| “ | People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes. | „ |
| ~ Dream |
Dream, also known as the Sandman or Morpheus, is one of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality (which, in turn, Dream may define by his existence).
Overview[]
When the first living thing in the universe dreamt, he was born, and as long as something in the universe dreams, he will continue to exist. Known as the Prince of Stories, Dream is sole creator of all stories that have been told, written, will be written or told, and even ones that are completely unknown, be it fantasy or reality. Dream is the true muse behind the minds of many famous authors and artists across the world and also revealed to be the "Reaper of the Gods" in where a god that is slowly dying due to the lack of faith from its subjects will pass on over to the Dreaming, Morpheus's realm.
It is also revealed that Dream took Abel, the first murder victim, away from his sister Death, and offered him a place in the Dreaming. He made Abel a storyteller and offered him his own palace to live in. Though despite taking Abel away from his sister, Death offered a countermeasure where they would share the claim over Abel. As such, Abel would be allowed to traverse to and fro from the Dreaming to the Garden of Eden. These sort of negotiations do not normally occur between the siblings but given how close Dream and Death it is more probable than one often thinks.
Appearance[]
Dream usually appears as a tall, thin man with bone-white skin, black hair, and two stars in place of eyes. Most often they are silver, blue, or white, but when he becomes angered, they have been shown to turn red.
Dream's appearance ranges widely: People generally perceive him in a style of dress appropriate to their region and era. He appears as a huge black cat when speaking to the lonely cat-pilgrim and as a cat-headed god when addressing the Egyptian goddess Bast. He appears in the same form to all the Gods (Bast comments: "I much prefer you in cat form, Dream old friend"). And at one point in ancient Japan, Dream appears as a Japanese man to a Buddhist monk and as a fox to a fox spirit.
He customarily wears a billowing black cape, sometimes with a flame motif. In battle he wears a helm made from the skull and backbone of a defeated enemy. This helm, which resembles a World War II-era gas mask, is also his sigil in the galleries of the other Endless, as well as appearing in the dreams.
Personality[]
Though ultimately a heroic character, Dream has many flaws. He has trouble catching sarcasm and jests, causing him to often appear cold and humorless. Dream can be insensitive, self-obsessed, and slow to forgive or forget what he perceives as slights. He has a long history of broken romances, and is shown, both directly and by implication, to be prone to harsh reactions when his relationships fail.
As Mervyn Pumpkinhead remarks after the end of one of Morpheus' romances, "He's gotta be the tragic figure standing out in the rain, mournin' the loss of his beloved. So down comes the rain, right on cue. In the meantime everybody gets dreams fulla existential angst and wakes up feeling like hell. And we all get wet."
It is implied that before his imprisonment he was in some ways colder and more blind to his flaws, and much of his journey is focused on Morpheus' desire to atone for his past behavior such as helping past lovers Calliope and Nada. Morpheus has great pride that does not tolerate damage or embarrassment, examples include banishing Nada to Hell for rejecting him, and being angry (originally) at the notion presented by Hob Gadling that he is lonely and needs friends.
