After we dealt with how Dream was trapped and then finally regained his freedom, the next on the agenda was getting back all his tools in order to restore his kingdom. It is implied that without these tools, Dream is not as powerful as he normally should be.
So what are these tools? How exactly do they aid Dream?
Dream has three important “tools of office” which are his Pouch of Sand, Helm, and Ruby. Other than containing part of his powers, they help enhance his control over dreams, protect him and enable his travel between realms.
These objects are super interesting, so let’s explore them in detail.
The Pouch of Sand
Dream goes looking for his Pouch of Sand in Ep 3, where he seeks out Johanna Constantine who might have it or know where it is.
The pouch is but a tiny one, yet it contains multitudes of his power. It’s also the very item that gives him his infamous name: The Sandman. As the tale goes, if you’re good, the Sandman will come sprinkle sand in your eyes while you sleep and fulfill all your dreams.
The pouch also gives Dream the ability to enter people’s dreams, as well as manifest and control them. As you may have also noticed, every time Dream travels, he is engulfed in a whirlpool of sand. This is because the pouch is also a medium through which he can traverse between realms.
The Helm
There’s much of a theatrical element to Dream’s helm as there is a functional. The helm is part of his formal getup that he wears to battles and as an envoy to other realms.
Dream’s personality has very little fluff to it. While he’s ultimately one of the more decent, moralistic Endless, he is also very cold and mysterious. This helm then suits his personality, as he made it from the remains of a dead god. After all, he governs nightmares as well—which require him to appear scary and fearsome.
As for its powers, the helm is made of pure dream matter which protects Dream wherever he is. In Ep 4, Dream descends to Hell and spars with Lucifer to regain his helm.
PS: If you’re a DC fan, you may also notice the similarities between this helm and the vigilante Wesley Dodds/Sandman’s helmet. Yes, Dream was inspired by Dodds’ Sandman!
The Ruby
Now we come to Dream’s most powerful possession, his Ruby, also known as the Dreamstone.
As the name suggests, the Dreamstone allows its user to create dreams, bring dreams into reality, or/and reshape reality itself. If one goes overboard, they can even use the Dreamstone to alter the fabric of space and time. This could cause the destruction of reality and existence as we know it.
One would say that the Ruby contains too much of Dream’s powers—which he, too, realizes in Ep 5. When he first tries to touch the stone, it backfires, causing him to pass out. This is because John had altered the Ruby to only answer to him.
Dream’s subsequent fight with John ends up shattering the Ruby, doing more good than harm as Dream is able to absorb the powers it contained. He is now more powerful than ever, plus no one can steal the Ruby from him and misuse it.
Fun Fact: A version of the Dreamstone appeared in Wonder Woman 1984!
About The Sandman
The Sandman is an American fantasy drama TV series based on the 1989–1996 comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. The series was developed for Netflix and is being produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television.
The first season adapted the first two comics in the series, Preludes & Nocturnes and The Doll’s House. In 1916, Dream, the king of Dreams and Nightmares and one of the seven Endless, is captured and imprisoned after an occult ritual. After being held captive for 106 years, he escapes and sets out to restore order to his kingdom of The Dreaming.
The Sandman stars Tom Sturridge as Dream, with Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry, and Sanjeev Bhaskar in supporting roles.
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