The Corinthian
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | The Corinthian |
| Occupation: | Nightmare |
| Relationships: | Dream of the Endless (creator), Matthew the Raven (comics; coworker) |
| Fandom: | The Sandman |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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The Corinthian is a nightmare, one of the Major Arcana of the Dreaming, and a creation of Dream of the Endless. In the 2022 Netflix adaptation, he is portrayed by Boyd Holbrook.
In the Comics
"You were my masterpiece, or so I thought. A nightmare created to be the darkness and the fear of darkness in every human heart. A black mirror, made to reflect everything about itself that humanity will not confront."Dream of the Endless, reflecting on The Corinthian in The Sandman #14 (1990)
The Corinthian was one of Dream of the Endless' most polished nightmares, created during Dream's incarnation as Morpheus. Though near-human in appearance, the Corinthian's most nightmarish aspect are the sets of teeth that he has in place of eyes, which he frequently conceals behind dark glasses. The Corinthian uses these teeth to consume the eyes of others, granting him portions of his victims' memories.
The Corinthian left the Dreaming during Morpheus' imprisonment at the outset of The Sandman, choosing to stalk humans in the waking world rather than just in nightmares. He embarked on a serial killing career that would last decades, earning something of a fan following from other serial killers.[1] Once the Corinthian became aware that Dream had escaped his imprisonment, he began to craft a plan to continue his current existence outside Dream's control. This plot failed, and Morpheus unmade him, leaving only the Corinthian's skull.
Morpheus would later remake the Corinthian, hoping to bring this second iteration closer to his initial vision of the nightmare.[2] This Corinthian would be dispatched to protect the infant Daniel Hall, who would soon become the new incarnation of Dream of the Endless.
The Corinthian would continue to serve Dream and the Dreaming, though he retained his affinity for the waking world. After becoming aware of a nightmare that Dream had not created, one that also had mouths for eyes, the Corinthian gained permission to hunt it down.[3]
The Sandman (TV)
A striking line from the TV show:
Corinthian: I've done my best to be what you made me.
Morpheus: No, you've done your worst, which was in so many ways what I had hoped. You were my masterpiece. A dark mirror made to reflect everything humanity will not confront.Neil Gaiman. "S1e10 Lost Hearts transcript".
In Fandom
Building on the Corinthian's canonical queerness, Dream/Corinthian is a popular ship.
Fan Meta
"Why the Corinthian is like that" by roach-works