What Mad Sweeney Sees in Laura Moon

Published June 19, 2017 · Updated July 6, 2022

This episode explains SO MUCH about Mad Sweeney! His Devolution from God to King to Saint to Myth to Caricature to Indentured Servant of ODIN/Scavenger…. That’s a long way to fall!!

I think that Mad Sweeney sees in Laura a familiar energy/drive that Essie had; that’s why they had the same face. (BTW Essie’s freckles looked like measles-YUK!!) Both Laura and Essie empowered themselves and tried to Hustle/ Scam people to a better, more fulfilling life. Laura did it by dying /re-animating by coin and appreciating her new afterlife; Essie did it by using her feminine wiles and marrying up. Essie’s ebb and flow style of worship was appropriate to Christianity in that when times are good, you don’t pray as much as when times are rough and you need that God/Saint’s intervention. Even later in life, telling the tales to her grandchildren, Essie gave Mad Sweeney worship which earned her his gift of a good afterlife.

Ibis and Jacquel are truly the Brain and Heart; their measured, precise and descriptive words and actions are very telling. Even to the use of older, seemingly obsolete items denotes a pride in whatever they do. I believe that Ibis and Jacquel exist in their own pocket of time which gives them a foresight as to who is coming to them next; their environment and mortuary equipment looks to be circa 1920 to 1930, as does their clothing having an old fashioned and quaint quality about it.

The use of 1950’s music keeps the energy up even though Essie is going thru hard times. Who knows…. Maybe the impetus of the phrase “Runaround Sue” came from just the type of behavior/lifestyle we see Essie engaged in!! LOL

The last aspect of this episode is R&R… Mad Sweeney wants to be Redeemed for cowardice and fleeing the War and be Released from Wednesday’s service…Laura wants Redemption thru Resurrection and a Reunion with Shadow… And Salim was Released from service by Laura and wants to be Reunited with the Djinn.

I died laughing when you guys ‘expressed’ that you didn’t know what a “wet nurse” was!! #BreastJokeEver!

Big kudos for casting Fionnula Flanagan as Essie’s Grandmother/Grandma Essie; Very graceful way to bring the story full circle!!

Thanks for the great podcasts… looking forward to Game of Thrones with you guys!!

Jeanna B. (@QueenJean4 on Twitter)

P.S. DID ANYONE NOTICE THE BUFFALO-SHAPED AIR FRESHENER IN THE ICE CREAM TRUCK?

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