The Sandman Season 2 revealed where Destruction went and the mystery behind his disappearance. As one of the Endless, Destruction (Barry Sloane) has had quite a journey in the Netflix fantasy series after he chose to abandon his duties (and eventually, his realm) centuries ago as a way to send a message that he doesn't want to be the personification of annihilation anymore out of love for humanity.
His controversial decision sends shockwaves to the rest of his Endless siblings and the cosmos, prompting him into hiding. The Netflix show's sophomore run continued Destruction's story, but the fact that he was missing sent Dream (Tom Sturridge) and Delirium (Esmé Creed-Miles) on an adventure to find him because they wanted to find out why he abandoned his duties and to reconnect with him.
Part 1 of the final season of The Sandman on Netflix premiered on July 3, 2025. Part 2 will soon arrive on the streamer on July 24, 2025, and a bonus episode will be released on July 31. Leading the cast are Tom Sturridge, Umulisa Gahiga, Gwendoline Christie, Jenna Coleman, Boyd Holdbrook, Razane Jammal, and Donna Preston.
What Happened to Destruction In Sandman Season 2 (Here's Why He Decided to Quit)
As the personification of obliteration, Destruction decided he had had enough of his duties because he became unwilling to bear the massive weight of seeing humanity's potential to destroy the world and themselves (due to the existence of weaponry that could prove to be their downfall... someday).
As a result, he left everything behind (his siblings and his realm) to carve his own path and live a simpler life, free from all the misery and chaos that came with his duty.
After Dream sorted out Lucifer's plan involving the key to Hell, The Sandman Season 2, Episode 4 showed Delirium recruiting Dream to find their brother, Destruction, because his realm has been out of control for a while, and nobody is in charge.
A reluctant Dream agreed to join her sister's quest even though he is mad about Destruction's act of abandoning not just his realm, but also his siblings. Morpheus (aka Dream) joined Delirium as an excuse to look for Nada (aka the love of his life) in the mortal realm.
As the siblings went on a journey to ask Destruction's friends about his whereabouts, the episode revealed that Destruction is living in a remote location (still unknown at that point), where he can be seen enjoying his freedom by painting, writing poetry, and speaking to Barnabas (his talking dog companion).
Destruction didn't want to be found because he and Barnabas set up a security system to warn him if his siblings or other beings decided to search for him (read more about The Sandman's interesting family tree involving the Endless).
Where Did Destruction Go In Sandman Season 2?
After many twists and turns, Dream and Delirium's quest to find Destruction led them to Orpheus (Ruairi O’Connor), Dream's estranged son, who begged his father to end his life so that he could reunite with his deceased wife, Eurydice, in the underworld.
The Sandman Season 2, Episode 5 revealed that Orpheus' desperate attempt to be killed led him to be reduced to a severed head after the Sisters of the Frenzy dismembered him. Orpheus begged Morpheus to kill him instantly to end his suffering, but Dream couldn't do it then because the Endless had a vow not to spill family blood.
Things drastically turned when Orpheus begged his father for a boon (a favor or a request) in exchange for information about Destruction's location. Dream agreed to give in to his son's request, but the boon Orpheus asked for is — you guessed it — his death. An apologetic Dream told Orpheus about his failures as a father and instantly killed his son with a single blow.
While that devastating decision would definitely come back to bite Dream later in The Sandman Season 2, Volume 2, Orpheus was able to give them Destruction's location. Season 2, Episode 6 revealed that Destruction is living on a remote island right next to Orpheus' temple, with Dream even saying, "Seems our brother chose to live in the one place he knew I would not dare to go.”
This is where Destruction told Dream and Delirium about his desire not to return to his duties, mainly because he didn't have what it takes to witness the countless deaths and obliteration in different worlds and universes. Before Dream and Delirium left (both at peace with leaving Destruction behind), their brother told them that his decision came "out of love for humankind."
In the end, Destruction's final scene cemented his good heart and desire to be better than he is destined to be.
