Who is wednesday in american gods

He just stood there and let death come to him which left so many questions unanswered. Laura was right to blame Mad Sweeney's death on Wednesday. Wednesday wouldn't let the leprechaun go for a reason the show never made clear. The only thing Sweeney said was that he was in Wednesday's debt and that they had an agreement. The agreement seemed to have some limits which Wednesday didn't seem to respect that much.

Sweeney also regretted ever agreeing to work for Wednesday because the debt never seemed to get repaid even after he killed Laura and did everything Wednesday asked him to do.

So what was this big debt that literally put Sweeney's life in Wednesday's hands? Laura Moon seems to be the only thing in Shadow's life that Wednesday never planned for and he hated her from the start of the show. Laura also seems to get onto Wednesday's nerves each time they meet, and she enjoys it. However, Laura wasn't that big a threat to Wednesday before he killed her.

All she had done was cause Shadow to go to prison and cheat on him and those are not exactly reasons to kill. Killing Laura has brought more problems to Wednesday than he would be comfortable with. So, why did he kill Shadow's wife to begin with? What was so dangerous about Laura Moon that Wednesday couldn't live with?

Shadow was heartbroken by Laura's death. Apart from helping Shadow, Wednesday could have saved himself lots of trouble if he had just helped Laura when she rose from the grave. However, from the time he took her to Ostara to the time she helped him kill Argus, Wednesday just used and lied to Laura.

He obviously knew the solution to stopping Laura's rot but just wouldn't give it to her, making her angrier when Sweeney finally told her the truth. Even after Laura helped him kill Argus the god of surveillance. It is clear that Wednesday didn't like Laura but why not help her? Why would he continue to lie to Laura even when she had done everything he asked of her?

Wednesday and returns his glass eye to him. Wednesday is first introduced as a man with grayish-red hair and a stubbly beard that matched. He has mismatched eyes, one of which is glass.

He is smaller than Shadow but seems to take up more room with a "craggy, square face with pale gray eyes. Finally, the three brothers created together Asgard, the realm of the gods and one of the nine worlds of Norse cosmogony. Odin is the leader of the main family of Norse gods, the Aesir, a clan of civilization, war and craft-related deities living in Asgard.

As a result, Odin was considered a god of roylaty and nobility, as well as the god of war. Men often prayed to him in order to obtain victory in battle, but since Odin enjoyed deeply feuds they knew he could easily give victory to the opposite side, not caring about fairness or justice but rather about the quality of the fight.

It was said that Odin started the war between the Aesir and the Vanir the second clan of gods, associated with nature, fertility and weather by throwing his spear at a Vanir living among the Aesir.

These dead would become the einherjar, the elite warriors of Odin's personal army, spending their time fighting each other but healing and resurecting each evening and feasting on never-ending supplies of meat and food. This afterlife was so sought by the Norsemen that some warriors who failed to die at war were known to kill themselves with their own spears to become einherjar.

Usually appearing as a grey-haired and bearded old man wearing a large hat and a blue cloak, he liked to travel through Midgard the world of humans as a simple mortal, to either test people's hospitality or seduce women many Norsemen liked to claim they descended from Odin to give themselves a higher social status. Odin owned several fabulous treasures, which included Gungnir, a spear that never misses nor stop until it reaches its target, Draupnir, a gold ring that produces every nine nights eight replicas of itself, and Sleipnir, an eight-legged horse as fast as lightning and able to run across water or through the air.

Odin was also known as a spiritual god. He was the god of poetry, guardian of the mead of poetry that he stole through trickery, transformation and seduction from the dwarves who created it and able to gift both gods and men with inspiration or the talent to write or sing.

He was a god of wisdom: not only did he sacrificed one of his eyes to drink from Mimir's well, whose magic waters made him knowledgeable and wise, but he also hanged himself from one of the branches of Yggdrasil, the World-Tree, with his own spear piercing his torso, for nine days and nine nights, as a sacrifice to himself. This particular operation, on top of making him the god of gallows and hanged men, and confering him even more wisdom, helped him invent the runes, a form of primitive alphabet used to cast spells.

Indeed, Odin was also the god of magic, recognized as a seer and a wizard. He was the master of seidr, a form of ritualistic magic able to shape fate for good, neutral and negative purpose, and which allowed him to see or know the future and curse his ennemies with death, sickness or bad luck. It should be noted that the seidr was seen as a female practice, and considered dishonorable for a man to practice as it would be a cowardly form of cheat Norsemen were encouraged to fight in more honest and virtuous ways, with weapons or their physical strength.

Due to his strong association with the death god of the slained warriors, god of the gallows Odin was also a practicioner of what would be called today necromancy known as the "lord of the ghosts": he could resurrect the dead especially if they had been hanged and enchanted Mimir's cut head so it would keep speaking even without a body.

Odin had an impressive collection of powers through his knowledge of seidr, runes and other forms of magic. Some of his abilities included turning enemies blind, deaf, paralyzed or mad, taking numerous shapes, stopping arrows through mid-air, turning warriors into invulnerable beings, or letting his mind travel through the world under the shape of an animal while his original body stayed in a form of trance.

In the Germanic tradition, Odin was the leader of the Wild Hunt Wodans Jagd , a celestial and supernatural hunt through the sky that manifested itself as violent storms. Odin does not need to eat, merely to drink wine: all of the meat that is served to him is actually given to his two wolves, Freki and Geri, always sitting at his feet.

They go into Shadow and Wednesday go upstairs to a door painted red. A grizzled older man opens the door a Shadow goes out to the bathroom and returns to find Czernobog yelling at Wednesday that they want his brother instead. Another old woman peeks out from another door in Czernobog adds a bet to raise the stakes: if Shadow wins, Czernobog will join Mr. Zorya Verchernyaya insists that Wednesday and Shadow spend the night at their house, though they have to pay the same Chapter 5.

Only Zorya U is awake to say goodbye to Shadow and Wednesday when they leave. Shadow keeps his silver coin in his hand, flipping it over his Looking at the silver coin more closely, Wednesday laughs that Lady Liberty, a foreigner, is the symbol of all that America holds dear, Wednesday takes Shadow to the bank that he says they will be robbing later, and asks Haddock, Director Wednesday continues his performance as Jimmy Gorman until night falls, then tells Shadow to take him Shadow and Wednesday drive for hours, then reach the House on the Rock.

Wednesday explains that it is Shadow and Wednesday wander through the large house, then find Czernobog in the Mikado room, which is decorated Shadow is entranced by Chapter 6. Wednesday rides his wolf, now detached from the carousel, over to Shadow, and tells Shadow all About ten people sit on benches against the walls, and Wednesday stands up and walks into the firelight.

He gives a speech about the coming storm, Shadow asks if everything in the hall really happened. Nancy tells Shadow to hush. Wednesday directs Shadow to take his car and shuttle the other gods, now in mundane human Shadow tells the men that he has known Wednesday for three days, and one of He wakes and wonders if Wednesday has been caught as well, then notices that the Liberty coin is still in his Chapter 7. Shadow still has some money from the bank heist with Wednesday , so he buys a junky used car from the brother of the woman at the The Vikings draw lots to Chapter 8.

The coin that Shadow took Wednesday comes into the kitchen and tells Shadow to get ready for a long drive. Chapter 9. Shadow asks Wednesday about Mr. Stone and Mr. Wood as they drive into Wisconsin. Wednesday replies that they Wednesday begins to talk about some of his favorite grifts cons or swindles over the years, The waitress brings Shadow pie and Wednesday talks about his absolute favorite grift: The Bishop Game. One man dressed as a clergyman With his stories over, Wednesday arranges to meet the waitress at a nearby hotel, explaining to Shadow that this is He wonders when Wednesday will come get him again, and decides to practice his coin tricks to keep himself Chapter Chad and Shadow go Wednesday explains that Shadow has to stay in Lakeside so Another man in a light grey suit Wednesday follows the man in the charcoal suit The Unknown God , sitting down at the bar As they walk through the Vegas airport afterwards, Shadow asks who Wednesday came to visit.

Wednesday says that getting The telephone wakes Shadow, and Wednesday angrily asks Shadow why he is drawing attention to himself by dreaming of thunderbirds. San Francisco is much warmer than Lakeside, but Wednesday is still giving Shadow an angry cold shoulder as they walk down Haight Street. Wednesday and Shadow meet a woman sitting under a tree in a park with a picnic Easter warns Shadow to stay out of secret societies, then takes Shadow and Wednesday to a nearby coffee shop.

He proves his point Wednesday pays for the coffee, trying to stiff the waitress until Shadow slyly covers the difference Wednesday comments After driving a while longer, Shadow tells Wednesday that a girl disappeared in Lakeside. Wednesday calls it a tragedy, but focuses more on Wednesday tells Shadow to exit the interstate, but finds a roadblock in front of them and Wednesday and Shadow walk in silence, as Wednesday warns Shadow not to speak and not to The two men watch the spider-like contraption light Wednesday tells him he uses people's faith to con them.

He passes Shadow a first class toiletries bag and offers Shadow a job. Shadow declines because Robbie is holding a job for him at his gym. Shadow has arrived at Jack's Crocodile Bar and heads to the bathroom where Mr. Wednesday appears from a bathroom stall.

He is still offering him a job and he passes Shadow a newspaper with an article on the car crash. He tells Shadow that Robbie had also died in the accident that killed Laura. Shadow admits to Wednesday that he is broke and jobless but he'll only work for Wednesday based on the flip of a coin. Wednesday calls Heads and Shadow is surprised to discover it is Heads when he rigged the toss. Wednesday goes to the bar for drinks and Mad Sweeney approaches Shadow to warn him about Wednesday.

Wednesday returns with three shots of mead for Shadow to drink. Shadow takes the first shot and Wednesday tells him the mead seals their bargain. Shadow will be his driver and bodyguard and will hold his vigil upon Wednesday's death.

Shadow drinks the second shot to seal the deal and the third shot as the "charm. Sweeney starts pulling real gold coins out from everywhere and Shadow asks how he does the trick. Sweeney tells him it's the easiest trick in the world to just pluck them out of the air. Shadow asks again and Sweeney challenges him to a fight for the answer. Shadow declines, yet Sweeney keeps egging him on. He starts to insult Laura and Shadow punches him in the face. While Wednesday watches, they begin brawling, tearing up Jack's bar and fighting until Shadow blacks out.

Shadow wakes up in the back of Mr. Wednesday's car on their way to Eagle Point. He finds Mad Sweeney's gold coin and Wednesday says Sweeney taught him the coin trick. He cleans up in a gas station bathroom before dropping Wednesday off at a motel and taking Betty , Wednesday's car, to the church for Laura's funeral. Shadow returns to the motel and pounds on Wednesday's door, disrupting him with a young, blonde woman.

He tells Wednesday how Technical Boy hijacked him and tried to kill him. Wednesday offers him occupational hazard pay and doubles his salary.

Wednesday promises that he is angry about Technical Boy and has a plan. The next day, Wednesday arrives at Laura's house after Shadow has finished packing up all their belongings. He asks Shadow if he'll miss Eagle Point. Shadow says no because it was Laura's town. Wednesday tells Shadow that he only gets to be upset for so long because Laura was cheating on him.

They take off in Wednesday's car, Betty , and start driving. Wednesday informs Shadow they won't ever take the highway and will take back roads to recruit various people to attend a meeting in one of the most sacred places in America.

Their first stop is Chicago to get Wednesday's hammer. They stop at a diner where Wednesday is meeting someone. He gives Shadow a list and sends him shopping. After Shadow is finished shopping, he returns to the diner, passing by the man Wednesday was meeting with. Shadow tells Wednesday that Lucy was talking to him from the TV and he thinks he's going insane. Wednesday gives Shadow the choice of either fighting the strangeness or accepting it; either the world is crazy or Shadow is.

Shadow asks if this is part of them "reprogramming reality" and Wednesday says that going mad is not the biggest sacrifice to make. They start driving again and Wednesday discovers a cell phone in the bag of stuff Shadow bought. He tosses Shadow's cell phone and the one Shadow bought for him out the car window, saying, "no cell phones.

Shadow and Wednesday arrive at an apartment in Chicago. Zorya Vechernyaya tells Wednesday that Czernobog , who is currently in a field killing a cow with a bolt pistol, will not be happy to see them. She brings them into the apartment and Wednesday presents her with the vodka, romance novels, and binoculars that Shadow picked up from the store. Zorya Vechernyaya downs the entire bottle of vodka before calling for Zorya Utrennyaya to come to the kitchen.

She explains that their other sister, Zorya Polunochnaya , is asleep. Wednesday passes Zorya Utrennyaya the books and sets the binoculars down in front of Zorya Polunochnaya's door. Shadow heads for the bathroom just as Czernobog returns home. He is not pleased to see Wednesday and throws a lamp at him. Wednesday offers him the cigarettes and herb Havarti but Czernobog still wants him to leave.

Zorya Vechernyaya tells Czernobog she already invited them to dinner. From the living room, Czernobog becomes upset with Wednesday and raising his voice. Zorya Utrennyaya hurries in to shush him so he doesn't wake up Zorya Polunochnaya. Wednesday is trying to get Czernobog to come to the meeting because everyone else will be there and will think Czernobog is weak if he doesn't show. Czernobog tells Wednesday he wants his brother, Bielebog, not him. They sit down to a terrible dinner of tough meat and soft potatoes, which Wednesday enthusiastically enjoys.

Czernobog asks Shadow if he is Black. Where he is from, everyone is the same color so everyone fights over shades. Bielebog has light hair where Czernobog has black hair so everyone thought Bielebog was the good one and it turned Czernobog into the bad one. They are both gray now so there is no longer a way to tell who is light and who is dark. Czernobog shares how they first arrived in New York and it wasn't so bad but then they came to Chicago and it's not so great.

He had to get a job in the slaughterhouse and became a "knocker" on the killing floor. Zorya Vechernyaya opposes him telling cow killing stories at dinner but he continues anyway. He explains how it takes strength and skill to artfully kill a cow properly with a sledgehammer. If not done properly, the cow becomes angry and angry meat tastes bad. He complains about the ease of the bolt gun that makes it so anyone can kill cows now. He asks Shadow if he plays checkers and invites him to a checkers game after dinner and Shadow agrees.

After dinner, Czernobog sets up the checkers board, playing black and they begin their game. Czernobog asks if Shadow wants to see his killing hammer and retrieves it from over the mantle. He explains how blood feeds the hammer, giving it shine, with sunrise blood being the best. Now, his hammer is red with rust but Shadow sees blood pouring off it from the 10, kills Czernobog made. They continue playing checkers and Czernobog offers to make a wager. If he loses, then he will go with Shadow and Wednesday to meet with the others.

If he wins, then he gets to hit Shadow in the middle of the forehead with his hammer. Wednesday tells Shadow it's his decision if he wants to make the wager. Shadow considers all the crazy things he has seen in the last few days and what is real and what is not. He agrees to Czernobog's wager and they keep playing checkers. Czernobog starts singing an old song about bitter coffee and a spoon that makes it sweet as he gets more and more of Shadow's pieces off the board.

Shadow loses the game and Czernobog declares that at sunrise, Shadow will willingly go down on his knees for him to knock his brains out. Wednesday enters Zorya Vechernyaya 's bedroom where she is getting ready for bed.

He comments on how she has learned to live with less but she is deserving of better. He pours his coffee grounds onto his saucer and asks her to read his fortune. She tells him that whatever he is trying to do, he will lose. They go outside for a walk in the night and Zorya Vechernyaya warns Wednesday that what he is doing will kill him this time.

He gives her a kiss to remind her of when they were young. Zorya Vechernyaya pulls away just as it starts raining and asks him angrily what he has done. Wednesday responds with "war. The next morning, Wednesday asks Shadow if he wants some coffee before they go rob a bank. Shadow and Mr. Wednesday arrive at the bank they're going to rob. Shadow is incredulous and doesn't want to enter but Wednesday drags him along, promising him he won't get in trouble.

Shadow notices all the cameras in the building as Wednesday tries to avoid having his face captured. Wednesday grabs a pile of deposit slips and they leave the bank. They walk across the street and Wednesday has Shadow write down the number of a payphone. He brings Shadow a hot chocolate and tells him to "think snow" to concentrate his mind.

They head to a photocopy shop as Shadow thinks about snow. While they wait for service, they chat about the many versions of Jesus. Wednesday tells Shadow to keep thinking snow while he makes business cards and posters. Shadow zones out again while thinking about snow before Wednesday startles him, telling him to stop because it's snowing enough now and they don't want to immobilize the city. They sit down for some lunch as Shadow questions Wednesday about the snow, wanting to know how it happened when the weather was supposed to be clear.

Mad Sweeney abruptly shows up, demanding his gold coin back from Shadow because he gave him the wrong coin. Shadow asks him how he did the coin trick before he'll tell him what he did with the coin. Sweeney once again claims that he plucked the coin out of thin air. Shadow says Sweeney can find the coin on Laura's grave back in Eagle Point. Sweeney leaves, telling Wednesday he'll see him in Wisconsin.

Shadow and Wednesday arrive at the bank with Wednesday dressed in a security uniform. He passes a business card to Shadow, reading "A1 Securities" with the name A.

Haddock on the card. Wednesday will pretend to be Jimmy O'Gorman. He tells Shadow to do a bit of shopping at the grocery store and wait by the pay phone before he heads across the street to the bank.

He places out of order signs on the ATM and night deposit slot and begins collecting night deposits and providing fake receipts to unsuspecting bank customers. The cops pull up and question Wednesday who hands them a business card. They are calling to check up on Jimmy and Shadow reassures them he is supposed to be there, going so far as offering them a job with his security company.

The police leave Wednesday to continue with his business. Shadow is driving while Wednesday counts out the money from the bank scam, paying Shadow his salary.

They continue driving back-roads out of Chicago as Wednesday presses Shadow about him pretending that he "cannot believe in impossible things. Shadow asks Wednesday directly if he made it snow. Wednesday offers him the choice of either believing he did or acknowledging he is delusional.

They go on to discuss Shadow's belief in love and Wednesday's fear of being forgotten. A raven taps on Mr. Wednesday's motel room door.

He relays a message to Mr. Wednesday goes to Shadow's room and invites him out for drinks. Shadow refuses just as police drive up and arrest them both for the bank robbery in Chicago. Wednesday is being questioned in an interrogation room and plays off as a confused man reciting poetry. Nancy are also on his side for different reasons while the police officer looks on dubiously.