S01.E06: A Murder Of Gods

[Tara Ariano]

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The New Gods' show of force sends Shadow and Mr. Wednesday on the run and in search of a safe haven in the company of one of Mr. Wednesday's oldest friends, Vulcan, God of the Fire and the Forge.

 

 

[formerlyfreedom]

How awful am I for totally shipping Mad Sweeney and Laura? Like...super awful? Or just kinda middling awful?

[yagathai]

He's like eight feet taller than her. How would that even work?

[Eneya]

8 hours ago, yagathai said:

He's like eight feet taller than her. How would that even work?

Carefully?

[Drogo]

10 hours ago, yagathai said:

He's like eight feet taller than her. How would that even work?

He could do it.

With panache. 

[LadyJaney]

11 hours ago, saoirse said:

How awful am I for totally shipping Mad Sweeney and Laura? Like...super awful? Or just kinda middling awful?

I must be awful too then, because I was thinking the same thing!

It is wrong that I am more into the scenes with Mad Sweeney, Laura and Salim on their road trip, than I am with watching Wednesday and Shadow?  If it's wrong, I don't want to be right...

Laughed at most of what Sweeney had to say again this episode.  Especially when he was going on in the back seat about Salim constantly running his mouth while they were on their drive.  That and when Salim said that someone shit in the back seat and Mad Sweeney starts shifting himself way over in the seat.  Too funny.  

Pablo Schreiber has completely stolen this series as this character as far as I'm concerned.  

It's a good series but a bit much and confusing with so many characters, so Sweeney is the main draw at this point for me. 

[Haleth]

17 hours ago, saoirse said:

How awful am I for totally shipping Mad Sweeney and Laura? Like...super awful? Or just kinda middling awful?

It would be just his luck to fall for a woman who is rapidly decomposing. 

[AimingforYoko]

I loved Salim as the cheerful third wheel to the gloom and doom couple.

I figured Vulcan had turned, why would he leave his thriving life to risk it all? Didn't see Wednesday killing him, though. I suppose he didn't, either.

[Primetimer]

After several excellent episodes, things take a downward turn in 'A Murder Of Gods.'

View the full article

[Morrigan2575]

Apparently all you need to do to make me like Laura Moon is put her in road trip movie with Salim and a perpetually angry Leprechaun.

I really enjoyed tonight's episode, it was firing on all cylinders. Both storylines worked extremely well and were equally entertaining.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Morrigan2575

[wanderingstar]

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the Laura/Salim/Mad Sweeney road trip. I just love watching Salim's character settle into the possibilities of his new life. And Laura and Mad Sweeney's antagonism is amusing. 

I didn't expect Wednesday to kill Vulcan, but I'm kinda glad he did. I could see his character becoming annoying (but Corbin Bersen was good). 

I'm also kind of enjoying the leisurely pace of the show. 

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and the anal-sex jibes were off-putting.

This was the only part of the road trip I didn't like.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Gillian Rosh

[Haleth]

I'd watch a spinoff of Mad Sweeney, Dead Wife, and Salim the cabbie driving around the country, trading insults.  Great episode.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Haleth

[AnimeMania]

The second coming of Christ, maybe the third time is the charm.

[WatchrTina]

From the recap article:

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And then Wednesday realizes Vulcan betrayed him by letting the new gods know about his visit. So Wednesday kills Vulcan with his new sword. Which means this entire story was nothing but a road-trip sidebar that was primarily meant to deliver a moral. It's infuriating.

Weel I have to disagree with that because just before Wednesday decapitates Vulcan, he declares that the story HE is going to tell is that Vulcan pledged his allegiance to Wednesday (as evidenced by the bright new shiny sword Vulcan made for him) and it was the NEW gods who offed him in retribution.  Wednesday will no doubt tell all his old god buddies the moral of THAT story is that old gods cannot trust the new gods -- not even a old god who has assimilated to modern times the way Vulcan had.  None of them are safe.

So there was a point to THAT trip.  But as for the Laura/Salim/Sweeney road show -- yeah that went nowhere and the anal-sex jibes were off-putting.

The lovingly shot and REPEATED images of bullet-making also felt like filler, though I supposed those unrine-infused bullets may make an appearance later in the story.  I could see them malfunctioning at a strategic moment chosen by Wednesday.

The decision to use The Partridge Family theme song over the images of the factory was . . . jarring.

So . . . why did Shadow need to take cover from the rain of bullets but Vulcan and Wednesday (and apparently all the town folks) did not?  Should we assume Vulcan protects himself and his people (and Wednesday can protect himself) but Shadow was vulnerable?  Vulcan didn't look too pleased to see Shadow.  AND he specifically didn't offer Shadow a drink.  What was THAT about?  

Best quote from the ep:  [Someone who is]"neutral in the face of injustice is on the side of the oppressors."

Edited June 5, 2017 by WatchrTina

[MeloraH]

I did find it amusing that Vulcan, now the god of American guns, was literally the first cuck of all time.

[Drogo]

It's nice to see Charlie Brown's Christmas tree is still getting work in Hollywood.

[WaltersHair]

I could watch a whole show on Mad Sweeney and Laura, but she needs to see the Wizard and grow a heart.

This show gets better every week. Could have done without the heavy handed anti-gun lobby going there, but I'll cut them some slack.

As an aside, I work with a guy who makes not one but two types of ammunition in his garage. Totally legal and above board in that state. He sells it on ebay. No human sacrifices needed.

[yagathai]

On Fuller's twitter he says that the anal sex conversation was actually originally a conversation he had with Scott Thompson, and that Laura's line was improvised on the spot by Emily Browning. Which makes it so much better, IMO.

Pity Corbin Bernsen (probably) won't be in any more episodes. He was so good.

[rozen]

2 hours ago, WatchrTina said:

So . . . why did Shadow need to take cover from the rain of bullets but Vulcan and Wednesday (and apparently all the town folks) did not?  Should we assume Vulcan protects himself and his people (and Wednesday can protect himself) but Shadow was vulnerable?  Vulcan didn't look too pleased to see Shadow.  AND he specifically didn't offer Shadow a drink.  What was THAT about?  

Best quote from the ep:  [Someone who is]"neutral in the face of injustice is on the side of the oppressors."

I figure to be the god of guns, Vulcan has to make a moral compromise to re-align himself with what the majority of his 'worshippers' want. And they went over the top to show the town as extraordinarily conformist. Wednesday can barely makes the cut in this 2.5 Nuclear White Supremacy Family fantasy-land, Shadow certainly doesn't. Being nice to someone like Shadow will be literally breaking the pact with his followers, no? They buy guns to kill people exactly like him.

Thematically, Vulcan has always been kind of a dumbass, but I don't get why he thought he'd make it out alive after forging a sword for Wednesday. Maybe he assumed he'd be immune because he forged it? It'd be kind of hilarious if 'franchising' his business diluted his power such that an old school weapon like a sword answers to the most old-school God instead of directly to him.

I honestly wouldn't be mad if Laura made a full-ditch effort to try to murder Mad Sweeney, he's earned it 100x over. Clearly no men in this writer's room with that bullshit anal sex soliloquy. 

[Doyounot]

That is some profound knowledge for you right there! And salim! That was a welcome surprise/addition and it was his cab they were stealing what luck (i thought they were gonna say were going there anyway but no first resurrection then the meeting i assume).

I love how the leprechaun knows all the gods and is so willing to share (although its not for public consumption) compared to Wednesdays "its hard to quantify" answers which i also loved because of shadows reactions especially if i know the answers to what hes asking too funny! The only time we get anything from/about Wednesday is from the other gods and what he says to them. With shadow he just messes with him (i think for a bit of fun but also now to keep him away from laura). The only time he shared was when he was saving shadows life and told him the story of mr wood!

This episode did feel like it took a bit of a detour from last weeks advancements but lots of things got closure (like lauras family, shadows injury, what attacked him, and for now his choice to join Wednesday.) And lots of things got set up (like the story Wednesday is gonna tell with his new sword, curse on the bullets, salim, lauras potential resurrection etc). Really funny episode so much of the leprechaun was amazing! Also the gun stuff i thought was good (entertaining, scary and not too preachy i felt).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Please have the cab stop to pick up Audrey for the road trip spin off of Leprechaun, Salim Not Salim (TM Laura), Dead Wife, and Dead Wife's Former Best Friend. They can just drive around the country sniping at each other (well, three of them will be sniping and Salim will just be totally chill). Heh, poor Salim had no idea what he was getting himself into when he agreed to drive Laura and Sweeney to Kentucky!

I was sad to see Happy Richard die. He seemed so genuinely happy to be walking around with his clipboard saying hello to everyone. If only everyone loved their jobs as much as he did!

Edited June 5, 2017 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Haleth]

A dead woman, a cab driver, and a leprechaun walk into a bar...

Sounds like the start of a joke.

[bmoore4026]

So I'm guessing the bullets forged from Vulcan's liquefied body plus Wednesday's curse pee are going to backfire terribly?

Anyway,  WHERE THE FUCK IS CHENOWETH!?  It's like The Tenth Kingdom with featuring Camryn "Mirror, Mirror on the wall" Manheim and Ann "QUEEN CINDERELLA!!!" Margret being advertised and not showing up until the last two parts and the latter not having that big of an impact.

[jeansheridan]

I kind of hated this ep.  Loved seeing Salim again.  I hope his mild sweetness serves a point.  I do like that he insisted on praying and for once Mad Sweeney shut up.

But the Shadow/Wednesday detour was maddening.  Way too obvious and heavy handed.  The opening was slightly more subtle but barely.

I do like the reminder that Odin sacrificed himself in the myths to gain knowledge.  He hung himself on a tree for 9 days I think.  That's just my memory.  I didn't look it up.

So about 20% okay stuff and 80% crap.  Not a good week.

[Drogo]

Mr. Wood:  The O.G. Giving Tree.       

I really loved the tender yet moment between Shadow and Wednesday: the panic that set in on Wednesday's face when he realized the severity of Shadow's injuries and the visual effects of the healing.

That was a hell of a longing look Sweeney shot at Laura during prayer time.  That ship may set sail yet..

[WatchrTina]

8 hours ago, rozen said:

I figure to be the god of guns, Vulcan has to make a moral compromise to re-align himself with what the majority of his 'worshippers' want. And they went over the top to show the town as extraordinarily conformist. Wednesday can barely makes the cut in this 2.5 Nuclear White Supremacy Family fantasy-land, Shadow certainly doesn't. Being nice to someone like Shadow will be literally breaking the pact with his followers, no? They buy guns to kill people exactly like him.

Huh.  Well I guess I'm kind of proud of myself that it didn't occur to me that the reason Vulcan took a dislike to Shadow on sight is because he is a person of color.  I assumed Vulcan knew something about Shadow in particular (and it IS hinted later that he has heard of Shadow from the new gods) but now I realize the reaction we saw on screen (and the reason Shadow had to hide from the falling bullets in the car) is that Vulcan is just your garden-variety racist.   It's funny, I spotted how disturbing the imagery was a couple of episodes ago when Shadow was hanged by a bunch of "white" guys (if you can call computer avatars cloaked in iconic images from A Clockwork Orange "white").  But somehow I didn't catch on that Shadow would not be welcomed with open arms in an uber-white "guns and god" enclave like the town of Vulcan.

 

3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Please have the cab stop to pick up Audrey

That reminds me.  What DID happen to Audrey?  Laura borrowed her car, then they (both of them) ran into Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jaquel (the two dudes who gave Laura a mortuary make-over) and now Laura is running around on her own and lamenting the disappearance of "her" car.  Do we just a assume that Laura, Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jaquel kicked Audrey out of her own car and told her to hitch-hike back to town before driving off without her?  if so, she's going to be even more pissed off when next she turns up.  Though perhaps she'll get her car back now that the cops have impounded it, believing it to belong to the "dead woman." 

Edited June 5, 2017 by WatchrTina

[BuddhaBelly]

39 minutes ago, Drogo said:

That was a hell of a longing look Sweeney shot at Laura during prayer time.  That ship may set sail yet..

I don't think he was looking at Laura with longing but Salim. Salim was praying, worshiping a god that has many followers, a god that isn't struggling to maintain his power and won't soon be forgotten. Mad Sweeney is largely forgotten, no one prays to him, no one sets out altars for him. He has very little power.

[Rinaldo]

1 minute ago, BuddhaBelly said:

Mad Sweeney is largely forgotten, no one prays to him, no one sets out altars for him. He has very little power.

In fact he's become kind of a joke, a cereal mascot and an element in silly humorous stories.

[Joimiaroxeu]

The Jesucristo symbolism was a tad heavy-handed, IMO.

A literal hail of bullets. Clever. And seriously dangerous for people in the vicinity who aren't immortal.

Whoever is writing Mad Sweeney's dialogue seems to be enjoying themselves. It's just one bon mot after another with only the occasional misstep.

Edited June 5, 2017 by Joimiaroxeu

[yagathai]

But at least he's remembered. Sure, leprechauns are more a joke than anything else, but plenty of people think about them all the time. Imagine all the mythological creatures that weren't lucky enough to get a cereal mascot gig or a Robin Williams-voiced Disney movie role. Where are they now?

[Morrigan2575]

24 minutes ago, yagathai said:

But at least he's remembered. Sure, leprechauns are more a joke than anything else, but plenty of people think about them all the time. Imagine all the mythological creatures that weren't lucky enough to get a cereal mascot gig or a Robin Williams-voiced Disney movie role. Where are they now?

There also doesn't seem to be rigid rules for worship. No one that worshipped Vulcan or created blood sacrifices in his name were intentionally worshipping a god. They were merely worshipping/Loving/obsessing over their guns, gunr rights, etc.

Mad Sweeny being a leprechaun should be in fairly good shape with Lucky Charms and St. Patrick's Day. Most of his issues seem to be tied to that Lucky Coin. 

[WaltersHair]

Here's my question about the gods in this particular world. If the act of worship gives them power, why is Odin the most powerful of the old gods? Mad Sweeney isn't worshiped unless you count someone loving a bowl of cereal in the morning.

[yagathai]

"Worship" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing to all people -- that's kind of one of the defining conflicts between old gods and new. Media says that time and attention are just as good as blood sacrifice, though Odin seems to disagree and craves blood sacrifice (as the Viking vignette taught us). But if they can subsist on time and attention, then the Norse pantheon is doing a lot better than a lot of other pantheons right now, especially since the Marvel movies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology_in_popular_culture). Of all the ancient non-Abrahamic pantheons, only the ancient Greeks might be doing better.

[Bruinsfan]

We've seen no indication that Odin is particularly powerful compared to the other old gods. He's just the one trying to rally people to his cause. Hell, Laura has made more overt displays of supernatural power than he has. (That said, I would think basic familiarity with Norse mythology from school and comics would position Odin better than the Egyptian or Slavic gods in America, though probably not as well as the Greek gods. The overwhelming majority of active worshipers in the US would belong to the Abrahamic religions.)

[Dandesun]

1 hour ago, WaltersHair said:

Here's my question about the gods in this particular world. If the act of worship gives them power, why is Odin the most powerful of the old gods? Mad Sweeney isn't worshiped unless you count someone loving a bowl of cereal in the morning.

 

1 hour ago, yagathai said:

"Worship" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing to all people -- that's kind of one of the defining conflicts between old gods and new. Media says that time and attention are just as good as blood sacrifice, though Odin seems to disagree and craves blood sacrifice (as the Viking vignette taught us). But if they can subsist on time and attention, then the Norse pantheon is doing a lot better than a lot of other pantheons right now, especially since the Marvel movies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norse_mythology_in_popular_culture). Of all the ancient non-Abrahamic pantheons, only the ancient Greeks might be doing better.

Odin also has a day named after him. He's still attached to the modern world in that way. (Although it does make me wonder of Tyr, Thor, Frigga and Saturn are likely to show up as well.) Still, his introduction to Shadow was all about 'It's my day so you can call me Mr. Wednesday.'

[BuddhaBelly]

1 hour ago, Morrigan2575 said:

There also doesn't seem to be rigid rules for worship. No one that worshipped Vulcan or created blood sacrifices in his name were intentionally worshipping a god. They were merely worshipping/Loving/obsessing over their guns, gunr rights, etc.

I wonder if this falls under "things under their domain," like Apollo is the Greek God of music, a way he could increase his "worship" is by opening a record company. People won't be "worshiping" him directly but entranced with something under his domain. I think it could work that way for Vulcan. He is literally the god of the forge and has people working and dying in his forge, creating new sacrifices with pieces of his product and clamoring for more. They may not be worshiping him directly but they are putting energy into his domain. I hope this makes sense.

[Morrigan2575]

52 minutes ago, BuddhaBelly said:

I wonder if this falls under "things under their domain," like Apollo is the Greek God of music, a way he could increase his "worship" is by opening a record company. People won't be "worshiping" him directly but entranced with something under his domain. I think it could work that way for Vulcan. He is literally the god of the forge and has people working and dying in his forge, creating new sacrifices with pieces of his product and clamoring for more. They may not be worshiping him directly but they are putting energy into his domain. I hope this makes sense.

That sounds about right, seems to line up with what we've seen and been told.

[WaltersHair]

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Odin also has a day named after him. He's still attached to the modern world in that way.

But everyone worships Friday. TGIF and all. No one worships hump day. j/k

[wanderingstar]

Stupid question: Is Mad Sweeney a god or a demi-god?

[Gudzilla]

Is it weird that I spent the last week randomly blurting out "You're an asshole dead wife" ?

[LoveLeigh]

OK... so I have not read the books and really wanted to give this show a fair chance. The graphics are gorgeous and it seems to be filled with allegory but, from where I sit the bottom line is that this show is awful. It's a hodgepodge of seemingly many unrelated plots and most of it is totally preposterous. 

I am an old time fan of fantasy and science fiction but this show goes nowhere. It seems that only devoted fans of the book could even enjoy this bungled mess. I would be very surprised if it makes it past one more season. 

[basil]

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 I honestly wouldn't be mad if Laura made a full-ditch effort to try to murder Mad Sweeney, he's earned it 100x over. Clearly no men in this writer's room with that bullshit anal sex soliloquy. 

I don't understand. First of all, there was nothing approaching a soliloquy. Mad Sweeney had a few insulting lines directed at Salim regarding anal sex. Sweeney seems to insult everyone (aside from "dead wife", he calls Laura a cunt), and Salim not Salim is no exception -  and second, what does the sex of the writers have to do with it? Men and women have anal sex  - and write about it. 

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Stupid question: Is Mad Sweeney a god or a demi-god?

Not a stupid question, but I don't think he's either. Just a supernaturnal being.

[Wryly]

Can't imagine Mad Sweeney would want to screw a corpse, but I think people ship Sweeney and Laura because their hate sex would be more interesting and honest than Laura and Shadow's relationship. Shadow doesn't know who Laura is. Never did. He idolized and idealized her. Saw her as the perfect wife, when she was anything but. It's like Laura was always putting on this sweetie pie act with him. But Sweeney sees her for the messed up zombie slut she really is. And it's entertaining.

Shadow needs to let her go, at least romantically, and move on. He's a loyal and devoted guy, and he really deserves better. Even after Laura died blowing his best friend, she thought she could show up in his motel room, say a few sweet words, and get her pet back. I'm cool with them being friends, and I think Shadow will always help her if he can, but the right woman for him is still out there and he should find her.

On another note, it's about time Wednesday did something badass. I mean I know the varsity years are behind you, man, but you're Odin, for Christ's sake. Commander of the valkyries. Lord of war. I've been waiting for you to show me some fire.

[Morrigan2575]

12 minutes ago, basil said:

Not a stupid question, but I don't think he's either. Just a supernaturnal being.

You know, I was wondering about that. Leprechaun's are magical creatures, not gods, as far as I know.  So now, I'm wondering why is he with Wednesday of he's not an old god or demi god? Unless he's not really a Leprechaun at all? 

Edited June 5, 2017 by Morrigan2575

[Rinaldo]

1 hour ago, Morrigan2575 said:

Leprechauns are magical creatures, not gods, as far as I know.  So now, I'm wondering why is he with Wednesday of he's not an old god or demi god?

He's not "with Wednesday," is he? He's just one of many creatures who must be around, and he's bumped into the people we're following. We've also seen a djinn, and maybe others I've forgotten. (I'm not sure where the star sisters fit into the pantheon.)

[Morrigan2575]

22 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

He's not "with Wednesday," is he? He's just one of many creatures who must be around, and he's bumped into the people we're following. We've also seen a djinn, and maybe others I've forgotten. (I'm not sure where the star sisters fit into the pantheon.)

I believe he's on Team Wednesday, he was there to help setup the "seduction" of Shadow into Wednesday's employ.

Of course you do have a point, Jinn aren't gods either, so Wednesday's army is made up of gods and magical creatures.

[WaltersHair]

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Stupid question: Is Mad Sweeney a god or a demi-god?

Not stupid at all. I have the same question, but because I have so many freakin questions where this show is concerned, I had to let that one go.

Also, is it wrong that as a huge fan of original recipe Star Trek, I'm a little mad they made a Vulcan the bad guy?

[Wryly]

How can you sacrifice yourself to yourself?

[BuddhaBelly]

4 minutes ago, Wryly said:

How can you sacrifice yourself to yourself?

Check this out: http://norse-mythology.org/tales/odins-discovery-of-the-runes/

It's how Odin learned of the runes. 

[yagathai]

12 minutes ago, Wryly said:

How can you sacrifice yourself to yourself?

Ask Jesus. The OG Jesus, not Mexican Jesus.