Starz

The first “American Gods” season finale cut away briefly from the action between our main characters to a small bus. We see Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) lean her head against the window as it drives into Wisconsin — a few hundred miles away from her current home in Hollywood. She takes a man to the back to do what she’s become famous for and the camera cuts straight to outside the bus, where we see a sign for something called “House on the Rock.”

Those unfamiliar with the “American Gods” novel by Neil Gaiman might be bewildered, since this is the first we’ve heard of such a thing in the inaugural season. However, much like the whitewalker reveal in “Game of Thrones” Season 2, it signifies a certain plot point from the books that fans can look forward to.

Major spoilers ahead from the “American Gods” novel.

Also Read: 'American Gods': Bilquis' Origins Revealed in 'Coming to America' Vignette (Exclusive Video)

The gods depicted all have to adapt to the new world. In their old worlds, they had shrines or traditions that kept them alive and kept their worshipers around. In America, things work a little differently. In the book, Mr. Wednesday (played by Ian McShane on the show) explains that roadside attractions like House on the Rock hold a similar power to shrines. It’s why he chooses it as the meeting place for all the old gods to come up with a plan to defeat the new gods.

“This is a roadside attraction,” he tells Shadow. “One of the finest. Which means it is a place of power.”

In the “American Gods” mythos, power comes from belief. The gods exist primarily because people believed in them, which is why they were also carried over when many of their followers immigrated to America. The same goes for places.

Also Read: 'American Gods' Writer Neil Gaiman Will Read Cheesecake Factory Menu to Help Refugees

Wednesday explains:

“In other countries, over the years, people recognized the places of power. Sometimes it would be a natural formation, sometimes it would just be a place that was, somehow, special. They knew that something important was happening there, that there was some focusing point, some channel, some window to the Immanent. And so they would build temples or cathedrals, or erect stone circles, or…well, you get the idea.”

The House on the Rock is just one of those places, along with other destinations that pop up along the course of the series.

Luckily for fans, it’s also a real place you can visit.

Also Read: 'American Gods' Showrunners on How Trump Presidency Reshaped Neil Gaiman Series

House on the Rock

The place, which is located near the city of Spring Green in southern Wisconsin, was created by Alex Jordan Jr. A story that circulated locally goes that Jordan had a meeting with architect Frank Lloyd Wright, who dismissed him and his designs. Jordan then designed the first part of the house out of spite, although the House on the Rock website says otherwise.

Regardless, the house has taken on a life of its own, with people adding more buildings and attractions. What was once a singular house has become a hodgepodge of architecture and rooms, spanning into multiple buildings and novelties, including an Infinity Room that stretches out around 200 feet from the attraction itself.

As far as tourist traps go, it’s phenomenal. The place contains an inn and a golf course, but also contains one of the most eclectic collections of random objects in the world. To get an idea of what you can expect to see at the House on the Rock, there are a few attractions. There’s “The Streets of Yesterday,” which is a recreation of an early 20th century American town; “The Music of Yesterday,” a collection of automatic music machines; and of course the carousel, which features no horses, but around 269 other animals and thousands of lights.

Also Read: Ian McShane Reflects on Long Days Filming 'American Gods': 'That's What Makes It All the Sweeter' (Video)

House on the Rock

The carousel plays a big role in Shadow’s visit to the attraction, acting as a gateway into an alternate dimension where the gods meet to discuss the possibility of the upcoming war. In the book, the meeting was how Wednesday sought to convince the others to join his cause and start the war. In the show, however, the war has already begun, as evidenced by the Wednesday and Easter’s actions at the end of episode 8.

Many fans believed the first season would end with the House on the Rock, and author Neil Gaiman said that was the original plan. However, Gaiman and showrunners Bryan Fuller and Michael Green wanted to do more with the complex setting.

“The House On The Rock is unlike anything else on the planet. If you are filming at The House On The Rock, you’re actually filming at The House On The Rock,” Gaiman told Vanity Fair. “In order to do some of the sequences in the book that we plan to do on the screen justice, we knew we were going to be taking several episodes to do it, and shooting whatever we get to shoot at the actual House On The Rock was going to make everybody’s life easier.”

So we’ll get a good look in Season 2. As the final shot states, Bilquis is most likely off to the House on the Rock to meet up with the rest of the crew, although they haven’t arrived yet. In the book, the gods have a tendency to go where they are needed, which includes large gatherings in preparation for battle.

'American Gods': 14 Historical and Cultural Stories Behind the Old Gods (Photos)

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Season 1 of "American Gods."
The Gods of Starz' new series "American Gods" are all immigrants: displaced from their native lands and left to find a place in a world that doesn't always believe they exist. Neil Gaiman's novel is packed full of mythological figures and creatures from Norse, Egyptian, Irish, pagan and Christian histories. To help you out figure them out, we broke down brief histories of the Gods that'll be depicted in Season 1 and the roles they played in their traditional worlds.
Starz
Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane)
Let's look at the clues. He has two ravens, can sleep wherever he wants, and only has one eye. His pseudonym is "Wednesday," which is named after a certain Norse God. "American Gods" doesn't tell immediately who is leading Shadow on a dangerous mission, but once you put it together, you realize it's the king of all of Norse mythology: Odin. He's the God of many things, including death, the gallows and battle, but also of poetry and magic.
Starz
Low Key Liesmith (Jonathan Tucker)
Just say "Low Key" five times fast and you'll figure out quickly which God is keeping Shadow company in prison. Like his Marvel counterpart, he is the god of mischief and destruction. He's not necessarily evil, but he's known for representing all that is against nature, and in Norse mythology, is the child of giants and the mother of Odin's stallion.
Starz
Bilquis (Yetide Badaki)
Bilquis is part of one of the most memorable scenes in all of "American Gods." She's called the "Goddess of Love," but her origins are based more in history and less in mythology. She's based on Bilqis, better known as the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon of Israel in the Bible. As one of her visits is written in the Torah: "when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty."
Starz
Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber)
He's not a specific God, he's a leprechaun. A tall one, but a leprechaun nonetheless. Depictions of leprechauns vary wildly, but Mad Sweeney is right in the sense that there's more to them than just the stereotypes depicted in pop culture.
Starz
Czernobog (Peter Stormare)
In "American Gods," Czernobog just looks like an unassuming old guy with a giant hammer. In actuality, Czernobog (or Chernobog as it is sometimes spelled) is a Slavic deity that represents night and death. You might recognize him as the demon depicted in the "Night on Bald Mountain" short in "Fantasia," where he represents pure evil. However, in reality, not much is known about his history and much is based on rumor.
Starz
Zorya Vechernyaya/Zorya Utrennyaya/Zorya Polunochnaya (Cloris Leachman, Martha Kelly,
Erika Kaar)
In "American Gods," the Zorya are three sisters that Shadow and Wednesday hope to recruit on their mission. In mythology, they are two guardian goddesses that watch over Simargl, a Slavic demon hound. The Morning Star (Leachman) and Evening Star (Kelly) open and close the palace gates for the sun God Dažbog. There is also third sister -- Zorya Polunochnaya (Kaar) -- referred to as the Midnight Star.
Starz
The Buffalo
As far as we can tell, the Buffalo with flaming eyes that appears in Shadow's dreams isn't based on any particular God or mythological figure. However, the American bison is considered a sacred animal among many Native American tribes, specifically ones that lived in the Midwest. According to the Smithsonian, bison were a major source of food, clothing and supplies to indigenous people so were spiritually connected to their way of life.
Starz
Mr. Nancy (Orlando Jones)
"American Gods" doesn't play coy with this trickster God's identity. Mr. Nancy is Anansi, a shapeshifting spider that is one of the most well-known characters in all of African folklore. He is described as being very cunning and able to talk or trick his way out of any situation. He's not a "God" in the typical sense, but he is a godlike figure, brought over on slave boats and in the stories of oppressors gaining control over their masters.
Starz
Vulcan (Corbin Bernsen)
Gaiman threw a wrench into the knowledge of book readers by introducing a new character named Vulcan. We don't know much about him but there is a god called Vulcan, who is the God of volcanoes, fire, and metalworking in Roman mythology.
YouTube
The Jinn (Mousa Kraish)
The Jinn -- or djinn, genie, or whatever you know them by -- are supernatural beings from Arabian and Islamic mythology. In some stories, they are known for granting wishes, often with a cost. Sometimes, they're demons. According to the Quran, jinn are created by God from smokeless fire, which would explain the character's glowing. fiery eyes in "American Gods." Starz describes him as a "mythical creature of fire who understands a person's deepest desires better than they do."
YouTube
Mr. Ibis (Demore Barnes)
The answer is in the name. Mr. Ibis -- or Thoth -- is the Egyptian God of knowledge and wisdom. He's known for having the head of an ibis, which is a kind of bird, hence the name. He's also been depicted in mythology as maintaining the universe, which would make sense considering he's the author of the "Coming to America" vignettes, which tell immigrant stories from across the centuries.
Olaf Tausch/Wikimedia Commons
Anubis (Chris Obi)
He's called Mr. Jacquel in the novel, but just like his partner Mr. Ibis, the identity is in the name. Anubis' history is complex and changes over the years, but generally is the God of death in Egyptian mythology, known specifically for his relationships with cemeteries, the after-life, mummification, and embalming. Considering he makes his living in the New World as a mortician, this makes almost too much sense.
Getty Images
Jesus (Jeremy Davies)
Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, a Jewish preacher who sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins. The stories of his life, death and rebirth form the basis of Christianity and of all the figures that show up in the first season of "American Gods," he's probably the most well known to the American audience. However, he plays more into the story of another character ...
Getty Images
Easter (Kristin Chenoweth)
It makes sense that we would meet Easter in garden party garb in the "American Gods" TV show, since most of us think of the term in relation to the spring holiday and commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Easter takes its name from ostre or Ostara, a Germanic and pagan goddess and representative of one of the. Modern-day spring festivals get their name and some of their traditions from her.
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Spoilers: Author Neil Gaiman draws from mythologies across the world to fill out his cast of characters

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Season 1 of "American Gods."
The Gods of Starz' new series "American Gods" are all immigrants: displaced from their native lands and left to find a place in a world that doesn't always believe they exist. Neil Gaiman's novel is packed full of mythological figures and creatures from Norse, Egyptian, Irish, pagan and Christian histories. To help you out figure them out, we broke down brief histories of the Gods that'll be depicted in Season 1 and the roles they played in their traditional worlds.

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