The Sandman co-creator Neil Gaiman recently revealed his most anticipated episode of the upcoming Netflix adaptation.
Gaiman, who also co-developed the show and serves as one of its executive producers, identified Episode 6 as the one he's most excited for fans to see in an interview with Collider. "I want them to see Episode 6 after they've experienced Episode 5," he said. "It's like, Episode 4 takes them to Hell in a good way. Episode 5 puts them through Hell in a diner. Episode 6 is cleansing and forgiving and embracing and warming and beautiful, but you have to earn it."
The celebrated scribe previously opened up about his emotional reaction to watching the finished version of Episode 6, confirming that it made him cry. Gaiman singled out a scene featuring Kirby Howell-Baptiste's Death for making him weep and cited it as evidence that the actor was perfectly cast in the role. The Sandman Episode 6 is titled "The Sound of Her Wings" and is inspired by the comic of the same name by Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III, which sees series protagonist Dream accompany Death as she performs her duties.
Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream
Although a recently-released clip from The Sandman Episode 6 suggests it faithfully adapts the original comics, Howell-Baptiste's casting remains controversial in certain corners of the fanbase. Gaiman has repeatedly dismissed these criticisms, insisting that color-blind casting was essential to finding the right actors for each role. "Hundreds of the actors we saw were gamine-esque, some white-skinned," he continued."It's the Endless -- we did color-blind casting, because why wouldn't you? The comics establish that the characters look like whatever we want them to look like."
Gaiman also recently explained why he continues to publicly challenge The Sandman's detractors online regarding the show's casting choices. The English author argued that many of The Sandman's most ardent critics represented a vocal minority who haven't actually read the comics it's based on, something that he's fed up with. "Occasionally I do feel like I’m taking an enormous sledgehammer to squash the tiniest ants, and you really shouldn’t," he said. "But then again, they can be really irritating sometimes, and I’m proud of what we made."
For her part, Howell-Baptiste seems more focused on what she enjoys about playing the role than on the controversy associated with it. The actor spoke about Death's "feminine energy" in The Sandman in a recent interview, which she thinks sets the character apart from previous depictions of an anthropomorphized Death in fiction.
The Sandman arrives on Netflix on August 5.
Source: Collider