Loki is Thor's adopted younger brother and is the main antagonist of both Thor (the movie) and The Avengers. Loki Laufeyson,[1] known by adoption as Loki Odinson and by his title as the God of Mischief,[2][3] is a fictional character portrayed by Tom Hiddleston in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and the Norse mythological god of the same name. Loki first appeared in Thor (2011) and has since become an important recurring figure of the MCU; following the original Loki's death in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), a variant of him from an alternate timeline is introduced in Avengers: Endgame (2019), diverging from the events of The Avengers (2012), headlining the television series Loki (2021) alongside Sylvie, a female variant of him who is his love interest.
As of 2021, the character has appeared in six films, takes the lead role in the live-action series Loki (2021), with a number of alternate timeline variants appearing in Loki, the animated series What If...? (2021),[4] and in The Good, the Bart, and the Loki (2021), an animated short film that serves as a crossover with The Simpsons franchise,[5] including Classic Loki, Kid Loki, Boastful Loki, Alligator Loki, President Loki and more.
Loki's character has borrowed a number of characteristics and storylines from across the history of the character in Marvel Comics. As in the comics, Loki has generally been a villain in the MCU, variously attempting to conquer Asgard or Earth, and having allied himself with more powerful villains to achieve his aims. He has particular antagonism for his adoptive brother Thor, and is known to variously ally with and then betray Thor and others, and to regularly return from apparent death. In his development through the series, he becomes less of a supervillain and more of an antihero.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- Main article: Thor (film)
Loki was born a Frost Giant and abandoned as an infant by his father Laufey, only to be found by Odin during an invasion of the realm of the Frost Giants in Jotunheim. Odin used magic to make Loki appear Asgardian and raised him as a son alongside Odin's biological son, Thor. During his upbringing, Odin's wife Frigga taught Loki how to use magic.
He used these powers throughout his life, constantly tricking his adoptive brother Thor, as well as pulling a heist on Earth under the alias D. B. Cooper. He was embittered throughout his upbringing, perceiving that he was neglected by Odin in favor of Thor, and thus grew closer to his adoptive mother Frigga instead.
Betrayal of Asgard[]
- Main article: Thor (film)
Hundreds of years later, in 2011, Loki watches as Thor prepares to ascend to the throne of Asgard. This is interrupted by Frost Giants, allowed in to Asgard by Loki, attempting to retrieve an artifact called the Casket, which was captured by Odin in a war centuries before. Loki then manipulates Thor into traveling to Jotunheim against Odin's order to confront Laufey, the Frost Giant leader. A battle ensues until Odin intervenes to save the Asgardians, destroying the fragile truce between the two races. Loki discovers that he is Laufey's biological son, adopted by Odin after the war ended. After Odin exiles Thor to Earth, Loki confronts Odin about his parentage, and a weary Odin falls into the deep "Odinsleep" to recover his strength. Loki takes the throne in Odin's stead and offers Laufey the chance to kill Odin and retrieve the Casket. Sif and the Warriors Three, unhappy with Loki, attempt to return Thor from exile, convincing Heimdall, gatekeeper of the Bifröst—the means of traveling between worlds—to allow them passage to Earth. Aware of their plan, Loki sends the Destroyer, a seemingly indestructible automaton, to pursue them and kill Thor. The Destroyer leaves Thor on the verge of death but his sacrifice sees him become worthy of returning from exile and he regains his powers and defeats the Destroyer. Afterward, Thor leaves with his fellow Asgardians to confront Loki. In Asgard, Loki betrays and kills Laufey, revealing his true plan to use Laufey's attempt on Odin's life as an excuse to destroy Jotunheim with the Bifröst, thus proving himself worthy to Odin. Thor arrives and fights Loki before destroying the Bifröst to stop Loki's plan, stranding himself in Asgard. Odin awakens and prevents the brothers from falling into the abyss created in the wake of the bridge's destruction, but after Odin rejects Loki's pleas for approval, Loki allows himself to fall into the abyss.
In space, Loki encounters the Other, the leader of an extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri. In exchange for retrieving the Tesseract, a powerful energy source of unknown potential, the Other promises Loki an army with which he can subjugate Earth. Later, Erik Selvig is taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, where Nick Fury opens a briefcase and asks him to study a mysterious cube. Loki, invisible, prompts Selvig to agree, and he does.
Invasion of New York[]
- Main article: The Avengers
In 2012, Loki attacks a remote S.H.I.E.L.D. research facility, using a scepter that controls people's minds and which, unknown to him, amplifies his hatred for Thor and the inhabitants of Earth.[6] He uses the scepter to brainwash Clint Barton and Dr. Erik Selvig, and steals the Tesseract. In Stuttgart, Barton steals iridium needed to stabilize the Tesseract's power while Loki causes a distraction, leading to a brief confrontation with Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Natasha Romanoff that ends with Loki allowing himself to get captured. While Loki is being escorted to S.H.I.E.L.D. on the Quinjet, Thor arrives and takes him away, hoping to convince him to abandon his plan. However, Thor eventually takes Loki to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s flying aircraft carrier, the Helicarrier. Upon arrival, Loki is imprisoned while Bruce Banner and Stark attempt to locate the Tesseract. Agents possessed by Loki attack the Helicarrier, disabling one of its engines in flight and causing Banner to transform into the Hulk. Thor attempts to stop the Hulk's rampage, and Loki kills the agent Phil Coulson and ejects Thor from the Helicarrier as he escapes. Loki uses the Tesseract, in conjunction with a device Selvig built, to open a wormhole above Stark Tower in New York City to the Chitauri fleet in space, launching his invasion. The Avengers arrive and rally in defense of the city. As the Chitauri are ultimately defeated, the Hulk attacks Loki and beats him into submission in the Tower, before Loki is arrested and taken to Asgard.
Loki is captured by the Avengers and brought back to Asgard by Thor to be imprisoned for his crimes on Midgard (Earth) using the Tesseract.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Loki [@LokiOfficial] (June 6, 2021). "POV: You've just arrived at the TVA 🕰 Marvel Studios' #Loki starts streaming Wednesday on @DisneyPlus" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021 – via Twitter.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto module").
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Loki On Screen Powers, Enemies, History". Marvel.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ramos, Dino-Ray. "'Loki' Premiere Date Moved Up By Two Days On Disney+", May 5, 2021.
- ↑ "Marvel just released an extremely intriguing cast list for Disney+'s animated What If…?". A.V. Club.
- ↑ Ferme, Antonio (June 30, 2021). "Loki and Bart Simpson Team Up in Marvel-'Simpsons' Crossover Short on Disney Plus". Variety.
- ↑ "Loki On Screen Powers, Enemies, History". Marvel.com.