“ | I get it. I do. You're an individualist. Rugged individualism. It simply doesn't work anymore. Brands. Sure. A useful heuristic. But ultimately, everything is all systems interlaced, a single product manufactured by a single company for a single global market. Spicy, medium, or chunky. They get a choice, of course. Of course! But they are buying salsa. | ” |
–Mr. World to Mr. Wednesday, "Lemon Scented You" |
Mr. World is the leader of the New Gods and is a personification of globalization.
Background[]
Significance in narrative[]
- Main article: Mr. World/Novel
Significance in series[]
"Lemon Scented You"[]
Shadow and Wednesday are locked up together in an interrogation room. The lights dim, the door opens, and Marilyn Monroe (from The Seven Year Itch) floats into the room. Wednesday tells her they don't have any business with her. Shadow begs for it to not be real as footsteps sound down the hallway. Mr. World enters and apologizes to Wednesday for not seeing him. Wednesday warns Shadow to not speak to Mr. World. Mr. World frees Shadow from his handcuffs and tells him he already knows all about him from his blood type to his nightmares. Everything about Shadow is stored and recorded in the Book of Life.
Marilyn coughs politely to remind Mr. World to stay on track. He whistles for Technical Boy. Technical Boy enters and apologizes for lynching Shadow. Mr. World slams Technical Boy onto the table and offers to let Shadow hit him and knock out his front teeth. Shadow refuses. Mr. World absolves Technical Boy for his crime against Shadow and has him sit next to Wednesday to offer his sales pitch. Technical Boy explains how the New Gods want to offer Wednesday the opportunity to evolve with them and they will help him find his own audience. Mr. World is offering a merger with the Old Gods and to upgrade Wednesday.
Marilyn clicks a remote and the walls light up with images of the ODIN guidance satellite to be launched over North Korea. Wednesday will be re-branded and 24.9 million people will know his name, giving him a lasting place in tomorrow. Wednesday pounds his hand on the table and refuses, saying they offer him exile, not a merger. The New Gods simply occupy time while the Old Gods gave people meaning. Mr. World tells Wednesday to give them meaning again before he leaves with Marilyn following after.
Technical Boy stops them, asking why Mr. World is letting Wednesday go when he has him right there. Mr. World explains that Wednesday is older than Technical Boy will ever be and has wisdom and knowledge that Technical Boy does not have. He is giving Wednesday an opportunity and respect. Technical Boy says, "fuck respect." Marilyn blows a kiss to Technical Boy and knocks out his two front teeth. As the New Gods leave, Mr. World tells them he is not their enemy.
"Come to Jesus"[]
Easter opens the door to her home to greet Hannah Brown (Judy Garland from Easter Parade) and one of the Children dressed as Don Hewes (Fred Astaire). Hannah reminds Ostara of their tradition of celebrating Easter together, having merged pagan beliefs into media gimmicks, like peeps and bunnies and brunch. Easter guides her outside to meet her sheep.
Wednesday spots Hannah and Easter strolling the grounds outside. Hannah asks about Wednesday and Easter admits he was trying to recruit her. The faceless Don begins to split into multiple Dons as Hannah questions Easter. The New Gods make Old Gods new again and she wants to know why Easter would listen to Wednesday. Easter replies that it is because she is feeling "misrepresented in the media." Hannah explains that the Old Gods have to evolve in order to survive in an atheist world.
Mr. Wednesday arrives as the Children circle protectively around Easter and Hannah. He argues with Hannah about the distribution methods of worship. Technical Boy takes over one of the Children and enters the conversation, warning Wednesday that he can't fight progress. Wednesday points out the New Gods wouldn't be there if he wasn't a threat. Hannah claims they are there for Easter because Wednesday doesn't matter anymore. Wednesday insists he still matters because gods make things happen to cause belief.
Mr. World takes over another one of the Children. As Mr. World speaks, storm clouds gather above. He tells Wednesday that he only matters when it comes to war and there isn't going to be a war. The New Gods have all the advanced technology while the Old Gods are left with swords and hammers. Whether they fight or not makes no difference because the Old Gods will die out either way. Wednesday responds by dedicating deaths to Ostara just as lightning strikes the circle of Children, killing them all.
Wednesday turns to Shadow and asks if he has faith. Shadow asks for a third time for Wednesday to tell him who he is. Wednesday recites some of his many names to Shadow before finally revealing himself to be Odin. He commands Ostara to show the New Gods who she really is. Easter steps forward and lifts her arms to the air, bringing a change in the wind and clearing the thunderclouds. She takes away the spring, causing life to retreat underground throughout the country as it returns to its winter state.
Mr. World tells Wednesday he has his war. Wednesday announces the believers and non-believers can have their spring back when they pray for it. He asks Shadow if he believes and Shadow answers that he believes "everything." Laura clears her throat to announce her presence and asks to speak with her husband.
"House on the Rock (episode)"[]
A golfer tees up at the Black Briar golf course as a limo careens onto the teeing ground and runs him over. The GPS announces the destination is on the right as Technical Boy swerves across the fairway, telling the GPS he knows where he is going. He speeds into a parking garage, slamming on the breaks as he reaches spot 353 located against a wall. Mr. World crawls out of the back of the limo and passes Technical Boy a paperclip to "show." Technical Boy holds up the paperclip to a camera and the wall swings open. The Caretaker challenges Mr. World, who replies with "büroklammer" (German for "paperclip"). He welcomes Mr. World to Black Briar. Technical Boy wants to take out all of the Old Gods. Mr. World cautions him they are not ready but when they are, they will eradicate the Old Gods. He tasks Technical Boy to find his "best salesman," Media.
In the underground bunker, Mr. World tells the Caretaker he needs the "eyes of Argus" to see his enemies. The Caretaker protests, saying only the President is allowed. Mr. World explains to the Caretaker that he is behind everything from Operation Paperclip to the Crack Wars and the Caretaker ultimately works for him.
In the bunker, Technical Boy complains that Mr. World sent Bilquis when he could have tracked them himself. Mr. World explains that he sent her because he needs Bilquis to be complicit with the New Gods. Mr. World picks up a red telephone and says, "recover the package."
In the bunker, the Caretaker reads off "130-7925" as Mr. World enters it onto a number pad for the Black Briar "Facitilies Control and Monitor." A keyboard slides out and Mr. World sends a secure message to Mr. Town to request a "strike package" and to "execute target."
"The Beguiling Man"[]
In the Black Briar bunker, Mr. World pours liquor from a decanter and brings it over to Bilquis while the Caretaker continues monitoring the "eyes of Argus". Mr. World commiserates with Bilquis that none of the Old Gods joined her. She blames his attack on the diner for pushing the Old Gods into joining Wednesday's side. Bilquis refuses to join his war as she is a love goddess and "love and war may sit on opposite sides of the coin but only so they may never meet." Mr. World warns her that she must choose a side or be trampled by both.
"Muninn"[]
An "Argus" drone flies overhead tracking Shadow and Sam before it is knocked out of the sky by a raven. The Caretaker replays the drone footage for Technical Boy and Mr. World in the Black Briar bunker. The Caretaker blames the outdated network and that they were unable to get an exact GPS location from the drone. Technical Boy complains about Argus not updating the bunker like he asked. Mr. World is angered that Technical Boy failed to keep Argus in order and demands he go in person to sort out the upgrade. Behind them, the screens are overtaken by a completed download as pop music plays and a form steps forward out of the monitor. New Media introduces herself, fresh from her upgrade. Technical Boy asks how is it an upgrade.
"The Greatest Story Ever Told"[]
Physical appearance[]
Physically Mr. World appears as a tall (6 foot) Caucasian man in his 40s, with medium length greying brown hair, a chiseled nose, strong jaw and piercing yet disarmingly gentle eyes. Mr. World generally dons black suits with a white shirt and black tie, often with a charcoal fedora and beige overcoat. He can also take on the face of seemingly anyone.
Powers and abilities[]
- Globalization Embodiment: As the personification and God of Globalization Mr. World possesses every aspect of that, and which also gives him unparalleled powers over globalization. So far showing the following;
- Knowledge Repository/Book Of Life: Mr. World states in "Lemon Scented You" that, "I knows people, Everything about all of them." Mr. World has a repository of all the world's knowledge within his mind and he can recall information about a specific subject or individual by looking at them. Mr. World explains that everything that happens is recorded, stored, and recalled in the "Book Of Life."
- When Mr. World first meets Shadow Moon, he is able to discern several pieces of personal information about him within moments: his blood type, his nightmares, his favorite cheese, the fact that he hates the sounds of two forks touching, the face he makes when he masturbates, and the number of sexual partners his mother had in her life.
- Mr. World tells Mr. Wednesday that he missed him while he was traveling but once they meet in person he now sees that Mr. Wednesday is "huge," implying that he was able to perceive all that Mr. Wednesday is in terms of power, wisdom, and age as an Old God.
- Knowledge Repository/Book Of Life: Mr. World states in "Lemon Scented You" that, "I knows people, Everything about all of them." Mr. World has a repository of all the world's knowledge within his mind and he can recall information about a specific subject or individual by looking at them. Mr. World explains that everything that happens is recorded, stored, and recalled in the "Book Of Life."
- Illusions: Mr. World is able to create illusions. In "Lemon Scented You," he displays images on walls to show Mr. Wednesday and Shadow the possibilities the New Gods can provide for them.
- Projection: Mr. World is able to projection himself through other beings and take them over on the same level as possession like he did with one of the Children.
- Shapeshifting: Mr. World appears to possess a level of shape alteration within himself, changing his form to appear like pixels on a television screen would.
- Telekinesis: In "Lemon Scented You," Mr. World is able to unlock Shadow's handcuffs by passing his hand over them.
Bruce Langley explained that Mr. World always knows more than any other person in the room thanks to his position, describing him as "always more knowledgeable, all the time and in a consistent way", and adding that Mr. World knows things "naturally". [1]
Quotes[]
“ | You wanted a war, Glad-of-War? You have one. Be glad. It will be the war you die in. | ” |
–Mr. World to Mr. Wednesday, "Come to Jesus" |
Gallery[]
To edit the Gallery page, go to Mr. World/Gallery. |
Note: The pictures are shown in episodic order. To see the order of the episodes, please visit the Episode guide.
Notes and trivia[]
- In Season Three, "World is looking to control destiny with a mysterious new piece of technology that, if brought online, will have the power to dominate humanity’s attention. And in this modern age, attention is worship."[2]
- Dominique Jackson and Danny Trejo will appear in the role of Mx. World[3]
- On December 17, 2019, it was announced that Crispin Glover (Mr. World) is not expected to return for Season Three[4]
- When asked by The Knockturnal, at the time of season 1, what Mr. World represents, Crispin Glover stayed very vague and elusive, explaing how the show was made of metaphors and how important metaphors are important because they force the audience to bring something of their own in the thought process and make the show their own, instead of things being dictated to them. [5]
References[]
- ↑ https://collider.com/american-gods-season-2-bruce-langley-interview/
- ↑ https://ew.com/tv/2019/10/09/american-gods-season-3-first-look-photo/
- ↑ https://ew.com/tv/2019/11/21/danny-trejo-american-gods-season-3-julia-sweeney-wale/
- ↑ https://thegww.com/american-gods-kahyun-kim-and-crispin-glover-not-returning-for-season-3/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMXNEwGOymY