Jacob Anderson joins The Sandman as New Dream in the shocking season 2 finale reveal

Netflix’s The Sandman Season 2 ends with a major twist: Tom Sturridge’s Morpheus dies, and a new Dream rises, played by Interview With the Vampire and Game of Thrones star Jacob Anderson. The reveal takes place in the series finale, "A Tale of Graceful Ends," which adapts the conclusion of The Kindly Ones comic storyline.

As the Dream King pays the price for spilling Endless family blood, he prepares for his own end and appoints baby Daniel Hall as his successor. In the closing moments, baby Daniel transforms into a full-grown adult—portrayed by Anderson—marking a dramatic transition for the realm of Dreaming.

The appearance is true to the comic’s narrative, with Daniel shown dressed in white and wearing Morpheus' emerald dreamstone. According to showrunner Allan Heinberg in an interview with TV Insider, this casting choice was made with Anderson specifically in mind.

Heinberg explained how Anderson’s performance captured the necessary depth, emotion, and humanity to carry forward the legacy of Dream in a new form.

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How Morpheus’ death leads to Daniel’s rise

The Sandman Season 2 adapts The Kindly Ones and The Wake, two comic arcs from Neil Gaiman’s original series. Morpheus, also called Dream of the Endless, is punished for spilling the blood of a fellow Endless—his son, Orpheus. This act, which he did at Orpheus’ request, is considered a crime under the laws of their immortal family.

Despite warnings and attempts to save him, Morpheus accepts his fate. According to the episode, he chooses baby Daniel Hall—born in the Dreaming—as his successor. Once Morpheus dies, Daniel immediately transforms into a grown version of himself, portrayed by Jacob Anderson.

As stated by Morpheus during his final conversation with Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste),

"I killed my son twice. Once when I would not help him, and once when I did. I knew what I was doing. I knew what the cost would be."

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Jacob Anderson’s portrayal of the New Dream

Anderson’s version of Dream is physically different and emotionally distinct. Dressed in white with a blonde streak, he is meant to contrast with Morpheus, who wore black. His personality also sets him apart. In his first scene as the new Dream in The Sandman, Daniel meets his mother, Lyta Hall (Razane Jammal), and forgives her for her role in the chaos that led to Dream’s death.

"Sometimes, life and death affect us in ways that have nothing to do with the choices we make," he tells her. "That is how stories are born."

According to Heinberg, The Sandman’s creators wanted a more human Dream.

"The new Dream has to be more human than he was," he told TV Insider.

He also shared that Anderson was the first and only choice for the role.

"When I met him, the challenge for me was going to be how to even describe what this role is… And to my relief, Jacob said, 'I just want you to know, huge fan of the comics, huge fan of Season 1. Tom Sturridge is unbelievable. I would love to play this part.'"

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Why was Anderson chosen to play New Dream in The Sandman?

Heinberg said the role was written with Anderson in mind. He explained,

"Just seeing the variety in his work, seeing the core of his work, how intelligent he is, and how emotionally available he is."

Anderson also brought something familiar to the part.

"I saw a little bit of Tom’s reserve sometimes… And then you see Daniel become his own version of Dream, which I think is miraculous."

The creators also made changes to give Daniel a clearer arc. According to Heinberg,

"We got feedback early on… that Daniel was lacking an arc. He meets people and he reacts, but he doesn’t have his own arc. And I thought he just wants to understand how he got here and what he’s supposed to do now."

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Could Anderson’s Dream appear in the DC Universe?

While The Sandman is based on DC Comics, the series has stayed separate from the main DC Universe. Heinberg explained this was intentional.

"We very clearly said we are separate. We are not part of the DC Universe."

However, he left the door open for crossovers.

"If James [Gunn] or Peter [Safran] wanted there to be crossover of some kind, that would be delightful to me. But it would be a decision of theirs rather than a decision of ours."

Heinberg also revealed that The Sandman’s end was designed with a potential Season 3 in mind, stating,

"I love Jacob so much that I just wanted to continue watching him play this part forever."

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Jacob Anderson's Dream closes one chapter of The Sandman and opens the door to another. Whether or not there’s a Season 3, the series ends with a new ruler of the Dreaming and a hopeful future.