Jesse Custer makes Odin Quincannon an offer he cant refuse.
The church was his calling, too, even then.
A calling, and a second home.
Gods house was a full one back in the day, the pews filled with eager parishioners.
Jesse wasnt a perfect kid, though, as most children seldom are.
Even as a boy, Jesse must be a role model to his less righteous peers.
So the big question posed in Monster Swamp is whether or not Jesse is a convincing preacher.
Weve watched him deliver some lackluster sermons, though not for lack of trying on his part.
This episodes sermon, though, is a bit different.
Jesses delivery is more spirited.
Hes more sincere, and passionate.
Whatever hes remembered of his father, its done the trick he wants to save the people of Annville.
Hes more interested in Jesses land than he is in serving God.
And yet, converting Odin is the linchpin in Jesses plan to turn the churchs flagging fortunes around.
So its really no surprise that he uses his special ability to thaw Odins cold heart.
Not even in the name of the greater good of the town.
The bigger issue here isnt the moral quandary this creates.
Rather, the real issue is why its Jesse who decides the best way to use his power.
What metric is behind this invisible moral code that outlines who or what is good or evil?
The same could be said for any superhero, really.
Batman is the most obvious vigilante who wears a capebut his sense of justice is very different from Supermans.
The ways they dispense their forms of justice are likewise quite different.
So where does Jesse Custer fall on the superhero spectrum?
Its the only kind of love he knew, after all.
She keeps him on the straight and narrow, or at least she tries to.
Normal, hard-working folks like his church organist.
Some closing thoughts:
Jesse still doesnt believe Cassidy is a vampire.
Nor does he believe the story of government clones coming for him with chainsaws.
And who could blame Jesse, really?
Hes got an addled mind and a heavy heart.
Still, Im entertained by this ongoing misunderstanding between them for now.
DoesPreacherjump around in time a little too much?
Is it too thrifty with present-day information even as it doles out plenty of backstory?
In the case ofPreacher, I think the non-linear storytelling works.
Sometimes its okay for the bigger picture to be revealed a little bit at a time.
Their mission to retrieve whatever entity resides within Jesse is theirs alone to complete.
Which is too bad for them, considering how naive they are about earthly ways.
