Desire (DC)

Desire is a cosmic being who features in DC Comics.

Biography

Desire

One of Desire’s most infamous plots involved attempting to embroil Dream in tragedy through their manipulation of the mortal realm. Desire, in league with their twin sister Despair, sought to entrap Dream in a situation where his pride and rigid morality would be his undoing. They manipulated the lineage of mortals by interfering in the lives of Nada, a queen who once rejected Dream, ensuring that Dream’s interactions with humanity were laced with anguish and conflict. Desire engineered these situations with careful cruelty, drawing enjoyment from the emotional chaos that ensued. Through such actions, Desire revealed both their cunning and their willingness to exploit human vulnerability to strike at their sibling. (Sandman v2 #10)

Desire continued to play the role of antagonist within the family, interfering at key moments in Dream’s story. They reveled in manipulation, often attempting to sow division between the Endless, particularly between Dream and Despair, with whom they shared a close bond. Desire’s methods included planting subtle suggestions, crafting long-term plots, and exploiting human weaknesses. Though their schemes often appeared frivolous, they carried genuine danger, for Desire’s manipulations threatened not only Dream but the balance of the Endless themselves. Despite their antagonistic actions, Desire never directly confronted their siblings with force, relying instead on guile, emotional influence, and the power of temptation.

Overview

Personality and attributes

In appearance, Desire was portrayed as a strikingly androgynous figure, their body and features embodying both masculine and feminine traits simultaneously. Their form was sleek, flawless, and unnervingly perfect, designed to reflect whatever image might be most alluring to those who beheld them. They had sharp, angular features, smooth skin, and a gaze that was both inviting and dangerous. Their realm, known as the Threshold, was a massive statue of themselves, hollow and filled with chambers where Desire resided, symbolizing their self-absorption and control over longing. Their physical depiction often shifted slightly between appearances, but always carried an ethereal, magnetic beauty that seemed beyond mortal comprehension. (Sandman v2 #10)

In personality, Desire was calculating, proud, and manipulative. They possessed a sharp wit, a flair for theatrics, and a relentless drive to involve themselves in the affairs of both mortals and immortals. Unlike their more reserved siblings, Desire enjoyed direct meddling in the lives of others, deriving pleasure from watching mortals succumb to passions or watching their siblings struggle under the weight of carefully laid schemes. They were vain, self-centered, and deeply amused by their own games, though beneath this, their actions often carried a mean-spirited edge, particularly when directed at Dream. Desire’s rivalry with Dream defined much of their personality in early stories, though they maintained close ties with Despair, sharing an almost symbiotic bond with their twin. (Sandman v2 #10)

Desire was depicted as scheming and manipulative, often positioning themselves in direct opposition to Dream. Their actions were consistently motivated by personal amusement, rivalry, and the urge to undermine their brother. In one of their earliest notable activities, Desire plotted against Dream by orchestrating circumstances that would place him into morally compromising situations, deliberately testing the extent of his control and pride. Desire’s manipulations were not limited to their siblings but extended into the mortal realm, where they subtly influenced human hearts, driving individuals toward acts of passion, jealousy, and obsession. (Sandman v2 #10)

Desire is easily the most casually cruel of the Endless. They are obsessed with interfering in the affairs of Dream, in particular. How their vendetta against Dream evolved past the initial incident in Endless Nights isn't clear. Regardless, their interactions with others can range from generous to malicious. In Pre-Roman Britain, Desire gave a young woman the attraction she needed to win the attention of the man she loved. (Sandman: Endless Nights v1 #1)

Powers and abilities

In essence, Desire was not a mortal being but one of the Endless, the conceptual embodiment of want, longing, and attraction itself. This made them immortal, unchanging, and bound to their role as long as desire existed in the universe. Their powers were rooted in influence rather than physical force, allowing them to subtly bend emotions, inspire longing, and exploit the vulnerabilities of both mortals and immortals. Unlike other siblings, who displayed more direct or overt powers, Desire’s influence was subtle and insidious, shaping thoughts and actions from within the heart. This ability to touch all forms of sentience and manipulate longing made them one of the most dangerous of the Endless, for their influence was constant and nearly unavoidable. (Sandman v2 #10)

Notes

• Desire was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg where he made his first appearance in Sandman v2 #10 (November, 1989).

In other media

Television

• In The Sandman, Desire appeared in the setting of the live-action television series adaptation where they were portrayed by actor Mason Alexander Park. Desire reached out to their twin sister Despair to report that Dream had found his way out of his cage and that they had a new plan in the works. Desire didn't believe that Dream had learned his lesson after 100 years of imprisonment, though Despair argued that their little games would never change Dream. To Desire, this was no game. They sought to put Dream in his place, as he often behaved as if his realm was superior to their own. Whatever their new scheme was, Despair was doubtful it would work, as they hadn't in the past. Desire retorted that Nada was a mistake and that Roderick Burgess was a diversion. Yet things have changed since then, as Desire revealed that there was a Dream Vortex, the first for a long time, a young girl named Rose. While the girl had no idea what she was, she was already doing what vortexes do: bringing in everything and everyone to her, including Morpheus. Desire was confronted by Dream after he discovered their plan. Unity Kinkaid should have been the vortex for the current era. Desire took advantage of Morpheus' imprisonment and fathered a child with her, knowing that it would become the vortex, and that Dream would be forced to kill her. Should he have spilled family blood, consequences would've ensued. Dream reminded Desire that they were the servants of the living, not their masters. They did not manipulate humanity; if anything, humanity manipulated them. Should Desire ever make another play against Dream again, he threatened to deal with them accordingly. However, Desire didn't appear fearful.

Appearances

• Sandman v2: (1989)

External Links

• DC Database Entry

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