The Sandman (2022) s02e11 Episode Script

I should never have let him go.
I should never
have gone back to Faerie.
I should have gone with him.
I shouldn't be here right now.
Matthew.
What's the point
of being here without him?
Lucienne.
- Our lord has sent me to ask you--
- He's not our lord.
He's asking when you think
our guests will be arriving.
Any moment now.
Good. Then I won't be missed.
You're not staying for the funeral?
You have to say goodbye, Matthew.
Goodbye.
Oh
Ah, he'll come back.
How's Daniel doing? Or
Do we call him Daniel?
What what do we call him?
I'm sticking with "my lord"
or "Your Majesty."
- Is he all right?
- Seems fine.
Considering he was a baby yesterday,
and today he's Dream of the Endless.
He gave me back my suite of rooms.
Did he?
Me too. Exactly the way I left them.
How? He's only just met you both.
I think he might be a little like me.
How so?
The way I remember
parts of the first Corinthian's life.
- Where is he?
- Who are you looking for?
The little princeling. Where is he?
Sitting on his throne, doing nothing,
I suppose.
He's not to be disturbed, Cain.
We'll see about that.
My lord, I demand an audience.
You are Cain.
Yes. And this is
my contract with your predecessor.
With me, Cain.
I am Dream of the Endless.
Your contract is with me.
Very well.
My letter of commission states
that I am part of a double act.
Cainand Abel.
Mysteries and Secrets.
I insist No, I demand
that you recreate my brother.
Or I shall be forced to take action
of an immediate and summary nature.
Cain
I do not believe
I take well to threats.
Inferred or otherwise.
Nor to an excess
of unwarranted familiarity.
Apologies, lord.
But, please.
My brother.
Describe him for me.
Well
he's not as good-looking as I am.
He is, and I'm being charitable here,
a blubbering half-wit.
No dress sense.
And a very
very vague, but continual smell
of cabbage water about his person.
Hm.
Thank you, Cain.
Goldie!
Brother.
I thought I was over and done with.
Nonsense. Lord Morpheus
brought you back right as rain.
"Lord Morpheus."
I have no right to that name.
I am Dream of the Endless.
It is enough.
Abel?
- You're back.
- I am.
Thanks to his lordship.
Stop sucking up.
You'll make us late for the funeral.
Whose? Is it mine?
- It's for Morpheus.
- Oh.
Come on.
Thank you.
You brought Abel back.
I did.
The Corinthian said
you wished to see me.
Yes.
About our guests.
They'll be arriving shortly,
and I'm ready to receive them.
And am I to attend the funeral?
According to the Book of Ceremony,
the family may not greet you
until after the funeral.
I see.
The guardians will remain
at their posts,
but everyone else
will be in the great hall.
Unless there's anything you need.
This is all very new for me,
this world.
Tonight, I will meet my siblings
for the first time, and I am afraid.
I hope I may rely on you
through all that is to come.
On me?
Did you not advise Lord Morpheus?
Yes, when he was in need of me, but
But I am not Lord Morpheus.
It's only that
since he's the reason I came here,
and stayed for as long as I did,
I wondered if it might be time
for me to move on.
I see.
Not right away, and not before
finding you a suitable replacement.
Sorry to interrupt, lord.
The guests are arriving.
I should greet them.
Unless you'd like me to stay.
No. I do not envision
any difficulties in your absence.
Go, with my blessing.
Hey.
Hey.
- Am I here because you--
- Glad you came.
Sorry.
You go.
Where are we?
The palace.
The memorial's upstairs.
So heis dead.
Yeah.
Sorry.
May I just ask, um
who's dead?
Lord Morpheus, the King of Dreams.
No.
This is a dream, isn't it?
This is
It's a nightmare.
Itis a dream.
But where else do you hold
the funeral for the King of Dreams?
And all these people?
Dreamers and guests.
Celebrants and mourners.
But he can't be dead. He's my
friend.
Are you Hob Gadling?
Are you Lucienne?
He told me about you.
He told me about you too.
Is he really gone?
If he is gone, then who's that?
That is Dream of the Endless.
But he's not
my Dream.
No.
He's not.
Hiding from me?
I didn't come here for you.
No, I know that.
But you knew I'd be here.
A friend of mine has died.
Was he a friend of yours?
I suppose it's easier to admit
you liked somebody after they're gone.
You loved him. Didn't you?
You know, he was different this time,
when he created me.
So I'm different.
But now that he's gone,
I'm on my own.
We're all on our own.
Maybe so.
But I didn't feel alone
when he was here,
or when I was with you.
They're just feelings.
Feelings change.
Rose Walker.
I remember you.
Oh my God.
Is there something wrong?
It's all right.
He's not the Corinthian you met.
He's the new Corinthian.
He's very friendly.
I'm sorry about what happened.
I don't remember all of it, but
we did have some good times, didn't we?
I'll take her to the great hall.
The ceremony will begin shortly,
if you'll follow me.
Thank you.
Johanna Constantine.
Hello, Hettie.
How are you?
Well, to be honest,
I didn't know
whether or not I should come.
Why not?
Morpheus loved you.
As much as he loved anyone.
Well, I don't know about that
in the end.
Poor little bugger.
You here with anyone?
No.
Let's go inside. Grab a seat.
Who the hell are you supposed to be?
I am Dream of the Endless.
No shit.
How did that happen?
I'm not entirely sure.
I was hoping you could tell me.
Just a quick word to let you know.
The contingent from Faerie has arrived.
Will Titania make you go back?
Unless, with Lord Morpheus gone,
you were planning to go back.
No, why would I do that?
Will it be different here
with the new Dream?
It can't help but be.
But you'll be here.
Sister.
You look much as I expected you to.
I am glad you're not dead, though.
Hello, Lucienne. My condolences.
Thank you, Lord Cluracan.
I'll leave you to catch up.
- Lucienne.
- Let her go. Tell me everything.
How is the new Dream?
Is he attractive?
He is a child in an adult's body.
The same could very well be said of me.
Which one is he?
He is not allowed to join us
until after the ceremony.
Lucky him.
Funerals can be such somber affairs.
- Because someone's died?
- Yes, I suppose that is the reason.
Has Titania said anything
about my coming back to Faerie?
Not a word.
I suspect she knows
you have no love for Faerie.
Or for her.
Congratulations, sister.
You've finally got your wish.
Your home is in the Dreaming now.
Even without Lord Morpheus.
Do you think
they're serving wine somewhere?
Where is Taramis?
Excuse me, my lady.
What are you two looking at?
At you. We thought you were dead.
I was. He brought me back.
- Who?
- His Honor.
You mean Daniel?
Well, he's not Daniel anymore, is he?
Is he bringing everyone back?
You'd have to ask him that.
What exactly are you doing?
I'm healing you.
Giving you back your life.
Why?
Why?
I am dead.
I was killed in what, for me, at least,
were very unpleasant circumstances.
I amdead.
So unless you have a very good reason
for bringing me back
You are Fiddler's Green.
You are, and always have been,
an integral part of the Dreaming.
No, that's not true.
I started out as an idea
of your predecessor's,
which, over time,
took root in people's imaginations,
as will whatever ideas
you have from now on.
But that's just it.
I have no ideas.
I have no idea how I got here,
or what I'm meant to be doing.
All I have are my
predecessor's memories, and
you were always very helpful to him.
I was always very opinionated.
I'm not sure I was ever very helpful.
Will you help me?
I can't even help myself anymore.
I amdead.
Yes.
But you need not be.
I understand perfectly
what you're offering.
But why stop with me?
Hmm? Why not Morpheus too?
Do you think I could?
Do you think he would come back?
My dear boy, do you not see?
If you bring us back,
then our deaths,
our lives, will have no meaning.
I confess I do not understand.
Lord Morpheus died for love,
for his son, for his kingdom,
so thatyou could be
the kind of Dream he couldn't be.
And if you bring him back,
then his sacrifice, his story,
will mean nothing.
I see.
That is, I think I see.
You will in time.
Very well.
Thank you, Gilbert.
I'm sorry to have disturbed you.
There you are, you see?
Lord Morpheus would never
have apologized.
You are already a new Dream.
Is that it? Is that everyone?
- Nearly.
- Who else are we waitin' for?
The family.
Hello, everybody.
It's me.
Just me.
Not anyone else.
Uh, and me.
And Barnabas.
Hello to you both.
I thought Destruction would be here.
I thought he'd come.
It appears not.
He might still.
I wouldn't, if I were Destruction.
I'm actually a little surprised
thatyou're here.
And why is that?
You once swore to make Dream
spill family blood. Remember?
- I do.
- It was not of your doing.
True.
But it was what I wanted.
And are you happy now?
You'd think so.
But
no.
Hello, Matthew.
I thought you only wore black,
like the boss.
Not today.
I've met you and Delirium,
and you must be Let's see.
Destiny, Desire, Despair,
and Dog?
The name is Barnabas.
He's with me.
Or rather, I'm with him.
Oh, good. You're all here.
Well, not all of us.
No. I'm sorry. And my condolences.
Lucienne, you and our brother
were close.
Will you speak at the memorial?
It would be an honor. Thank you.
And you, Matthew, will you speak?
I already said everything I had to say.
And I said it tohim.
It's not for you, though, Matthew.
Or for him.
It's for us.
What do you mean?
He was our brother,
but I can't say
that I knew him very well.
It would be good to hear
from the people that did.
And the birds.
Will you at least come to the memorial?
I'll go, but
you'll have to speak for both of us.
You have the cerement?
I do.
Then lay it in its appointed place.
May I help you find a seat?
It's okay. She's with me.
Is Daniel here?
He is not attending the ceremony,
but he is in the palace, yes.
This way, sweetie.
I am the oldest.
It falls to me to begin.
My brother
performed his tasks
to the best of his ability.
Fulfilled his obligations
as well as he was able.
And he is no longer with us.
We are gathered here to
remember him,
to pay our respects,
and then, ultimately
to forget him.
You have a visitor, my lord.
Thank you, Wyvern.
Good day to you, sir.
I believe the service
has already begun.
Oh, I won't be going, lad.
I'm merely passing through your
realm on my way to everywhere else.
Do you mind
if I get out of this rain for a bit?
No. Please, come in.
But, Lord
He means no harm, Wyvern.
He may enter.
- Well, would you look at this place.
- Hm. I know.
Have you never been?
I've never been invited before.
Do you know me?
I believe so.
You are my brother.
More or less.
Come on.
Let's see the rest of it.
My late brother and I
had we not been siblings
would probably have
never known each other.
And both of our lives
would have been better off for it.
Instead
we were family.
And this was, to say the least,
unfortunate.
To Dream
I was forever the younger sibling,
trying to get his attention.
And to me,
he was arrogant
and judgmental.
And impossible.
And he was all of those things.
But then
so am I.
So are all of you.
But we are here.
And he is gone.
He never had the sense
to come in out of the rain.
And I will
I will miss infuriating him
very much.
That's all I have to say.
I wasn't gonna come.
And then I thought, "Sod it."
"Stop by and give you a little advice."
You've never been inclined
to listen to my advice in the past,
but things change, don't they?
They have for me.
Quite suddenly.
Has anyone told you
what you're in for?
I had a brief visit
from Lord Morpheus.
Just before he left us.
And what did he tell you?
That I was the only human child
ever conceived in the Dreaming.
And that one day it would be mine.
But that day came too soon.
For both of us.
I never asked for any of this.
No.
But none of us does, do we?
When we're born.
We have to figure it out
as we go along.
He did give me this, though.
His power.
His memory.
No, that's
that's just a tool.
To help you focus.
You have everything you'll ever need
in here.
It doesn't feel that way.
I know that feeling.
A long time ago, our elder sister
and I were looking up at the stars.
I told her how small
and insignificant I felt.
How I wished I knew more.
And she said,
"Everyone can know
everything Destiny knows and more."
She said, "Not only
can we know everything,
we do."
"We just tell ourselves we don't to
make it bearable."
Did you ever tell
Lord Morpheus that story?
We stopped talking when I left.
So will you miss him?
I have.
For centuries.
Dream is the second brother
I have lost.
And it hurts.
He was a creature of hope.
For dreams are hopes.
And echoes of hopes.
And I am a creature of despair.
I think of the first Despair sometimes.
The one before me.
Must be over 100,000 years
since anyone thought of her but me.
An eye blink
and she's forgotten.
And you will forget.
Death,
or life,
will take him from your minds.
I know.
ButI will remember him.
That was nice.
Your turn now.
Oh, I'm all right.
My sister, at this point
in the ceremony, you talk.
Oh. What do I say?
Can I have a look?
But I don't have anything to say.
Since when?
Go on. It doesn't have to be very long.
I'll be here.
Okay.
He was my big brother.
He really was.
I was always a bit scared of him.
Though, I don't think
in the end, he was scary.
Although maybe he was.
But I think he liked it
when peoplethought he was scary,
because it kept them from talking
too much and asking too many questions.
I used to think that was because
he thought the rest of us were stupid.
And now, I think maybe
he didn't like questions because
because he didn't know the answers.
Well, he did.
And he didn't want to know them.
I think he was scared all the time.
And
I was too busy
being frightened of him to notice.
And if I'd known we were both scared
we would have had
so much to talk about.
Which of course, he would have hated.
But I'm not scared of him anymore.
I'm a bit sad of him instead.
Well, that's everything.
I don't want to forget him.
I know we're supposed to.
I know all but a few of us will, but
I won't.
I can't.
He was a part of me.
Sorry.
He was a part of all of us.
Sometimes the best part.
Sometimes the nightmare part.
When we're the most ourselves
we ever are.
Asleep and dreaming.
I've heard it said
that one must change or die.
But he did change.
I watched him change.
So did all of you.
But in the end,
perhaps there were limits
to how much
he could allow himself to change.
His death will change all of us now.
Brother.
You never told me what I'm in for.
Quite a bit.
But I find it helps to remember that
there's no such thing
as a one-sided coin.
Our sister defines life.
Despair defines hope.
Desire defines hatred.
Destiny defines freedom.
And what do I define?
Reality, perhaps.
If this ever gets to be too much,
you can leave all this.
It'll carry on without you.
And go where?
Come out and walk the stars with me.
It's astonishing what trouble
one can get into if one works at it.
And it's astonishing what trouble
one can get oneself out of
if one simply assumes everything will,
somehow or another,
work out for the best.
If that is true,
then I have no wish
to leave at present.
I thank you for your counsel, brother.
You'll meet the others soon enough.
It won't be as bad as you fear.
Shall I tell them that I saw you?
Best not to. Black sheep and all that.
Very well.
You'll make me proud of you yet.
Will I meet you again?
I wouldn't be at all surprised.
My brother was devoted to,
some would say obsessed by,
his responsibilities.
But privately,
when it was just me and him,
he admitted that he longed
for a purpose beyond his function.
He would say that although
he's the Prince of Stories,
he had no story of his own.
Which is rubbish, of course.
His story is over now.
But all stories come to an end.
If only so a new one can begin.
So, if you miss my brother
if you don't want to forget him
tell his story.
Let it inspire yours.
Everyone loves a good story.
I know my brother did.
Mind if I join you?
Hello, Hob.
I'm here to talk.
I figured I owed that to you.
Or to him, maybe.
You want to find out if that's it?
If I'm ready to call it a day?
That's up to you.
Suppose I do chuck it all in.
What happens then?
You'll find out.
If you're ready.
It's been 650 years.
I've seen it all.
Done it all. Heard it all. Felt it all.
Then suddenly, I'm chatting with Death
at the funeral of the King of Dreams.
You never know what's coming next.
So, no.
I appreciate the offer, but
I'm not ready to die.
Not today.
Maybe not ever. Is that okay?
That's the deal
you made with my brother.
Yeah, and the bet you made with him.
He told me last time I saw him.
Shame he's not here to see I won.
What are you still doing here?
Looking for you.
I don't like the idea
of you being alone here.
Without Morpheus.
Can't have you going the way
of the first Corinthian, can we?
How would this work, then?
We'd only see each other in dreams?
Well, why? Are you seeing
someone else while you're awake?
I don't know. Maybe.
You don't mind that I'm a nightmare?
Every man I've ever dated
was a nightmare.
And most of the women.
So, what happens now?
Some of us present ourselves
to Dream of the Endless.
The rest go back to the waking world.
That kid
isnot Dream of the Endless.
He is, though, Matthew.
I don't mind him.
I've got nothing against him.
He's just not the boss.
No.
So, are you staying or going?
You would actually leave here?
My place was with him.
I know that, but
but if you do go,
can I come too?
- Of course.
- What about me?
Absolutely.
Let's all stick together.
Right, Mervyn?
I kinda like the guy.
Rose?
Is everything all right?
I can't find Lyta.
Have you seen her?
Good evening, Hippolyta Hall.
Daniel?
No.
What was mortal of Daniel
was burned away.
What was immortal was transfigured.
When you drove
the Dream King to his death.
I thought he had killed you.
So you sought vengeance.
Are you gonna kill me now?
I am permitted to take life
only to protect the Dreaming.
But I may punish as I desire.
I only did it for you.
And you lost your son forever.
I didn't lose my son.
He was taken from me.
My husband was taken from me.
My life was taken from me.
Why?
What did I do?
Nothing.
It was nothing you did.
Just as it was nothing I did.
But sometimes, life
and death affect us
in ways that have nothing
to do with the choices we've made.
That is how stories are born.
To explain that which cannot be.
We blame ourselves in these stories.
Or more often, we blame others.
We seek vengeance.
But vengeance is
a road that has no ending.
You have nothing to fear.
You have suffered enough.
And for no reason.
For that, I beg your forgiveness.
I just want my son back.
You have him.
I am here for you whenever you need me.
And I will need you too.
No one shall harm you henceforth.
Go in peace.
Live your life.
And you will see me in your dreams.
That was good of you.
How was the ceremony?
I wish you'd been there.
It is just as well I wasn't.
I see no need to remember myself.
I mean, I am me, after all.
I know you are.
But are you also him?
I have existed
since the beginning of time.
And I am a newborn.
I contain
the entire collective unconscious.
And I have no idea what I'm doing.
You are the first of the Endless
who is also human.
And it's that part,
the Daniel part of you,
that will make all the difference.
And you won't be doing it alone,
if you're still in need of a librarian.
I am in need of a Prime Minister.
Thank you.
I'll let you know when the family
are ready to receive you.
Before I go, may I introduce--
Hello, Hob Gadling.
You know me?
We've never met, but yes.
I know you.
You introduced my predecessor
to William Shakespeare.
No, no. I introduced him
to a naff actor called Will Shaxberd.
It was Dream
who turned him into Shakespeare.
But he never told me why.
Why would the King of Dreams
commission two plays from a mortal?
Shakespeare asked him
the same question.
"Now I want
spirits to enforce,
art to enchant,
and my ending is despair."
"Unless I be relieved by prayer,
which pierces
so that it assaults mercy itself."
Is it finished?
It is.
Then we are quits, Will Shakespeare.
It remains only for me to thank you
and wish you well in your life to come.
Sir, I think I have deserved
a little more than that.
For a goodly part of my life,
I have been in your service.
No master would free his apprentice
without so much as a glass of wine
in the master's parlor.
Sir, is this your will?
Sir, it is.
I see.
Then we shall take a glass of wine
in my house.
Sir,
do I dream?
Indeed.
For this, I thank you, but
whythis play?
Why did you not want a tragedy,
a tale of a noble hero
with a tragic flaw?
I wanted a tale of graceful ends.
A play about a duke
who drowns his books,
breaks his staff,
and leaves his home.
About a magician who becomes a man.
About a man
who turns his back on magic.
But why?
Because, unlike your Prospero,
I will never leave my island.
You live on an island?
Iam an island.
Well, that can change.
All men can change.
I am not a man
and I do not change.
Shows how much he knew.
Hedid change.
He just had to leave his island
to do it.
My lord.
It is time to meet the family.
Oh, don't worry. You'll be fine.
Have you met them?
Well, your older sister's
been pretty good to me.
She is going to love you.
And I tell you what,
in 100 years, if you feel like
telling me about it over a drink,
I have a feeling I'll still be around.
They await you
in your private dining room.
I've spoken to Taramis about food.
Although I don't expect
anyone will eat anything,
but it will give you something
to do with your hands,
if there are any awkward pauses.
And from what I know of your family,
the awkward pauses
will probably be the good bits.
Or
you might actually
enjoy them this time.
Oh, there he is!
- My, aren't you lovely?
- Welcome to the family, brother.
- It's a lot, isn't it?
- It's good to finally meet you.
Do you like dogs?
We're gonna have so much fun together.
Look at him, Despair.
- Don't laugh at him, Desire.
- It's all gonna be fine.
Please, take your seat. Join us.
Here, sit down next to me.
A thousand thoughts
And considerations
For you
My dear
Although I know we can't be close
It's you that I think of the most
I'd give infinity
To turn "you're there"
Into "here with me"
Every storm runs out of rain
I know in time, there will come a day
We'll be to one another
The world entire once again
Oh
So how can I show you
What you mean?
Right now
All we have
Is memory
It's only made love
More clear to me
So, it's finished?
- Yes.
- What did we make?
What was it in the end?
What it always is.
A handful of yarn,
a little weaving and stitching.
A few loose ends,
but that's only to be expected.
It's always the same story.
Whatever you originally undertake
to spin or knit or weave,
keep it going long enough,
and in the end,
it's always a winding sheet.
It's like I told that young lady.
Hippolyta Hall?
I told her, I said,
"You've made your bed,
and now you must eat it."
Now, I've got a Florentine,
a fortune cookie, and a ship's biscuit.
- Who wants what?
- I'll take a fortune cookie.
I'll have the Florentine.
Well, what is it?
Well, it's not what I'd call
a proper fortune.
Maybe you can make it out.
"Flowers gathered in the morning"
"Afternoon, they blossom on"
"Still are withered by the evening"
"You can be me when I'm gone"
It's not even very good poetry.
It's more of a motto than a fortune.
Well, at least it's not a moral.
Morals are worse than beginnings.
I've got no time for them.
No time at all.
There.
For good or for bad,
it's done.