The Sandman Returns After 3 Years: Here’s What You Need to Remember

by

Among the returning shows on the 2025 TV schedule that I’m eagerly anticipating is “The Sandman” for its second and final season. Don’t you think it’s common to forget the details after such a long wait between seasons? Given the return of shows like “Severance” and revisiting the past seasons of “The White Lotus,” I’ve put together a concise recap to help us both remember where we left off.

Currently, I’m not among those who read The Sandman comics prior to seeing the TV show. Instead, the series, praised by fans as a fantastic adaptation, served as my introduction into Neil Gaiman’s renowned dream realm. If you too are new to the series and eagerly anticipating watching the upcoming season with your Netflix subscription, join me as I provide an overview of key points we should both familiarize ourselves with before hitting play on July 3.

The Sandman Follows The King Of Dreams After a Century Of Imprisonment

In “The Sandman,” dreams are not just sleep phenomena but refer to a realm called the Dreaming, ruled by a character named Lord Morpheus/Dream (Tom Sturridge). This Dreaming is where all dreams and nightmares reside. The story unfolds when, in 1916, a sorcerer named Roderick Burgess summons Dream with an intention to capture the Angel of Death and strike a deal to resurrect his own son.

Instead, he seizes Dream, takes away his possessions – these items are a bag of sand, an emerald necklace that extends life span, and a helmet. He’s jailed for a hundred years, which leaves the Dreaming without a ruler. Once Dream manages to break free, his librarian Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong) informs him that during his absence, dreams and nightmares have escaped to Earth, leaving the Dreaming in shambles. Consequently, throughout Season 1, Dream embarks on a mission to restore his realm to its previous splendor.

Dream And His Siblings Are Known As The Endless

Dream is one of a group known as The Endless, which symbolize various natural forces such as dreams. In Season 1, we are introduced to several members of this family. Specifically, we encounter Death (portrayed by Kirby Howell-Baptiste), Despair (Donna Preston), and Desire (Mason Alexander Park).

In Season 1, Dream hints that there’s another sibling in the Endless family who has been absent for some time and is known as “the prodigal.” It seems that Season 2 will reveal the identity of this Prodigal character, as well as introduce us to other unmet members of the Endless. Many new cast members have joined the series in Season 2.

Who The Vortex Is, And How Season 1 Left Her Storyline

In Season 1, a significant feature was referred to as “a dream vortex,” which arises infrequently throughout the ages for reasons unknown to The Endless. When this vortex materializes, it can cause significant disruptions within the Dreaming, such as trapping dreamers in perpetual dreams. In the first season, we meet Rose Walker (Kyo Ra), who is discovered to be a vortex herself, embarking on a quest to locate her lost younger brother.

During her quest, Dream reveals himself to her and aids her in mastering her vortex abilities. However, she becomes significant to the scheme of an escaped terror named Corinthian, who manages to find her brother before she can, and exploits this to draw her in. Eventually, this results in Rose and Dream clashing, and Rose chooses to give up her life so that “The Vortex” no longer exists.

Until it’s Unity, her great-grandmother, who steps forward to take on the powers and make the ultimate sacrifice, enabling Rose to continue her life as normal (Initially, it was Unity who was intended to become the vortex). The first season concludes with Rose enjoying a contented life in New York, following her passion for writing. Additionally, there’s an intriguing subplot involving Rose’s vortex abilities, which lead to the conception of a child within the Dreaming. Morpheus had pledged to claim this entity “one day,” so make sure you remember that detail as well.

The Key Villain Of Season 1 Is An Escaped Nightmare Named Corinthian

Reflecting on my watch of The Sandman in 2022, the character that left the deepest impression was Boyd Holbrook’s portrayal of The Corinthian. This chilling character is a manifestation of nightmares who escaped the Dreaming and embarked on a murderous rampage across Earth for his own amusement. Throughout Season 1, Dream endeavored to halt Corinthian’s crimes, eventually succeeding by transforming him into sand at the season’s end. Yet, the trailer for the upcoming season hints at The Corinthian’s resurgence, implying that somehow this nightmare will make a comeback!

Season 1 Ended With Lucifer Wanting To Raise Hell (Literally) With The Dream World

Let me share with you one more crucial aspect of “The Sandman” Season 1 we shouldn’t forget before diving back into this fantastic streaming fantasy show. In “The Sandman,” we are introduced to Lucifer Morningstar, played by Gwendoline Christie. As the season unfolds, Morpheus ventures to Hell to retrieve his lost helm, which he manages to reclaim. However, as the story reaches its climax, it’s revealed that Lucifer and her ally, a demon named Azazel, are planning to instigate a war against Morpheus with the ultimate goal of seizing control over the Dreaming and eventually the waking world.

Certainly… That ending was quite a nail-biter! Though I’m a bit disappointed that the series is wrapping up after just two seasons, I must admit I’m looking forward to catching up with The Sandman when it returns on July 3. The second part will follow suit later in July, on the 24th.

Read More

2025-06-28 14:08