Chapter 4: A Hope in Hell is the fourth episode of the first season of the Netflix original dark fantasy series, The Sandman.
Synopsis[]
A lead on the whereabouts of his helm compels Morpheus to seek an audience with Lucifer. A confused John receives a helping hand from a good Samaritan.
Plot[]
Dream and Matthew teleported to Hell, where they followed the damned marching towards the entrance.
Upon his exit from the facility, John walked into the street without consideration for the passing cars, narrowly avoiding being hit, though he did fall to the ground and lose his slipper in the process. Fortunately for him, a woman named Rosemary helped him off the ground and offered him a ride to Mayhew.
Dream and Matthew at the gate
Dream and Matthew halted at the entrance, the reason being that a king such as Dream could not enter another monarch's realm uninvited. There were rules and protocols to be followed, and so, Dream approached the gate and beat the drum, garnering the attention of the demon Squatterbloat, who Dream informed that he sought an audience with his sovereign. Squatterbloat was initially reluctant to grant Dream access until he threatened to haunt the demon in his dreams and waking hours.
On the road to Mayhew, John explained to Rosemary how his mother's work forced them to move around quite a bit and that she just passed. Rosemary extended her condolences, to which John retorted that she wasn't a good person, a sentiment that Rosemary was too familiar with. John revealed that his mother was a successful thief, from art, to jewelry, to other people's identities, though Rosemary assured John that his mother did her best, leading John to suspect that Rosemary was a mother as well. She admittedly had two girls of her own: Samantha and Sarah, leading John to question if she ever lied to her children. Rosemary claimed their dad was the liar in the family. They were married ten years before she found out he had another wife, with another kid, in another town. She believed that lying was the worst thing you could do to a person. John then spoke about how he stole a ruby from his mother, for which she had him arrested and thrown in prison, though he was also arrested for arson and murder, which startled Rosemary.
Dream and Nada
Squatterbloat led Dream down a path of dust and bones, a landscape subject to the whims of Lucifer Morningstar, the ruler of Hell. Dream and Lucifer had known each other for a long time; when they first met, Lucifer was the angel Samael, the most beautiful, wisest, and powerful of all angels. Saving only the Creator, Lucifer was the most powerful being there was. For a brief moment, Dream lost sight of Squatterbloat, but when he reappeared, he led them up a different path, during which point Dream crossed paths with an old love named Nada. She referred to him as Kai'ckul and asked if he could free him, as only his forgiveness could do so. 10,000 years had passed, and while he still loved her, he could not forgive Nada for her betrayal.
Admittedly, John had done some things in the past that were morally ambiguous, but they taught him about human nature and the secret of true understanding and compassion. The secret to having compassion for people was knowing that they were fundamentally selfish. As John continued, Rosemary attempted to call 911, but after nearly steering into oncoming traffic, she realized she needed a new plan. John continued to explain how people lied because they were selfish. Rosemary added that they also lie because they were scared and would do anything to protect themselves from getting hurt.
Dream requested Lucifer's help
On the way to the palace, Dream explained to Matthew that Nada was the ruler of a tribe called the First People. The two of them were in love, but she defied Dream, and he had her sent to Hell. The Morningstar was letting Dream know that Hell was prepared for his visit. Dream and Matthew continued up the long path to the palace, where blood came oozing out the door as they opened. Once inside, they were greeted by Lucifer and Mazikeen of Lillim. Lucifer asked if Dream came to ally his realm to her own, but he was very much against the notion. He came to retrieve his helm from one of her demons, though he didn't know the name of the demon, so Lucifer summoned every one of them. Fortunately, interviewing each one independently wasn't required, as Dream was able to use his sand to bring the demon in possession of his him directly to him. With the helm in hand, Dream demanded his helm back from the demon Choronzon, a Duke of hell. If Dream wanted his helm back, he'd have to fight for it, and so Dream challenged Choronzon. However, if he lost, he would have to serve as Choronzon's slave in hell for eternity. Dream chose to represent himself in the battle, whilst Choronzon chose Lucifer.
Rosemary stopped at the gas station, claiming to get gas while in actuality planning to call the cops, though that plan was halted when John decided to join her inside. In a last ditch effort, Rosemary approached the clerk at the register and instructed him to call the police. Realizing that Rosemary had turned against him, John grabbed her arm and attempted to leave with Rosemary until the employee pulled out his gun. With the Amulet of Protection, John advised the man not to shoot him, but as he walked closer, he left the clerk no choice but to shoot, ultimately taking his own life. With the clerk dead, John and Rosemary returned to the car, where she asked if he was going to hurt her, to which he replied that he had no reason to hurt her so long as she took him to his ruby.
As they prepared for the formal challenge between Dream and Lucifer, Morpheus instructed Matthew to return to the Dreaming. The only reason he allowed him to come was so that he could report back to Lucienne should Dream be stuck in Hell. However, Matthew refused to leave him behind.
Dream is hope
As the challenged, Lucifer set the meter and took the first move in this battle of whit and mind, with her being a dire wolf. However, Dream attacked as a hunter armed with a bow. Lucifer retaliated as a poisonous snake, weakening Dream, who countered as snake devouring bird of prey. Lucifer then exclaimed that she was a butcher bacterium, warm life destroying, bringing Dream to his knees. Dream responded, now a life-nurturing world, which Lucifer destroyed with a planet decimating nova. Dream then presented himself as the universe, all things encompassing and life embracing, though he was left in the darkness when Lucifer became anti-life. Dream's cold and weak body laid helplessly on the floor as he failed to counter Lucifer's attack until getting some words of encouragement from Matthew. From him, Dream remarked that he was hope, the one thing that could defeat and conquer anti-life. Lucifer conceded and ordered Choronzon to hand over the helm. When he refused, Mazikeen took the helm herself and tossed Choronzon off the balcony before returning it to Dream, who extended his gratitude to Lucifer for her honorableness, but Lucifer questioned why she should even allow Dream to leave, as he had no power in Hell. While that may have been true, dreams did have power in Hell, as Hell itself would have no power if those imprisoned were not able to dream of heaven. Realizing the truth in his words, Lucifer allowed Dream to leave, but not before warning him that one day, she would see him destroyed.
Dream with his helm
Matthew feared that Lucifer would come after Dream given the public humiliation she just faced, but he was more concerned with his ruby at the moment, putting the helm on for the first time in over 100 years and learning the location of the ruby. Dream and Matthew tracked it to a storage facility in Mayhew, but immediately after discovering that his ruby had been altered, Dream and Matthew were blasted with great force and left unconscious.
Meanwhile, John arrived just outside the storage facility moments after the blast. He thanked Rosemary for the ride and went inside, where he retrieved the ruby off the ground. He then exited the shipping container and to his surprise, Rosemary was still waiting. He asked why she hadn't left yet, to which she asked if he needed a ride somewhere. Rosemary was a good person, but since good people rarely survived in their world, he gifted her the Amulet of Protection, explaining that no one would ever be able to hurt her again.
Back inside the shipping container, Matthew attempted to wake up Dream.
Cast[]
Starring[]
Guest Starring[]
- Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer Morningstar
- Sarah Niles as Rosemary
- Cassie Clare as Mazikeen
- Martyn Ford as Squatterbloat
- Munya Chawawa as Choronzon
- Deborah Oyelade as Nada
- Ernest Kingsley Jnr as Morpheus / Kai'ckul
- Sam Strike as Todd
- David Thewlis as John Dee
Trivia[]
- "A Hope in Hell" is the name of the fourth issue of The Sandman comic series.
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
References[]