Since American Gods’ season 3 premiere something seemed amiss about the idyllic sanctuary of Lakeside, and the town’s matriarch Ann-Marie Hinzelmann – but is she a deity in her own right? Since Shadow Moon chose Lakeside as a temporary hideout on Mr. Wednesday’s insistence, things took a dark turn when the town’s children went missing, while Shadow had vivid visions about their disappearances. In American Gods episode 9, “The Lake Effect”, it is revealed the town has a notorious history of missing children, especially around the time of the winter festival.
After Shadow falls through the ice lake whilst investigating, he is retrieved by none other than Hinzelmann, who implies she is aware of his demi-god status. In a chilling revelation, it becomes clear Hinzelmann is behind the murders and she claims every child is a necessary sacrifice for the town’s prosperity. During their conversation, Hinzelmann reveals her seemingly benevolent origins, and how a cycle of bloodshed was triggered through acts of sacrifice. After Shadow slices Hinzelmann’s neck her blood – which has flammable properties – leads to a massive fire that results in her demise.
As per the show’s source novel by Neil Gaiman, Hinzelmann is a male, North Germanic kobold, which is a household spirit that performs tasks in exchange for demands. Folklore defines a kobold as a usually-invisible spirit that manifests in various forms, although they are mostly depicted as humanoids. It’s likely Gaiman based Hinzelmann on the eponymous kobold of German mythology, who sported an ambivalent nature and turned malicious when not appeased. While the show does not explicitly reveal the true nature of Ann-Marie, she seems to be a female rendition of a kobold. Moreover, her actions line up with the lore surrounding these spirits, as she claimed to be morally-ambivalent at some point in time, turning vicious and sacrificing children in exchange for protecting Lakeside.
Aside from altering Hinzelmann’s gender the American Gods’ series follows her novel counterpart’s story fairly closely, right up to the events that take place at Lakeside throughout season 3. However, it is interesting to note the book characterizes Hinzelmann as a feral child who had once been sacrificed, preserved, and worshipped in the Black Forest. Although the show does not delve deep into Hinzelmann’s origins, it is clear she became increasingly comfortable with the idea of sacrificing children in exchange for power and autonomy over Lakeside.
The narrative choice to depict Hinzelmann’s blood as caustic and flammable is interesting, as kobolds have been historically associated with fiery elements. Also, the novel Hinzelmann is revealed to be a child, which ties in neatly with the folklore surrounding the being, who resided in Hudermühlen Castle and appeared as a blond, curly-haired child. Could Ann-Marie Hinzelmann represent the spirit of a feral child too, driven towards rage and a hunger for a sense of retribution due to the tragedy of her own fate? While there are no clear answers, Hinzelmann’s arc in season 3 of American Gods seems to have met its conclusion, as the focus has shifted to more pressing matters such as Mr. Wednesday’s apparent death and what it means for Shadow. Since the finale has yet to reveal a couple of narrative twists, viewers might still be treated to further reveals about spirits such as Hinzelmann and the aftermath of her death.
