The Sandman - Issue 15 - Into the Night

Recap: Much has been made throughout The Doll's House from various characters in The Dreaming and out of it, of Rose Walker being a Dream Vortex. We know it concerns Morpheus greatly, and other than Rose's brief visit to the Dreaming in Issue 10, The Doll's House, we've yet to see why this is so important. Into the Night answers all our questions about Rose and the devastating consequences because of her unchecked powers.

After the previous outstanding issue, Into the Night begins rather sedately, taking us back to Florida in the aftermath of Jed's abduction. We learn that despite Gilbert's rescue, Jed is still in the hospital, suffering from a severe concussion and dehydration, thanks to the Corinthian. Rose has kept vigil at her brother's side and is somewhat disheartened by Jed's lack of improvement after his ordeal.

The rest of her housemates are quick to offer their best wishes, although Ken and Barbie never resembled their Mattel namesakes more than at this moment. Chantal and Zelda's offer of comfort is somewhat touching, even if Rose doesn't take it up. On the other hand, Hal goes into den mother mode, complete with herbal tea and a suggestion for Rose to get some rest, but only after he provides the sympathetic ear she needs. We also learn that Miranda Walker cannot come to her son's bedside because Unity Kincaid is ill.

Rose finally retires, ascending the steps to her room like Sisyphus pushing his rock, and when she hits the mattress, sleep is elusive...for a while, anyway.

Elsewhere, her housemates are all taking their personal walks through the Dreaming. Ken, who personifies the Greed is Good mentality of the Yuppie 80s, imagines money, and hedge fund glories. On the other hand, Barbie dreams of a fantasy world every Sandman fan knows by now and gives us a first glimpse of our beloved Martin Tenbones. It's gratifying to know Barbie is nowhere as vacuous as she appears to be, even if Ken is precisely what he is.

Chantal's dreams are surreal, and I'm sure there's a whole barrage of symbolism in her relationship with a sentence, which I won't try to interpret here because I can't. Zelda's journey through the dreamscape is straight out of a Hammer horror movie but in its eerie gothic setting, one can see why these two unusual people would be drawn together. What they are to each other is never fully explained, even though their sleeping arrangements imply Chantel and Zelda are lovers. There's something deeply spiritual between them I wish I could understand better. It feels like a story on its own.

Meanwhile, Hal wrestles with identity and masks even though the dream doesn't appear to be unpleasant. He gets visits from iconic women such as Judy, Marilyn, and Bette while drifting in and out of sleep, chasing the' good dreams' we sometimes lose after waking up too abruptly.

Rose tries to sleep while plagued by her life's worries. Unity's stroke, Jed's condition, encounters with Fun Land and Morpheus, and Gilbert's absence since their return home. Unbeknownst to Rose, Gilbert is, at this moment, heading to the hospital where Jed is recovering. Once there, he takes her vacant seat, watching over the unconscious boy.

Back in her bed, Rose forgets her troubles for now and lets herself fall asleep.

In the Dreaming, Morpheus watches from a cliff, the manifestation of the vortex in his realm. With him is Matthew, who asks the obvious question about what the phenomenon actually is. His explanation is evasive. The vortex is Rose Walker. However, something about this particular vortex troubles Morpheus, though he doesn't elaborate on what that might be. Instead, he sends Matthew back to Jed at the hospital with instructions to fetch someone back.

In their beds, the Dreamers continue their journey through their own stories while Rose dreams of her consciousness expanding beyond the room's walls until she can feel the others. It doesn't take her long to realize the sheathe separating their dreams is paper thin, and she has the power to shred them all. Unaware of what harm she might be causing, Rose does just that, and in doing so, learns her power extends beyond the house and reaches into the city. Like a singularity, she can draw all dreams to her and make them into one.

Before she can do any of this, the Lord Shaper steps in before further damage is caused, although Rose has yet to understand its full scope. It is finally time for them to talk.

The Dreamers awake. The intrusion into their dreams has left them all frightened and confused. One couple takes comfort in each other's distress, another does not, creating rifts that will manifest later. Those alone, like Hal, wake with a sense of dread and, judging by the conversations he can overhear, discovers he's not the only one who's had a rough night. When he goes to Rose's room, he is unsurprised by her absence.

Miranda Walker is unconcerned by dreams because she hasn't slept in two days. With a mother dying and a son who may be in a similar condition, Miranda laments the ruthless pull of her responsibilities across two continents. At least Miranda can take comfort that Rose is safe. Right?

For the moment, Rose is flying high, literally. Morpheus is carrying her through the Dreaming, taking Rose to her fate. To Rose, this is all a dream and, for the moment, a pleasant one.

At the Brevard County Hospital, Matthew enters the empty corridors of the facility, setting out to fulfill Morpheus's latest order. When he reaches Jed's room, he finds the 'someone' his master has asked him to retrieve. Gilbert. We've guessed by now that Gilbert is a dream who has been living as a human. While he does not recognize Matthew immediately, they share a touching exchange of their perspectives of the Dreaming and the Waking world. Gilbert admits he'll miss being human, and he'll miss Rose Walker.

At this moment, Matthew unwittingly reveals that Rose is a vortex. While Matthew doesn't see this as a big deal, Gilbert's reaction says otherwise, and he explains that to stop the maelstrom, Morpheus has to end its physical existence. It's the only time Morpheus is empowered to take a life to protect the Dreaming.

In other words, Rose Walker must die.

And that's it, until next week when we conclude The Doll's House.

NEXT - Issue 16 - Lost Hearts

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