Okay, just thought of something that might make the Briggs/Mike/Gusti manipulation slightly less fucking horrible (even though it’s still pretty fucking horrible). What if Briggs’ plotting with Gusti started after he got involved as Odin Rossi when Gusti and Mike were kidnapped? After Gusti was shot and Mike had his epiphany to get clean, it’s possible that Briggs went back to Gusti as Odin, and recruited him into part of his plan (whatever that still is) behind Mike’s back. I mean, he had plenty of time to talk with Gusti alone, what with Mike cuffed to his bed for days.
This could be completely off the mark, but if it’s not then at least that means Mike’s vision-influenced path to Gusti really was authentic, and not orchestrated by Briggs. Which makes me want to throw up a little tiny bit less about all of this.