‘American Gods’ Recap: ‘Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season three finale of ‘American Gods’.
​
One particular concept that has come up time and time again over the course of season three of American Gods, is that of destiny. For Shadow Moon has spent a great deal of this season, pondering upon its nature and what it can do for him and understandably so. After all, for as long as we've known him, he’s been a man without a path or direction, and coming to discover that he might have the powers of a God and could potentially do wonders for mankind with those powers… has given him hope that he might find the purpose and direction that he’s so desperately craved. And well, it was only a matter of time before he decided to try and walk the path that he believed awaited him and it just so happens… that said decision came about during the season three finale of this fantastical series.

For ‘Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree’ is a story that saw Mister Moon, finally opt to embrace the potential of his pre-ordained future, especially now that his father was dead. But before he could do that, there were some important matters to tend to at the very center of America. Such as reclaiming his father’s lifeless body and handling some unfinished business with the always snarky and suspicious Mister World. Such as hearing his request to come to a truce with the New Gods in order to avoid more bloodshed. Something that was quite ironic to hear from Mister World, since he orchestrated this whole mess, and his lack of shame in this matter, knew no bounds. To the point where he was ready turn Laura Moon over to Shadow, so that he could exact revenge for his father’s death, upon her. An act that Shadow of course refused to go through with.

Instead, once the burial details were arranged and completed, Shadow instead opted to hold vigil for his father. A dangerous ritual that involved him being attached to the World Tree for nine days, an act that would kill a mortal man, but Shadow expected this to go quite differently for himself. After all, his visions and their ability to guide him, along with the fact that the blood of the Gods ran through his veins, meant that he should survive the nine days, no problem. And he wanted to take part in this risky ritual, so that he could fulfill his destiny at last and usher in a new era for the Gods and humanity… one full of peace and leadership. But alas, things went terribly wrong when the ceremony began. For it was revealed in a realm of the Afterlife that resembled Shadow's first encounter with his dad, that Wednesday knew his own path would end in death, and that in order to survive and find a new way to thrive in this maddening world… he would require a blood sacrifice… his son.

---

A meeting that came about full circle.

A revelation that left Shadow angry and afraid and unprepared for an end that came regardless of his concerns and well, that’s where Shadow Moon’s story ends, for now. With humiliation and death and a lesson for all of us. In that, our destiny isn’t something that can be foretold to us or hinted at in the slightest. It is something we figure out on our own, by trusting our gut and by listening to the right individuals. But while Shadow learned that lesson far too late, there is a chance he can return to the land of the living in order to set things right. For we have seen Laura Moon emerge from the depths of the Afterlife to try and forge a new path on Earth… with mixed results of course and well, hopefully Shadow won’t wait too long to make his triumphant return. Since this tale also featured some ominous hints at an ugly future for the world.

Because now that Odin is restored to his full strength and eager to serve himself and his ego, there’s a fair chance that he will indulge himself in an orgy of conflict and strife, since that is what a God of War feeds upon. Plus, Mister World also hinted at the fact that he might be helping out in such matters as well. Since he told Technical Boy that all of his suffering was designed out of control and trickery, since World thrives on trickery through and through… something that should have rung a bell in the audience’s mind. Since that hints greatly at the possibility that World isn’t some unifying God after all, and that he is instead the Trickster God, Loki, and that everything that happened here was part of a master plan to feed the chaos he thrives upon.

But alas, we will have to wait for a season four to learn that particular truth and to see what will become of Shadow Moon and the world for that matter as well, and hopefully STARZ greenlights a season four for this series, soon. So that this talented cast and crew and the writers’ room can get to work on assembling the endgame for this series. Because clearly, this finale serves as the setup to something huge, something that is undoubtedly designed to bring about a final confrontation between Shadow Moon and the Gods that walk amongst us, and it would be a shame to not see this sweeping adaptation come its logical solution. But while we wait for that news, we can bask in one quality finale. One brought everything together in a seamless and harrowing manner and one that also upped the stakes like never before, since the Gods played Shadow like a fiddle and the consequences of giving into their wishes, have to be dire indeed. Until next year.  ​

---