Warning: Spoilers ahead forThe Sandmanseason 2, volume 2.AlthoughThe Sandman’s final episode is a special about Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s Death, season 2’s “A Tale of Graceful Ends” is the true finale of the Netflix fantasy show, and it makes an incredibly meta reference to a surprise recasting. Although Tom Sturridge returned to leadThe Sandmanseason 2’s castas the title character, the show moved on from him at the last minute.
Giving Sturridge such a limited role in “A Tale of Graceful Ends” was risky, especially considering how great he’s been in one of thebest Netflix showsin years. His replacement only remained in his role for a very limited time beforeThe Sandman’s emotional ending. Season 3 seems incredibly unlikely, but the show has still managed to predict one possible reaction to a continuation.
Hob Gadlings' “Not My Dream” Comment Feels Like A Prediction For Fan Response If The Sandman Season 3 Happened
Morpheus' funeral is the focal point of “A Tale of Graceful Ends,“with Jacob Anderson’s new Dream of the Endless skirting the edges of the story as he prepares to take over from his predecessor. The episode recalls characters both mortal and otherwise to the show, so they can bid farewell to Sturridge’s brooding character.
Whenthe immortal Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley) spots his friend’s replacement, he openly declares, “He’s not my Dream.” In the context of the story, it’s a very understandable line, but it also taps pretty aggressively on the fourth wall. With Sturridge leading the show for most of its run, it will come as a disappointment that he basically doesn’t appear in the finale.
In instances such as these, it’s not uncommon for portions of a fan base to reject the replacement for a beloved character or actor. This is quite a common phenomenon inDoctor Who, for example. When a new actor is cast to play the Time Lord, hashtags such as#notmydoctortend to arise on social media.
Anderson’s time onThe Sandmandidn’t last long enough to cause any real uproar, with most of his screen time limited to just one episode. However, ifThe Sandmanseason 3 had happened, I can definitely imagine disgruntled viewers missing Morpheus and sharing Hob’s sentiment regarding the new Dream.
The Sandman Fans Objecting To Morpheus' Replacement Wouldn’t Make Any Sense
The Live-Action Adaptation Was Simply Honoring The Source Material
The Sandmanis Netflix’s live-action adaptation of a comic book seriesof the same name. The source material was used to create the TV show, although there is a lot more content in the comics than ever made it to the small screen. The character of Daniel Hall, though, who becomes the Dream played by Anderson, does exist in the original version of the story.
Daniel takes over from Morpheus as Dream in the comicsin much the same way as the TV show, with a few alterations. So, while it would be understandable that those who object to Sturridge’s exit are upset by his departure, it’s actually just Netflix honoring the source material. Therefore, it’s a strange stance to insist the show make such a big deviation.
Morpheus' Story Was Complete, I’d Have Loved To See More Of The New Dream
It Was Time For Tom Sturridge To Step Aside
I think Tom Sturridge was born to play Lord Morpheus. If the circumstances were right, it would have been great to see him continue to play the character for far longer than he did. However, with the shapeThe Sandman’s story took, the time was right for him to depart when he did.
It would have cheapened Morpheus' actions for Daniel to resurrect his predecessor.
Morpheus' sacrifice saved the Dreaming. So, as Stephen Fry’s Fiddler’s Green explained, it would have cheapened Morpheus' actions for Daniel to resurrect his predecessor. Plus, I found it fascinating to see how much of a blend the new Dream was of Daniel and Morpheus. I’m disappointed we didn’t see more of howThe Sandman’s new antagonist came to terms with his existence.
