Decoding ‘American Gods’ S3 Finale: Is Mr. World Really Loki?

American Gods season 3 finale dropped a major hint at the true identity of Mr. World. Even though the show has been teasing similar hints since the onset about the New Gods’ mysterious leader hiding something from even his most loyal followers, it became even more undisguised in showing his true treacherous nature throughout the season.

As the personification of Globalization, Mr. World is portrayed as a slender man wearing a business suit, played by Crispin Glover. While he was mainly pleased with hiring the Old Gods, Mr. World seems to harbor a particular hatred towards Mr. Wednesday, who is Odin reincarnated.

In season 3, Mr. World manipulated Laura Moon to work as his assassin and exact her own revenge on Wednesday while still assuring himself and the other New Gods’ denial of any involvement. As Mr. World develops Shard, an organization app, which would increase the New Gods’ powers, he begins to take on new forms throughout the season.

At one point, he takes on the appearance of a staggeringly beautiful woman of Tobagonian-American descent (Dominique Jackson). Afterward, he manifests into a Hispanic man during some difficult negotiations.

With his shapeshifting abilities hinted at how powerful Mr. World is, it also raised many questions about his true nature. However, Mr. World’s capture of New God Technical Boy to use him as a power source for Shard brought his real identity out.

Revealing Technical Boy as a bridge between the Old and the New Gods, and not the New God of technology, Mr. World declares that without Technical Boy, future progress is impossible as he is the incarnation of human innovation. 

Following Technical Boy’s capture, World goes on to say some particular lines, notably:

“People say this is the age of technology. They’re wrong. This is the age of manipulation.”

Mr. World

Upon Technical Boy’s demand of his real identity, World responds, saying, “Trickery is what I do best,” before he departs the room nonchalantly, whistling a tune to himself.

Thus, his lines suggest that Mr. World is none other than Loki, the Norse god of mischief and trickery. Famous for his shapeshifting abilities, Loki appears as a complex character in myths, much like Mr. World.

However, with season 3 coming to an end on that note, it’ll be some time until it is revealed whether Mr. World is the only one hiding tricks up their sleeves and whether the show is finally heading towards the promised Götterdämmerung.

About American Gods

American Gods is an American fantasy drama television series developed by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green for cable network Starz. It is based on Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel of the same name.

The show follows Ricky Whittle aka. Shadow Man and his encounter with Mr. Wednesday which leads him to getting involved in a massive conflict between the factions of the Old Gods and the New Gods, as they keep accumulating power.

Source: Starz