When we last left of American Gods, Shadow was reunited with his ex-wife Laura, even though he buried her. It seemed that him placing Mad Sweeney’s lucky gold coin resurrected her as she was no longer in her grave. This week serves as one giant flashback and we see Laura’s life before she met Shadow, when she and Shadow were together, and then after he went to prison and she carried out her affair with his friend Robbie. She also got swept up into the world of the supernatural as she dealt with Mr. Jacquel as well as the Technical Boy. Although the plot didn’t move forward, tonight’s episode “Git Gone” helped fill in a few blanks.
Here are a few highlights from tonight’s episode “Git Gone.”
1. Laura’s Boring, Unsatisfying Life
No “Coming to America” or “Departing America” introduction this week as we delve right into Laura’s life before all this craziness. She worked at an Egyptian-themed casino where she was a blackjack dealer. Although she was good at working at the tables, life was dull. Her only company was her cat, which she named “Dummy.” She often flirted with suicide as she wanted to inhale insect repellant in her hot tub with the cover on. She never went through with it, but continued to try.
2. Laura Meets Shadow
That all changed when Shadow walked in at played a hand at her table. Although Shadow was trying to hustle her, she allowed it to happen despite knowing what he was doing. After warning him not to continue hustling so he could avoid jail, he was intrigued with her and wants more. The two hit it off and she took him home. Eventually, the two become a couple ad then get married.
3. Shadow’s Incarceration and Laura’s Affair
After Laura came up with the idea of robing her casino, Shadow ends up in prison. She lied to him saying that she will wait for him, but very quickly she becomes bored with the idea of him in jail and her waiting for him. We get to see from the perspective of the wife of a convict. Many times, she avoids answering his calls from the prison as she just doesn’t want to deal with it. Eventually, she and Robbie (Dane Cook), Shadow’s best friend grow close. One thing leads to another, and the two start sleeping with each other. Even when Shadow was calling her, Robbie was in the other room waiting for her to get off the phone for more sex. Although we’re supposed to be sympathetic to her, she still is a horrible wife.
4. Laura’s Death and Resurrection
We all know she died giving Robbie a blowjob while he was driving. Now we get to see it as it happened as well as the aftermath. After she dies, Laura runs into Mr. Jacquel as he prepares to take her to the next world. She knows she’s not a good person, so she doesn’t even bother with the heart/feather scale. Since she doesn’t believe in anything, she’s headed to a world of darkness. Just as Mr. Jacquel is about to take her to there’s a flash of light (Mad Sweeny’s coin falling down) and she is drawn back into the world of the living and raises out of her grave.
5. Laura Saves Shadow
As she’s back in the real world, Laura sees a flash of light, which she’s drawn to. When she arrives at it, she arrives at that moment in episode one when Shadow was being attacked and hanged by the Technical Boy’s goons. She fights them off and we realize that since she’s dead, she has powers. Not only can they not hurt her, she can seriously hurt them. A simple kick to the groin to one of them splits them in two. One of them manages to take her arm off in the battle, she just picks it up and keeps on moving. Laura’s powers will be effective in the future and she can now be Shadow’s bodyguard. Afterwards, she runs into Mr. Jacquel where he repairs her. He promises not to interfere with her while she is on Earth, but once her task is done, she will return back to the darkness of death afterward.
