In setting up Neil Gaiman's universe, Dead Boy Detectives would undoubtedly include a few The Sandman elements here and there. In this case, we get Despair's domain in Dead Boy Detectives. Why is it crucial that she shows up in the series?
CONTENT SPOILERS: This article contains spoilers for Netflix's Dead Boy Detectives, so proceed with caution.
One The Sandman Character Made a Recent Cameo
The premiere episode of Dead Boy Detectives shows Death (played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste) hunting down the lingering ghosts captured by none other than Edwin and Charles.
Considering that this should already put things into perspective on its connection to The Sandman, another cameo came into view with Despair (Donna Preston) encountering Edwin in the depths of Hell.
Now, what does this mean for the connection between Gaiman's creations? Why is Despair crucial to the plotline of Dead Boy Detectives?
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What Despair's Domain Means in Dead Boy Detectives Explained
Dead Boy Detectives sees Edwin getting sent back to Hell, where he encounters Desire's polar opposite twin, Despair, thriving as she watches Simon receive his punishment.
Apart from the fact that The Sandman also has the concept of Hell visible in its storyline, why was Despair's domain in Dead Boy Detectives?
As showrunner Steve Yockey explained, Despair had a perfect episode made especially just for her appearance.
"We knew in the hell episode, that's where we wanted to put [her], when Edwin was at his lowest possible moments because that's where she, as a character, would enjoy watching him the most," Yockey added.
Many The Sandman fans liked the portrayal of Despair's character in Dead Boy Detectives more, as opposed to her actual debut in the former show.
This is because Despair's scenes are much "creepier" and more "intense", both of which perfectly describe her as one of the Endless in the original comic books.
As of writing, this springs hope for fans that Despair would return as one of the main antagonists in a potential Dead Boy Detectives season 2.
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Meanwhile, all episodes of Dead Boy Detectives are available to stream on Netflix.
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