Occultist Roderick Burgess performs a ritual to capture Death but accidentally traps Dream instead.

Alex Burgess's wheelchair smudges the binding circle, freeing Dream after decades of captivity.

Dream descends into Hell and defeats the demon Choronzon in a contest of transformation to reclaim his stolen helmet.

Doctor Destiny traps a diner full of people and spends a full day driving them to madness and death using Dream's ruby.

Doctor Destiny crushes Dream's ruby believing it holds Dream's life, but instead restores Dream's full power.

Dream meets his sister Death on a park bench, and she challenges his listlessness and helps him find renewed purpose.

Dream examines Rose Walker through her dreams and discovers she is a dream vortex threatening the entire Dreaming.

Dream destroys the nightmare known as the Corinthian at the serial killer convention and rescues Rose Walker.

Unity Kincaid removes the dream vortex from Rose and takes it into herself, dying in her granddaughter's place.

Dream confronts Desire and warns them against interfering in his affairs after deducing their scheme involving Rose.

Destiny calls all the Endless together, and Dream vows to travel to Hell to free Nada.

Dream arrives in Hell to find it empty; Lucifer announces he has abdicated and hands Dream the key to Hell.

Dream gives the key to Hell to the angels Duma and Remiel, resolving the summit of powers gathered at his castle.

The Cuckoo forces Barbie to destroy the Hierogram, and Dream arrives to absorb the dying dream world.

Dream visits the immortal Orpheus after the Bacchae have beheaded him and tells him they will never meet again.

Roderick Burgess accidentally traps Dream during a ritual meant for Death, imprisoning him for decades and causing worldwide sleep disorders. After escaping, Dream pursues his three stolen tools across the mortal world and Hell, culminating in a catastrophic clash with the monstrous Doctor Destiny. Dream then reunites with his sister Death and confronts the deadly dream vortex surrounding Rose Walker, a crisis resolved only by the sacrifice of Rose's grandmother Unity. He is drawn next into the political upheaval surrounding Hell's vacant throne, navigating a summit of cosmic powers to appoint a new ruler. His final acts in this arc take him through the destruction of a beloved dream world and to a bittersweet parting with his immortal son Orpheus.

Dream's captivity, quest to recover his power, and the battles that restore his kingdom.

Burgess's assistant Sykes steals Dream's tools from the manor and trades Dream's helmet to a demon for magical protection.

Dream curses Alex Burgess with an eternal nightmare as revenge for his decades of imprisonment.

John Constantine helps Dream track his stolen sand pouch to a former girlfriend's house, where they find her dying from the dreams.

Dream encounters his ancient love Nada imprisoned in Hell but tells her he has not yet forgiven her and will not free her.

Dream and Death spend a day walking through the city together, and Dream is moved by his sister's compassion for the dying.

Two men in a desert share the ancient story of Nada and Dream's forbidden love and the destruction of her city.

Dream discovers Brute and Glob hiding inside Jed Walker's dreams and dismantles their secret pocket dream kingdom.

Rose Walker and Gilbert check into a motel that is secretly hosting a convention for serial killers.

Hob Gadling declares in a medieval tavern that he refuses ever to die, and Dream and Death quietly honor his wish.

Richard Madoc is driven to madness by an unstoppable flood of ideas until he finally releases the captive muse Calliope.

Gods, demons, and beings from many pantheons arrive at Dream's castle to bid for control of the vacant Hell.

The demons Azazel and Choronzon reveal they are holding Nada hostage as leverage during the Hell negotiations.

Barbie's dream companion Martin Tenbones crosses into the waking world to warn her of danger and is shot dead by police.

Thessaly kills George, conducts a moon ritual, and enters Barbie's dream with Hazel and Foxglove, leaving Wanda behind.

Barbie attends Wanda's funeral and uses lipstick to write Wanda's true name over her deadname on the gravestone.

While Dream was imprisoned, his tools were stolen and scattered across realms, setting the stage for the quests that define his return. Secondary characters like John Constantine, Hob Gadling, and the muse Calliope reveal new facets of Dream's history and his complicated relationships with mortals. The serial killer convention pulls Rose Walker and Gilbert into the heart of danger, while the dreamworld seethes with escaped nightmare entities hiding in Jed Walker's mind. As cosmic politics surround Hell's vacant throne, demons use the captive Nada as a bargaining chip among the assembled powers. The arc concludes with the tragedy of Barbie and Wanda, whose friendship is tested and ultimately severed by the deadly storm unleashed through Thessaly's moon ritual.

The supporting cast, stolen treasures, and personal bonds that shape Dream's world.

Dream refuses Roderick Burgess's repeated offers of power, immortality, and freedom in exchange for his cooperation.

Lucien greets Dream at his ruined castle and reveals the entire dreamworld has crumbled apart during his long absence.

Dream tracks his ruby to a storage unit but finds it has been altered and drains all of his remaining power.

Dream returns Doctor Destiny to Arkham Asylum and the world sleeps deeply, waking to normalcy the next morning.

Dream sends Hector Hall to the land of the dead and tells Lyta Hall that her unborn child belongs to him.

Dream and Hob Gadling meet again after a century-long falling out, and Dream finally admits they are genuine friends.

Rose Walker falls asleep and realizes she can see into and draw together all the dreams in her household.

Dream deduces that Desire orchestrated the dream vortex situation to make him unknowingly kill a member of his own family.

Lucifer asks Dream to cut off his wings as the final act before locking Hell's gates for the last time.

The angel Remiel tearfully accepts his fate as ruler of Hell, unable to rebel because there is nowhere left for a fallen angel to go.

Dream rescues Nada from the demon Azazel during the Hell summit and later reincarnates her as a newborn on earth.

Johanna Constantine smuggles the living severed head of Orpheus out of Paris during the height of the Reign of Terror.

Dream gives Joshua Norton a new dream that saves him from despair and launches his self-proclaimed reign as Emperor of the United States.

The Cuckoo reveals to Barbie that she is the childhood imaginary self who grew up and took over Barbie's dream world.

Orpheus descends to Hades, plays his lyre for all the dead, and is promised Eurydice's return but looks back and loses her.

Dream's long imprisonment and its scattered aftermath are shaped by a series of pivotal decisions and hard-won revelations about his own nature. His stubborn pride prolonged his captivity, while his humbling return to a ruined dreamworld forced him to confront the full cost of his absence. Through encounters with Lyta Hall, Hob Gadling, and Desire, Dream is gradually pushed toward accountability and emotional vulnerability he has long refused. The transfer of Hell's rulership is resolved through a surprising moral pivot, while the ancient tragedy of Nada is finally given a merciful resolution. The final turning point belongs to Orpheus, whose doomed descent into Hades mirrors his father's deepest flaw and exposes the devastating price of pride for both of them.

The revelations, decisions, and emotional turning points that redefine Dream's character.