American Gods Review: Sister Rising (Season 3 Episode 5)
Describing the midway point of a television season as a crossroads may be cliche, but that’s where we find several characters on American Gods Season 3 Episode 5, “Sister Rising.” This season has struggled with disparate storylines, but this episode does a great job aligning them to reach a turning point.
Bilquis reaches her crossroads early on as she literally reclaims her power and escapes her captors without the help of Shadow or Technical Boy. Despite being stretched out over two episodes, Bilquis’ escape is one of the most emotionally moving arcs the show has ever produced.
You can’t help but be enraptured thanks to the combination of the visual effects and the joy of Yetide Badaki’s performance. The scene cross-cuts between the vibrant spirit world and the suspended water-filled cell, providing some of the most impressive visuals yet.
Just through watching Badaki’s movement and facial expressions you can feel the weight lifted off Bilquis’ shoulders. Her performance has always been one to watch, but this episode especially showcases her talent.
American Gods’ decision to change Bilquis’ power so it is no longer reliant on her being an object of desire sends a clear message about the importance of autonomy and self-determination. Even book purists will likely consider this a welcome change from the source material.
The peace she finds through this development allows her to connect with Shadow who is on a similar journey. It’s not often we get to see either of these characters feel truly understood, which makes their scene together so heartwarming.
They’re far from the only characters grappling with identity and purpose on this episode. Cordelia jokingly questions her employment with Wednesday which brings some levity to the concept. Laura and Salim’s heart-to-heart about how to move on in a world without their loved ones is much more solemn.
The most surprising part of the episode is when Shadow and Demeter challenge Wednesday to reexamine his identity. Although he insists his motivation for rescuing Demeter is only about getting her money, Shadow and Cordelia pick up on the fact he has genuine feelings for her.
Is it possible Wednesday is actually capable of caring for someone else? That would be quite the change for the mischievous antagonist and make the character much more interesting to watch.
Over three seasons, American Gods has let Wednesday become far too predictable. This exploration of his relationship with Demeter shows there might be some surprises left for the Old God.
It’s refreshing to see the show explore these questions of identity and purpose outside of the weighty narrative of Shadow’s “destiny.” By applying these questions to multiple storylines, instead of just its lead protagonist, the show achieves a greater cohesiveness than it has on previous episodes in this season.
Although “Sister Rising,” is an engaging turning point for the season, it’s not without its faults.
The show’s pacing continues to lag, leaving questions about whether the show plans to wrap up any of these smaller storylines by the end of the season. Shadow does eventually return to Lakeside on this episode, but it’s a jarring return given how long he’s been away.
I don’t expect Laura will stay in Lakeside very long, but her appearance underlines the show’s inability to let that storyline stand on its own. The constant distractions weaken the suspense of the town’s mystery.
American Gods needs to put the brakes on the side quests for a while so it can dive back into the Lakeside plot.
What did you think of this episode of American Gods? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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American Gods airs Sundays at 8/7c on STARZ.
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Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.