The second and final volume of Netflix’s DC fantasy epic, The Sandman, has come to an end, concluding Morpheus’ journey as Dream of the Endless in a bittersweet fashion. It was always a challenge for the makers to pull off a cohesive series finale given how vast the existing mythos is. Fortunately, like Morpheus wanted, the ending was indeed a graceful one, with a farewell to the past that ties up all the plot threads neatly, with the promise of a new beginning. Given the TV series adaptation has created its own lore, which is somewhat separate from the source material, there are a number of differences between the two, which I would like to highlight.
Spoilers Ahead
1. Unique Spin to Time and Night’s Inclusion
The final part of the second season adapts The Kindly Ones, the penultimate volume of the original The Sandman series, with the final episode adapting the first three issues of the final volume, The Wake. The seventh episode of the ongoing season introduces Time and Night, parents of the Endless, a departure from the narrative progression of the original series, where they never appeared. Instead, the exact interaction they had with Dream in the series happens in the six-issue comics run, The Sandman: Overture, which follows Morpheus on a cosmic journey and is set in a timeline prior to the events of The Sandman. Even though the contexts of these two interactions differ a lot, the makers did a fantastic job of integrating them into the series’ narrative. This not only allows viewers to see Morpheus gradually turning more human than ever by seeking validation and assistance from his parents, but it also offers a greater look at the Endless mythology. This is the best addition/change the series made compared to the original comics.
2. Corinthian and Constantine Pair Up
In the original series, the nightmare, Corinthian, and paranormal sleuth, John Constantine, never really teamed up like they did in the series on Morpheus’ request to search for the Dream Lord’s successor, Daniel Hall. In fact, in the comics it was Matthew the Raven who was instructed by Dream to accompany a recreated Corinthian. However, this change in the series adds some depth to both the character of Corinthian and Johanna Constantine, which I will discuss in a separate article.
3. Change in Crucial Characters
As mentioned in the discussion of the differences in the first part of the final season as well, the series omitted a lot of storylines from its source material, along with some of the pivotal characters like Thessaly, the ancient witch. Thessaly’s character is replaced in the series by Mad Hettie, who creates a protective barrier around Lyta to let her act as an avatar of the Furies and destroy the Dreaming. Thessaly, who was in a relationship with Morpheus, tried to get back at him by ruining him, aside from acting as the Fates’ loyal associate. In the series, Mrs. Shor, who cast her suspicion over Detective Pinkerton’s intentions, dies at the hands of Loki, whereas in the comics, Loki had killed Lyta Hall’s friend, Karla, by burning her in the fire when she started questioning his motive.
Rose Walker, the Dream Vortex who nearly put Dreaming in jeopardy during the first season, had practically zero role to play in the second volume and merely accompanied Lyta. That is not the case in comics, where she has her own arc, which is totally separate from that of Lyta. In comics, Rose also meets with Desire, who acknowledges her as their granddaughter, given Desire fathered Rose’s mother, Miranda, with Unity Kincaid, who was afflicted with Eternal Sleep.
4. Corinthian’s Mission
In the comics, the hobgoblin Puck and Norse god Loki kept Daniel captive in Swartalfheim, contrary to the series, where a random hotel room turned out to be their hideout. While the series’ iteration of Corinthian’s fight with Loki ended on a mellow note as Thor and Odin arrived to capture him, the comics’ version had a much darker fate for Loki, where Corinthian broke his neck and kept him alive despite having the strength to kill him. Corinthian also ate Loki’s eyeballs to track down Daniel Hall, and at the end, Odin and Thor dragged a brutalized Loki back to his prison.
5. Nuala summoned Morpheus, not Titania
In the TV series, Nuala never meets Desire, while in the comics, Delirium’s search for Barnabus takes her to Faerie, and she comes across Nuala. It is Puck’s ominous warning and Delirium’s concern for Morpheus that resulted in Nuala summoning Morpheus using her amulet. However, in the series, the blame is shifted onto Titania.
6. Alex Burgess’ Fate
In the series, Dream’s mission of making amends with his past comes full circle when he forgives Alex Burgess and releases him from the punishment of Eternal Sleep. In the comics, the humanization aspect was thankfully not stressed upon as much, and Dream didn’t forgive Burgess. It is only after Morpheus’ passing that Alex Burgess woke up from his prolonged slumber.
7. Lucifer’s Absence
One of the most shocking aspects of the final part of the final season turns out to be the absence of Lucifer Morningstar. Given the character had such an interesting frenemy relationship with Morpheus since the first season, it made no sense that even in the funeral scene the First Fallen was not seen present. In the comics, however, while Morpheus is going through a catastrophic situation due to the attack of the Furies, Lucifer is seen living in LA as the owner of nightclub, Lux, with his loyal accomplice, Mazikeen, by his side. Delirium came across Lucifer while searching for her dog, Barnabus, and learned about Dream’s impending doom from him.
8. The Funeral Event
Lastly, while the series’ version of Morpheus’ funeral was held in the great hall of Dream’s palace, in the comics, Morpheus’ memorial service was held in the mystical plane of existence, Necropolis Litharge—which has its own importance and lore in DC cosmology. The series’ version of the funeral scene was well made, but it pales in comparison to the grandiosity of the enactment of Morpheus’ funeral in the comics, which simultaneously acted as an expression of grief and mourning and a celebration of new beginnings. DC superheroes like Batman, Superman, and Martian Manhunter were present in the comics’ version, which isn’t an option for Netflix due to strange stipulations.
