentioned as a character in the new series.
Dream Is The Sandman, Also Known as Morpheus
Dream is The Sandman himself, also known as Morpheus and going by several other names as well. Although he is the protagonist of the series, he’s not always benevolent. His realm embraces nightmares as well as dreams, and he can both enter and influence the slumbering visions of living beings. In that capacity, he can be capable of extraordinary cruelty as well as kindness. The series appears to use at least part of his origin story in the comics, in which he was trapped for the better part of a century by a mortal eager for his power. He broke free and condemned his jailer to an eternal waking nightmare before setting out to restore his realm and his power. He will be played by Tom Sturridge in the new series.
The Sandman debuts on August 5 on Netflix.