The Sandman Season 2 Finale Delivered Big Twists For Some Surprise Characters, And The Creator Broke Down These Major Moments For Us

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Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for The Sandman Season 2, Volume 2 are ahead!

Despite not officially wrapping up until the bonus episode “Death: The High Cost of Living” becomes available to Netflix subscribers, for all intents and purposes, the primary storyline of The Sandman has come to an end in Season 2. The final episodes have remained true to Neil Gaiman’s original comic book series, concluding after a three-year break. Tom Sturridge’s Morpheus willingly surrendered his life to the Kindly Ones, and Jacob Anderson, known for his role in Interview with the Vampire, portrays Lyta Hall’s son Daniel, who assumes the role of Dream of the Endless. The series also incorporated elements from the prequel miniseries The Sandman: Overture by featuring conversations between Morpheus and his parents, Time and Night.

In my reading of the original “Sandman” series, I noticed significant departures in the TV adaptation. Thankfully, I had a chance to chat with David S. Goyer, one of the creators, about the unexpected twists that were introduced for certain characters. Although our conversation eventually veered towards topics like David’s thoughts on James Gunn’s “Superman,” the heart of the interview focused primarily on “The Sandman.” So, let’s delve into what he shared with us about these key scenes from the series finale, titled “A Tale of Graceful Ends.

Joanna Constantine And The Corinthian Are Romantically Involved

In the same vein as the comics, The Corinthian made an appearance during the last installments of The Sandman, with Boyd Holbrook taking on the role. This new interpretation of the embodiment of nightmares retains the memories of his former self but manages to resist succumbing to his violent impulses. David S. Goyer shared with me that he found it captivating how The Corinthian evolved into a more compassionate character.

Initially, what captivates me is the dramatic shift in Corinthian’s character in the comic book series, which I’ll refer to as his “anti-heel turn.” Originally a terrifying, evil villain, he undergoes a transformation and ends up serving as a protector and an agent for good. To some extent, this twist might reflect my creative influence, along with characters like Boyd, and I found it intriguing.

In my perspective, it’s Jenna Coleman’s Joanna Constantine from the present day who stepped in for John Constantine on the Netflix series. Unlike John, he wasn’t part of the final comic book arc of The Sandman, but Joanna played a crucial role. She was teamed up with The Corinthian to find the kidnapped infant Daniel, which turned out to be Loki’s doing. Initially, Joanna was hesitant towards the new Corinthian due to her memories of the original’s rampage across the years. However, it was evident that the latest Corinthian had a soft spot for the occult detective and yearned for a deeper connection with her.

During their quest for Daniel and Loki, Joanna strongly disapproved, but following Morpheus’ funeral, she came to understand that the second Corinthian was not like the original. Subsequently, they shared a kiss, sparking an unusual romantic bond. Goyer explains why he enjoys pairing these two: He finds their dynamic intriguing due to their contrasting personalities and backgrounds.

As a dedicated cinephile, one strategy I often ponder when contemplating subsequent seasons is identifying characters who have yet to share screen time. This is a common approach among showrunners, as it presents an intriguing opportunity to create fresh narratives. In the case of our TV series, Joanna was initially slated for Season 2, and we found that she hadn’t interacted much with other characters in the comic books. Once we began brainstorming in the writer’s room and discussing this idea with our director, we discovered that this unexplored dynamic could spark new storylines. Essentially, by simply asking, “Which characters haven’t met before?”, we unlocked paths previously uncharted.

Joanna Constantine admitted that her relationship with The Corinthian would be unconventional, as it would only exist within her dreams. However, considering the way her previous relationships unfolded, she was ready to take a chance on this unique situation. Unfortunately, with the conclusion of The Sandman, we’ll never find out if these two unusual partners will succeed or not. I have a feeling they might have a promising future together given that Joanna doesn’t seem put off by The Corinthian’s eye-mouths.

Destruction Met The New Dream

On that island, Destruction parted ways with Dream and Delirium in the comic books (in terms of chronology). In contrast, during the TV series, Barry Sloane’s character, Destruction, resurfaced at The Dreaming while Morpheus’ funeral was ongoing. Interestingly, he wished to keep his presence hidden from his siblings, the Endless. David S. Goyer commended Sloane’s performance earlier in the interview and elaborated on why their encounter made sense: it provided a compelling narrative twist.

Once more, Barry Sloane was well-received by us, but Daniel seems to embody a more compassionate and understanding version of Dream. In fact, towards the end of Season 2’s first half, when Destruction offers advice to Dream, it feels like Daniel provides an opportunity for a more empathetic take on Dream, almost serving as a second chance at a more human-like Dream. Therefore, we view that scene where Destruction departs from Dream as symbolizing this transition.

Despite Daniel possessing Dream’s memories and being equally integral, he remains distinct enough to not instinctively grasp all required actions. This opened a chance for Destruction to surprise-enter and impart some guidance. In Goyer’s words:

“Though Daniel embodies Dream as much as Morpheus did, he’s still unique enough that he doesn’t inherently know everything he must do or how to act appropriately. Thus, it was an opportune moment for Destruction to intrude and share some wisdom.

In my perspective, Destruction and Death are the most human among the Endless, but I believe Destruction is the most human due to his choice to step down from his throne. This decision seemed fitting as it mirrored Destruction’s departure from Morpheus at the conclusion of the initial story arc, providing a satisfying closure.

In essence, Destruction’s journey concludes in Volume 1’s final position, venturing into uncharted cosmic territories, presumably never crossing paths with the other Endless again. This was a satisfying full circle moment for The Sandman series, providing Daniel with a perfect setup to encounter his remaining siblings at the conclusion of the last episode.

The Kindly Ones End-Credits Returned In The End-Credits Scene

In the final episode of Season 2 of “The Sandman,” similar to many contemporary comic book series on screen, an end-credits scene was included. As “A Tale of Graceful Ends” drew to a close, we briefly revisited The Kindly Ones, who were depicted opening another fortune cookie, hinting at the concept of stories concluding. This meta ending was added by co-creator Allan Heinberg, not David S. Goyer as some might think. Goyer shared this information with me.

Allan made a commendable choice, I believe. If you consider The Kindly Ones as a whole – say, the 23 episodes combined – there were instances where stories in the first and second seasons were self-contained, as seen in the comic books. We adapted some of these single issue stories, but our goal was to create a more cohesive narrative. It felt right to compile and unify everything, saying effectively, “This is all part of the same whole.” Although we ventured into smaller side-stories, we’re now tying it all together with a narrative thread.

It’s regrettable that Netflix’s “The Sandman,” a top-notch series for binge-watching, had to omit much from the comics to concentrate on Morpheus’ tale. Given that this series wasn’t extended beyond several seasons, it seems logical. The aim of merging those narratives, as Goyer mentioned, appears to have been successfully achieved. A final check-in with The Kindly Ones provided an intriguing conclusion to the main storyline. Characters played by Nina Wadia, Dinita Gohil, and Souad Faress symbolize the past, present, and future. Although Morpheus’ tale has concluded, there are many more such tales yet to unfold.

Only one more episode is left for “The Sandman,” titled “Death: The High Cost of Living” featuring Kirby’s Death, which will release on July 31. Once that’s done, you might want to check out the remaining Netflix releases in 2025 to discover other movies and series you can enjoy on their platform for the rest of the year.

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2025-07-24 16:09