My Review of The Sandman's 1x04: "A Hope In Hell"

 

Written by Austin Guzman

Directed by Jamie Childs

Lucifer: "One day, Morpheus we shall destroy you."

Morpheus: "Until that day, Lightbringer."

With the previous episode's ending, this really did take us all the way to the depths of Hell where both Morpheus and Matthew the Raven had an audience with Lucifer Morningstar (Gwendoline Christie) themselves and let's just say that while Morpheus earned himself a victory in retrieving his helm, he also managed to incur the wrath of Lucifer to boot. 

It was less than a year ago when Netflix brought Tom Ellis's version of Lucifer to an end, so getting another version of the character so soon in the DC universe and one so removed from that version too was a bit of a treat. Gwendoline Christie really did eat up her scenes with Tom Sturridge, but in a rather understated way, delivering a quiet menace to Lucifer.

Morpheus's helm had been in the possession of a demon named Choronzon (Munya Chawawa) who had refused to hand it over until Morpheus took on Lucifer, something which the latter was only too delighted to agree. We didn't get a physical fight between Morpheus and Lucifer, more a battle of wills as the pair used their imagination to think of various ways to outdo the other.

In the end though, it was hope that was the ultimate victor with Lucifer being horrified at Morpheus for playing that particular card in their domain. Will Lucifer follow through on their threat to kill Morpheus? I don't doubt that they're going to give it a very good try to be fair.

Of course with Morpheus getting back his helm and Matthew being the one who basically saved him in Hell, it was time to get the ruby back. On the plus side, Morpheus found his ruby. The downside however would be that it no longer worked for him and John Dee had also returned to retrieve it as well. That nicely set up Morpheus's next challenge.

Speaking of John Dee, his subplot with Rosemary (Sarah Niles) was very intense. Several moments in this episode, I genuinely though Dee was going to kill the poor woman and her dog, Susie, so when he gave her the protection amulet, I was genuinely surprised. I think in her own way and most'y because she was honest about her feelings, Dee spared her. Unfortunately for the next person Dee encounters, he likely won't be so thoughtful.

- One of Morpheus's former lovers, a tribeswoman named Nada (Deborah Oyelade) had been banished to Hell because she defied Morpheus. 

- We briefly got to see Lucifer's right hand woman, Mazikeem (Cassie Clare) while both the Corinthian Lucienne sat out this episode.

- Morpheus mentioned both Tartarus and Hades here for Wonder Woman fans.

- Chronology: From where the previous episode left off. It was just Hell and Buffalo, New York too.

A Hope In Hell certainly presented it's challenges for Morpheus and the show's depiction of Hell certainly looked satisfying enough  with Gwendoline Christie putting in a strong performance as Lucifer while David Thewlis continued to compel as John Dee.

Rating: 8 out of 10