The Corinthian From Sandman's Powers Explained

Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" is an awe-inspiring story that explores various realms and time periods, while also boasting a wide array of characters who defy simple classification. Now, thanks to the genius minds over at Netflix, the ambitious story has finally been adapted for the screen and it's bound to impress fans and critics alike. Gaiman hopes "The Sandman" lasts for a long time too, stating that he'd like to see at least 50 episodes of the dark fantasy series before it's all said and done.

At the heart of the story is Dream of The Endless (played by Tom Sturridge), an anthropomorphic being who controls everyone's dreams and nightmares. He resides in the realm of The Dreaming alongside his fantastical creations, most of which remain under his control and seem content to obey their master.

That being said, some of The Dreaming's inhabitants have a rebellious side and no desire to live a life of servitude. And when it comes to the most defiant denizens of the realm, look no further than The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook). But who is he and what is he capable of?

Imagine the worst monster that's ever haunted your nightmares. The kind that forces you to wake up screaming, panting, and sweating profusely as you struggle to regain your composure. Scary, right? Now imagine what would happen if that monster found its way into the waking world and started wreaking havoc on humankind. That's Corinthian in a nutshell.

First appearing in "The Sandman #10," Corinthian was created by Dream as a way to force people to confront their fears within the relative safety of their nightmares. He's a reflection of humanity's darkest traits, but Dream never intended for him to be anything more than a dream demon. Unfortunately, things didn't go according to plan as Corinthian developed an appetite for destruction and decided to go rogue, abandoning the Dreaming realm to slaughter humans on Earth.

Corinthian appears human on the surface, but beneath his sunglasses are rows of teeth where his eyes should be. Of course, the creature has no need for regular eyes — unless he's feasting on his victims' eyeballs for his own nefarious gain.

Most people who encounter Corinthian don't come out of the altercation with their eyeballs still intact. The evil creature enjoys munching on the aforementioned body parts as he's the personification of all that is wicked and nightmarish. At the same time, there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for why he eats eyes; his snacking habits are connected to his main powers, which he uses to get by in the human realm.

According to Fandom, consuming the eyes of his victims allows Corinthian to view their memories and understand their thoughts. This comes in handy whenever he possesses their bodies and assumes their identities during his quest to bring horror and terror to the universe. 

Taking over meaty human vessels allows the creature to blend into regular society, albeit with some caveats. For example, any time Corinthian takes over a meat vessel, the person's hair will turn grey and their eyes will be replaced with his trademark toothy sockets — hence why he rocks those groovy shades.