When premium cable network Starz commissioned Neil Gaiman’s American Gods for a TV series, no one would have anticipated how utterly absorbing the show would prove to be. Make no mistake, American Gods is a complex interweaving of ancient and modern mythology. Fans of the show have been following Shadow Moon, played by Ricky Whittle, on a journey across America, in the company of Mr. Wednesday, played by Ian McShane. Wednesday is an enigmatic and complex character, something of a confidence trickster, and throughout the first season of American Gods , we are kept guessing as to his true identity.
We were given clues as to Wednesday’s identity through Season 1. He somehow enabled Shadow Moon to create a snowstorm, with nothing more than the power of thought, and last night’s finale saw Wednesday revealed as none other than Odin, the Norse god of thunder. As reported by Nerd Core Movement , the finale of American Gods saw Shadow become a true believer , as Odin called fire from the sky.
The American Gods finale sets up Season 2 for a battle between the old gods and the new gods for supremacy over humanity. The premise is that the gods are sustained by the power of those who believe in them. As capitalism, the internet, and big finance took over the modern era, the new gods were created. American Gods explores the relationship between modern life and traditional ways, and the battle will doubtless play out in Season 2.
Who Killed Shadow Moon’s Wife Laura?
Neil Gaiman may have converted Shadow Moon to a believer in the old gods, but it would be a mistake to believe that he will simply go along with Mr. Wednesday [Odin] in Season 2 of American Gods . As Entertainment Weekly reports, the finale revealed that Wednesday had Laura killed , because he needed Shadow to have lost everything. Viewers will remember that Laura was killed in a car wreck and was found with Shadow’s best friend’s penis in her mouth.
Laura has discovered that she was “sacrificed” as part of Wednesday’s plan to enlist Shadow’s assistance. Laura has now demanded an audience with Shadow, so when that happens you can be assured that Season 2 of American Gods will feature plenty of conflict between Shadow and Odin.
In many ways, American Gods has been a complex and sometimes confusing litany, reflecting societies confusion over religion. At times, the complexity made the pace of American Gods somewhat ponderous, but there is no doubt that Starz managed to bring Neil Gaiman’s often trippy world to life.
Speaking to Vulture , American Gods executive producer Michael Green, revealed that Season 1 was “about the beginning of faiths and the slow bending of Shadow’s knee.” Green went on to say that Season 2 will show us “what it means to be a believer and to give yourself over to a higher power.”
[Featured Image by Starz ]
