Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Sandman season 1.

Creator Neil Gaiman explains the changes made to the Morpheus vs. Lucifer duel in Netflix's The Sandman. The series is based on Gaiman's long-running comic of the same name, which was published under the DC Vertigo imprint and ran for 75 issues. The new show stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus, who also goes by the names Dream and The Sandman. He's supported by a diverse cast embodying the rotation of back-up characters, including Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine, Gwendoline Christie as Lucifer, Boyd Holbrook as The Corinthian, Patton Oswalt as Matthew the Raven, Charles Dance as Roderick Burgess, and David Thewlis as John Dee, amongst others.

The Sandman season 1 adapts the comic arcs of Preludes and Nocturnes and Doll’s House, which feature some notable character and story beats for the series. This includes a showdown between Morpheus and Lucifer in Hell, which plays out a bit differently onscreen than it does in The Sandman comic. In the original story, Morpheus is challenged to a duel of "The Oldest Game" in order to win back his helm, which was stolen by a demon. Lucifer has a demon fight Morpheus in the duel, rather than fighting him herself. However, in The Sandman season 1, Lucifer directly takes part in the conflict opposite Morpheus.

Related: What Happens Next In The Sandman Comics After Season 1

Gaiman comments on the change to Variety, citing the "economics" of the page vs. the screen and how events have to fold for television. He says that having an actor of Christie's stature appear in the sequence ultimately makes it "cooler" than having Morpheus duel a demon. "When you’ve hired Gwendoline Christie because one, she is a 'Sandman' fan and she wants to play Lucifer and you are not going to argue with Gwendoline, and two, because you want her to play Lucifer," says Gaiman of the choice to have her take part in The Sandman's "Oldest Game." Here's more of Gaiman's quote on the change:

And we knew from the word go — this was something that was talked about in the initial dinner — that when we were going to be playing The Oldest Game, it was going to be reflected, the stuff that was in the captions was now going to be happening. So you were going to see these things that were being described. If you get the disease, you’re going to be dying of that disease until you come up with your next thing. So why not do it with Lucifer? Why not have Gwendoline be the person who takes that thing — because it’s cooler, because we love her and because she’s on screen. And also because it makes it more personal for her and gets the audience even more invested in “Season of Mists.”

the sandman lucifer vs. morpheus

Gaiman goes on to explain that he's equally excited for a rematch to happen in The Sandman season 2, which will pull from the comic story Season of Mists. "If we do Season 2, we’re going to be having the rematch and Morpheus is going to be going back to hell," Gaiman says, continuing, "And Lucifer has some surprises in store that Morpheus is not expecting." For comics fans already in the know, this won't be as much of a surprise, but for those who are enjoying the show and have not read the comics, this will be a nail-biting moment. It's unclear if The Sandman season 2 will happen, as the show just debuted, but if viewership and acclaim continue to go up, then chances are good it will continue.

Changes will always happen when moving from page to screen, and Gaiman's point about the economical aspect of the translation plays a big role. It's also important to note that sometimes what worked on the page doesn't work as well onscreen, and a shift is needed in order to sell the moment in a visual medium. For example, having Lucifer stand idly by while Morpheus fights a demon on The Sandman likely would not have been as exciting as watching the two clash. Another aspect that can benefit an adaptation is if the original creator is involved and is able to help guide that transition, such as what Gaiman is doing for the show. With The Sandman earning a great reception thus far, the hope is that it will continue on, adapting the full run of the comic series with the same faithful, yet fluid guidance under Gaiman's care.

Next: The Sandman's Biggest Story Changes From The Comics Explained

Source: Variety