Sleep of the Just
As the King of Dreams talks about the living and dreaming world, we see his raven flapping through the air and arriving at his Castle. The bird’s arrival is a sign that something important is happening in the world. We can’t wait to find out what it is.
In a world of librarians and their masters, Dream is on a mission to rid the world of Corinthian. With his powers, Dream is able to take down his creation with ease.
Dr. John Hathaway arrives at a mansion in 1916 England looking for Roderick Burgess aka. Magus. He greets Hathaway warmly and the pair find solace in one another’s grief. After some chitchat, Hathaway presents the Grimoire; a book full of spells that can bring back the dead and imprison the Angel of Darkness. ..
Dream is taken away by the Order as they chant and conduct their ritual. He disappears before he can dispatch Corinthian, and then he appears at the mansion with Magus and the others. They take off his mask and clothes, imprisoning him. ..
The sleepy sickness has spread to nearly one million people in every town across the world as a result of Dream’s capture. ..
Corinthian arrives at the Magus’ stronghold to offer his help in keeping Dream locked up. He warns that Magus has captured Dream, but with his ruby and mask at hand, the Magus himself should be able to conjure up some of Dream’s powers. Corinthian also reveals the necessary tools to keep Dream locked up. This includes a glass cage and stimulants to make sure no guard falls asleep in his presence. Oh, and shooing away Jessamy, his raven, too.
Magus, the sorcerer, confronts the Lord of Dreams and offers him a proposition – bring back his son in exchange for freedom. Dream though is a patient man and bides his time before he’s freed. ..
Dream has been imprisoned for 10 years, but his mask and ruby have brought him wealth and youth. Alex, the young man who visits Dream, is concerned for him and apologizes for the Magus’ actions. He pleads with Dream to follow Roderick’s wishes, but it turns out that he’s actually listening from the wings. Roderick is blinded by paranoia and tasks Alex with killing Jessamy, that continues to lurk around the estate.
Jessamy finds its master in the basement and works to free Dream, pecking relentlessly at the glass… until Alex shoots the bird and blood spatters up the cage. So much for retribution and apologies; with tears stinging his eyes, Dream condemns the world ravaged by man. ..
Roderick’s undoing is not man but actually woman. Ethel Cripps, to be precise. After learning that she’s pregnant and Roderick demanding she get an abortion, she takes off with Dream’s possessions, including his ruby, the Grimoire and 200,000 in cash. With little other choice, Roderick decides to try and bargain with Lord of Dreamers. Dream remains silent. However, a scuffle with Alex sees Roderick bash his head on the cage and bleed out. In his dying breath, he promises Dream that he’ll never get out. ..
Nine months later, Ethel Cripps gives birth to a son named Johnny. While watching over her son, the dancing flames of the fire in the background, she promises that no one will stand in their way to greatness. All the while of course, Dream is still confined and caged. ..
Dream is angry with Alex and offers to kill him in return for freeing his lover, Paul. Alex agrees and murders his raven in order to make sure Paul is unharmed.
Alex is a frail old man who decides not to come down and see Dream anymore. Interestingly, as his wheelchair is wheeled away from the circle, the yellow lines are broken. And it’s just what Dream needs, as the security guard yawns and falls asleep. Awakening on a beach in Majorca, Dream shows up and manages to coerce him into shooting the cage, freeing the Lord from his chamber.
Dream has a score to settle and eventually gives Alex a gift. The gift of eternal sleep. With Dreams and Nightmares running wild after all this time, Dream’s awakening means he’s back in business. And part of that comes from tracking down Corinthian, who is still out there. Unfortunately, all that time in the cage has caused Dream to be weakened, so naturally Lucienne encourages him to head back into his castle. The trouble is, the realm is not how he left it.
A once-thriving kingdom has been replaced by a desolate wasteland. Dream promises to bring them all back and remake his world as he sees fit.
The Episode Review
The Sandman starts off strong with staying true to the comics, minus the change for Lucien. It’s a minor change though and can be seen as a love letter to the source material. The story is largely true to that first volume, right down to the security guard dreaming about Majorca. ..
The film’s visual effects are impressive, but some of the green screen work is a little distracting. The music is also a nice touch.
The first chapter of this season’s “The Walking Dead” is off to a fantastic start, with plenty of action and excitement. However, it may not be everyone’s taste, so we hope the rest of the season keeps up!
