In the season finale of American Gods, all the puzzle pieces start to fit together and war is coming for everyone. Here’s our recap of “Come to Jesus”!
{Rated 91% at Rotten Tomatoes}
“Come to Jesus” opens with Shadow and Wednesday sitting down in chairs, in bathrobes, while Mr. Nancy sews them suits. Mr. Nancy pauses in his work and looks over at them in their chairs and begins…
“This is all too big. Too much going on at once. We should start with a story.”
Wednesday doesn’t want a story, but Mr. Nancy’s on a roll, and once he gets started, you can’t help but give him your full attention:
“Once upon a time there was a fucking queen. She had it all. The glory, the power. Worshippers eager to give and grateful to receive. Why? Because she had the gift of the gift. The blessing of blessings, hers to bestow. And her place of worship? Well that was the place be. That was the goddamn shit.”
From this point, we’re walked through Bilquis’ rise and fall as a worshipped God. It begins in 864 B.C.E. in the Temple of Ba’ran and ends in the 1970s as she flees Tehran after the club she’s in is attacked and people are murdered.
“The power of rebirth and creation. It makes some men kneel and give gifts, but it makes other men angry. And you know it, anger gets shit done. So men did what they do. They took from her that power. Took them a long time. Took them guns, and knives, and sharp dicks. But they grabbed the power they were too scared for a queen to have. They laundered it and gave it to men. They forced our queen into the backseat. Now our queen, she made her peace with change. She told herself the backseat had cushions, too. She told herself she was playing the game by staying in it.”
Mr. Nancy goes further and says as as long as Bilquis knew who she was, she could adapt to the situation as needed to survive. As time passes, we see that her former lover is dying in the hospital and it’s 1988. The woman is HIV + and Bilquis leaves the hospital room as she dies. Mr. Nancy’s storytelling takes a depressing turn about how America, too, can have issues with women of power and that it always finds a way to cut down women for daring to be.
Fast forwarding even further to 2013, Bilquis is homeless and walking down the streets of L.A.. Mr. Nancy explains that even she forgot there was a queen inside of her. Bilquis passes an Ethiopian restaurant and sees her likeness on the menu, and for a moment, there’s a spark in her eyes again, but it’s quickly taken away by the images on the television in the same restaurant. A Temple in Yemen is being destroyed, and it was hers.
“There’s no end to the cruelty of men threatened by strong women.”
Through this backstory and historical context, Bilquis could be more commonly known to most of us as the Queen of Sheba.
As she sleeping in the street, Technical Boy comes calling and offers her an upgrade.
“I hear they blew up your altar. Darn. I have a new one to offer you.”
It’s in the form of a dating (?) app that allows you to rate and follow people on it. Bilquis already has a profile, and she’s ranked pretty high. It’s a new form of praising a God.
Mr. Nancy asks if they understand the moral of the story he’s told them. Shadow offers up first.
“Don’t compromise? Don’t cut deals with traitorous motherfuckers?”
“No! Fuck no! Did you get this one off the discount rack? Where are you getting in life without compromise? The moral of the story is…”
Wednesday answers very casually:
“Get ourselves a Queen.”
“You’re god dammed right! You go get yourself a queen because you just went and killed one of theirs.”
Wednesday disagrees with Mr. Nancy that Vulcan belonged to the New Gods, but Mr. Nancy tells him that Vulcan hasn’t had allegiance to Wednesday in quite some time. Shadow finally hits a boiling point when Mr. Nancy says that he and Wednesday are now bound together since they’ve spilt blood together. Shadow’s pissed off and yells at Wednesday that he doesn’t even know his real name.
Wednesday tells him that he’s not pissed off. He’s just confused. There’s a difference. Also, if he wants to stop being confused, he needs to learn how to ask the right questions.
Shadow isn’t amused by any of this and stares at both of them before Mr. Nancy tosses him a shirt and repeats his tagline, “Angry gets shit done.”
****
Shadow’s dream takes centerstage in the next sequence as he’s back in the bone orchard and sees the buffalo with flaming eyes again. When he wakes up, he’s in the passenger seat of the car and Wednesday’s driving. They’ve reached Kentucky and are really close to meeting Ostara.
Wednesday tells Shadow to be nice to her, but not too nice. When Shadow asks she’s an ex of Wednesday he shuts that down quick but tells Shadow that she’s something else.
As they continue up the driveway, little rabbits chase after the car and some rabbits set up a little bunny barricade in front of them, but Wednesday hits the gas, telling Shadow they might not be welcome at first before he runs them over.
They arrive at Ostara’s home and Shadow realizes it’s Easter because there’s a lovely party full swing. There’s jellybeans, cookies, candy, rabbits hopping around leaving little piles of jellybeans instead of poop.
He tells Wednesday that he’s always loved Easter, and Wednesday doesn’t seem surprised, saying some people like it for the rabbits and some for the resurrection.
They move further into the house and Wednesday tells Shadow that it’s not really Easter they’re celebrating but the pagan celebration of the vernal equinox. When anyone celebrates spring, they celebrate in her name, Ostara, né Easter. We get our first glimpse of her as she thanks people for coming to her home on her day. Shadow watches on before being approached by Jesus who tells him hello.
Ostara notices Wednesday and cuts her speech down, inviting everyone to the buffet, as Shadow asks Wednesday:
“That’s Easter because people believe in Easter?”
“Believing is seeing. Gods are real if you believe in them.”
That’s when Shadow takes notice of all the Gods surrounding him, including multiple versions of Jesus.
“So that’s Jesus Christ?”
“A Jesus Christ. Some Jesus Christ. For every belief, every branch, every denomination. They each see a different face when they close their eyes to pray.”
“So, who are you?”
“Like I said, you wouldn’t believe in me if I told you.”
Ostara meets them and takes a shine to Shadow. They go to walking the grounds together, and Wednesday slowly starts in on his attempts to win Ostara to his side. She tells him that she can’t be bothered with it, so not to bother her.
Then Ostara gives some advice to Shadow.
“Come here, sweet Shadow. Allow me to impart some wisdom. There’s far too many secret societies out there. They have no loyalty and no love. They range from barely competent to deeply dangerous.”
“You don’t sound like one of us.”
“I’m not one of you.”
“Oh yes you are. You’re as forgotten, as unloved, and as unremembered as the rest of us.
“I’m doing just fine. Happy Easter! Christ is risen!”
Wednesday attacks Ostara with words that hit their mark every single time. He says that people do observe Easter with the practices they always did, but he asks her if anyone prays in her name on this day? Wednesday goes even further saying that she does all the work (spring time) and Jesus gets all the prayers.
Of course the closest Jesus feel horrible about it, and that causes Ostara to get even madder at Wednesday, especially when he says that once people started following Jesus they all got burned.
She stalks off, dragging Wednesday and Shadow with her.
Once they’re by themselves she let’s Wednesday have it.
“How do dare you come into my home and uncork all over Jesus of Nazareth and all the other Jesus’s that died on the cross and the ones who didn’t.”
That’s when Wednesday drops a bomb on Ostara. Vulcan is dead and the New Gods killed him for pledging allegiance to Wednesday and forging a blade for him. We all know this is a lie, and you can see Shadow’s eyes get wide as Wednesday plays it up. They seem to have her on their side, and Wednesday sends Shadow from the room to speak to Ostara in private.
****
In Hollywood, Bilquis is at the museum again. She’s looking at the remains of the temples and artifacts from the time when she was truly worshipped. Her phone rings, it’s Technical Boy, and she ignores the call, instead focusing on the preserved bodies on display.
Technical Boy shows up behind her and proceeds to tell her that he’s done good things for her and now it’s her turn to help him. She approaches him and runs her hands up his legs, but he stops her.
“Hands off, honey pot. I have no desire to feed your soul from the vagina nebula, but if you point that gun in the right direction… You’re wishing you had no business with me, but you do. You owe. I’m calling it in.”
There can only be one thing he wants from Bilquis, as an Old God, she’ll be welcome at Wednesday’s get together in Wisconsin, but Wednesday already knows where her allegiance lies because of Mr. Nancy’s story.
This will be interesting to see progress…especially since she obviously hates Technical Boy.
****
Back at Ostara’s home, Laura and Sweeney pull in with their beat up ice cream truck! She gets out of the truck and sees Shadow’s light then notices all the people walking around.
“Jesus Christ. Are these all Jesus?”
Sweeney walks forward into the house and Laura follows because what else can she do?
****
Inside, Shadow approaches Jesus, who is sitting in the pool, on top of the water.
“Did you always believe?”
“Did I always believe? I am belief, Shadow. I don’t know how not to believe.”
“I don’t think I know how to. I think maybe, I don’t really believe. I don’t really believe any of this. Maybe everything that’s happened so far is some kind of vivid dream. I don’t even know if I can believe that.”
“Even if you don’t believe. You cannot travel any other way than the road your senses show you, and you must walk that road to the end.”
****
Wednesday is still talking to Ostara, trying to convince her to join his side of the coming war. He tells her to take away people’s food. They haven’t ever been hungry, and then they’ll begin to pray to her.
“Prayer. Reward. The ancient contract.”
You can tell that Ostara is really starting to buy into what Wednesday is selling. She wants prayers again. She wants to be worshipped. She wants to be a queen.
That’s when a bunny whispers to her that there are visitors in the house. She leaves Wednesday immediately and tracks down Sweeney and Laura.
Sweeney says that Ostara owes him a favor, so she changes her tune about resurrecting Laura. However, Ostara looks into Laura’s eyes and sees something that’s very, very bad. She sees the imprints of ravens and Sweeney. She figures out that Laura Moon was murdered by a God, and that’s a dead you can’t come back from.
Ostara is called away again by one of her rabbits because she has another unexpected guest. This leaves Sweeney and Laura alone.
“I was killed by a God. Which fucking God?”
****
Outside, we see that Media has arrived with all the faceless men that follow around Technical Boy.
Ostara greets Media, but Ostara seems confused by Media is there. They have a standing date on Easter it seems because Media helped her create this holiday…
Does that mean that Ostara has already sided with the New Gods?
Then in the other part of the house…Laura’s getting the answers she finally wants.
“You know which God.”
“Of course I know which God. I want to hear you fucking say it so say it.”
That’s when Sweeney starts answering all her questions. Wednesday is responsible for messing up their perfect plan to rob the casino. Wednesday is responsible for her death. She asks if that’s what God’s do, fuck with people, and Sweeney tells her yes, but not to take it personally. He doesn’t.
Wednesday wanted Shadow to have nothing to lose so that he would join him…but why? We still don’t know why. That’s when Laura asks an important question:
“What does Wednesday have to lose?”
****
Wednesday is looking out a window as Ostara walks with Media outside.
Media states that Wednesday is here, but Ostara makes it seem like he’s already gone. That he tried to enlist her to help with something. She tries very hard to play it off, but the faceless men multiply behind Media.
Finally Media comes out and says what we’ve already suspected.
“You’re an Old God made new. That’s what we offer. That’s what we represent. You feel you’ve been treated unfairly.”
“I feel like I’ve been misrepresented in the media.”
“Put a pillow over that feeling and bear down until it stops kicking. St. Nick took the same deal you did. The only reason you’re relevant today is because Easter is a Christian holiday. It’s religious Darwinism. Adapt and survive. What we have achieved together, you and I, is no small feat now that we’re living in an atheist world.”
The faceless men start to circle Ostara when Wednesday shows up. Media is the first to speak:
“What happens if they all decide God doesn’t exist.”
“What if they decide God does exist?”
“Whose God? They’re not all going to choose just one.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter who they worship once the worship gets redistributed.”
“We are the distributors, the platform, and the delivery mechanism. We control the story. We control the flow.”
Technical Boy shows up and tells Wednesday that he’s old as fuck and he doesn’t have the juice to take over anything.
“You can’t fight progress.”
“Then why are you here? Why do I matter?”
Media tells him that they’re there for her friend, Ostara. She tells him that he could have mattered, but he can’t anymore. It seems that their offer to Wednesday is officially and forever off the table. Wednesday isn’t too worried about that, though.
“People create Gods when they wonder why things happen. You know why things happen? Because Gods make them happen. You want to make good things happen? Be good to your God. You give a little, you get a little. The simplicity of that bargain has always been appealing, and that’s why you’re here. That’s why I matter.”
That’s when Mr. World shows up and completes the New God trio.
“You only matter in matters of war and there’s not going to be a war.”
Mr. World is way too optimistic because Wednesday isn’t going down without a fight. Mr. World agrees that it will either be a blood bath or they’ll wait out the Old Gods, but Wednesday’s going to lose.
Dark clouds begin to fill the sky and the atmosphere is changing around them. Wednesday finally assumes his God like posture and lets his power shine.
“I don’t have to fight. I have faith. I dedicate these deaths to Ostara.”
A lightening bolt descends from the dark clouds and kills all the faceless men, leaving Media and Technical Boy standing alone. Mr. World has disappeared.
Wednesday turns to Shadow and asks,
“Do you have faith, Shadow?”
“What are you?”
“Do you know me? Do you know what I am? Do you want to know my name?
“Tell me.”
“This is what I am called. I’m am called Glad-of-War, Grim, Raider and Third. I am One-eyed. I am also called Highest and True-Guesser. I am Grimnir and the Hooded One. I am All-Father, Gondlir, Wand-bearer. I have as many names as there are winds. As many titles as there are ways to die. My ravens are called Huginn and Muninn. Thought and Memory. My wolves are Freki and Geri. My horse is the gallowed. I am Odin!
“Odin…”
“I am Odin, and you are Ostara of the Dawn. Show them who you are!”
Ostara steps forward and raises her arms in the air. Immediately, there’s light and the wind begins to blow as the leaves move and the flowers spin. The grass begins to die from her home outward. Everything dies. Crops, forests, gardens. The world becomes barren.
Media looks shaken and asks, “What have you done?”
Mr. World’s voice echoes over everyone: “You wanted a war, Glad-of-War? You have one. Be glad. It will be the war you die in.”
Odin responds by telling Media and Technical Boy:
“Tell the believes and non-believers: tell them we’ve taken the spring. They can have it back when they pray for it.”
He asks Shadow if he believes and Shadow tells him, “I believe.”
“What do you believe, Shadow?”
“Everything.”
Breaking the moment, Laura clears her throat and Shadow looks up at the balcony.
“I’d like to have a word with my husband.”
Wednesday looks less than pleased with the sight of Laura and Sweeney above them while Shadow smiles.
****
On a bus into Wisconsin, Bilquis is sitting beside a man reading a newspaper. In a move directly from when she left Tehran, she asks him if he knows where the bathroom is. They episode ends with her following him to the back of the bus, and the bus passing a sign for The House on the Rock.
Is Bilquis switching to the Old Gods side or is she on a mission from Technical Boy? I’m thinking it’s the latter…
****
What did you think of “Come to Jesus”? What are you looking forward to on American Gods next season? Did you have a favorite episode this season?
I won’t lie, I have lots of questions about what comes next!
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