"Once upon a time, there was a place that wasn't a place. It had many names: Avernus, Gehenna, Tartarus, Hades, Abaddon, Sheol....It was not considered a pleasant place by the majority of its inhabitants; however being dead, and being there (as they imagined) against their will, their opinions counted for little. " ― The Sandman #22
Hell is the abode of the damned, and the demons. The demons who take up residence in Hell play a part in the rehabilitation of the damned. For eons it was ruled by the Lucifer Morningstar, until ownership passed onto Heaven, with Duma and Remiel acting as Heaven's regents in the Underworld.[1] Hell has been called by many names throughout history, such as The Pit, Hades, and The Bad Place.
Description[]
Hell is a separate dimension underground, it is separated by 9 circles, each one symbolizes a sin and the deeper it is, the more serious the sin committed was, in each circle hundreds of demons live, the lower the circle, the stronger the demons that inhabit it.
Lucifer has said that Hell is vast and even he couldn't say for certain how vast it is. Stating it to be a meaningless question -- like asking how big the Silver City is or how many are the Fields of Paradise. Hell is Heaven's shadow, or perhaps more precisely, Heaven's dark reflection -- like a landscape hanging inverted in the waters of a lake.[2]
History[]
In A Hope in Hell, Dream ventured into Hell to retrieve his helm after it was stolen.
Hell was ruled solely by Lucifer, who used his talent for intrigues to remain in power. However, some years before Dream escaped from captivity, a shadow creature named Dark challenged Heaven, which resulted in a stalemate and tipped the balance of power in Hell. When first seen in Sandman, a Triumvirate of Lucifer, Azazel, and Beelzebub ruled the realm.[3]
During the events of the Sandman, Lucifer grew tired of ruling over Hell and retired, emptying the realm and passing the key for the gates on to Dream, who then was met with numerous contenders for the possession of the Key to Hell.
Dream chose to give the key to Duma and Remiel.
Netflix adaptation[]
Dream and Matthew traveled to Hell in search of his stolen helm. After a brief reunion with Nada, who Dream still could not bring himself to forgive after 10,000 years, he found his helm in the possession of a demon named Choronzon, who challenged Morpheus to a battle and selected Lucifer as his warrior. Dream chose to represent himself and defeated Lucifer to regain possession of his helm.[4] Later Lucifer is visited by Azazel, who informed her that they had assembled against Dream, and began planning their revenge on him.[5]
The Night Nurse confirmed that Hell has a great many layers with Lucifer's kingdom being at the very bottom. Among the upper levels are Limbo, Lust and Gluttony.[6]
Quotes[]
Season 1[]
- Dream: It has many names: Avernus, Tartarus, Hades, the infernal region you call Hell.
- Matthew the Raven: So, Hell does exist?
- Dream: It does. For some.
- Matthew the Raven: Does that mean it doesn't exist if you don't believe in it?
- Dream: Did you believe in it, when you were a man?
- Matthew the Raven: Yeah. I just didn't expect Hell to be cold.
- Azazel: Since none of us may leave Hell, we may as well expand its borders until Hell is all there is.
Season 2[]
- Lucifer Morningstar: That is what Hell is. A place for dead mortals to torture themselves. And like all masochists, they give the orders. "Burn me, freeze me, eat me, hurt me," and what do I get out of it?
Known locations[]
- The Circles of Hell
- The Seventh Circle
- The Burning Plain
- River Phlegethon
- The Suicide Forest/Wood of Suicides
- The Eight Circle/Malebolge
- The Ninth Circle
- River Cocytus
- The Seventh Circle
Inhabitants and Visitors[]
Comics[]
- Lucifer Morningstar
- Dream
- Duma (co-regent)
- Remiel (co-regent)
- Nada (formerly)
- Etrigan
- Choronzon
- Azazel
- Beelzebub
- Belial
- Squatterbloat
- Mazikeen
- Lilith
- Merkin
- The Shikome
- The Rhymer
- Mistress/"Hana"
- Lord Arux
- Lady Lys
- Briadach
- Agares
- Andras
- Astaroth
- Botis
- Foras
- Gaap
- Malphas
- Marchosias
- Morax
- Murmur
- Orias
- Sabnock
- Stolas
- Zepar
Series[]
- Lucifer Morningstar
- Mazikeen
- Agilieth
- Azazel
- Choronzon
- Squatterbloat
- Sa'al
- David
- Misery Wraiths
Trivia[]
- According to Dream in Sandman 23, the land of Hell is mutable if one has authority, and even Dream has a certain authority there.
- In Sandman 23, Lucifer claimed to have been the first entity to reside in Hell, having spent 10 billion years in it.
- According to Death in Sandman 24, Hell is the most desirable plot of psychic real estate in the whole order of created things.
- According to Remiel in Sandman 27, the Creator described Hell as Heaven's reflection and dark shadow, they define each other. Reward and punishment; hope and despair.
- According to Dream in Sandman 27, Hell was created by the Creator.
Gallery[]
