The season one finale of American Gods sees a series of revelations happen, so lets get to it.
A Cautionary Tale
The episode kicks off with Mr Wednesday and Shadow Moon visiting Mr Nancy to have new suits made. Wednesday is looking to make a good impression on Easter, the goddess of spring.
While they wait, Nancy tells them the story of Bilquis and how she lost her worshipers to the wars, greed and hatred of men – and how she was ultimately saved when Technology Boy introduced her to the advantages of social media.
It’s a cautionary tale and one that Wednesday has already encountered thanks to his former friend Vulcan having fallen prey to the new Gods.
An audience with Easter
Wednesday and Shadow Moon arrive at Easter’s mansion and our escorted in by an Army of bunnies. At first Easter is not to pleased to see Wednesday, but grants him an audience anyway.
Things get tense when Wednesday provokes Easter by saying that she only remains relevant thanks to the resurrection of Jesus and thus no longer holds the influence she had when she was worshipped as Ostara Goddess of the Dawn.
This upsets Easter who then gets distracted by the arrival of a dead visitor.
The mystery of Laura Moon
Easter having sensed the arrival of death meets with Mad Sweeney and the barely held together Laura Moon. Sweeney asks Easter if she can help and resurrect Laura. Easter agrees to try and finds that she cannot do to it without interfering with the plans of the God who has killed Laura.
Understandably Laura is infuriated to find out that she was killed by one of the gods and demands that Sweeney tell her who it is.
Sweeney after having his nuts cracked several times caves and reveals Laura’s killer to be Wednesday. We also learn that the failed Casino heist and Shadow serving time in Jail was all part of Wednesday’s plan.
War is declared
Having met with Laura Moon and Sweeney, Easter is called upon by the arrival of another guest. The goddess media who brings forth gifts and platitudes.
Media asks if Wednesday has visited and Easter reveals that he has and goes onto explain that she is having second thoughts about the deal that she struck with Media and the new gods to stay relevant. Media tells Easter to burry these feelings deep and bitterly says that Easter is only a relevant holiday because of the death and resurrection of Christ.
At this point Wednesday and Shadow Moon come into the fray and Wednesday begins to debate with Media, Technology Boy and Mr World about how the old gods had a much better system of worship.
Wednesday argues that people used to fast for 40 days and 40 nights out of necessity and would worship Ostara to bring them the spring so their crops would grow so they could eat. He adds that today we place something in a microwave and watch it spin round and consume.
Mr World then says that Wednesday was a god of war whose followers wielded swords, clubs and all manner of weapons. Whereas he has all the guns and has no time for war. Wednesday counters by telling Ostara to show off her power.
At this point Easter does her thing and the flowers bloom, the overcast skies become clear and then the flowers die and the sky darkens. Easter takes away her gift and is told to withhold it until she is properly worshipped.
Thus Mr World declares war and warns Wednesday that he’ll become nothing.
Wednesday turns to Shadow Moon who has witnessed everything and asks if he believes. Shadow Moon says he does, but when asked what he believes in he answers everything.
At this point Sweeney and Laura appear and Laura asks for a few moments with her husband.
Some final thoughts
The first season has pretty much set the ball rolling and Shadow Moon now knows the identity of Mr Wednesday and has had his first meeting with Mr Nancy. He is now pretty much on the side of the old gods. Which leaves us with one or two questions to ponder until the series returns next year.
- Will Laura Moon reveal to Shadow that Mr Wednesday has manipulated events that led to him doing time and her death?
- If he learns the truth from Laura how will Shadow react. Will he cut loose from Wednesday?
- What role does Bilquis have to play in this war. As things stand. We know she is indebted to Technology Boy, but will Wednesday be able to get her back onside like he has with Easter?