The following contains spoilers for Dead Boy Detectives, now streaming on Netflix

Summary

• Dead Boy Detectives features cameos from The Sandman characters.
• Death and Despair's appearances explore themes of mortality and morality.
• These cameos may hint at future directions for Dead Boy Detective characters.

Dead Boy Detectives features two crucial cameos from characters from The Sandman. Based on the comics originally written by Neil Gaiman, The Sandman universe of stories is a vast and often metaphysical universe that explores morality and mortality through the eyes of figures like Dream of the Endless. A big part of the series is how their presence impacts the lives of the human beings they encounter and interact with, shaping the world that they are largely disconnected from.

Dead Boy Detectives underlines the scope of the world, with the spin-off series centered around two ghostly inhabitants of the world and their mystery-solving allies. The series functions as a spin-off of both The Sandman and the otherwise unconnected Doom Patrol show. Dead Boy Detective contains easter eggs from both series. However, while Night Nurse's appearance in Dead Boy Detectives is a fun continuation of the character's role appearance in Doom Patrol, the cameos from The Sandman could tease potential future directions for Dead Boy Detectives' characters.

Death

Death Is Played By Kirby Howell-Baptiste

Death's appearance in Dead Boy Detectives serves as a key connective tissue between the series and The Sandman. Death is one of the Endless, primordial forces that function as constants of existence. Considering that Dead Boy Detectives focuses on a duo of crime-solving ghosts, Death presents a unique threat to their continued existence on Earth. Death appears in the first episode of Dead Boy Detectives, "The Case of Crystal Palace." Death's main scene focuses on bringing the ghost Wilfred to rest. Death serves an interesting role in Dead Boy Detectives, especially in contrast to her role in The Sandman.

The Sandman franchise as a whole positions Death as a surprisingly empathetic and caring incarnation of mortality, who gently tries to usher people out of life. However, the titular ghostly detectives Edwin and Charles are terrified of meeting Death again, as they fear she'll force them to depart from the Earth once and for all. This makes her cameo in the first episode of the series an important set-up of the threats that could still destroy them. Death's influence also impacts other episodes, like when she frees Simon from Hell.

Despair

Despair Is Played By Donna Preston

Another of the Endless, Despair, appears in Dead Boy Detectives. The personification of hopelessness and the twin sister of Desire, Despair is a morose and curious member of the Endless. Her cameo in Dead Boy Detectives comes during episode 7, "The Case of the Very Long Stairway." While venturing through the Doll House, Edwin encounters Despair watching his old schoolmate Simon's torture in hell. The two have a brief conversation, and Despair's commentary ends up helping push Edwin to forgive Simon.

Notably, this cameo could set the Dead Boy Detectives up for an important role in future stories. After their conversation, Despair reveals that she now considers Edwin a friend, and may call upon him in the future. This could set up the Dead Boy Detectives to appear outside of their own series if they are called upon by Despair. Even if there isn't a season 2 of Dead Boy Detectives, this could be a natural way to bring the character back for future storylines in the primary The Sandman series.