Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for The Sandman season 2.Netflix’sThe Sandmanis back for its final season, bringing with it many more impeccable performances from iconic stars as mythological figures, some casting choices more surprising than others. Based on the comic series of the same name,The Sandmanfollows Dream (Tom Sturridge) as he clashes with figures from various mythologies and other sources across time and space.
The Sandmanseason 2, volume 1has seen Dream reckoning with several familial relationships asEsmé Creed-Miles makes her debut as Delirium, the youngest Endless sibling, and Dream is compelled to help her find their missing brother, Destruction (Barry Sloane).Dream also confronts the tragic events surrounding the fall of his son Orpheus (Ruairi O’Connor).
The Sandmanseason 1 already established the story’s strong ties to Greek mythologyfor those who aren’t familiar with the comics; Dream is also known as Morpheus, and his son’s mother is the muse Calliope (Melissanthi Mahut). However, highlights fromThe Sandmanseason 2’s castare from other folklore and even literary sources, including a character played by a notoriousGame of Thronesactor.
Game Of Thrones' Jack Gleeson Plays Puck In The Sandman Season 2
The Most Hated Game Of Thrones Character Was Played By A Very Talented Actor
Jack Gleeson is famous for his portrayal of the sadistic King Joffrey Baratheon inGame of Thrones, a character everyone certainly loved watching die in season 4. Joffrey is integral to the plot of the early seasons of the groundbreaking fantasy series, but his cruelty makes many of his scenes difficult to watch.
That everyone hated Joffrey so much is a testament to the fact that Gleeson had done his job very well.
However, regardless of their feelings about the character,no one can say that Gleeson didn’t give a spectacular performance as the dangerously ignorant king— that everyone hated Joffrey so much is a testament to the fact that Gleeson had done his job very well. He is still best known forGame of Thrones, having appeared in largely under-the-radar roles since then.
However,Gleeson makes a fresh, excellent impression inThe Sandmanas Puck, or Robin Goodfellow,the mischievous faerie best known in the cultural zeitgeist for his depiction in William Shakespeare’sA Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s depiction of Puck and the other faeries was drawn from English folklore, somethingThe Sandmansomewhat acknowledges.
Puck’s Role In The Sandman Season 2 Explained
Puck Attends A Shakespeare Play With The Faerie Court
The Sandmanessentially works backwards, suggesting thatA Midsummer Night’s Dreamis very accurate,as Dream arranged for the show’s production to repair a rift between him and Auberon (Royce Pierreson) and Titania (Ruta Gedmintas). In early modern England, Dream commissioned Shakespeare (Luke Allen-Gale) to write the play, presumably providing him with the correct accounts of the legends to work from.
Auberon and Titania and their court are invited to watch the performance;the monarchs appreciate the humor of how their characters are mocked, but are also prompted to reflect on their behavior. Puck comes along and is told to behave by Auberon — yet he wanders off, incapacitates the actor playing Puck, and then finishes the performance himself.
There is something menacing about him still that calls back to Game of Thrones.
Puck revealing his face at the show’s end is the capper on the enjoyable evening, and Gleeson perfectly captures Puck’s shrewd penchant for causing good-natured trouble, which just hints at him being truly dangerous. There is something menacing about him still that calls back toGame of Thrones,but Gleeson will hopefully get more layered roles like this afterThe Sandman.
