S03.E03: Ashes and Demons

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

As the search for the missing girl continues, Shadow dreams of Bilquis; Wednesday discovers the whereabouts of his old love, the Greek goddess Demeter, and resolves to free her.

Promo:

Original air date: 1/24/21

[T Summer]

I've replayed the promo clip several times and for the life of me I can't hear/understand what Laura Moon is saying "How about you ____ me ____again?"

I caught the last episode  and  the preview with closed captions on, but nope, no captions on the preview.

Can anyone hear what she said? Thanks.

[Mr. Sparkle]

I played it about 10 times, and I'm still not sure. "How about you facilitate me out of here?" I think she says "out of here" I'm not sure of the facilitate part. 

[T Summer]

2 hours ago, Superclam said:

I played it about 10 times, and I'm still not sure. "How about you facilitate me out of here?" I think she says "out of here" I'm not sure of the facilitate part. 

Thank you! That makes a lot more sense, I was thinking it was "How about you still take me out of here?" Which I doubt they would have written like that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was surprised to see that Wednesday brushes his teeth while dressed in a suit. When I brush my teeth in the morning, I'm still wearing my pajamas. I wouldn't want to get toothpaste on my work clothes just before I left the house!

I'd actually forgotten how angry Laura is until her trip to purgatory. It seemed like such a cliche to go through all that just to have her realize that she wasn't to blame for her parents' marriage.

I found Wednesday's interaction with the staff more interesting than his interaction with Demeter.

I'm guessing the newspaper articles will lead Shadow to learn that these disappearances are some weird ritual sacrifice or something equally creepy. I'm excited to see him track down Bilquis.

[AnimeMania]

Although interesting, this show is taking it's sweet time to get anywhere. It might take another 5 seasons before they even get to the war. It is like we are watching them pick the players for the dodgeball match, instead of watching the dodgeball match.

[WatchrTina]

Hmmmm.  I've seen this episode twice now (AND I've read the book) and I have to confess I'm a bit lost.

At the very end . . . how did Shadow get to Bilquis' NYC apt so quickly?  Did he fly?  And WHY did he go there?  And WTF is Technical Boy doing weeping in her apt?  I mean, I know that has not been reveled -- Tech Boy being there and Bilquis being gone is a cliffhanger -- but . . . WTF?  

Purgatory was actually well depicted (endlessly long lines, crowded elevators, stifling bureaucracy) but it wasn't much fun to watch (though the near-drowning injected a splash of terror amidst the interminable boredom.)  And I did like the reveal that all this time Laura Moon has felt that her father's infidelity during that trip was HER fault but when she was forced to sit and WATCH the story (rather than TELL the story) it becomes  clear that the two adults instigated everything and wee Laura was just an innocent by-stander and unfortunate witness to the whole tawdry affaire.

Back to Bilquis . . . I DID like that they implied that her consumption (for lack of a better word) of a man who did NOT worship her made her ill.  We've seen (in a prior season) the afterglow she experiences after consuming a willing worshiper.  But this time it looks like the effects may have been toxic to her.  I don't know if that is because he was a self-centered asshole who thought of her as a prostitute and not as a goddess or because he was actually a plant -- a poisoned-John sent by the New Gods as punishment for her continued insistence on staying neutral.  (Note, I don't recall any of this from the book so I'm just speculating.)

The show continues to LOOK amazing but damn, they're really demanding a lot from the audience to stay with the story.

[AnimeMania]

50 minutes ago, WatchrTina said:

At the very end . . . how did Shadow get to Bilquis' NYC apt so quickly?  Did he fly?  And WHY did he go there?

Shadow keeps having the same dream where Bilquis is in every magazine telling him to come see her.

[T Summer]

16 hours ago, AnimeMania said:

Although interesting, this show is taking it's sweet time to get anywhere. It might take another 5 seasons before they even get to the war. It is like we are watching them pick the players for the dodgeball match, instead of watching the dodgeball match.

 

4 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

The show continues to LOOK amazing but damn, they're really demanding a lot from the audience to stay with the story.

This was very generous of both of you.  After that long wait and having endured season two, I was hoping  for a lot more! 

 

I don't find any of the old gods compelling except for Bilquis who I could watch a full hour of, and I fall asleep when  the focus is on the so-called new gods. IDK if most people find Wednesday likeable? I dislike him for all the reasons Shadow stated when they met  s1 e1 and the actor brings that smug smarmy quality to all of his roles, it seems.

I'd hoped Laura and Shadow would get back together but it appears he doesn't even think of her anymore. He seems unmoved by  the fact she made her way back from the dead to be with him and watch over him and she saved him when he was being  being tortured by Mr. Town and she'd been trying to warn him about possibly being used or at least manipulated by Wednesday all along.

With all that about the Baron's potion that was supposed to bring Laura Moon  back to life once 2 drops of blood from someone who loved her was added it seemed we were being lead in the direction of Mad Sweeney maybe being the one to provide the blood... which would be a bit fairy tale for this show, but he did pick her up and put her back together after the ice cream truck overturned in s 2 when he could have taken his coin and left. Now, no ore Mad Sweeney.

At this point I don't know who  or what I'm supposed to care about? They don't really show us too much about Shadow's personality except maybe that he's polite and would do things like help an old lady across the street / join with the search party for the missing girl in his new town. He was trying to rope Laura into some sort of con when they met. So what, he's like a reformed grifter  with overtones of boy scout?

 

If  I listed all the things that puzzled me this post would be mighty long, but on the previouslies they showed us that Wednesday lifted the dentist's invite to Zoraya's celebration / send off from his desk. Why did Shadow (who Wednesday brought to Zoraya's house for dinner once) receive an invitation and Wednesday not?

[rollacoaster]

As someone who read the book, I appreciate how this series has given us backstory for Shadow. It's showing us his connections to his culture and people, and the effects of racism on him. 

He is still a very big pawn in Wednesday's game, but this Shadow at least asks questions and attempts to have agency. 

Also loving how Bilquis' story has been expanded. As I mentioned last episode and WatchrTina speculated on this one, I do think the New Gods sent that arrogant man to poison her. I bet they were hoping that she would be weakened and an easier target to take down. It's really interesting see the devastating effect that she can have on Tech Boy. 

[WatchrTina]

5 hours ago, T Summer said:

If  I listed all the things that puzzled me this post would be mighty long, but on the previouslies they showed us that Wednesday lifted the dentist's invite to Zoraya's celebration / send off from his desk. Why did Shadow (who Wednesday brought to Zoraya's house for dinner once) receive an invitation and Wednesday not?

I think I recall a voice-over from the youngest of the three sisters (Midnight) when we see an invitation in Shadow's hand.  So I assume SHE sent him his invitation.  As for why Midnight invited Shadow and not Wednesday . . . I'm guessing she knew that the guy with the hammer (Czernobog) did not want Wednesday there and she had no reason to get in the middle of THAT dispute.  But Midnight now has a relationship with Shadow -- I speculate that she can foresee some kind of destiny for him -- and so she deemed it appropriate that he should be there at her sister's celebration.

Edited January 25, 2021 by WatchrTina

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

"How about you facilitate me out of here?"

If anyone's taking a vote that's what I heard.

Kinda meh on this episode except for Laura's revelations about her parents' marriage. Shadow's hair is still bothering me.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Joimiaroxeu

[Mr. Sparkle]

The exact quote was "how about you facilitate me the fuck out of here." They cut the f-word out for the promo, which is why is sounded a bit garbled. 

Agreed that was the most interesting part of the episode. Most of the Shadow stuff was treading water until the end. 

[tennisgurl]

They really are taking their sweet time getting to the plot, aren't they? The show is beautiful and well acted as always, and its never been a show that has been particularly interested in a fast moving plot, but this seemed even slower than usual. We are clearly setting pieces, but most of this show has kind of been setting pieces. 

Purgatory was very Purgatory, full of long lines, bureaucracy lot of seemingly pointless rules and pamphlets, and the purple multicolored sky was a nice call back to the afterlife we saw way back in season one. It was actually nice to see Laura again, I think I forgot how pissed off she was about everything, and her backstory where she blamed herself for her parents divorce when it was never really her fault was pretty nicely played. Not super exciting, but nice. 

Nobody should ever trust Wednesday, no matter how charming he may seem. Demeter seems cool, and I like that they seem to be sticking to some of the lesser known members of the Greco Roman pantheon in the show, like Vulcan and Demeter. I liked her Coming to American opener, but I always enjoy those. 

I was unsure before, but now I do wonder if the last guy Bilquis ate was a trojan horse went by the new gods to weaken her for some reason. So could Shadow not give her a call instead of driving across the country? He is sure traveling a lot in that crappy clunker and is making great time despite the long distances. 

[AnimeMania]

The purgatory here seemed very similar to the Hell in "Preacher". It was good to know that all religions seemed to end up in the same place. Some people get seen to quickly while others seemed to be waiting a long time based on clothing. There didn't appear to be any very old or very sick people. It is good to know that you can cut in line without ending up watching the misdeeds of another person. I have your own personal concierge to bring me some popcorn, heavy on the butter, I am no longer counting my calories.

[WatchrTina]

I just re-watched season 1, episode 1 in which Tech Boy and his band of faceless Clockwork Orange thugs nearly succeed in lynching Shadow.  So somebody please help me -- when Shadow walks into Bilquis' room and finds Tech Boy on the floor weeping at the end of THIS episode, is that the first time that Shadow and Tech Boy have crossed paths since that first episode?  Because if so, I'll be VERY interested in how Shadow reacts to seeing him again.

ETA:  Nevermind.  I just re-watched a later episode in Season 1 (the one set in the police station where Shadow meets Mr. World for the first time) and during that episode Mr. World tells Tech Boy to apologize for trying to lynch Shadow.

Edited January 26, 2021 by WatchrTina

[isalicat]

I know this is a contrary opinion, but as someone who has read the book multiple times, I am in no hurry at all to move along the story/plot, and in fact, we could spend the rest of this season at this languid pace with no objection from me. I just want to continue to "live" in this verse for as long as they want to keep Mr. Wednesday recruiting and Shadow "revelating" and looking hot. And I just love Dead Wife to bits - she is actually a Valley Girl in attitude (one of my tribe from mid to late 1970s L.A.) and style.

[WatchrTina]

On 1/24/2021 at 10:53 PM, WatchrTina said:

At the very end . . . how did Shadow get to Bilquis' NYC apt so quickly?  Did he fly?  And WHY did he go there?  And WTF is Technical Boy doing weeping in her apt?  I mean, I know that has not been reveled -- Tech Boy being there and Bilquis being gone is a cliffhanger -- but . . . WTF?  

Okay I'm quoting myself above because I THINK . . . upon viewing the ep for the 3rd time . . . that I've figured out a few things.  Shadow saw Bilquis's face on a bunch of magazine covers in his dream of a drug store (the same dream drug store where the buffalo with flaming eyes chased young Shadow) and THAT is why he felt called to go to NYC to visit Bilquis.  (I guess she gave him her NYC address when they met during Shadow's sojourn at the funeral parlor?)  And I guess I'll just hand-wave away the fact that Shadow -- who used to earn his living through manual labor and who is currently unemployed -- can afford last-minute plane tickets to NYC.

As for Technical Boy weeping in Bilquis' apartment . . . we saw in an earlier episode that Bilquis has the power to send TechBoy on a VERY disturbing mind-trip when she wants to.  Did she do that to him again when whatever happened in her apartment happened, and what we see is him still negatively affected by Bilquis' magical mind-fuck?  Or did he arrive after Bilquis was attacked and he is now upset because he feels responsible and guilty? I guess we'll find that out next episode.

I was confused when Demeter called Wednesday "Ofnir" so I looked it up.  I found the following:  Ófnir -- "Weaver", "Inciter." One of the snakes that slither at the base of the great ash tree Yggdrasil, according to Grímnismál.  In stanza 54, Odin gives himself this name.

UNANSWERED QUESTION:  Why did the newspaper headline change from "Search Continues for Missing Girl" to "Bloody Scarf Found in Woods" when Shadow concentrated on it?  We know Shadow has some powers due to being a son of Odin (he made it snow in season one just by thinking about it.)  Did he just "make" the searchers find the bloody scarf by willing them to find a clue?

Edited January 27, 2021 by WatchrTina

[T Summer]

4 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

Okay I'm quoting myself above because I THINK . . . upon viewing the ep for the 3rd time . . . that I've figured out a few things.  Shadow saw Bilquis's face on a bunch of magazine covers in his dream of a drug store (the same dream drug store where the buffalo with flaming eyes chased young Shadow) and THAT is why he felt called to go to NYC to visit Bilquis.  (I guess she gave him her NYC address when they met during Shadow's sojourn at the funeral parlor?)  And I guess I'll just hand-wave away the fact that Shadow -- who used to earn his living through manual labor and who is currently unemployed -- can afford last-minute plane tickets to NYC.

As for Technical Boy weeping in Bilquis' apartment . . . we saw in an earlier episode that Bilquis has the power to send TechBoy on a VERY disturbing mind-trip when she wants to.  Did she do that to him again when whatever happened in her apartment happened, and what we see is him still negatively affected by Bilquis' magical mind-fuck?  Or did he arrive after Bilquis was attacked and he is now upset because he feels responsible and guilty? I guess we'll find that out next episode.

I was confused when Demeter called Wednesday "Ofnir" so I looked it up.  I found the following:  Ófnir -- "Weaver", "Inciter." One of the snakes that slither at the base of the great ash tree Yggdrasil, according to Grímnismál.  In stanza 54, Odin gives himself this name.

UNANSWERED QUESTION:  Why did the newspaper headline change from "Search Continues for Missing Girl" to "Bloody Scarf Found in Woods" when Shadow concentrated on it?  We know Shadow has some powers due to being a son of Odin (he made it snow in season one just by thinking about it.)  Did he just "make" the searchers find the bloody scarf by willing them to find a clue?

As for the last sentence paragraph 1, we've been asked to believe Shadow did the  damn near impossible when he got the cracked wind shield of the borrowed / rented car fixed and back to it's owner on time. lol

Not knowing why Tech boy was weeping, I wondered if it was over what he found when he entered Bilquis' lair?  When Shadow got there we saw him touch the blood on the floor near those black feather things with metal claws. Going back to when Bilquis see's someone with that light is coming through her door she picked up one of those feather claw things. We weren't shown who or what that was  that cut the latch(es) on Bilquis' door  and made that strange light appear? I didn't get whether that was supposed to something real like a plasma cutter or some mystical light? On the previews Shadow is demanding answers from Tech Boy.

I meant to look up Ofnir too, but anyone who calls himself Odin and Grimnir probably has another name or two.

The last part: Shadow is seemingly trying to get some impression by touching the newspaper but his expression conveys 'what am I doing?' and he keeps walking and doesn't notice the headline changed for him. I didn't see anyone find the bloody scarf (mentioned in the new headline), did you?

ETA: unscrambled 2 words for clarity

Edited January 27, 2021 by T Summer

[T Summer]

On 1/25/2021 at 5:28 PM, WatchrTina said:

I just re-watched season 1, episode 1 in which Tech Boy and his band of faceless Clockwork Orange thugs nearly succeed in lynching Shadow.  So somebody please help me -- when Shadow walks into Bilquis' room and finds Tech Boy on the floor weeping at the end of THIS episode, is that the first time that Shadow and Tech Boy have crossed paths since that first episode?  Because if so, I'll be VERY interested in how Shadow reacts to seeing him again.

ETA:  Nevermind.  I just re-watched a later episode in Season 1 (the one set in the police station where Shadow meets Mr. World for the first time) and during that episode Mr. World tells Tech Boy to apologize for trying to lynch Shadow.

Oh yes, that rings a bell now. After reading your post I put Shadow and Tech Boy in a You Tube search  but didn't turn up what I was looking for, only the 1st and last episodes.

[taanja]

Zorya Vechernyaya (Cloris Leachman) RIP Cloris!

Anyway, I have not read any of the books (to be honest I didn't know this show was based on books!) but I continue to enjoy the actual show .

Dead Wife aka Laura is my fav and I'm glad even though she is dead -- she's not dead dead. She is supposed to face reality . She has obviously blamed herself for her parents fuck-ups but we saw that really she was just a little girl. Just a tiny child. She is not blame! I liked that whole sequence.

On a side note-- I kinda hope Mad Sweeny is not dead dead either.

Shadow aka Mike is def gonna figure out some kind of blood sacrifice is going on in that frozen little town.  I mean Wednesday aka Ofnir speaks highly of it so there's got to be something sinister going on! The lady who showed Shadow around mention the founder of the town and how he left all his money to the town with the stipulation that the town continue to honor his tradition -- or something -- it was vague but I don't feel like it was just throw away information.  It's gotta mean something. Right?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

Demeter:

Purgatory: