By: Kelly Kearney
The fourth episode of “The Sandman’s” second season, we pick up exactly where the previous chapter left off. With the fate of Hell finally decided, Morpheus—also known as Dream—is left to grapple with the emotional fallout from his encounter with Queen Nada, the woman he once loved and condemned to eternal suffering. Naturally, he’s handling it in peak moody goth fashion: brooding on a balcony in the rain, his heartbreak soaking into the very fabric of the Dreaming.
Searching For Destruction
The story quickly pivots into the second arc of the season, shifting away from the politics of Hell to a more intimate and melancholic journey. The episode begins with a visit from another member of the Endless: Delirium (Esme Creed-Miles), Dream’s (Tom Sturridge) eccentric and unpredictable younger sister. She proposes a new quest—finding their long-lost brother Destruction, who abandoned his post as one of the Endless over three hundred years ago and has vanished into the unknown.
Dream initially refuses. He has more than enough on his plate between the burdens of rulership, the scars of Nada’s (Umulisa Gahiga)rejection, and the political consequences of who now sits on Hell’s throne. But Delirium, equally persistent and fragile, eventually convinces him to join her. His agreement, however, has less to do with family loyalty and more to do with geography: their journey will take them into the waking world—where Nada now lives. Once again, Dream keeps his true motivations hidden, a choice that will cost him dearly at the end of the hour.
Their search begins with the help of Lord Pharamond (Colin McFarlane), a forgotten Babylonian deity who now runs a travel agency for gods and supernatural elites. To aid in their cross-country hunt, Pharamond assigns them a human driver: Wanda (Indya Moore), a sharp-witted, grounded woman with a no-nonsense attitude and a deep capacity for empathy. She quickly becomes the heart of the episode, delivering a moving monologue about the messy beauty of family and the necessity of loving people even when they disappoint you, and even when they don’t want to be found.
Unfortunately, the quest quickly goes sideways. The first of Destruction’s old friends they visit is Bernie Capax (Jordan Adene), an immortal man who’s lived since the time of mammoths and saber-toothed cats. Before Bernie can offer them any help, he’s killed in a freak accident—suggesting Destruction’s desire to stay hidden may be more lethal than anticipated.
Hiding Away
Meanwhile, far away, we catch our first real glimpse of Destruction (Barry Sloane) himself. He’s living in isolation, painting, writing poetry, and waxing philosophical with his only companion: a sarcastic, talking dog named Barnabus (Steve Coogan). It’s revealed that Destruction has rigged a metaphysical alarm system—one that notifies him the instant his siblings begin looking for him. His reaction? Ruthless self-preservation. If necessary, he’ll silence anyone who might give his location away.
The next lead takes the trio to Philadelphia, where they track down Ishtar (Amber Rose Revah), an ancient goddess now working in a strip club. She claims to know nothing of Destruction’s whereabouts—but when she begins an otherworldly dance that entrances the entire club, disaster strikes. Her divine energy overwhelms the space, causing a deadly gas explosion. In an instant, everyone inside—including Wanda—is killed. Only Dream and Delirium survive.
Desire Dresses Down Dream
Enter Desire (Mason Alexander Park). Drawn by the chaos, the sultry and sharp-tongued sibling appears amidst the wreckage. Strip clubs are Desire’s temples, and they’re furious over the loss of their “worshippers.” The encounter between the two rival siblings is tense and venomous, and predictably, as toxic as ever. Unlike Dream’s bond with Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste)—his wise and compassionate older sister—his relationship with Desire is defined by antagonism and psychological warfare. And this time, Desire strikes a nerve.
They know Dream’s secret. They know he didn’t agree to this quest purely out of love for their sister or their wayward brother. Delirium, upon learning the truth, feels betrayed. Dream lied to her and used this entire sibling search as a cover to satisfy his need to find Nada and seek her forgiveness. Hurt and disillusioned, she refuses to continue the journey. Delirium vanishes back to her realm, leaving Dream alone to wrestle with the consequences of his pride, his hypocrisy and his inability to be honest—even with himself.