Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki) Character Analysis in American Gods

Loki, the trickster and sometimes evil god of Norse Mythology, acts as one of the main antagonists in American Gods. As Low Key Lyesmith, Loki is nothing more than Shadow’s cell mate in jail, seemingly separate from the war between the gods. As Mr. World, Loki is the leader of the New Gods, spurring them on to fight the Old Gods instead of waiting for the Old Gods to die out on their own. As Loki, Loki is a shapeshifter and a double agent, at times helping the other gods of the Norse pantheon (such as Odin (Mr. Wednesday) and Thor) and other times wreaking havoc simply because he can. He is Mr. Wednesday’s partner in their two-man con to trick all the other gods for their own benefit. Loki thrives on deceit and chaos, helping instigate the fight between the Old and New Gods so that the turmoil of battle will feed his own power. Loki is killed with the ash stick, as Laura uses his own talent for lies against him.

Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki) Quotes in American Gods

The American Gods quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki) or refer to Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Mythology, Belief, and Community Theme Icon

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the William Morrow edition of American Gods published in 2013.

And as for keeping my word, well, these preliminary talks are being filmed and broadcast live," and he gestured back toward the camera. "Some of your people are watching as we speak. Others will see video-tapes. Others will be told, by those they trust. The camera does not lie."
"Everybody lies," said Wednesday.

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 361

Explanation and Analysis:

“It's never a matter of old and new. It's only about patterns. Now. My stick, please."
"Why do you want it?"
"It's a souvenir of this whole sorry mess," said Mr. World. "Don't worry, it's not mistletoe." He flashed a grin. "It symbolizes a spear, and in this sorry world, the symbol is the thing."

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker), ,

Related Symbols:

Page Number and Citation: 468

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki) Character Timeline in American Gods

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. World (Low Key Lyesmith / Loki) appears in American Gods. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...has gone as low as he can go. He tells this theory to his cellmate, Low Key Lyesmith, who laughs at Shadow’s “gallows humor.” Shadow marks off the days to his release... (full context)

Low Key Lyesmith asks Shadow if he will be happy once he gets out of prison, but... (full context)

Life, Death, Desire, and Sacrifice Theme Icon

A few weeks later, Low Key gets suddenly transferred to another prison, leaving Shadow his copy of Histories with several contraband... (full context)

Shadow numbly packs his few possessions, leaving behind Low Key ’s copy of Herodotus and the coins. He walks out of the prison into a... (full context)

...Audrey angrily stomps on the gas pedal and drives away. Shadow keeps walking, thinking about Low Key calling a graveyard a “Bone Orchard,” and a dream Shadow once had about an orchard... (full context)

...hoping he can walk fast enough to keep himself warm. He goes outside, thinking of Low Key ’s stories about winter in Minnesota where it was cold enough that a man’s urine... (full context)

The Sacredness of American Land Theme Icon

...can think of is how badly he needs to pee. Shadow’s policeman, Mr. Town, calls Mr. World and tells Mr. World the bad news that the Winnebago got away. Mr. World says... (full context)

Mr. World , with his back to the camera, asks Wednesday to take a peace treaty, which... (full context)

...Suddenly, saying Low Key’s name out loud makes Shadow realize that his name is actually “Loki Lie-smith.” Shadow and Loki go back to Shadow’s room, where Loki admits that he lied... (full context)

At five minutes to midnight, Loki tells Shadow it is time to go to Wednesday’s room and light candles. In Room... (full context)

...this time of sadness and death. At midnight, the New Gods turn to leave on Loki’s signal, with Technical Boy murmuring “call no man happy” to Shadow as he goes. (full context)

...wearing the confidence of being worshipped and adored. Technical Boy walks among them, looking for Mr. World . (full context)

...for directions. He finally finds it, thinking that he is too old for this nonsense. Mr. World has asked him to cut a stick from this specific tree (the world tree), but... (full context)

Back at Lookout Mountain, Technical Boy finally finds Mr. World and tells him that everything is on schedule. Technical Boy then awkwardly lingers, looking troubled.... (full context)

Disturbed, and assuming that Mr. World is lying about making such a fuss about a stick, Technical Boy says he doesn’t... (full context)

...the network of caverns that make up Rock City. She goes into a cavern where Mr. World is reading the paper. Mr. World welcomes her as the spear carrier and Laura introduces... (full context)

Mr. World asks for his stick, but Laura asks for a cigarette and some answers first. Laura... (full context)

Laura says she will give Mr. World the stick, turning away from Mr. World to look out the cavern door. Mr. World... (full context)

Plurality and the Power of the Individual in America Theme Icon

Meanwhile Laura grips the stick tightly and waits for Mr. World to get close enough. Mr. World cautiously comes right behind Laura and reaches his arm... (full context)

Shadow asks for Laura and Loki. Wednesday doesn’t answer, so Shadow walks farther into the caverns and finds Loki, who is... (full context)

...power. Wednesday explains that he feeds off of deaths that are dedicated to Odin, and Loki feeds on chaos, making this battleground a huge source of power for them both. (full context)

Wednesday and Loki commiserate to each other about the details of their plan, from finding Shadow to making... (full context)

...who Shadow is, and Shadow replies that he is Odin’s son. Shadow then reveals that Mr. World never existed at all. He ends by saying that he would rather be a man... (full context)

...voice and Shadow explains that he stopped the battle, and he thanks Laura for killing Mr. World . (full context)