#despair sandman

[favorite-characters]

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕞𝕒𝕟

Donna Preston as 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬

[colorfulstudentmuffinmaker]

A Philosophical Musing on Delirium of the Endless

The following is my reply to this post, where OP asked what Delirium is as a fundamental force.

That sounds out-of-there, the Endless seem quite direct with their names, but that is why it's a very good thought experiment, because the author intended for them to represent more. I had a spiral of logic answering that question, and I had fun piecing it out and I may have an answer. There's a TL;DR at the bottom of the read more.

(Also, check the comments of the post out as well~ lots of interesting and profound takes)

Here are some statements from the lore of the Endless that are relevant to my line of thought.

1. The Endless are embodiments of fundamental principles. By an accepted nature of things, the Endless define their contrast as well. I would hesitate calling it the "opposite" though. But essentially, as Delirium and Destruction put it, the Endless are coins. They have two sides. Destiny and Freedom, Death and Life, Dream and Reality, Destruction and Creation, Desire and Hatred, and Despair and Hope, but Delirium has no mentioned contrast.

2. The Endless have a progression. "As this universe came into being, Destiny came with it, alone in the darkness. Before the first living thing came into existence, Death was there, waiting. And when the first living thing awoke to life, [Dream] was also there." - Destruction and Dream.

3. Destruction says Death says we know all the things Destiny does and more, we just pretend we don't to make it all bearable. Though Dream and Destruction don't understand the sense of it, fittingly, Delirium does. Saying she's kind of right, and that pretending is all that makes it okay sometimes.

4. Delirium was once Delight, but changed due to unknown reasons. Still, she keeps the "Del" prefix.

5. Destruction implies that Delirium will once again change, and he trusts it will be prove easier on her when the time comes.

Now, on to my conclusions, which I am very aware are most likely just my takes and projections, rather than the original intent behind what the Endless actually are. (+ some inspiration from reading somewhere that Delirium is a response to existentialism/absurdism)

1. The Endless are allegories for many things, that includes the antitheses/contrast they define. The implications of their names are also part of their purview.

Destiny is all that exists and can exist (He has his book of all past, present, and future. And all the paths in his garden are causality and possibility, which we are free to choose which one we'll take)

Death is all that is absolute: beginnings and endings, birth and death. "The one who trumps and defines all existence," and all that, as is stated by Madame Xanadu.

Dream is all that can be conceived, regardless of shared or individual reality. That is why he defines both imagination and reality.

Destruction is all change and endurance itself. The transition between being and non-being, creation and destruction. It's why he was there when Delight changed into Delirium.

Desire is all drive. They said in Overture they are the what keep bacteria and galaxies together, the drive to exist. That's all the attractive forces and maybe even repulsive ones. So long as it moves, so long as it exists. What is hatred if not negative drive, after all.

Despair is all decay and stasis. She is there when things fall apart, as seen when Dream kills Orpheus. She's the one who is there when you get what you want and now you feel empty. That's why she mutilates herself, to live her concept out. And hope is both the antidote and source of despair, because you expected, and weren't met, and despaired because of it, and will try once again.

What then is Delirium?

2. Phrasing their progression as to how I defined them, then it goes "Things can exist, then they begin (and eventually end), then they become conceivable, then they change, then they come together or fall apart." That's the cosmic way of the Endless. To ask once more, where is Delirium here?

Well let's zone out a bit more.

3. What is the significance that Death is the one who says we pretend to not know it all?

It's because she, the embodiment of absolutes, knows she won't mean anything unless you zoom in on certain points that have come before. That's why we find her so good at her job, she helps the end feel meaningful even if it feels like it is not. She helps us remember what we lived for. But though she may make it feel meaningful, I don't think that's her function.

The one who makes it all meaningful and comprehensible is the one who defines it as such. The one who agrees with pretending to not know is all that makes it bearable sometimes, what makes it all okay: Delirium herself. I think that's what she represents: meaning.

4. I think Delight only came to existence once something truly meant something to someone. That's what makes them delighted, happy. That's what the dancing men from all over used to be grateful for. Not just delight (which is possibly why she answered Dream with "mmm, something like that" in the earlier panel), but meaning.

After things come together or fall apart, things start to mean something. I think that's her fundamental principle, to make things comprehensible, depth and form, to have meaning. Not just conceived, but... Resonated with, defined, given value to and purpose.

She is the acceptable nature of things that I mentioned that things define their contrast, that is also why she keeps mentioning to Destiny there are two sides of a coin. Because that is meaning: what something is by what it is not.

But purpose is a dangerous spiral. Because you eventually ask what is the purpose of purpose itself, of bearability? Of it all? Why must anything be defined? Ultimately, I think she found out, and it lay on the paths outside Destiny's garden and it was not of Destiny's book. Which, by Sandman canon and my definition, doesn't exist. How can the force of meaning interact with something that doesn't exist?

But sadly, to be the embodiment of definition is to understand what is undefinable. That's how and why she came to she know things that Destiny both knows and doesn't.

My theory is that's what "broke" Delight into Delirium. That's why she's so... Random now, even if profound. What once was Meaning (comprehensibility) became its antithesis, Meaninglessness (Delirium).

(Aside: I guess that's why she's occasionally in the realm of her mother, Night.)

5. I think Delight/Delirium's next/final change is when Meaning (thesis) and Meaninglessness (antithesis) reach a synthesis, Paradox. The acceptance that... To exist as honestly as you are (someone who knows all things) is to pretend a little to not be who you are (someone who only knows only a few things).

People often call that Delusion. Which fits, people often call Meaning one (which I say misses the point). Imagine not having meaning to something, to realize all that will be will eventually be lost. Most people will say that sounds absolutely terrifying, and the others pretend it's not and finding meaning in that.

(I would say that's pretentiousness, not pretense)

You could say that is what Destruction is doing. He said so himself he is pretending that things are unchanging from Earth. Which sounds delusional because he himself is change.

And I believe that's why he said those last words to Delirium, because he knew that's what her change would lead to. Delight -> Delirium -> Delusion. (Keeps the Del prefix too)

TL;DR: Delirium represents all things that have meaning and comprehensibility, and thus defines what is meaningless and undefinable. She's the reason why you can call a mountain a "mountain" or some random aspect like a "doctor clown".

[crypitick]

DEAD BOY TAROT 5/6

Esther Finch, Angie The Anglerfish, and Despair of The Endless

[verminetroglodyte]

It's probably been said a thousand times before or I might be wildly wrong about it, but I need to say that Dream's complicated relationship with his younger siblings (aside from Destruction) is not only that way because of the ginormous broomstick that is stuck up his arse, but also probably because their realms are to some extent part of his.

Their functions intertwine with his, Desire's realm being the closest to his ("dream" can be synonymous to "hope", which is also synonymous to "desire"), which says a lot about why they can't stand each other.

The three youngest of the Endless can be linked to different types of dreams, with Desire having a part in the creation of wet dreams, Despair can manifest in human's dreams as nightmares, and Delirium has the fever dreams and hallucinations.

[aurlworthfightingfor]

THESE ARE THE SAME WOMAN?????

Like holy fucking shit????? Holy shit.

Despair is Mrs. Sandwich.

I paid almost no attention to her in sandman. Except when (if I remember right) she cut herself and creeped me the fuck out.

But I fucking love Mrs. Sandwich.

I’m so fucking mind blown.

[myfavoritebisexual]

love that they took despair, the literal personification of sorrow, depression, and misery and put her in crocs

[symphonyofsilence]

Was thinking about what would happen if any of the other endless got caught instead of Dream. And this was what I came up with:

Desire: well, Rodrick Burgess wanted immortality. I think it would be really easy for Desire to make him not want immortality and want to let them go. They could make everyone want to free them. But! Desire wouldn't easily let go of that offense. They could even make the guards fall in love with them and do whatever they want and let them out since "to see her (or him), is to fall in love with him (or her),- passionately, painfully, to the exclusion of all else." But They would stay out of spite. Make the worst of dramas. Make people fall in love with people they shouldn't. Make them betray and be betrayed. Make them hate each other. Make them hate themselves. Make someone free them out of spite for someone else. Make them want things that would hurt them. Make them want nothing, and have no purpose in life. Make them want everything and never get anything. Make them never be satisfied.

Unlike Dream who was coldly angry all the time and did not utter a word, Desire would smile like a Cheshire cat and say unnerving things. Tell them their deepest desire that they wouldn't admit. (Like tell Roderick that he wished Alex had died instead of Randall. Making Alex so angry that maybe he would let Desire out, out of spite for his father.)

Maybe had Roderick Burgess summoned and asked them politely, they would help them see the beauty of loving someone even if it ends in loss. But like that? No. They would pay for that.

True to their character, they would be "never a possession, always the possessor."

Death: she would kindly give Roderick Burgess and his son the therapy they so badly needed. Roderick would finally come to terms with his son's death and decide to be a better father for his remaining son. He would thank Death and let her go after apologizing to her if not for Dream rushing in to save Death.

Despair: she would remind everyone of their miseries. They would all mourn their dead son, the way their terrible father treats them. They would drink and wouldn't even notice if Despair's mice came to her rescue and she escaped. Wouldn't care if they find out.

Destruction: he would destroy his cage. Duh...?

But not after politely asking them to let him go. When they told him no, he would ask what is their problem. Because he's such a lovely, friendly guy, they would open up to him. Let him out. They would become friends. And since he's also "change", he would also change the change happened to their lives after Randall's death.

Delirium: they would adopt her.

But also each and every one of the endless would go to her rescue.

Destiny: he would never leave his garden. Not even to be caught in a ritual by the summonings of a bunch of cultists. Even if he did get caught, due to having no time for this, he would immediately apologize and go back to his garden.

[candraz]

FINALY!!! I finished Despair design thus completing the badge design collection for the Endless ; v ;

Dream and Death were colored by the awesome @cruelnemothesis go check them out because they’re so cool and talented 🔥🔥🔥

These badges will all be available soon on my shop so if you’re interested keep an eye out eheh 👁✨👁