The second season of The Sandman, Netflix's hauntingly metaphysical series, is set to premiere in 2025, and it's getting a major pre-holiday release! As confirmed by Netflix, the final season of The Sandman will arrive on July 3, 2025, just ahead of the Fourth of July holiday... or at least part of it will!
In an unexpected move, Netflix has revealed that the final season will be broken into two parts with Part 1 releasing on July 3 with the first six episodes of the season. Part 2 will the arrive a few weeks later on July 24, 2025, with the release of what will be the final five episodes of the series.
It was recently confirmed that the second season would also be the show's last, as Netflix looks to wrap it up., but season 2 won't be without any new additions!
According to MSN, Luke Allen-Gale (Dominion) and Will Keen (His Dark Materials) have been cast in S2 to play an adult and an older version of the prolific playwright, William Shakespeare. We've already seen the young version of Shakespeare portrayed by Samuel Blenkin (Black Mirror) in season 1 episode 6, "The Sound of Her Wings."
However, depending on the direction Sandman creators will take - Keen, or Allen as Shakespeare could show up early in season 2 as a continuation in Volume 3 (The Doll's House) in the standalone saga Men of Good Fortune; or later in season 2 in another Shakespearean standalone story from Volume 10 (The Wake) in The Tempest. Morpheus, the "Lord of the Dreaming", has a connection to Shakespeare that is quite fascinating, as we've seen in season 1, as he believes Shakespeare writes plays that "create new dreams that spur the minds of men..."
Given the three-year wait for season 2, fans may be disappointed to hear that showrunner Allan Heinberg has expressed that season 2 will be the series finale for the mystical adventures of "Dream of the Endless" and "King of Dreams and Nightmares," - portrayed brilliantly by Tom Sturridge. Heinberg has also alluded that S2 will focus on Morpheus and his Endless sublime siblings (Death, Desire, Despair (twin of Desire), Destiny, Destruction, and Delirium). The seven siblings of the Endless, including Dream (Morpheus), have opposition and coalition clicks that should be interesting for show creators to explore - given the remaining volumes of The Sandman, there are plenty of stories to tell.
Symbolism in The Sandman
There is a reason why ScreenRant ranked The Sandman as the #1 Best Comic Ever! One of the many reasons is that it is rich with allegory and symbolic imagery based on mythology, mysticism, and religion. We see an example of this in the Endless sibling Death, who wears an ankh necklace around her neck. An ankh is an ancient Egyptian symbol that represents life. It's been said that death is a part of life, and moreover, death is the continuation of life, yet in a different form. Here we see the balance of life and death in the Endless sibling, with Death wearing an ankh necklace.
Even Lord Morpheus' Helm, crafted from the skull and spine of an unnamed vanquished deity, is symbolic of his dominance, power, and authority over the Dreaming realm. However, one of the best representations of symbolism in The Sandman series is the epic duel in Hell between Lucifer Morningstar (portrayed by Gwendoline Christie). Lucifer is the fallen angel from Heaven, Lord of Lies, the Ruler of Hell - The Devil. Lucifer and Morpheus have ideological differences in which Lucifer represents defiance, rebellion, and chaos, whereas Morpheus has ideals that are aligned with creativity, imagination, and order.
For context, The Sandman incorporates Greek and Judeo-Christian mythology, such as Lucifer Morningstar, who is the manifestation of The Devil, the Sovereign of Hell. Lucifer is Latin for "Light-bringer" and Morningstar is a reference to the planet Venus - the brightest star-like object in the night sky. Venus is visible in the sky shortly before sunrise and after sunset - hence "Morningstar", which is often linked with the Devil's fall from Heaven. This link is evident in the King James Bible passage: Isaiah 14:12 "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"
In season 1, episode 4, "A Hope in Hell", Morpheus, as ruler of his realm The Dreaming, is allowed entry beyond the gates of Hell to obtain his Helm, which is in the possession of a Demon (Choronzon). Choronzon acquired the Helm in an exchange for an Amulet of Protection with a "Waking World" mortal. In his journey through Hell by taking the "Walk of the Damned", Morpheus comes across a former lover, Nada. Morpheus, known then as Kai'ckul, when he and Nada were lovers some 10,0000 years ago. Morpheus banished her to Hell because of her infidelity. Nada begged Morpheus to free her from Hell, as only he could with his forgiveness. Morpheus denied his forgiveness and continued on through Hell to locate his Helm; however, before he departed, Nada said to him that she would... "never give up hope."
Morpheus finally confronts Lucifer, requesting the return of his Helm after identifying that the Demon Choronzon had it. According to the rules of Hell, Choronzon had the Helm in a fair exchange and refused to return it to Morpheus. The Lord of Dreams would have to win the Helm in battle against Choronzon. The Demon, within his authority to do so, chose Lucifer to be his champion to duel with Morpheus in his stead.
Morpheus and Lucifer begin a battle of conjuring forms to either being on the offensive or defensive against the opponent's previous form. This scene-stealing showdown has some fantastically phenomenal imagery that was layered in mythical and religious symbolism, as Lucifer was first up as the challenger and on the offensive against Morpheus.
LUCIFER - "I AM A DIRE WOLF"
A wolf is a symbol of savagery, and a predator that is a wild untamed force of aggression. In reaction to the Dire Wolf, we see Morpheus being stalked.
MORPHEUS - "I AM A HUNTER, HORSE-MOUNTING, WOLF-STABBING"
A mounted horse with a bow and arrow drawn is symbolic of a piercing strategy to break through and tame the untamed Dire Wolf. In reaction to the hunter, we see Lucifer recoil in pain from the piercing arrow to the palm of her hand. Additionally, the blood-stained palm could be a reference to a religious symbol of the stigmata.
LUCIFER - "I AM A SERPENT, HORSE-BITING, POISONED-TOOTHED"
The serpent in the Garden of Eden is a symbol of evil, lies, deception, death and danger. In reaction to the serpent, we see Morpheus weakened with venom creeping through the veins across his face.
MORPHEUS - "I AM A BIRD OF PREY, SNAKE-DEVOURING, TALONS RIPPING"
A Bird of Prey is a symbol of speed, renewal, and divinity. Additionally, the ability to fly suggests a reference to the ascension to Heaven, as well as the bird's wings are symbolic of an Angel's wings. In reaction to the Bird of Prey, we see Lucifer suffering from three talon scars to her face. It's likely the three scars represent the Devil's fall from Heaven in rebellion, defiance, and subsequent punishment.
LUCIFER - "I AM A BUTCHER BACTERIUM, WARM LIFE-DESTROYING"
A bacterium represents a dark, unseen force that can destroy life with an insidious destructive disease of decay. In reaction to the bacterium, we see Morpheus reeling in pain from the internal decay of his body.
MORPHEUS - "I AM A WORLD, SPACE FLOATING, LIFE NURTURING"
A world with a healthy ocean and sky is a symbol of creation, rejuvenation, and lifegiving. It is also likely a religious reference to Genesis and the creation of the Earth and its inhabitants. In reaction to a world, we see Morpheus rise and heal from the disease and decay.
LUCIFER - "I AM A NOVA, ALL EXPLODING, PLANET CREMATING"
A Nova, an exploding collapsed star, is a symbol of fire, destruction, annihilation, and the ultimate contrast of life. The Nova is also a link to Lucifer's namesake of "Light bringer," aka Morningstar. Additionally, it's likely the Nova is a religious reference to creation and destruction as an exploding star blasts the building blocks of life into space. Novas explode all known elements into the universe, such a hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, iron, noble gases, metals, and radioactive elements. In this way, a Nova is a duality of destruction and creation. In reaction to the Nova, we see Morpheus suffering in pain from his scorched wounds over his entire body.
MORPHEUS - "I AM A UNIVERSE, ALL THINGS ENCOMPASSING, ALL LIFE EMBRACING"
A universe is a symbol of infinite expansiveness and the boundlessness of life. Similarly, to an exploding Nova that expels elements into the universe that create planets, stars, and galaxies. In reaction to the universe, we see Morpheus recovering from his burned body.
LUCIFER - "I AM ANTI-LIFE, BEAST OF JUDGMENT, THE DARK AT THE END OF EVERYTHING"
Anti-Life represents a void and absence of life, an ultimate end and destruction. The beast of judgment is another possible religious symbol of Lucifer's judgment and punishment in her fall from Heaven and being cast down into the darkness of Hell. In reaction to anti-life, we see Morpheus collapsed, pale, and near death.
MORPHEUS - "I AM HOPE"
The concept of hope is symbolic of the intangible force of optimism, resilience, and the uniquely human quality of never giving up, despite what may seem inevitable. This sense of never giving up hope was previously boasted by Nada, Morpheus' Hell bound former lover, when she pleaded for his forgiveness so that she could be released from her torment in Hell. Rejuvenated by hope, we see Morpheus rise from near death. He then challenges Lucifer as to what can defeat hope!
In frustrated defeat, Lucifer orders the Demon Choronzon to return the Helm to Morpheus. And in a final insult to Lucifer, Morpheus expressed what would Hell be without the damned dreaming of ascension to heaven. In this way, Morpheus was asserting that the King of the Dreams may also have dominion over the souls of Hell.
The Sandman series is an exquisite exploration of mythological storytelling that is rich in symbolism, allegory, and full of religious imagery from a variety of cultures and faiths. Season 2, as the series finale, has a tremendous amount of material to work from in Volumes 4 through 10 of Gaiman's source material. It will be intriguing to see how creators tackle this breadth of content in one final Season. Having said that, I would love to see more of the Endless siblings and their alliances and rivalries; Lucifer's revenge against Morpheus; and more fantastical creatures, deities, faeries, and Gods of various cultures and beliefs.