Hello from TIRealm!
🎼Someday we’ll find it, The Realm of Imagination. The Watchers, The Dreamers and Me. 🐸🌈🎼

American Gods has been a confusing and exhilarating ride.  The season 2 finale, Moon Shadow, has held true to that roller-coaster.  I’ve made it to the end of this episode on my first watch and I have no clue what just happened.  Let’s try this again, from the beginning on watch number two.

The episode opens with an old news radio broadcast and a family sitting in their country home on a farm.  The news broadcast announces that there had been an alien invasion in the very town the family live.  They become hysterical, pack up and flee their home.  Mr. World is facilitating the broadcast and it is a demonstration his power over the media to spread fear and creating a threat.  Even if the supposed threat is imagined, the fear it elicits is real in those who believe it exists.  By the end of the opener, Mr. World is shown directing a movie about an alien invasion and there is a little boy watching.  Mr.  World talks about fear and you can see that the little boy is developing the same fear about aliens.  In the next scene, the little boy, hears his dog barking and gets out of bed, dressed in Star Trek pajamas and runs outside, past a scarecrow to check on his dog Sandy, and is abducted by a spaceship. 

The radio broadcast was to mimic the real-life event of The War of the Worlds, by Orsen Welles, being read on the radio and perhaps causing the same type of panic in the 1930s.  The TV movie was also set up to mimic Sci-Fi movies of the 1950s.  Mr. World does an excellent job in his monologue during this segment of the show embodying The Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling.  You also get the set up for the New Gods to display a show of strength this episode.

In the present day, we see the moon and then the camera moves down to Shadow standing in a grave yard at Ibis’ as Ibis is inside preparing Mad Sweeney’s body.  He recalls the moment of Sweeney’s death and has visions of the World Tree aka Yggdrasil, Wednesday, and a body of water leading to a bed on the beach.  The tree has runes carved into it and Wednesday is wearing a bracelet with the same runes as well. 

One of the runes shown is interlocking triangles which according to google are also known as Odin’s Triangles.  According to Wikipedia, Odin’s Triangles is also known as “The valknut (coined from Old Norse valr, “slain warriors” and knut, “knot”) is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles. It appears on a variety of objects from the archaeological record of the ancient Germanic peoples.”  I’ve come to learn that one of the other runes is called the Othala rune which symbolizes ancestry and inheritance.

The images of Wednesday are from several encounters, including when he had the coin in the waiting room when Shadow’s mom was ill.  The beach looks similar to where the group went after the carousel ride for the great counsel.  They seem to be memories as well as visions of things that have not happened and we see and hear Laura say to him that he is just having a bad dream.  In the early morning hours, Wednesday sneaks out of the house.  Shadow wakes in the cemetery with three snails crawling up the side and Laura laying on the tomb across from him.

The CEO is sitting at his desk seemingly having trouble focusing and there are metronomes everywhere distracting him.  He realizes the images are in his head, recalls memories of him as a boy and a young adult and has an epiphany and redesigns and upgraded Tech Boy.

Back at the cemetery, Laura is still trying to make things right with Shadow and he says he doesn’t believe her and sorry isn’t good enough.  He tells her that Sweeney died last night.  Laura tries to warn Shadow against Wednesday and calls him puppy triggering a memory of a time when they were in the park and Laura saw a puppy she liked and wanted him to steal the puppy and he responds that he would be her puppy thus earning the nickname puppy.  When he gets up we see the tomb he was laying on says “She hath done what she could” and he reminds her not to call him puppy.  Laura says that she will kill Wednesday and asks if he’s going to stop her and he doesn’t respond.

The CEO tells New Tech Boy that he is perfect to which he responds by telling The CEO that he is messy.  New Tech Boy is calmer than his previous version.  The two discuss wrestling god as New Tech Boy wants to know why The CEO created him and the CEO doesn’t seem to really know. 

Meanwhile, Shadow leaves the cemetery and we see the snails again.  I could not figure out any symbolism that could be associated with the snail other than their pace.  Perhaps it refers to Shadow’s journey to realization thus far as it changes pace this episode.  Laura goes into the greenhouse where Sweeney died and becomes upset at the blood on the ground and Bilquis is waiting for her in the garden with an apple in her hand.  She tells Laura where Sweeney is, insinuating Laura would want to see him.  Laura plays with the blood on the ground with her boot as they discuss Wednesday, is she going to use this blood for the voodoo potion Bridget and the Baran told her about?  Bilquis talks about temptation and there is clear Garden of Eden symbolism.  Laura points out that Bilquis doesn’t like Wednesday and Bilquis asks if Laura’s intuition tells her that and seems genuinely concerned about Laura’s intuition.  I’d thought at one point that maybe Laura was the devil so perhaps there is a role reversal in this scene or maybe Laura is Lilith rather than Eve in this scene.

New Tech Boy and The CEO continue to discuss his recreation and sacrifices The CEO has made such as a family and notes that he can’t be in two places at once.  New Tech Boy asks what happens when you touch a God and they refer to the Sistine Chapel painting of Michelangelo touching God’s finger tips.  The CEO’s computer seems to have a virus or has been hacked.  New Tech Boy tells him that he is not made in God’s image, God is made in Man’s image.  New Tech Boy touches him and accesses all the CEO’s information seemingly taking back the tech that was taken from him and given to The CEO by Mr. World.  He transfers all the data to Mr. World and teleports to his bunker.   

Salim is in a store buying liquor and paying with cash because the New Gods have infiltrated the financial systems.  People are buying water and fighting over gas as the hysteria sets in.  Salim returns to Ibis’ and we see Laura standing alone with Sweeney.  Shadow finds several of Sweeney’s coins on the ground as Salim keeps continues to panic and finds a TV.  On the news we see Wednesday and Shadow are wanted men as New Media has embedded herself in the world wide web manipulating the media, banks, and surveillance.  Salim is utterly confused, and Ibis says, “all writers have bias”.  Anansi and Ibis appear aware of what the New Gods are up to as they discuss Shadow’s awareness over a game of chess.  Anansi says that Shadow’s ignorance gives him power and says that he is under the knife.  Shadow is eavesdropping, and it seems they are aware, and becoming rather nervous.

Wednesday is unbothered in a restaurant somewhere grinding pepper on his food as the news plays in the background.  Back at Ibis’ Salim is still panicking at the news reports while Anansi and Ibis discuss the coming revolution.  Anansi says that Ibis has lost his edge, but Ibis doesn’t agree a revolution is necessary.  If I’m not mistaken at this moment the beat for Gil Scott Herron’s poem, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, is playing in the background as they talk.  Shadow goes to get money from under his mattress.  As Shadow attempts to make a run for it, Bilquis is in his room.  She gets naked and tells him that their fortunes are linked.  When he asks how, she kisses him, tells him that he tastes of love lost, then marks his forehead with blood as she says find out who you are.  She disappears, and Shadow continues to try to leave.

Jinn enters the room with Anansi and Ibis.  Anansi and Jinn have a banter and Jinn moves Ibis’ board pieces and checks Anansi.  New Media adds Salim to the wanted list and Salim is really freaking out now.  Shadow tells Salim he needs to get out of here and leave the crazy Gods behind Salim says he is making his own choices.  The news is still playing in the background and New Media is increasingly upping the ante with locations and additional charges.  As Shadow walks by a TV, she speaks directly using her face and the faces of multiple news anchors to him reminded him that they spoke before when she was old Media.  Shadow knows that he is in a lot of trouble and is searching for a way out as we see the police and FBI are on the way to Ibis’.  Salim is also panicking as he sees the home is surrounded by law enforcement vehicles.  Ibis appears unbothered and amidst the chaos, Salim and Jinn share a tender moment. 

Shadow tries to leave through the greenhouse and the World Tree drags him into the tree and to that beach we saw earlier.  We see several images of his mother, Wednesday and Sweeney.  He recalls things his mother said including “don’t let him find you” warning him about his father.  He has visions of the buffalo and Wednesday.  As all the images and memories flood to him, Shadow pieces things together.  Shadow has an axe and begins chopping the World Tree as he realizes that he is Wednesday’s son.  The World Tree opens, and we see the beach again from the beginning.  There is a montage of Shadow as a child playing with a house and action figures set up in the same model as the present-day raid occurring.  Little Shadow uses his arm and swipes all the action figure police from in front of the toy home.  In the present day, Salim opens the front door and the home is no longer surrounded.  The FBI are soliciting the CEO’s help with fixing a terrorist hack that produced fake news over the last day.  The Jinn leaves after some Ibis refers to his relationship with Salim as his burden by calling him Sisyphus who was a king in Greek mythology who had to push a bolder up a hill that would roll back down when he got to the top. Laura is walking down the street with Sweeney’s body.  Mr. World sips his drink and smiles at the thought of Chaos and Mr. Wednesday drinks wine saying that his boy is going to be just fine.

Shadow is on a bus leaving town and the buss is stopped by the police who check everyone’s ID.  Shadow is free to go as the police says you’re free to go Mr. Ainsel.  He looks at his ID and notices that his name is listed as Michael Ainsel, I’ve learned is Shadow’s alias in the books when he is hiding from the Gods.  I suppose the Season 3 will have that plot-line. See you in Season 3!

Hello from TIRealm!
🎼Someday we’ll find it, The Realm of Imagination. The Watchers, The Dreamers and Me. 🐸🌈🎼

The episode opens with Shadow walking down a dirt road and finding Sweeney laying under a bridge asleep.  Shadow says if you keep hanging out under bridges people will start thinking you’re a troll.  Sweeney is throwing coins around and says the only coin that matters is locked up in dead wife.  Sweeney is hallucinating, and Shadow is trying to get him to tell him where Laura is, and he said he thought she might be here when she ran away.  Sweeney tells shadow I’ll tell you something, you’re walking on gallows ground, and there’s a rope around your neck and a raven-bird on each shoulder waiting for your eyes, and the gallows tree has deep roots, for it stretches from heaven to hell, and our world is only the branch from which the rope is swinging.  It seems to imply that Wednesday is the puppeteer and fear of death keeps you in his service, but death may be freedom.  It also seems to refer to Will James somewhat.  However, but I could be way off.

In the next scene, Wednesday is admiring his tree that has grown considerably.  He asks Ibis and Jinn who are on their side for the war.  They name: Anubis, Anansi, Seth, Horus, Czernobog, Mama-ji and Bilquis but then question her loyalty.  Shadow comes in and Wednesday reassures them that they can speak freely.  Ibis says they can add Bast to the list.  Shadow says that Sweeney is in bad shape.  Wednesday makes light of it and Shadow appears irritated.  Wednesday excuses Jinn and Ibis and shows the Spear to Shadow.  He cuts a branch from the tree, apologizes, and says a spell over the branch and broken spear and it lights up as it is repaired.  He hands the spear to Shadow and tells him to guard it as they are the same.

Laura is in a diner giving Mama-ji sass and she displays her destroyer goddess form and shuts down Laura’s sass immediately.  Laura tells her that she needs the blood to bring her back to life.   Mama-ji tells her that she doesn’t need voodoo, she has the power to destroy in her heart with the coin.  Bilquis also mentioned that Laura was a warrior goddess.  I was also pretty sure she has some power associated with her death and strength.

Back at Ibis’ we see Sweeney outside and he is still having visions and he sees some spirits in the front.  Salim lets him in the house and Sweeney asks Salim if he can hear the banshee outside and Salim says they are women who lost their family last night.  Sweeney is falling apart. Inside the chapel, Bilquis is preaching to several people from the bible, I think she mentions Solomon, who are being seduced by her words.  Sweeney asks if that’s what she does these days and Bilquis says that she adapts.  She reminds Sweeney that he was a King and he says he doesn’t remember much of it these days.  She says that she will take his confession.

We get a flashback of Sweeney in the woods having sex with a woman, he stopped and says he can’t remember and Bilquis’ voice tells him to keep going.  She interrupts and tells him this story isn’t true, he had a wife.  Sweeney wakes up and it is night time.  Wednesday throws some insults his way and Sweeney tells him that he is welcome for every task he has done then quits.  Wednesday says his contract is not fulfilled.  Sweeney continues to refuse to be in Wednesday’s service to which Wednesday tells him to finish off Laura Moon, ignoring Sweeney’s objections.  Sweeney goes back outside and sees the banshees again, punches a beer bottle and sees ants in his hand.  He immediately has a flashback of him in the woods eating ants from a tree.  His wife approaches, he calls her a witch and she reminds him that she is his wife.  She tells their daughter to basically remember that her father is mad.  He asks his wife why she is dressed in rags and recalls their wedding day when she was dressed beautifully.  She reminds him that they lost the dress, lands, castle, their people and the war because he abandoned his people in the field and they’ve been cursed since.

Salim joins Sweeney outside and Sweeney asks him what does Wednesday have on him.  Salim says he is there because the Jinn is there, the Jinn owes Wednesday.  Sweeney tries to encourage him to leave but Salim says he is staying because he loves him and that’s how love works.  He says Sweeney can’t understand because he has never been in love.  Sweeney says that he has been in love and it is time to remember.

Sweeney flashes back to he and his pregnant wife dressed as king and queen in the woods and she asks him to change with the world.  Church bells ring and Sweeney becomes angry because they are building churches on their land, they can’t stay.  He said he spears one of the bishop’s priest and is cursed with madness and that he would die by the spear.  He runs off and sees a battlefield in flames and his wife appears and then changes into Laura saying help us.  We hear Bilquis saying this is not the version he told her, and Sweeney snaps out of the flashback and Salim is gone.  Sweeney has multiple versions of his past in his head and can’t figure out the real story.

Shadow is sitting on the bed admiring Gungnir and Sweeney tells him not to let Laura near it.  He further tells him that he is Wednesday’s favorite today, but it won’t last, there will be a cost.  Shadow is cocky and doesn’t head the warning.  Sweeney says that he takes his coin from the hoard, he can keep whatever is precious in the hoard.  He sends Shadow’s coin to the hoard and makes a deal with Shadow.  He tells Shadow that death is coming to that house and when the time comes don’t get in the way.  Shadow asks what that means, and Sweeney says you’ll know and brings Shadow’s coin back from the hoard.  He says that the Gods are not the Heroes.

Ibis is writing about Ireland.  Sweeney asks what he was writing, and Ibis responds the same story Sweeney has been writing all day.  Sweeney says that it’s hard to keep the stories straight.  Ibis says a story teller does not concern themselves with the truth.  Sweeney recalls all the different people coming into Ireland and changing their stories.  This is most likely why Sweeney is recalling multiple versions of his past.  Every time a new inhabitant came into their lands, their history was changed slightly as history is written by the victors.  Ibis says they made them small and that the story he is writing is of the ancient race of gods in old Ireland.  He tells Ibis he was a God not a king known as The Shining One and Long Hand because he was deadly with a sword.   Sweeney is recalling bits and Ibis is telling him other accounts.  Sweeney says it is wrong and remembers himself killing Grimnir.  Ibis says story are truer than truth.  Sweeney gives Ibis 20 dollars and says that he won’t need it.  Ibis asks if he is not thinking about tomorrow and Sweeney says that’s none of Ibis’ business.

Laura hitches a ride to Cairo and heads towards Ibis’.  Wednesday is in the room with the tree speaking to Salim, Ibis, Jinn, Bilquis and Shadow.  Sweeney enters and says someone forgot to invite him.  He says that he doesn’t owe Wednesday anymore and reminds Shadow not to get in the way and goes for Gungnir.  Shadow holds Gungnir and everyone else leaves the room.  Shadow tells Sweeney to back down and the two fight as Wednesday eats his meal.  Sweeney says can you feel the poison, Wednesday has been lying to him from the start.  He tells Shadow that he killed Laura on Wednesday’s orders and tells Shadow to leave.  Shadow is conflicted but doesn’t leave and Sweeney tells him that he slept with Laura.  Shadow becomes enraged and turns to Wednesday and Sweeney tries to throw the spear at Wednesday and Shadow turns it and stabs Sweeney.  Sweeney, dying, grabs it and sends it to the hoard, sticking it to Wednesday as he dies saying he used to be a King.

Sweeney’s farewell episode was filled with rich symbolism that I am sure will take a few rewatches to grasp it all; however, it was another nicely done episode by the showrunners.

Another great episode. Still catching up on Season 1 reviews, I’ll be back soon with my review of Season 2 Episode 1.

Hello from TIRealm!
🎼Someday we’ll find it, The Realm of Imagination. The Watchers, The Dreamers and Me. 🐸🌈🎼

Wednesday opens this episode as a burlesque show master at the Regis Theater in maybe the 1930s.  He introduces Donar the Great aka God of the Hammers aka Thor and Miss Columbia, it’s not clear who she is a representation of at this point.  Shadow wakes Wednesday and it appears the cabaret scene was apart of his dream.  The two are at a strip mall in search of the dwarf who will fix the Gungnir spear.

Mr. World is with his companion and the two are discussing strategy over a war table.  Mr. World requests New Media to up her game.    New Media gives some orders to her screen in Japanese and emojis are flying everywhere.

Anansi is in the Regis Theater barking commands to the performers.  He knocks on the door and tells his queen that he should get 20% of her worshippers.  It isn’t clear who’s door he’s knocking on but in the next scene we see Donar and Columbia, who are a couple, and she is encouraging him to go to California.  He says they have a contract with Grimnir aka Wednesday aka Odin.

Grimnir approaches Tech Boy (not clear who he is in this time), who is not impressed with Grimnir’s show or theater.  Grimnir tells him we are the ancient ones.  Tech Boy gets a phone call while at the Regis, Grimnir asks him what happens when the telephone is obsolete, he will need some real power on his side.  I suppose he is still Tech Boy but in an older manifestation.  Donar the Great is on stage exhibiting super human strength.  A soldier with a swastika patch on his arm tells Grimnir that he wanted to speak with him about his strong man.

Back in the strip mall, Wednesday is speaking to dwarfs who have a kiosk.  He looks odd when Wednesday introduces Shadow.  He tells Wednesday that he needs a Lou Reed leather jacket as payment to fix the Gungnir Spear.  Shadow says let’s just buy the jacket but Wednesday has other plans. 

Back at the Regis, the boy from Friends of New Germany says that his organization wants to sponsor him for a weight lifting competition.  He asks his last name and Grimnir answers Odinson.  Columbia seems concerned that the Friends of Germany are Nazis but Grimnir explains it away.  Miss Columbia takes to the stage and performs “Don’t fence me in’ and Tech Boy gives her a standing ovation.

Back in the strip mall, Wednesday is dressed as a Bishop and is selling a story about being a Lou Reed superfan.  As he is paying $7500 cash, Shadow appears in the store portraying an FYI agent placing Wednesday under arrest for counterfeiting.  Shadow says how much better he is getting at counterfeiting.  Shadow convinces the store owner that they must keep the jacket and the cash for evidence.  Wednesday is excited at the con job he and Shadow pull off.  Shadow leaves him in handcuffs until he answers questions about his son since Wednesday said that Shadow reminded him of his son.  Shadow wants to know how Thor died and Wednesday says there are certain deaths that our kind can’t come back from.  When Shadow asks what kind of deaths, Wednesday says the interrogation is over and appears saddened at the thought.

We see news headlines about the rise of Mr. Odinson then the man from Friends of Germany asks him to consider a proposal that angers him.  Anansi is lurking in the background and tells Donar that it helps to breath to calm down.  Donar explains they want him to throw the competition.  Anansi tells a story about a little boy god that was born in a world where female gods ruled, the little boy god went through time to a place where men ruled and made a pact with man, stole fire and gave it to man and was worshiped then man destroyed his homeland, the story is Anansi’s own.  He tells Donar that he should not give away his worship.

Wednesday returns to the dwarfs with the jacket.  Shadow is shocked as the dwarf says a spell and runes appear on the spear and it glows.  He says that she is ready to be healed.  Wednesday kisses Gungnir and says with you I won’t fail.  Meanwhile, Mr. World says that things are happening ahead of schedule.  When New Media asks how much ahead of schedule, he says that his friends in the valley assure him that they would be prepared for the coming storm.

Donar and Columbia plan of running of to California after the show and the crows are listening at the window.  Later as Columbia is packing Grimnir knocks on the door and comes in with old Tech Boy who is apparently a big fan.  He has a silver cowboy hat and Columbia says she’d been looking for it everywhere.  He presents himself as her future and Grimnir endorses it.  He says that America needs a new Goddess as it is on the brink of war and that she was doing great until Madam Libertae stole her thunder, referring to the statue of Liberty – Roman Goddess Libertas.  He wants to turn her into the lady of the war effort.  Columbia says she needs time to think about it and she needs to speak with Donar.  Grimnir breaks it to her that Donar left with the Germans and encourages her to manifest her own destiny.  He then goes outside and sees Donar.  Donar tells him his plans to go to California.  Grimnir then tells him that Columbia has other plans.  Donar says that Grimnir used his charms on her and refuses to do as Grimnir asks.  He defies Grimnir and tells him that the people come to see him, Donar the Great.  Grimnir strikes the ground with the Gungnir and the realm seems transformed.  Thor strikes it with his hammer and we see how the Gungnir was broken.  With Grimnir on his knees, Donar walks away from his father.

Wednesday and Shadow are driving and Shadow apologies for asking questions.  Wednesday says, it wasn’t you it was ghosts from the past.  Sacrifice is the only noble act, he regrets nothing.  We see a flashback of Donar being shot in the chest and “somewhere in America” is written in blood on the walls.  Shadow takes that to mean that Suicide is the only deaths that Gods can’t come back from, but the audience sees that Donar is murdered.  The episode ends with Wednesday singing a sad song on the edge of the theater stage.

Another great episode. Still catching up on Season 1 reviews, I’ll be back soon with my review of Season 1 Episode 8.