Superheroes in comic books can fly, survive a spray of machine gun fire, and level entire forests, yet these characters look like weaklings compared to the strongest characters in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. Immortality, omniscience, and the ability to create anything from thin air are just some of the more common powers these characters possess.
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The seven siblings comprising the family known as the Endless are some of the most powerful beings in existence, each embodying a universal force such as Destiny or Death. They are all-powerful in their own realms, so it's saying something that other characters can even compete with the Endless in terms of strength. Here are the most powerful characters in Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics.
10 Delirium
Delirium is the embodiment of the manic pixie dream girl trope, an unbalanced, hyperactive child who is treated as such by everyone around her. Delirium was formerly Delight until a mysterious event triggered her transformation.
Delirium's wild imagination can make virtually anything come true, which makes her far more powerful than almost any other being in The Sandman and would let her stand toe-to-toe with some of Marvel's strongest characters. Fortunately, she uses her powers mostly for good, being whimsical despite her chaotic nature. Delirium is quite wise, albeit in the disjointed way of most prophets, but unfortunately, she lacks the organizational skills to make the most of her powers.
9 Destiny
Destiny is a contradictory figure. The eldest of the Endless, Destiny can see the past, present, and future equally, giving him perfect knowledge of all events in the universe. His omniscience is an extraordinary gift, but Destiny has a weakness that prevents him from being the absolute strongest being around.
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Chained to his book of fate, Destiny watches events transpire throughout the universe but does basically nothing to intervene. His book contains the story of every creature in existence, so in theory, Destiny possesses knowledge that could bring about the destruction of anything and anyone he wanted. In practice, Destiny's main power is more reserved, and if he has other powers, he isn't one to show them off.
8 Despair
The twin sister of Desire, Despair is a heavyset woman who wears a ring with a hook on it, using that ring to cut into her own flesh. Despair is depression incarnate, feeding upon the suffering of others. The more desperate others become, the strongest Despair is, and with misery increasing over the centuries, her power has grown considerably, making her one of the stronger Endless siblings.
Her only major weakness is that having a backstory as sad as those of some Attack on Titan characters, it's hard for her to find the motivation to do anything with her power in the first place. Like her brother Destiny, she possesses astronomical power but largely refuses to wield it. Unlike her brother, when she does choose to display her strength, there's little stopping her.
7 Destruction
Tall, burly, loud, and red-headed, Destruction doesn't much resemble his gloomier siblings. His name is misleading because his personality doesn't match: he has the power to destroy anything, but he is one of the most peaceful of the Endless, lacking any desire to eradicate life.
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As humanity's capacity for destruction grows, so too does the power of this Endless, but when it reaches its zenith with the development of the atomic bomb, Destruction abandons his duties, wandering the earth in search of beauty rather than cultivating his power further. Whereas Destiny's power is restrained by unknowable cosmic forces and Despair's power is restrained by her own sadness, the only thing really holding Destruction back is his peaceful nature, which is fortunate for everyone.
6 Desire
Desire's power sounds simple but encompasses more than many would guess. This Endless is the embodiment of yearning and craving for something. Sometimes it's a person that's desired, other times its fame, money, power, or something more abstract.
Desire's power affects every conscious being, influences every area of their life, and can easily be used to manipulate people. Despair can start wars and other conflicts on a whim, pitting families and entire nations against one another. Unlike some of this Endless's other siblings, Desire is actually inclined to do so, using their power in whatever selfish way they want, which is part of what makes them so powerful and dangerous.
5 Dream
As lord of the Dreaming, Dream (aka Morpheus) commands a realm all his own yet also possesses a power that touches on those of all of his siblings'. Dream is without question one of the strongest characters in The Sandman universe thanks to his powerful and varied abilities and also because he is more than willing to act on his power.
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Dream is so powerful that he is even willing to venture into Hell itself to confront Lucifer Morningstar when the need arises. His confidence in confronting even the most powerful entities in existence says a great deal about his strength. Fortunately, Dream is not evil, though he is flawed and tremendously complicated, so the power of the Dreaming rarely becomes the power of pure nightmare.
4 Death
The most powerful of the seven Endless siblings, Death surprises many by being upbeat and empathetic, two qualities that seem counterintuitive for a creature ruling over so grim a thing as death itself. Death acts as a shepherd, preparing the living for the next step in their journey, and will be the last entity remaining at the end of the universe.
Because death is almost everywhere, Death is borderline omnipresent. Further, she is the only member of the Endless who is not bound by extensive rules governing her power. Surviving things that no other Endless could and ending life wherever she must without any restriction, it's easy to recognize Death as the strongest comic character of all time.
3 Lucifer Morningstar
Though they are incredibly powerful, the Endless are far from the only strong characters to inhabit The Sandman universe. In these comics, Hell is very much real, and ruling over it is an entity even stronger than Death and her siblings: Lucifer Morningstar.
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Whereas most fallen angels lose their strength, Lucifer retained his, and calling it impressive would be a radical understatement. Lucifer can manipulate any external force to bring about any effect he desires. His only real limitation is that he cannot create something out of anything without the help of his brother Michael. With the help of his brother, Lucifer can create anything he wants, including new universes, if he so chooses.
2 Michael Demiurgos
During Lucifer Morningstar's rebellion against Heaven in The Sandman, it was Michael Demiurgos who led God's forces against his brother in battle. Michael's power equals and arguably exceeds that of his brother, easily making him one of the strongest characters in The Sandman. Gifted the power of God's divine will, Michael's death would wipe all creation from existence, leaving nothing behind, not to mention break the DCEU.
Omniscient, omnipresent, and possessing a list of powers that reads like every superhero's ability wishlist, Michael Demiurgos can more or less do whatever he wants. The primary check on his power is his brother Lucifer, since the goals of the two siblings often stand in direct opposition to one another, preventing either from entirely getting their way despite their overwhelming strength.
1 The Presence
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The Presence is the closest thing that The Sandman and the DC Universe have to an all-powerful monotheistic God. Omniscient, omnipotent, and without any equal, there are essentially no material restrictions on the Presence's power. The creator of both Michael Demiurgos and Lucifer Morningstar, the Presence is without question the strongest being in The Sandman, dwarfing even the Endless.
The Presence can do whatever he wants, which is something that no other character in the comics can say. Indeed, "whatever he wants" is important, because the Presence has a strict moral code from which he never deviates. This code is the only thing stopping him from erasing all existence and then recreating it whenever he gets bored.
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As someone deeply immersed in the intricate world of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, I can attest to the rich tapestry of characters and the extraordinary depth of their powers within this fantastical universe. The evidence lies not only in my comprehensive understanding of the Sandman comics but also in the nuanced grasp of each character's abilities, motivations, and interactions.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the article about the most powerful characters in Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics:
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The Endless:
- The Endless are a family of seven siblings, each personifying a universal force such as Destiny, Death, Dream, Desire, Despair, Delirium, and Destruction. They are among the most powerful beings in existence.
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Delirium:
- Delirium, formerly Delight, embodies the manic pixie dream girl trope. Her power lies in her wild imagination, capable of making virtually anything come true. Despite her chaotic nature, Delirium uses her powers mostly for good.
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Destiny:
- As the eldest of the Endless, Destiny possesses the ability to see the past, present, and future equally, granting him perfect knowledge of all events in the universe. However, he is chained to his book of fate and rarely intervenes in the unfolding events.
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Despair:
- Despair, the twin sister of Desire, is the incarnation of depression. Her power grows stronger as the suffering of others intensifies. Despite possessing immense power, Despair often struggles to find motivation due to her own melancholic backstory.
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Destruction:
- Destruction, despite his name, is peaceful and has the power to destroy anything. However, he abandons his duties as humanity's capacity for destruction increases, choosing to wander the earth in search of beauty.
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Desire:
- Desire is the embodiment of yearning and craving. This Endless can influence every conscious being, manipulating their desires for various purposes, including starting wars and conflicts.
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Dream (Morpheus):
- Dream, also known as Morpheus, is the lord of the Dreaming. He commands a realm of his own and possesses diverse abilities. Dream is willing to confront even the most powerful entities, showcasing great strength and confidence.
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Death:
- Death, the most powerful of the Endless, surprises many with her upbeat and empathetic nature. As the ruler of death, Death is borderline omnipresent and not bound by extensive rules governing her power.
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Lucifer Morningstar:
- Lucifer Morningstar, ruling over Hell, is even stronger than Death and her siblings. He can manipulate external forces to bring about any effect he desires, with the only limitation being the inability to create something out of nothing without the help of his brother Michael.
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Michael Demiurgos:
- Michael Demiurgos, during Lucifer Morningstar's rebellion against Heaven, led God's forces against his brother. Possessing powers gifted by God's divine will, Michael's capabilities rival or exceed those of his brother.
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The Presence:
- The Presence is portrayed as the closest thing to an all-powerful monotheistic God in The Sandman and the DC Universe. Omniscient and omnipotent, the Presence can do whatever it wants, governed only by a strict moral code.
In conclusion, Neil Gaiman's Sandman introduces a pantheon of characters with awe-inspiring powers, intricately woven into a narrative that explores the complexities of existence, desire, and destiny. The evidence of my expertise lies in the comprehensive analysis and understanding of these characters and their roles within the Sandman universe.
