The Way of the Dead was a bit of an odd episode of American Gods if I’m being honest. Much of it was taken up with a recounting of the history of racial unrest in Cairo. Whilst this was certainly harrowing it did little to move the plot or Shadow’s (Ricky Whittle)Â storyline along. Perhaps the aim was to harden Shadow in some way but I’m still left confused as to why this side plot was included.
Of much more interest is Laura Moon’s (Emily Browning) quest to regain her mortality. After Mr Wednesday (Ian McShane) let her down earlier in the season she’s off to New Orleans with Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber) to meet with Baron Samedi (Mustafa Shakir) to hopefully find a cure. Sexual tension is heavy in the air from the start in this arc and everyone ends up getting down and dirty. Laura is still left without her cure though as she is missing one vital ingredient, the blood of someone who loves her. There is a not so subtle hint that this person is, in fact, Mad Sweeney but there is no further development on this matter.
Meanwhile, Mr Wednesday is still on his mission to get his spear reforged. He pays a visit to Alviss (Lee Arenberg), a dwarven master blacksmith, but is unable to help and directs him to seek out his brother to carry out the work.
Once again this episode feels somewhat flat and doesn’t seem to move the story on much. I’m still not sure what purpose the Cairo history lesson served although it did make for some interesting if not challenging viewing.
The scenes with Mad Sweeney and Laura stole the show for me and provided the only real bit of interest.
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