What is a Dream Vortex in The Sandman?

The Sandman is now on Netflix and fans of the fantasy genre absolutely need to check this one out! The new release is based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Neil Gaiman, following protagonist Morpheus (Tom Sturridge), the ruler of the dream world who must restore his realm after being held captive for over a century. A lot has changed since he’s been gone, and his siblings of the Endless certainly keep things interesting.

Spoilers ahead for The Sandman on Netflix.

Once Dream (a.k.a. Morpheus) is able to locate his precious belongings, including his ruby, helmet, and sand, another major problem presents himself. In episode 7, “The Dolls House,” rumblings of a Dream Vortex start spreading, with Abel (Asim Chaudhry) asking Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong) if she’d heard about it. Though Lucienne believes it’s only gossip, she’s surprised to learn from Dream that it’s true. There is someone out there who exists as the Dream Vortex, and Lucienne is also shocked to find out that Dream does not find this fact as threatening as she does.

The term “Dream Vortex” or just “Vortex” is referenced a ton throughout the rest of the show, as it becomes one of the central plot points. So what exactly is it? We know a person came become a Vortex, but what does that really mean?

Who is the Dream Vortex in The Sandman?

As we also learn in episode 7, a 21-year-old woman named Rose Walker (Vanesu Samunyai) is the Dream Vortex. But she’s not one of the Endless nor does she live an extraordinary life at all. At least, not yet. She’s a young woman who is getting ready for a trip to London, England after being recruited by an unnamed foundation. She’s also thinking of her younger brother Jed (Eddie Karanja), who she was separated from. She wants to use a private investigator to find him, but she doesn’t have enough money.

When Rose is introduced, she doesn’t even know she’s the Dream Vortex. But it doesn’t take long for her to find out. According to the show, a Vortex is someone who can travel through other people’s dreams. We see Rose do this, and it doesn’t always have positive outcomes. A lot of unusual things start happening to Rose and the people around her. Her friend Lyta (Razane Jammal) connects with her late husband in her dreams, and actually becomes pregnant in real life after sleeping with him in a dream.

Rose has more power than she could ever imagine, and that leads to danger. While Dream wants to keep the Dream Vortex around in hopes she’ll bring the Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) and Fiddler’s Green (Stephen Fry) to him, he also knows that she needs to be destroyed. She’s putting humanity at risk more and more each day.

Because of Rose’s power, she’s quickly causing cracks in the Earth as she unintentionally brings down the wall between the dream world and the waking world.

Does Rose Walker (the Dream Vortex) die in The Sandman?

Dream knows that he must kill Rose, though he even tells her that he does not want to. But it’s either her death or the death of the human race, so it’s a pretty easy call to make. Rose starts to come to terms with that fact while in the dream world, but before the act is committed, Lucienne appears with Rose’s great-grandmother Unity (Sandra James-Young) who has some interesting news.

As they explain to Dream and Rose, Unity was actually the one who was supposed to be the Dream Vortex, but because Dream was captured for all those years, the powers didn’t come to her and instead they were passed down. Unity decides to become the Vortex and sacrifices her life for her great-granddaughter’s. In the Sandman finale, “Lost Hearts,” Unity dies so that Rose can live.

The Sandman is a really entertaining watch and definitely pulls at the heartstrings with a few moments. Be sure to stream all 10 episodes on Netflix now, and keep your fingers crossed that The Sandman season 2 is announced soon!