Delight’s Mysterious Fall Into Delirium in ‘The Sandman’ Is Deeper Than You Think
One of the Endless’ radical change has long been a major mystery in The Sandman’s universe, though some fans suggest it was a long time coming. Here’s everything we know about Delight’s transformation.
Nothing might last forever in Neil Gaiman’s comic book series “The Sandman” and its ongoing TV adaptation from Netflix, but there’s at least one thing that should never change.
The storyline mostly revolves around the Endless family members, closely following the daily routine of each character that represents a specific aspect of human life.
It was long implied that Dream aka Morpheus’ duties are something he has to deal with forever due to his immortality, with the same applying to other family members as well, even if their responsibilities do become a burden at some point.
However, things seem to be quite different with Delirium who was previously known as Delight — and some think this major transformation is the entire story’s biggest development.
Why Did Delight Become Delirium?
_39166.webp)
In both the comic book series and the TV show, Delight was the embodiment of joy and pleasure, but later transformed into Delirium, currently representing chaos and incoherence.
It’s not clear what exactly caused such a big change in the character’s personality, with the reasons being a mystery to Destiny as well, despite him knowing for sure what happened and what will happen.
Delirium’s case has been a subject of numerous debates since forever, with many fans suggesting that the character’s path from joy and pleasure to chaos and sadness represents the overwhelming nature of the world.
Another viral theory also offered a different take, explaining that, just like any real human, Delight aka Delirium couldn’t embody only joy without having her own moments of melancholy, eventually resulting in the character’s dual nature.
Fans Think Delirium Represents World Progression in ‘The Sandman’
_39166.webp)
Even though the Endless are meant to justify their name by everlasting existence and unchanging nature, at least one of Neil Gaiman’s characters was supposed to push the whole world forward all along.
Delirium’s mysterious change was never explained properly, so it led many fans to believe that the plot twist represents the natural course of the world — which might not have an explanation either.
“I always thought that her age and state were a reflection of the universe. When the universe was younger, maybe simpler, she took the form of a child, and represented something pure - happiness. Once the universe became more complicated and tumultuous, she was changed along with it”, Redditor Inquisitor1119 explained in a thread, adding that right now Delirium is taking the form of a teenager.
“My own explanation is that delight is a feeling we can't preserve. Any human who tries to be delighted for too long will eventually go insane. So it is the natural course for her change”, eplaut_ suggested.
“I like the theory here that she represents the progression of the universe. If next she turns into an adult, perhaps she will become Duty or Diligence”, ColourTheStars added.
When Will ‘The Sandman’ Finale Be Released?
The show’s season 2 part 2 is coming to Netflix on July 24.
