The Sandman season 1 episode 3 recap: Dream a Little Dream of Me

This article contains SPOILERS for The Sandman season 1 episode 3.

Dream gets closer to having his tools returned to him as Ethel Cripps pays her son a visit in the third episode of The Sandman season 1.

Catch up here on everything from the last episode!

This episode begins with a woman walking in an abandoned pub. Inside, there is a door that looks and sounds like a lot of commotion is coming from it.

Before she can open it, a young girl calls out “Johanna” to which Johanna responds with “Astra” for the young girl’s name. Astra was the one who called Johanna to come to this location and now she is demanding they both leave now.

When Johanna asks for answers, Astra directs her to a man trapped for summoning demons. The man, Logue, says he and others were having fun but the others are still inside the club.

As Johanna goes into the club to save the other humans, she leaves Astra with Logue. He turns out to be her father.

Johanna Constantine walks down a hallway to a door, that is likely a portal to the club mentioned by Logue, before hesitating to twist the knob. When she eventually does, Johanna is dragged into the room when the next thing the audience sees is her waking up in the back of a London cab.

The Sandman season 1 episode 3: Johanna Constantine. Exorcist.

After departing the car, Johanna is greeted by a familiar friend who she calls Hettie. This old, homeless-looking woman tries to warn her of Morpheus returning and wanting his sand back.

But she just ignores Hettie’s warnings. Johanna turns around to walk into her work when she is surprised by the King of Dreams himself.

Dream states they have business to handle, but Johanna shrugs it off since she is already working. She goes into the church where she finds a priest who tells her the princess is in the next room over, trying to marry a footballer.

While confused about why the princess would need an exorcism, Johanna tries to leave before hearing the princess screaming due to her being possessed. She impersonates the priest to trick the bride and groom-to-be into saying the Latin incantations.

It turns out the man was the one possessed by the demon.

The demon breaks free of the mortal man’s host and kills the footballer. The real priest brings the princess to safety as Johanna tries to send the demon to hell.

Dream arrives, as he and the demon trades pleasantries ending with the demon saying he knows where Dream’s helm is. Before Lord Morpheus can get answers, however, Constantine sends it back to hell.

The Sandman season 1 episode 3: Lord Morpheus gains a new companion

Within his confined hospital room, John is telling his mother that he does not want to help her since Ethel is a liar. He proves this by stating his name is John Burgess.

Bringing out a history of ritual magic, John discusses Sir Roderick and his mistress. Therefore, if his mom wants the ruby, she is going to have to be honest with him.

Following the mess in the church, Johanna and Dream finally have a proper conversation outside where he asks about his pouch of sand. The human magic user states she couldn’t open the drawstrings, so she sold it.

Since Dream threatens the destruction of humanity if his realm is not restored, Johanna agrees to help find it but states she works alone. Johanna then points out a raven is nearby which upsets Dream, because he instructed Lucienne he does not need a new raven.

This raven introduces himself as Matthew and Dream grudgingly accepts the black-feathered bird. As Dream deals with Matthew, Johanna can get away.

Ethel explains her story with Sir Roderick and how she traded the helm and sand for the Amulet of Protection. John does not want to give it to her rather than giving the jewel to The Sandman, they could dream of a world without him.

The Sandman season 1 episode 3: Johanna’s Nightmare

Matthew explains how he does not fully understand what is going on. A couple of hours ago he died in his sleep and now he is a bird.

Dream lets Matthew stay until they find Johanna. Since she is asleep, The Sandman knows exactly where to find her.

While Dream arrives in Johanna’s dreams, the audience finds out that the opening scene was Johanna dreaming of a memory. After Johanna walks through the door and is dragged in, she is fighting a demon.

Astra comes in to check on her friend when the demon grabs the young girl and tries to drag her to hell. Johanna closes the portal, but it is revealed that she is only holding Astra’s hand and wrist, as the rest of her was sliced clean off as the portal closed.

Understandably startled, Johanna wakes up to find Dream offering a chance to take this memory away. Johanna agrees and begins looking for something to find the sand.

As she looks in her office, the two talk. She puts some pieces together and finds out the “devil” in Sir Roderick’s basement was the civil and tender god she saw before him.

Now that the mother and son duo are honest, they reminisce about the limited good times they did have during the last hundred years. John explains how he knows Ethel was doing things to protect them and now he will return the favor if she brings him the ruby.

The Sandman season 1 episode 3: Dream and Johanna help each other

Johanna and Dream are walking to Rachel Moodie’s house where the sand is. Constantine informs Dream that she left the sand there after going on a job and never returning because of Rachel misinterpreting their living situation.

Johanna does not believe love is worth it. As she buzzes up to Rachel, Johanna is confused when her ex-girlfriend does not even ask who it is, thinking her ex is expecting someone.

Dream waits outside as Constantine confronts Rachel after leaving her six months ago. Rachel opens the door and makes Johanna feel rightfully uncomfortable about the situation that Johanna caused.

Some small talk commences, and Johanna begins asking for her things when Rachel invites her ex inside allowing Johanna to apologize properly. Outside, a self-conscious Matthew tries to help Dream as Jessamy did by reminding the King of Dreams that humans are not able to be trusted.

He responds to this by entering Rachel’s apartment to find Johanna under the enchantment of Dream’s sand. The two go into the bedroom to find Rachel has become addicted to the sand and the dreams that come from it, causing her body to wither away.

Since Dream has what he wanted in the sand, he goes to leave but Johanna demands he helps her ex since it was his sand that ruined her. Dream agrees, and once Rachel leaves Morpheus puts Rachel out of her suffering with one last peaceful dream of Johanna before she passes.

The Sandman season 1 episode 3: A new enemy makes a splash

Since people died the last time John had the ruby, Ethel gives him the Amulet of Protection as a peace offering. When Ethel hands over the amulet, her body begins to age rapidly before she dies in John’s arms as he cries over his loss.

A guard comes in to see their prisoner laying over a free guest. John does not listen to the guard’s orders to back away.

The guard fires his gun but thanks to the Amulet of Protection, the bullet bounces back and kills the guard. This happens two more times before John walks out of the building where he was being held captive.

He stands in the cold Buffalo streets when Corinthian walks up to him and gives him the coat off his back. The mourning son offers to return it to this man he does not know, but Corinthian is not interested in that.

His only interest is that John gets to where he wants to go.

The episode ends in London with Dream informing Johanna of her ex’s passing. Johanna tries to convince Lord Morpheus that not all humans are bad, something Dream acknowledges since he knows Johanna is not like Sir Roderick.

After she leaves, Matthew finally convinces Dream to allow him to accompany him, just in time for Dream to go to Hell.

Do you think Matthew’s jealousy of Jessamy will cost the raven later in life? Is this the last we see of Johanna Constantine?

What do you think awaits Dream in Hell? Let us know your answers and opinions in the comments below!

Watch all of The Sandman season 1, only on Netflix!