Netflix’s Sandman 2: Where Is Nada? Will Morpheus Find Her In Volume 2?

The queen of the First People, Nada, former lover of the King of Dreams, plays a significant role in the first volume of the second season of The Sandman in charting the growth of Morpheus, showing that even someone as eternal as the Endless Ones can change. In the fourth episode of the first season, Nada appeared briefly for the first time, as she was seen serving eternal damnation in the depths of hell, and Morpheus, who traveled to the domain of Lucifer to retrieve his helm, came across her. Nada, who recognized Morpheus as the dream god of the First People, Kai’ckul, sought his forgiveness, to no avail, as she was subjected to such severe punishment by Dream for refusing his love. Nada served ten thousand years in the godless place, being tormented for her only sin—falling in love with an Endless.

Spoiler Alert

After being humbled through his myriad of experiences since his abduction by Roderick Burgess and being called out by his siblings for failing Nada, in the second season, Morpheus reflected upon his past actions and, realizing his mistakes, opted to rectify them. Morpheus even prepares to confront Lucifer to rescue Nada’s soul, at the risk of his own existence, when things take an unexpected turn. Like Destruction of the Endless, Lucifer too decides to abandon his post and entrust Morpheus with the key to the gateway of hell. Being the most powerful domain due to it being essentially a dark reflection of heaven itself, the key to hell has numerous takers across different pantheons of gods and cosmic orders. Lord Azazel, one of the strongest generals in Lucifer’s legion, is aware of Morpheus’ heart’s desire and seeks to bargain with the Dream Lord by offering him Nada’s soul in exchange for his dominion over hell. When his attempts at persuasion fail, Azazel opts to extort Dream, mentioning Nada’s soul will be devoured unless he complies with Azazel’s request. 

Knowing Azazel’s gaze won’t remain limited to hell, Morpheus denies his request at the end, resulting in the demon lord trying to taunt him by showing Nada’s soul being tormented in his domain. Morpheus frees Nada and holds Azazel captive, but he is unable to mend their broken relationship. Accepting Morpheus’ apology, Nada decides not to let past woes define her future. Refusing Dream’s request to join his side once again, Nada opts to return to the realm of mortals. A concerned Morpheus warns her about the dangers of the waking world; however, Nada is quite certain that nothing in the mortal realm can match up with ten millennia of torment in hell. Morpheus journeys to the mortal realm with Desire by his side and tries to use his sister’s quest to find Destruction as an excuse to look for Nada, but to no avail. Morpheus is unable to find her, and given this aspect of the series differs quite a bit from the comics, it remains uncertain whether he will continue his search in the final part as well. 

How Did Nada’s Story Differ From How it’s Presented in the Comic Books?

While it remains to be seen whether Nada and Dream reunite for the final time in the final part of this concluding season, her fate is quite different in comics. In “Season of Mists” issue 28, Nada refuses to stay with Dream after getting rescued from Azazel’s domain, and Dream takes her to the mortal realm to let her reincarnate as a child in Hong Kong. Dream declares Nada is free to enter Dreaming in any form she pleases, and he will always care for her. In the Netflix series, Dream is being portrayed as more humane and gradually growing more emotionally vulnerable. Which is why he is shown to be reduced to a lovelorn state to make up for his past actions and strives to reunite with Nada in a way that seems unnatural for an Endless. Don’t be surprised if in the final part of the second season Dream finds Nada and tries his best to redeem himself in her eyes. 

Nada’s Importance in the Narrative 

Nada’s portrayal in the series as a dutiful, benevolent ruler, wise and strong enough to hold her own against the King of Dreams, is brilliant. But her importance in the narrative is accentuated through her role in Dream’s arc. From being a stuck-up, snobbish, arrogant, and prideful elemental entity, Dream has become quite an emotionally motivated ‘person’ of sorts in the second season, which is initially revealed through his changed perspective regarding Nada. Earlier, Dream considered his punishment of Nada to be justified and felt no remorse whatsoever in toying with the fate of a mortal who merely prioritized taking care of her subjects over the love Dream shared with her. Nada had hurt Dream’s pride and paid a hefty price by being tormented for ten thousand years in hell. However, things are much different at present, as Dream, who has learned during the events of the first season just how much of a conceited, pompous ruler he used to be, acknowledges his mistake when his dear elder sister, Death, shows him the mirror. To save Nada’s soul, Dream becomes prepared to lay his own life on the line by going to hell, knowing full well that Lucifer and his legion are awaiting him. Like Hob Gadling, Gault, Rose Parker, and Unity Kincaid, Nada too acts as a catalyst in Dream’s gradual transformation. 

However, even though Nada’s presence in the story is significant, there is a caveat in that she might not have acted of her own free will at all. It is strongly hinted in the comics and also in the first season of The Sandman that Desire set up Morpheus and Nada by pulling the strings from behind. After all, Desire has a habit of getting under Dream’s skin and has been shown to be trespassing in his realm in Morpheus’ absence. Well, even if that is the case, Morpheus is still responsible for acting all egotistical after being unable to handle rejection, so Desire’s intervention doesn’t lessen the gravity of his actions anyway. 

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