Netflix's The Sandman's final season was split into two parts, but for those of you who were told to leave the Dream world behind, have no fear; a bonus episode has just been released. I don't know about you, but despite the closure we got from Season 2 Volume 2, I couldn't help but want a bit more. The events of the funeral showed us that Dream's siblings were going to miss him, but that they would be perfectly fine eventually.
The new Dream, Daniel (Jacob Anderson), might not feel ready to take up the mantel, but he was going to have a lot of help. This did offer a feeling of hope, but the bonus episode, centered around Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), is the icing on the cake.
In this standalone episode, a journalist (Colin Morgan) whose work has left him feeling hopeless about the world has a life-altering 24 hours after crossing paths with Death on her day off. The next sixty minutes are spent with Death as she further proves how important humans and their lives are to her.
One might think that because of the nature of her job, she is evil and enjoys seeing people meet their demise. But nothing could be further from the truth. This has been explored in previous episodes of The Sandman, but that rings true in this bonus one.
I rather enjoyed spending so much uninterrupted time with her. I felt like I got to know her so much better and appreciated her and her work. Considering how mad I was with her after she took Dream away in season 2, getting this time with her was important.
The episode more or less centers on Death and her new journalist friend; however, every now and then, someone else will show up (and perhaps a familiar face or two). This was a brilliant writing decision, as it gives us time to get to know Death in a way we have not before. To see her in the human world, interacting in this way, is inspiring and heartwarming.
Don't get me wrong, the story being told is interesting, but the overall messaging is most important and will stick with me long after the credits start to roll.
Overall Thoughts
The final few moments of the bonus episode were far more emotional than I expected them to be. While I would have thought a day following Death, even with it being her day off, could be a little depressing, it ended up being rather touching.
She learns why life is worth living—because you never know when it will end. Never take a day for granted; we never know when one will be our last.
The Sandman bonus episode, Season 2, Episode 12, is something special. I left feeling reinvigorated and wanting to seize the day and not take anything for granted again.
This is easier said than done, as we all fall into that trap now and again, but I am thankful for the energy and hope that it gave me. It also prepared me to say goodbye to the series I loved dearly.
Final Rating: 10 out of 10
The second & final season of The Sandman premiered in two parts, with Volume 1 (1-6) premiering on July 3, 2025, followed by Volume 2 (7-11) on July 24, 2025, and a bonus episode (12) following Death on July 31st. The series streams exclusively on Netflix.
