The Endless (Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Delirium, and Despair) are a group of fictional beings appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics imprint Vertigo. The characters embody powerful forces or aspects of the universe in the comic book series The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman. They have existed since the dawn of time and are thought to be among the most powerful beings in the universe. They are distinct from and supposedly more powerful than most gods. Dream is the protagonist of The Sandman series, but all of the Endless play major roles.