American Gods “Fire and Ice” is probably the most interesting episode all season long. Seriously, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen and everything felt super essential to the overall storyline. I haven’t felt this way in ages and it’s got to be because this is the culmination of build up of 7 episodes. Which, I see the wonder and the magic and yet feel like it took too long to get to this point.
But back to things I liked about “Fire and Ice” aka everything that went down with Shadow and Marguerite. It was something straight out of a romance novel. Small town, two lost souls who find each other, and the steps they take to find themselves along the way. Shadow is adorable trying to learn how to skate with Marguerite’s help and their sexy times scenes was smoking hot. 10/10 would totally watch again.
Yes, Shadow is lying to Marguerite. And yes, it’s going to be an absolute shit show when she finds out. But they fit together. They are open with each other in a way neither has experienced before and I think the connection between them in genuine. Here’s hoping that they can make it through the crazy that is Shadow’s life. Here’s also hoping that Marguerite isn’t some ploy by Wednesday to keep Shadow connected to someone and ultimately under the Old Gods thumb.
Then there’s Wednesday having his followers killed by some berserker gone mad in “Fire and Ice.” I don’t understand all of it but I do like the Stranger Things-esque twist that things have taken. Yes, give me the monsters and twisted beings galore. Because if there are Gods out there then there need to be twisted versions of beings that destroy, maim, and make a mess of things. The thing/God/monster after Wednesday is freaky and I’m here for it.
Having Cordelia follow Wednesday even after knowing who the old man is…is kind of surprising. She’s got a fierceness in her that has kept her in the game this long, without her knowing what the game actually was. And if I were in her shoes I’d bolt. But maybe she’s right about staying with Wednesday. Because whatever is killing Wednesday’s followers might not make the distinction that she just works for him. Safety in numbers and all that jazz.
And then there’s Laura and Salim. I’m gonna drop the “Moon” of it all when speaking about her because last episode made it clear that she is not married. So Laura and Salim, they are the unexpected duo that I love to see on American Gods. Did I like Laura making fun of Salim’s possible traditions in “Fire and Ice”? No. But I did like how Salim corrected her, she went with it, and he defended her like the badass businessman we never knew he could be.
Seriously, he had Laura’s back and when it counted, Laura had his back too. That’s the kind of companionship I love to see on this show. Unexpected and wonderful companionship born out of not letting any of the Gods, Old or New, get an upper hand when they all know that they’re just using Laura and Salim. Our duo now has powerful “allies” in the fight against Wednesday and I hope that brings them one step closer to stopping the old timer in his tracks.
If the New Gods get taken out at the same time, then so be it. They kind of deserve it just as much as Wednesday does.
American Gods airs Sundays on Starz.
