Death (The Sandman)
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Death |
| Occupation: | not-so-grim reaper |
| Relationships: | Time (father), Night (mother), the six other Endless (siblings) |
| Fandom: | The Sandman |
| Other: | |
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Death of the Endless is a character in The Sandman who first appears in #8 The Sound of Her Wings, and is the second oldest of the Endless siblings, between Destiny and Dream. She is portrayed by Kirby Howell-Baptiste in the 2022 Netflix adaptation.
Canon
Death is depicted as a young woman dressed in black clothes appropriate to the time period, with a signature ankh necklace or brooch. Her modern appearance in the comics was based on a friend of the artist.[1] In modern times, her demeanor is easygoing and whimsical, and warm and friendly toward humans, though she was once much more solemn and jaded about her duties. She has a close relationship with Dream.
She arrives to talk with Dream about his despondency following his escape from imprisonment and recovery of his tools, telling him off with exasperated affection for moping, and inviting him to join her on some of her "appointments" with mortals that day. During their conversation, she explains her perspective on their nature and duties as the Endless -
You are utterly the stupidest, most self-centered, appallingest excuse for an anthropomorphic personification on this or any other plane!
In Fandom
Death is the subject of a great deal of fanart and cosplay, and she features prominently in many fics due to her relationship with Dream and her role in Hob Gadling's story.
While she is a popular character, she is not often written as a protagonist, and even less often as a member of a ship. When she is part of a ship in fic, she is most often paired with Dream.
Common Tropes
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