- I had not wished to return to Hell. Not yet. Lucifer Morningstar is not one to forgive a slight, nor to forget an injury. But if I have committed a wrong, then I have but one course. It must be set right.
- — Dream
Sandman (Volume 2) #21 is an issue of the series Sandman (Volume 2) with a cover date of November, 1990.
Synopsis for "Season of Mists: A Prologue"
In his garden, Destiny unexpectedly meets the grey ladies. They warn that a king will forsake his kingdom, life and death will clash and fray, the oldest battle will begin once more, and all these things have their genesis in the garden. The fates disappear without further explanation, and Destiny looks in his book to learn more. After researching, he knows what he must do. He calls his family together for the first time in ages.
Each of the Endless arrives, one by one. First Death, then Dream, then Desire, Despair, and finally Delirium. Their brother Destruction abandoned them long ago.
All convened at his table, Destiny explains that the upshot of his meeting with the fates is that something big is coming that will spark a chain of events that will cause upheaval. The inciting incident will occur at this very meeting, somehow. He steps back and simply encourages his brother and sisters to speak to each other.
Eventually, Desire cannot resist needling her elder brother, Dream. She begins to mock his failed romantic relationships. She goes so far as to criticize his treatment of Nada, having imprisoned her in Hell for eternity, all out of pride. Dream is enraged by Desire's teases, and storms out.
Death goes to him and tries to calm him. Despite her sympathy for him, Death explains that Desire was right. Nada didn't deserve her punishment, and her choice not to become a goddess was her own. Dream realizes the error of his ways and determines to set things right by going to Hell and arranging Nada's release with Lucifer. He says goodbye to his sister, and leaves her hoping that he will survive the ordeal.
When Death returns to the table, Destiny reveals that they are no longer needed, as Dream's return to Hell is the incident that he was waiting for.
Appearing in "Season of Mists: A Prologue"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- The Fates (As an illusion only)
- The Kindly Ones
- Calliope (Mentioned only)
- Destruction (Mentioned only)
- God (Mentioned only)
- Lucifer Morningstar (Mentioned only)
- Nada (Mentioned only)
- The Unforgiven (Mentioned only)
- Samuel Coleridge (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Pre-Flashpoint Multiverse (Mentioned only)
- Garden of Forking Ways (First appearance)
- The Citadel of Destiny (First appearance; unnamed)
- Hall of Destiny (First appearance)
- Gallery of Destiny (First appearance)
- The Citadel of Destiny (First appearance; unnamed)
- The Dreaming (Mentioned only)
- Hell (Mentioned only)
- Garden of Forking Ways (First appearance)
- Hypertime
- Timestream (Mentioned only)
- The Void (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Book of Souls
- Thread of Destiny (As an illusion only)
Concepts:
Notes
- This issue was directly adapted into an episode of the Sandman audio drama.
- This issue is reprinted in:
- Essential Vertigo: Sandman #21
- Sandman: Season of Mists
- The Absolute Sandman Vol. 2
- The Sandman: Deluxe Edition, Book Two
- The Sandman, Book Two
See Also