Summary
Warning: contains spoilers forOutsiders#9!Sandmanlore just received a huge update, as DC unveils the god-level weapon Dream’s brother keeps hidden. The Endless are some of the most powerful entities in the DC Universe, personifications of abstract concepts such as Death and Dream.Outsiders#9 introduces a new element to the lore of the Endless: a mega-powerful weapon that is capable of destroying the entire multiverse.
Outsiders#9 is written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly and drawn by Robert Carey. The Outsiders have arrived at a mysterious city outside of reality, one anchored by a large cannon. Nabu, one of the Lords of Order, reveals the Cannon was created from “the very fabric of the universe.” Its purpose: to destroy reality in the event something goes wrong. The true shocker, however, about the Cannon is the one who built it.
Nabu tells Luke Fox thatthe Cannon was not built by human hands, but by Destiny, of the Endless.
Destiny is the Oldest of the Endless, and the First to Appear as Well
Destiny is Also One of DC’s Most Powerful Beings
Although Destiny is todayknown as a member of the Endless, he in fact appeared much earlier, debuting in 1972’sWeird Mystery Tales#1. Originally created to be the “host” for an anthology book, writer Neil Gaiman rescued Destiny from limbo, incorporating him into the vast mythos he was constructing forSandman. Gaiman and his collaborators repurposed Destiny as the oldest member of the Endless, being created shortly after life arose in the universe. Chained to his Book of Souls, Destiny is not only the oldest member of the Endless, but arguably its most powerful.
Destiny has parlayed this power into creating DC’s newest god-level weapon: the Cannon. Described as the “first gun and the last,” the Cannon is capable of destroying not just one universe, but the entirety of creation. The Endless are beings beyond mortal comprehension, and will be some of the last standing when the universe comes to an end. That one of their numbers could fashion such a weapon should not come as a surprise. The Endless work on a multiversal scale and their tools will reflect that. Now, the Cannon has fallen into mortal hands.
Rare Sandman Story Cements Itself as a Fan-Favorite with Hardcover Reprinting
Dream, Death, Delirium, and the rest return in a long-awaited reprint of Eisner-winning artist Jill Thompson’s Little Endless Storybook series.
Destiny’s Mega Weapon Greatly ExpandsSandmanLore
What Does It Mean for the Endless Future? And the DC Universe?
Outsiders#9 implies the Cannon is a fail-safe measure, should the Lords of Chaos get out of hand, but it also represents one of the biggest expansions ofSandmanlore in recent years. Previously, Destiny only had his Book of Souls. The introduction of the Cannon is not only a jarring reminder of Destiny’s power, but the power of the Endless as well. For eons, thanks to the Cannon, the Endless had the ability to destroy the multiverse anytime they wanted. This revelation casts new light on the Endless and their relationship to the DC Universe.
otus
