Lucifer Morningstar flips the script in The Sandman Season 2 by doing the unthinkable—leaving Hell behind. But this isn’t some dramatic escape. It’s a calculated move, one that throws the entire cosmic balance into chaos. But why and how? Here’s a breakdown.
Here’s why Lucifer leaves hell in The Sandman Season 2
In The Sandman Season 2, Episode 2, titled “The Ruler of Hell,” Lucifer Morningstar reveals to Morpheus, aka Dream, that she has grown tired of Hell, which is why she is leaving.
Calling the realm “Heaven’s shadow,” Lucifer explains that the job has become hollow – an eternal role dictated by Heaven’s expectations rather than her own will. Rather than continue to be the warden of eternal punishment, Lucifer chooses liberation.
But her decision isn’t just about resignation, it’s about making a statement. Lucifer releases all trapped souls, including Dream’s former lover Nada, and prepares to step away. Yet she doesn’t simply vanish. Instead, she hands the entire responsibility over to Morpheus, knowing full well the chaos it would bring him.
Lucifer calls this transfer of power necessary, saying that entrusting Hell to anyone else would be “too dangerous.” But as Dream comes to realize, this was no act of trust – it was revenge. With that, the burden of Hell becomes Morpheus’ to carry, at least temporarily.
After Lucifer leaves, Morpheus becomes the reluctant new ruler of Hell in The Sandman Season 2. Despite receiving the key to the kingdom, he has no intention of staying in power. Instead, he hosts a diplomatic banquet, inviting several powerful contenders to plead their case for control. The power then goes to someone else, who becomes the new leader of Hell.
Who is Hell’s new leader in The Sandman Season 2?
Morpheus hands over the leadership of Hell to the angels, who become its new leaders.
One of the contenders, the demon Azazel, threatens to kill Nada unless he is given the key. Morpheus, however, is several steps ahead. In Episode 3, he hands over Hell to angels, believing “there can’t be a heaven without hell.” In the end, Hell is under angelic rule, and Morpheus is free of the realm’s responsibilities. Yet this victory is bittersweet, and fans will get to know in upcoming episodes.
