WARNING: The following contains spoilers for American Gods Season 3, Episode 8, “The Rapture of Burning,” which aired Sunday on Starz.
Along with the New Gods plotting Mr. Wednesday's downfall, another deity has been killing off his followers. While the Allfather assumed it was his berserker, it turns out the Norse god Tyr -- one of Wednesday's closest allies and oldest friends -- is the one behind the murders. He's taken it a step farther by kidnapping Shadow Moon, Wednesday's son, holding him hostage in the Wolf's Den.
Wednesday, despite his shady and selfish behavior, arrives to save his son. Tyr promises to let Shadow go if the Allfather submits to him, and since he is a god of justice, his word is gold. Wednesday surprisingly agrees; however, there is a twist. While he will allow Tyr to take his life, he will only do so in a trial by combat, which Tyr has no objections to, likely believing this will be a fair opportunity for him to finally get his retribution.
Wednesday teleports Tyr and Shadow to a beachside battlefield covered in the remains of the dead. While Shadow is still in his contemporary winter clothes, the war gods have transformed into more traditional armor. Wednesday's fake eye is also missing, resembling more of a battleworn god than the often slick god seen throughout the show.
Wednesday only has his sword, while Tyr fights with an axe and shield, proving why he was a war god in the first place. After each god gets a few swings in, Tyr gets Odin on his back, nearly severing his groin with his blade. Revealing that he's turned his severed hand into a spiked weapon, he's ready to kill Wednesday, but Shadow holds Tyr back; however, the god easily throws Shadow off him.
Because of his interference, Shadow must pay, and Tyr is planning to kill him, but it will be a mercy killing compared to what he has planned for Odin. Thankfully, the Allfather finds his footing and sword, stabbing Tyr through the chest and saving his son.
While Wednesday does not appear saddened at the loss of his friend turned enemy, he does give him a proper funeral, burning his body on a pyre. It's also here that Wednesday reveals to Shadow that he has fulfilled his obligations to him. Back in Season 1, Wednesday brought Shadow in to be his bodyguard, not revealing to him initially that he was a god.
Finally, Shadow has completed his old position, and Wednesday is supposedly letting him off the hook, so Shadow can have a normal life. Shadow is rightfully suspicious of this. After everything Wednesday has put him through, it's hard to believe that Shadow is free of him, especially given their familial connection; however, the Allfather does abandon Shadow after burning Tyr's body, failing to tell his son what his plan is next.
Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, American Gods stars Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Bruce Langley, Yetide Badaki, Ian McShane, Omid Abtahi and Ashley Reyes. The series airs Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Starz.