The Endless are one of the most powerful families of the dc universe introduced in the Neil Gaiman comics of Sandman, with traits and abilities only fans know about.
Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Netflix show The Sandman and the comics it’s based on.
The Netflix series The Sandman debuted to critical acclaim, thanks in large part to its stunning depiction of the events, stories, and characters from the award-winning comic book series by Neil Gaiman. The recently released adaptation of the legendary comedy introduced some members of The Endless, the powerful family made up of Death, Destiny, Dream, Destruction, Desire, and Despair.
They are key figures in the comics who are depicted as entities with unique abilities and individual realms. There are some fascinating facts about them that only fans of the comics will know, which includes information about their history, function, and even their rules.
1: They Are Their Function
When Death talks to Dream on the Netflix series about her important realization that her purpose is her Function, it's more than a philosophical note. The Endless are not representatives or embodiments of the concepts they are named after; Rather, they are those things in and of themselves.
Just as death is death in and of itself, so is the dream, the desire, and every member of the family. They're closely related to their Functions, which is why it's a big deal that Destruction walked away from his role as a member of Endless.
2: Destruction Left During The Age Of Reason
There are many references to the "Prodigal" in the Netflix show and fans of the Sandman comics already know who that mysterious character is. The lost brother is Destruction, a powerful being who is tired of his duties and responsibilities, especially as the Age of Reason approaches.
Destruction wanted to find another path that would not make him responsible for the ongoing chaos and violence that accompanies his role. His departure was an unprecedented event for Endless, as Delirium took it especially difficult. Destruction would continue to pursue his interest in art and even poetry, along with a wise dog named Barnabas.
3: Death Takes A Mortal Form Every Hundred Years
In both the Netflix series and the comics, Death is a lovable character who seems to be more connected to and cherished by humanity. The sub-story, The High Cost of Living, depicts how it manages to stay in touch with human experience, as she takes a human form every hundred years.
In sub-details, the form of human death is called Diddy, an upbeat and optimistic version of herself who isn't bothered in the least by any bad experiences she's had on Earth. She's just happy to be able to eat apples, go to parties, and meet people, especially since she knows she has a limited time to soak up all that.
4: They Have Certain Rules
They may be powerful entities, but The Endless is no exception to its ancient set of rules, although it is not clear who set them. One such rule is the divine law that family blood should not be shed, a law that Morpheus breaks. There is also a rule that prevents them from forming romantic relationships with humans, which Desire and Morpheus did as well.
Die-hard fans may be familiar with the mysterious First Circle Council, which is said to have set the limits and laws of existence when creating the universe. There are also the three, who have already appeared on the show, and will eventually hunt down Morpheus for violating the divine law.
5: They Have Cosmic Entities For Parents
Since the Endless are siblings and treat each other as family members, it makes sense that they would have parents. Their parents are, of course, harder and stronger than they are, as conceived by the cosmic entities, Night and Time.
In the Overture, it is revealed that their father, Time, gave most of his abilities to Destiny and is still upset with the way things went with their Mother Night she seems more dangerous and unpredictable because she is not happy when Dream rejects her offer and leaves her to rot in a black hole.