'American Gods' Recap: 'Head Full of Snow'

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

As the old saying goes, and I'm certain I'm paraphrasing it here; it's not enough to simply live, one must live with a purpose. However, while that phrase has resonated with all of us, sometimes we are unclear as to what the purpose in question really is. Is it settling down and raising a family? Is it digging your heels in and pursuing your dreams? Or is it simply finding a way to live on a beach for the rest of your days, with umbrella drinks in hand. 

The exact answer to those questions may forever elude us, because technically...those solutions all qualify as correct, depending on how you decide to live your life, and what makes you happy. But while we may not agree on a perfect solve to this age old notion, we can definitely agree on one thing, regardless of the path you walk, sometimes we find purpose in what we believe. In fact, having faith in just about anything gives us some kind of direction in life and finding something to believe in was at the forefront of American Gods last night, because 'Head Full of Snow' gave Shadow, a man with nothing to lose, something to believe in, and that gift made for an absolutely fascinating and wonderful episode, and oddly enough, Shadow's newfound belief, all came by way of learning more about the Old Gods...and what they do for those that believe.

Because we learned last night that it's not enough for Wednesday and his friends to merely exist and feed off belief from the people of the world. They are after all, like us, and for them belief is akin to love. We need to be loved unconditionally, and enjoy the trust that comes with that kind of love and that is also what the Gods seek, to the point where they will reward the right people who show them such devotion. Case in point...the sub plot with an immigrant named Salim and the Jinn we briefly met in last week's episode, where Salim acknowledges the Jinn's sheer existence and power and his unexpected and unbridled worship for a God led to a romantic encounter with the Jinn, and a reward for his unrequited 'love'; a better job, and a chance at success in America at last. A wish granted if you will. 

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But even though that's what they seek, their egos can still be bruised, which brings us back to Shadow and his journey into faith. Because after a short discussion with Zorya Polunochnaya, where she points out the fact that Shadow believes in nothing and has nothing because of that, she provides him with a gift to match his last name, and in that instant something changes within Mister Moon. He suddenly sees an opportunity to do something special. After all, as a man with nothing to lose, why not try and roll the dice and see what happens, leading him to challenge Czernobog to another match of Checkers, and this time around Shadow wins, meaning that Czernobog will join them on their journey to Wisconsin and while the rematch may not have won Shadow more life, the fact that he believed in himself speaks volumes of things to come.

However, the most magical part of this episode, outright involved magic since to get more funds for the trip to the land of cheese, Mr. Wednesday needed Shadow's help to rob a bank, a move that turned out to be one of the most unexpected and hilarious moments on the show to date, but what mattered more about their interaction is that Wednesday asked Shadow to focus on one thing before the heist went down, snow...and lots of it. With nothing else to do on this day, Mister Moon complies and wouldn't you know it, snow comes to Chicago, leaving Shadow curious as to whether he conjured the snow himself, or if believing in the possibility was enough to help Wednesday make it happen. Regardless, for the first time in his life, Shadow is open to new avenues of thinking and he's finally starting to believe in something...the unknown, and his newfound belief is a wonderful gift for his devotion to Mr. Wednesday. Unfortunately however, his exploration into the mysterious may be put on hold since at the end of the episode we discover that Laura is alive and  well and ready to talk in Shadow's hotel room...

If anything, this has to be the best episode the series has put together to date, and we're only three episodes in, and I say that simply because everything worked in this story. Not a moment was wasted, the visuals were a true sight to behold and well, at this point...I'm truly rooting for Shadow because this episode finally made him one hundred percent relatable. We've all been or will be at a point in our lives where we feel like we are without direction or our faith in something else has been shattered and he represents the new beginning many of us have found when that happens, and also a fresh start for the Gods of old as well. Either way, this one was downright brilliant, and once again it ends in perfect fashion because I am dying to know more about how Laura Moon managed to come back from the dead. Until next time.

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