Starz 'American Gods' Season 2: Shadow Moon moves closer to becoming the King of America in season 2

Starz 'American Gods' Season 2: Shadow Moon moves closer to becoming the King of America in season 2

'American Gods' is a critically-acclaimed fantasy series based on the award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman of the same name. The show is heavily inspired by mythologies from across the world as it follows a seemingly human protagonist, Shadow Moon, on his adventures as Mr. Wednesday's (Odin's) bodyguard.

Mr. Wednesday is on a mission to recruit the Old Gods who are going through a lull period as their worshippers are now giving allegiance to the New Gods of technology, internet, and globalism. Together with the Old Gods and Shadow, Mr. Wednesday is preparing for an upcoming battle between the Old and the New Gods.

The series takes it's main inspiration from Gaiman's book and follows a near-canonical interpretation of its story with only a few minor changes in order to make up for the time period. When the story was created back in 2001, the internet did not contain much information when compared to the present, and a few characters were reworked.

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Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) Profile poster in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)
Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) Profile poster in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)

 

In the book, we see Shadow Moon's transformation into Balder Moon, a Norse God, who's also the son of Odin, like Thor and Loki. Neil Gaiman says that Balder is the son of Odin and a human woman, but Shadow's mother has always remained a mystery, even in the books.

It is clear that Shadow, as both a human and a God, is exactly what this war needs. Throughout the show, there are many references to Shadow's godly blood. In the first episode itself, we hear Wednesday offering Shadow a job and says that he'll make him the next King of America. Quite an odd thing to say to someone you've just met, but Wednesday is a peculiar man, so we'll let this one slide.

Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) and Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) visiting Easter's (Kristin Chenoweth) party in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)
Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) and Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) visiting Easter's (Kristin Chenoweth) party in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)

 

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There is also a mention of the lucky coin which Mad Sweeney lost to Shadow in the bar fight he so eagerly started. Shadow fought Sweeney in order to learn how Sweeney was able to do his coin tricks and picked out Mad Sweeney's lucky gold coin out of the lot. Sweeney says that the coin he picked was one that you would only give to the King of America. Coin-cidence?

Is it possible that Shadow Moon may take a new form in the series and become the next King of America or American God? This would explain the white buffalo that appears to him in his visions and claims to be the land incarnate (America).

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Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)
Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) in 'American Gods'.
(Source: IMDB)

 

The series is named 'American Gods' for a reason and, though Shadow is American, whether he's a God is still to be seen.

'American Gods' will return with the second season on 10 March only on Starz.



 

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