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9worldstales · 3 years

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MCU Loki Ep 3 “Lamentis 1” intensive analysis

Before we start I’ll warn you. As far as I’m involved this episode, compared to the others, is pretty weak in terms of plot and dialogues. It has some good moments but it has also other moments that… are not so good. So consider yourself warned.

We start a new episode and, after the usual summary of what happened previously we notice that… the opening music has changed again. This time it’s “Demons” by Hayley Kiyoko. The Marvel studios writing is still green and gold and the change of musici s good because this is the music that’s also being played at the beginning of the episode which shows two girls in a local, drinks in front of them, checking a menu.

The scene is so ordinary at first one might not immediately realize they’re actually Hunter C-20 and the Loki Variant we’ve met in the past episode.

They’re chatting as two friends would do, at least on the surface.

Actually the Loki Variant is trying to get C-20 to tell her how many people are guarding the Time-Keepers.

As C-20 realizes the question is out of place, the scenery changes and the Loki Variant distracts her to just asks her the same question. C-20 is about to reply when she realizes she knows the place where they’re in but not the Loki Variant, who however reassures her telling her it’s just she’s tired.

The scene switches and we see the truth.

C-20 is actually unconscious and the Loki Variant is pressing her fingers against her temple. The place they were in was all a dream, an illusion created by the Loki Variant who now asks C-20 how do she find the elevators… which either means she decided to change question or that they’ve skipped part of the interrogation because C-20 never replied to the question about how many people are guarding the Time-Keepers.

Whatever, we learn the elevators leading to them are gold.

The Loki Variant moves away her hand, smiling, as if this was all she wanted to know then moves her gaze to the monitors and spot Loki among the other TVA agents.

Maybe it’s just me but although Loki looks pretty different from her it seems almost as if she has recognized him.

The question if the Loki Variant was really a Loki or someone who, after meeting him, pretended to be him is still in the air… even though, of course, there’s the possibility that Loki Variant had met other Loki Variants who looked like our Loki. We’ll see.

We get the theme with the Loki logo and then we switch back to the TVA. In case you’ve forgotten the TVA is going through mobilization due to the sacred timeline having been attacked in the past episode.

The Loki Variant appears in the TVA and ties her hair before walking in search of the elevators. I really hope C-20 gave her other hints beyond they’re golden or she would have to go through all the TVA to find them.

The Timedoor remains open behind her.

Now… from the way she acts it doesn’t seem like she wanted Loki to follow her… and she’s clearly familiar with the working of the tempad and timedoor… so it feels weird how she didn’t worry Loki might have indeed followed her through the timedoor.

It was fine if this was exactly her plan but like this… it’s just weird.

Anyway, back to the Loki Variant she tries to enchant a hunter but her magic doesn’t work because, remember? Magic doesn’t work in the TVA but evidently the Loki Variant had no idea which tells us she never been at the TVA or when she went there she didn’t try to use magic and clearly she hadn’t asked about it at C-20.

The Loki Variant ends up fighting him. She steals his baton and uses it to reset him. 3 more hunters come and she disposes of them and okay, the show is trying to portray her as a cool fighter.

I’ve mixed feelings on this because I approve she’s a cool fighter but I remember Loki didn’t have an easy time fighting B-15. So sure, maybe B-15 is better than those 3 hunters but it wasn’t said anywhere, therefore the whole thing gets a little messy.

I mean, we saw Loki fighting in the past. Although he wasn’t the strongest Asgardian fighter he could hold his ground against Frost Giants, Dark Elves, and Hela’s dead army.

So okay, he was weaponless but still, if Loki has troubles dealing with B-15 who saw the movies come to the conclusion that B-15 alone is stronger than some Frost Giants, some Dark Elves, and some men from Hela’s dead army.

Then the Loki Variant gets into the TVA and she can fight 3 TVA Hunters at the same time with no problem. So either they’re pretty weak or the idea is that she’s pretty amazing… but still this makes our Loki comparatively very weak compared to her and it gets worse if people hadn’t seen the movies and don’t know he can fight.

It’s true later we’ll learn the Loki Variant likes to use pure strength wherein Loki prefers other techniques so she might have affined her fighting techniques but Loki still was from a warrior culture and forced to fight since he had to go to battle with his brother.

If they’re both Loki they should have the same potential. On the other side it might be it’s just I don’t get how they get these Variants. The TVA jumped on Loki as soon as he did something he wasn’t supposed to. How did the other Variants instead managed to get so different?

Whatever, it’s rumoured the next episode will deal with this Loki Variant backstory so we might learn it there.

Anyway as the Loki Variant dispose of the Hunters Loki, who in Ep 2 also went through the door just before it disappeared after him, reaches the TVA. He somehow knows which way the Loki Variant went but, before walking after her, he gets the knives Mobius wanted to give him and B-15 put in a wardrobe.

Was that wardrobe left open? Does Loki know how to pick a lock? Or did he broke it? No idea.

Anyway the Loki Variant walks quickly and reaches the golden elevator where she disposes of two more hunters.

Loki pants but arrives right behind her while walking (not sure why he’s panting then, did he too fought Hunters?).

Loki and the Loki Variants face each other, weapons in hand, the Loki Variant having grabbed her sword she didn’t use before because… she was too cool for it?

Loki wants to question her, wants to make sure she’s a Loki.

The Loki Variant rudely tells him if he has nothing else to do.

They decide they’re each other in the other way and start fighting.

The Loki Variant seems slightly better though she’s clearly not aiming to kill him as she did with the Hunters. I’m not sure if Loki is holding back as well. Loki admits considering to work with her but deciding against it because she lacks vision so he wants her to come with him, willingly or not, and use her to get at the Time-Keepers. Loki manages a couple of good moves and then they end up in a stalemate interrupted by Renlayer and two more hunters.

The Loki Variant manages to use Loki’s distraction to get behind him, using him as a shield and pointing her sword at him, telling Renslayer if she’ll come closer she’ll kill Loki.

It’s not Renslayer cares (she probably thinks it would be better to get rid of Loki as he’s a negative influence to her favourite analyst) as she tells her to go for it.

Loki uses the Loki Variant’s distraction to steal the tempad from her and open a timedoor below them, causing them to fall through it as Renslayer attempts to hit them.

From the way she looks Loki I get the feeling she wasn’t targeting just the Variant but him as well.

Anyway Loki and the Variant are lucky and end up on a bed.

This time the Timedoor should have closed immediately because neither Renslayer nor another hunter try to jump through it to give them chase.

Loki and the Variant fight for the fallen Tempad. The Variant slams Loki’s head against a table, managing to get the Tempad only to discover the battery needs to be recharged and so it doesn’t work.

After remaining on the ground for some moments Loki stands again. She tries using her sword against him and he uses his magic to come behind her and toss her on the ground before grabbing the Tempad as… the Variant tries to grab him and fail. Her attempt seems weak though.

Overall… I think they should have planned all those fighting scenes better since there’s so much of it in those first 7 minutes.

The Variant demands it back as she claims he doesn’t know how to recharge it… and while this will turn out to be true, how would she know?

Loki claims he does know how to recharge it as she’s not the only tech savvy Loki… which could be true since Loki showed he could learn very fast how to use the Time Twister and and no problems to previously use the Tempad to open a time door, never mentioning they showed him video of how the TVA worked and he learnt about the working of the Time charges.

The Variants complain he shouldn’t call her like that which confuses Loki as he sees no problem with being called ‘tech savvy’. The Variant clarifies she doesn’t want to be called ‘Loki’.

As she tries to grab the Tempad, this time without trying to hit him (no idea why as sending him on the ground might have helped), Loki causes it to disappear.

She comments that he’s ‘fully a magician’ which is better than Thor in “Thor: Ragnarok” saying he was a witch. Loki is still not impressed and grabs back his knives claiming he’ll make her disappear now.

They’re about to fight again when something hits the place they’re in.

Loki asks her if that was one of her powers while she worries about where did he sent them.

She realizes he sent them on Lamentis-1 in 2077 and she calls him an idiot as this is the worse apocalypse they could end in since the moon is about to crash and destroy the planet and no one will survive it.

On a sidenote… the moon about to fall… isn’t well rendered.

Anyway Loki correctly points out he didn’t have the time to chose but again, I get the feeling they’re trying to paint the Loki Variant as better than him. In truth Loki did good as well, using his magic to steal and hid the Tempad… and it makes sense she’s more knowledgeable about apocalypses as that’s her Tempad and she might have been there previously but still it feels as she’s above him.

The Variant saves Loki from blowing up although she claims she did it solely to save the Tempad as it’s her only way out of Lamentis-1. Loki helps her as well only to be told she doesn’t need it.

I think the idea is that the Variant, like Loki, tries to protect an image of self confidence.

They hid in small… cabin? To catch their breath and the Variant gets close to Loki enough she can rest her hand on his neck, him letting her do it without protesting. However, when she tries to enchant him, she claims it didn’t work and asks him if it’s because he’s a magician. Loki says it’s actually because his mind is too strong.

Now it would be an interesting twist if actually she did manage to enchant him and all we see after that scene is an illusion to get Loki to do something… but I genuinely doubt it.

Overall the scene feels weird with Loki allowing her to get so close and yet resisting to her enchantment totally with her dropping the idea of enchanting him immediately… as if they were trying to suggest something romantic.

And okay, selfcest is a thing in fanfictions and I’ve nothing against it but… it feels out of place in such situation. I’m all for Loki learning to love himself, but when I say so I mean HIMSELF, not another version of himself.

They consider fighting again then Loki tries to propose a truce as fighting there in such a situation would be pointless, since they’re short of time and neither of them can leave until they can turn on the Tempad.

Honestly… the Loki Variant is so fighting prone she makes me think more of a Thor Variant than of a Loki Variant. For all she defends her plan, she doesn’t really seem someone who plans things and acts rationally… and she somehow seems to have a terrible opinion of Loki, even if supposedly she has just met him, as she thinks the only reason he had to save her was because he needed her to recharge the Tempad, refuses to be called Loki and insists on her need to kill him.

Of course this might be her own way to not show weakness but still…

Anyway the Loki Variant agrees to cooperate by pointing out that there should be power on that moon so if they could get enough to make the Tempad work they would be fine.

Anyway they leave to search for the power source and the rocks falling on them become magically a lot less.

The Loki Variant continues to be rude with Loki:

“And can you shut up? Just because I have to work with you doesn't mean I wanna hear your voice.”

She’s also annoyed Loki doesn’t seem so worried from the ‘imminent death’ they’re about to risk and doesn’t want him to call her “Variant”, she wants to be called Sylvie even though she used to be called “Loki” but, apparently, she has dropped that identity.

Since our Loki criticizes how she’s going by that alias (it’s not very Loki-like) they’ve a discussion on what makes a Loki a Loki.

According to our Loki it’s ‘independence, authority, style.

At this point the show acknowledges the TVA isn’t good by having Sylvie saying:

Sylvie: So, naturally you went to work for the boring, oppressive time police.

To be honest, it’s not much because being boring isn’t really a crime but well, at least they have acknowledged they’re oppressive.

Loki counters he’s not working for them, he’s a consultant… which means nothing because he’s a consultant working for them. But whatever, I get he might not feel like telling her they had threatened to reset him if he didn’t cooperate.

Sylvie accuses him of not knowing what he wants… and I’ll be honest, maybe it’s right but since they’ve hardly spent any time together at this point so, unless she is assuming he works exactly like her and therefore she too doesn’t know what she wants, she doesn’t feel reliable.

I really hope she’s not playing the role of the self insert for the author in this bit.

Anyway Loki made clear previously he aimed to get at the Time-Keepers I’ll say the overall idea is HE KNOWS he wants to get at the Time-Keepers and thinks playing consultant will get him close to them. He might not know what he’ll do afterward should he get close to them and he might have other goals in addition to that but still… he seems to know a bit of what he wants.

Not that I find Loki’s plan a particular bright one as I’ll say it’s clear the TVA isn’t planning to let him meet the Time-Keepers not even if he were to save the Sacred Timeline 10 times in a single day because he is and remains a Variant and this makes them look down on him, never mention he’s considered insubordinate, stubborn, unpredictable and an evil, lying scourge and that they would probably consider him meeting the Time-Keepers only after they had brainwashed him into compliance.

Anyway the following discussion is interesting.

Loki: Oh, yeah? What about you? Your years-in-the-making plan was to tear the place down, create the ultimate power vacuum, and then just walk away. I'd never have done that.

Sylvie: Yeah? Well, I'm not you. Can we get on with this now?

I like to think that Loki would never do that because he knows a power vacuum isn’t a good thing. He was part of a ruling house, so he would probably know this would only result in chaos and, possibly, war until a new leader would rise to power.

This also might tie in with his mindset in “The Avengers” in which he believed that if humans were to be united under his rule they would cease fighting among them. To Loki used to Odin’s absolutist monarchy the various governments of Earth bitching among them might look like there’s an ultimate power vacuum that’s causing wars among states.

Sylvie instead seems to be moved just by her idea of destroying the TVA and who cares about what happens afterward.

While wanting to be the one who would fill the power vacuum resulting by getting rid of the Time Keepers might seem to be moved by ambitions, not worrying about the consequences of getting rid of them is not clever.

Anyway Loki sighs. He… is trying to get along with Sylvie more than she’s trying to get along with him, apparently. Does he feel sympathy for her? Hard to say.

They reach an empty city and, on Loki’s prompting Sylvie explain they’ve around 12 hours as things will only get worse.

I’m not an expert in moon crashing but, at the moment, they don’t have anymore asteroids falling on their heads so things seem to be going better… but I actually find weird they are. But maybe it’s just because I’m not an expert in moon crashing.

Loki wonders if a night light could recharge the Tempad, Sylvie pretends it could and asks him for the Tempad but he recognizes it as an attempt to get the Tempad and refuses at which she informs him they need a massive power source to recharge it… and okay, I’m confused again.

They had Loki study how the TVA works. They let him know how the Time charge works and he paid enough attention to it to remember it and… is it they didn’t tell him how the Tempad works or that he didn’t pay attention? I’m not sure which of the two I would find more weird.

Whatever, maybe they just didn’t mention how to recharge it.

Honestly I would just prefer if Loki asked it knowing a night light couldn’t recharge it, just to test her.

They reach a small house with someone living it.

In a very Thor-like fashion Sylvie plans to get inside using brute force to get what she wants which is… surely not energy for the Tempad as it’s clear the place doesn’t have a massive power source.

Loki points out how:

Loki: Brute force is no substitute for diplomacy and guile.

He’s right and as to prove the point Sylvie only ends up being blasted away as the old lady living in the place has quite a powerful weapon. Loki mocks her before starting a nice chat with the lady and I approve how he handles the whole thing until… he turns himself into the Lady’s husband and try to pretend he’s him without even knowing his character.

In fact he’s too nice with the Lady and gets blasted as well.

And now I roll my eyes because it turns out all they wanted from the lady were answers to some questions.

Sylvie in fact asks her “Where is everyone?” which is a question at which I think the Lady would have replied without need to use violence or disguise as her husband but that honestly feels silly. Sylvie should have known they all left in attempt to escape with the Ark, as she knew about the Ark because, not only she knows it would have enough juice to repower the TemPad but she knew it would get destroyed. So really, she should have expected people to go there.

Loki asks “How do we get there?” which is the only question that makes sense but really, if he wanted to pose the same question as Sylvie which need there was to disguise himself?

The Lady says to go to the train station, though she’ll warn they’ll never get a ticket.

And I go back a little to look at some things.

First thing first. The Lady looks like a human so apparently either we colonized Lamentis 1 or there’s another race of human looking aliens. It’s not a crime but it feels kind of boring.

The bit with first Sylvie then Loki being blasted away present some funny dynamics between the two.

The idea the old Lady calls them devils is… not so good unless she’s again, a human who believes in demon, and even then it feels weird. What’s more she tells them they’re demons yet she gives them the info they’re asking for remarking they didn’t need to use strength or illusions to get that info.

Whatever, we jump at the train station where some sort of guards refuses to let the poor people go on the train.

Loki observes they can’t fight their way on the train, which is something he expects her to want to do because all her plans involve fighting.

I’ll say he doesn’t know her from a long time but yes, so far fighting was part of all the Sylvie’s plans, even when she didn’t need it.

Sylvie says her plan is just to enchant the guard… because yeah, if it’s not fighting for Sylvie, then it’s enchantment. However she mentions possible troubles occurring and at this Loki asks if she plans to make him start shooting and then kill every guard and hijack the train. Sylvie doesn’t deny it… which is kind of dumb as she could have said she would just swap and posses who were to attempt to give them troubles as she had done when she and Loki met.

At this Loki decides they would do things his way and disguises himself as a guard… with Sylvie as his prisoner. Why not disguising Sylvie as a guard as well? No idea.

I mean, it’s unnatural that with a moon about to collapse on them they would worry to have a prisoner board the train to salvation. Much better to let her die there.

Anyway Sylvie complains it’s a shit plan but plays along.

And yeah, all the people there are human looking. Space is not really that diverse, especially since they’re allowing only rich people to board. It reminds me how on the Titanic only the rich people was allowed to go on the lifeboats.

Anyway Loki’s plan seems to work when a guard decides to stop them.

I’m not sure why but Loki seems to talk in an unnatural way as he says he’s taking Sylvie to Shuuro. The guard still wants them to have the tickets and is about to call someone else when Sylvie enchants him.

We could call it teamwork, but since it seems to work smoothly only thanks to Sylvie it feels more like she did all the job.

I’ve mixed feelings for Loki not managing to trick a guard and sounding so unnatural.

I mean, Loki should supposedly be good at this, although yes, in the previous movies, starting with “Thor” he wasn’t always good at this, but here he seems just bad at this.

Whatever.

On the train he claims he can't go backwards on a train and would like for Sylvie to hand him her place. She doesn’t.

Now, who can't go backwards on a train normally suffer of motion sickness… but Loki will give no signs of suffering of it so… why tossing these lines in?

Sylvie though comes out as generally nasty as she claims she can’t switch because she never sit with her back to a door but, as Loki points out, there are doors on both sides.

Once Loki sits down Sylvie starts complaining Loki’s plan wasn’t a plan as plans should have multiple steps, which isn’t necessarily true and anyway her own didn’t have multiple steps either.

Loki doesn’t counter anything, as if trying to be nice and then notices her yawning and suggests her to rest.

She refuses.

Sylvie: I can't sleep in a place like this.

Loki: You can't sleep on a train?

Sylvie: No. I can't sleep around untrustworthy people.

It’s the second time they used this type of dialogue in which Loki seems to misunderstand why Sylvie said.

Loki: Of course I do. You're not the only tech savvy Loki.

Sylvie: Don't ever call me that.

Loki: Tech savvy?

Sylvie: No, a Loki. You're just fully a magician then?

Anyway as Loki is the untrustworthy person I really can’t see what she fears from him. She saw herself how the Tempad doesn’t work so it’s not like he can use it to escape alone.

She encourages Loki to sleep which he refuses and she points out she can’t steal the Tempad form him due to him knowing magic. This prompt Loki to explain his mother taught him magic.

Sylvie asks what she was like and he describes Frigga as ‘A Queen of Asgard. She was good. Purely decent.’

As it will turn out Sylvie doesn’t remember her mother this might be the reason for her question… though she might also try to find some ground to enchant Loki as well.

Anyway she rudely asks him if he’s sure she was his mother. He cheerfully counters he was adopted and asks her if this is a spoiler for her.

I don’t really like this because this discovery was pretty painful for Loki so it makes it look like as, by saying so, he might aim to emotionally hurt Sylvie… which might not even be the case because for all he know she could have been lovely raised by her real parents.

Instead Sylvie points out she knew she was adopted. Is that why the TVA arrested her? Because she knew she was adopted differently from Loki? Or because she presented as a girl? Was she born this way? If that’s the case shouldn’t the TVA go catch her because that wasn’t how she was supposed to look? Or it was Odin’s spell? Anyway again, the TVA shouldn’t have appeared?

Whatever, Loki admits his parents didn’t tell him, then corrects himself saying they eventually told him which is a gross oversimplification because he had to force the truth out of Odin but we aren’t going to talk about this because Loki wants to know about Sylvie’s mother… who is… who?

Sylvie doesn’t remember her, was she Frigga or not?

Whatever, Loki tells her how Frigga used to do magic for him and encourages him, assuring him he could do it as well.

Loki: You know, when I was young, she'd do these little bits of magic for me. Like turn a flower into a frog or cast fireworks over the water. It all seemed impossible. She told me that I'd be able to do it too because... Because I could do anything.

Okay, so this memory from Loki’s past is very nice and confirms the canon Loki was taught magic by Frigga (the scene saying so in “Thor: The Dark World” was cut). Loki shows Sylvie how to make magical firework. Nobody notices Loki using magic which is weird. Sylvie is touched and doesn’t see his display of magic as something that could cause them troubles at all.

Loki goes on saying about Frigga:

Loki: She was the kinda person you'd want to believe in you.

It’s overall a nice chat but then Loki asks Sylvie:

Loki: So, where'd you learn to do the... You know, the... Whatever it is?

It’s enchantment! Loki himself called it so in episode 2! Why this ‘whatever it is’? Is he looking down on her for it?

Sylvie explains she taught herself and Loki asks how it works… because evidently she scene at the end of “Thor” in which he enchanted/possessed Selvig was scrapped by canon.

No, I’m not criticising the series here, it can very well be they scrapped it from canon as in all “The Avengers” there’s no mention of Loki previously controlling Selvig and when he does it in the movie he does so by using the mind stone in the sceptre.

To Loki asking how it works Sylvie would like to show him by enchanting him, which Loki refuses fearing she’s trying to get the Tempad… because really, it’s not like it failed spectacularly at the start of the episode.

Loki starts drinking champagne which Sylvie instead refuses.

They end up talking of the old woman they met, Loki saying it’s a pity she chose to die.

I wish they had talked here of how he chose to die when Odin rejected him but they prefer to talk about LOVE instead.

Sylvie claims she was in love and Loki points out that she hated the man.

Now the idea the lady remained behind because Patrice died is an assumption. Correctly she assumed they wouldn’t let her board the train so it’s possible she merely wanted to spend her last moment at home instead than waiting for a train she wouldn’t be allowed to take.

As if to either deliberately go against Loki or refuse to lose an argument with him Sylvie suggests that ‘love is hate’. So does she love the Time-Keepers and that’s why she wants to blast them away? Or does she love Renslayer?

Loki mocks her slightly, attempting to write down what she said but what he did seems to amuse her. He then asks her if she has a beau.

Sylvie replies she’s in a relationship with a postman, which seems her own attempt at a joke… though since she adds it was only ever just to keep her going she might have had someone.

She feels pretty sad as she says so.

She then turns the conversation on Loki, pointing out how he’s a prince and asking him if he had a would-be-princesses or perhaps, another prince.

So… isn’t Sylvie a princess? Who knows?

As Loki says he had a bit of both, supposedly same as Sylvie he and Sylvie agree those relations vnever felt real.

Loki says he had a bit of both and suspect she also had both as well but none of his relations even felt real.

Sylvie concludes this should mean love is mischief and I get their point but I wish they didn’t generalize. Loki says that’s not it but, to define love, he’ll need another drink.

Somehow between the two Sylvie in that moment seems to be more dismissive of love than Loki.

She then lectures him on how they’re about to try and hijack the power source to a civilization's only hope and since it's not gonna be easy they should rest… which is what Loki suggested her to do but she claimed she couldn’t do around him.

Loki agrees but tells her she should relax her way and he would relax his own.

The scene switches and we see that Sylvie has fallen asleep and is now awaken by Loki singing some Norvegian/Asgardian song, with the other passengers. Loki is back in his own TVA clothes, which worries Sylvie.

A passenger observes him and then decides that’s the right moment to go report his actions to… someone. And it’s the right moment to do it solely because now Sylvie is awake and sees him doing it so she can worry.

Since people there is playing the song Loki is singing and even singing along with him, Loki should have been going at it for a while but, of course, if the guy had done it sooner and Sylvie hadn’t noticed him it wouldn’t have worked well.

Back to Loki he seems to be singing his song to Sylvie and, in fact, when he ends it, he dedicates it to her before swallowing his drink and demanding another, breaking the glass on the floor.

Sylvie goes to scold him for being drunk to which he complains he’s not drunk, he’s full. Only someone said to say full and drunk in Norvegian you use the same word so it can be some sort of wordplay. Or not.

Loki would like her to try some food, Sylvie asks him about his uniform, reminding him how they were supposed to lay low.

Loki insists nobody cares because it’s the end of the world. He’s clearly drunk, he even drops a plate. As she insists something should be up he asks her why she’s so paranoid and she replies:

Sylvie: It must have started when I spent my entire life running from the omniscient fascists you work for.

Okay, it’s nice to learn this small info about Sylvie and to have the TVA referred as omniscient fascists. Just in case someone missed the TVA is a bad organization.

It doesn’t get any deeper than that as Loki switches topic by claiming he has an answer to what love is.

Loki: Love is a dagger. It's a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. You can see yourself in it. It's beautiful. Until it makes you bleed. But ultimately, when you reach for it...

Sylvie: It isn't real.

Loki: Yeah.

Sylvie: Love is an imaginary dagger.

WARNING: THE PREVIOUS BIT WAS WRITTEN WITHOUT ME HAVING SEEN EPISODE 4 AS WELL. THE FOLLOWING ONE WAS INSTEAD WRITTEN AFTER I SAW IT. BEWARE FOR SPOILERS ON EP 4.

So that point of all this is…

“I wrote that really, really quick,” Waldron explains. “I remember I was revising Episode 3 in the two weeks leading up to my wedding. It’s interesting because that's probably the most romantic episode. At that point, Loki is a little bit drunk. That freed me up, where it was just like, ‘Don't think too hard about it,’ which is sort of my first thought that Loki would think here.”

Doesn’t exactly make sense? For Loki, it doesn’t need to make sense for him to be convincing with it, and Waldron relied on that. “I just ran with it, ‘Love is a dagger,’” shares Waldron. “And fortunately, like many of Loki's metaphors, it almost works.” [‘Loki’: The Meaning Behind ‘Love Is A Dagger’]

In short it’s only a drunk Loki’s babbling for Waldron, something that doesn’t need to make sense.

Great, we could talk of the TVA being a fascist organization but no, let’s have Loki say something that doesn’t make sense.

Tom Hiddleston too doesn’t find it anything profound but, at least, he ties it to Loki’s experience with love, which always hurt him.

But in fairness to Loki, this “imaginary dagger” has honestly been his experience in his relationships so far, with Hiddleston continuing that, up until this point, this “is Loki's experience of love, I suppose. He certainly feels like it's not been something he's been close to. It has been some sort of illusion that he has trusted and been let down by.”

Now, since this is a damn episode about love and Loki and Sylvie being bisexual, instead than getting Loki drunk and coming up with this sort of statements they could have showed up glimpses of his past love relations with men and women. But no, let’s let Loki babble about love because, sorry for the SPOILER but by now I expect everyone and their moms to know and anyway it’s fairly obvious from the setting, the whole episode is about to lead him to the way in which he’ll have a moment with Sylvie in Ep 4.

Anyway the man comes back with 4 or more guards that want… to check Loki’s ticket.

I don’t know how public transportation works on Lamentis 1 but the idea that a man would suspect Loki to not have his ticket because he was drunk and singing with the rest of the passengers and so 4 guards come to check on him just in case he’s actually dangerous is pretty weird.

I’m bad at recognizing people but Loki saying ‘you again’ makes me think that guy is the one who they met at the start of their travel. Anyway, Sylvie doesn’t get in between and possess the buy but let Loki handle matters… only Loki is drunk and instead of conjuring tickets up with magic he conjures up fireworks. So, instead than giving him a fine or telling him ‘no jokes, the tickets now’, they try to restrain him. Note they don’t care about restraining Sylvie and… they let one of Loki’s hands free because why restrain both?

A fight ensues and evidently people in Lamentis 1 are extraordinarily strong because, although fighting wasn’t Loki’s strongest suit COMPARED TO ASGARDIANS, he was still strong enough alone he could hold his ground against Frost Giants and Dark Elves.

Whatever, we’re supposed to believe he’s drunk so that he can’t even throw well his knives and I guess being drunk made him weak but what about Sylvie?

I mean, Sylvie, who had been killing TVA men, despite getting involved in the fight, doesn’t try to kill the guards, nor does Loki. They evidently didn’t even hit them that hard as the guards keep on getting up and two of them manage to toss off the train Loki. Note that when Sylvie tries to toss herself out of the train realizing Loki has the TemPad… THEY TRY TO STOP HER! WHY?!?

It’s so damn convenient for them if both Loki and Sylvie end out of the train!

Once out of the train Loki discharges his jacket for… no reason we can know of. Maybe it got ruined. Whatever.

He walks after the running train for a while before giving up five steps after where Sylvie fell because evidently he realized only then he couldn’t get back on it. At this point Sylvie point her sword at him, demanding the Tempad back and he… decides to give it to her, which he had refused before, but who care because although the TemPad was in a dimensional pocket it somehow got broken during Loki’s fall.

My guess is, since Loki put his hand behind his back, the TemPad wasn’t in a dimensional pocket but Loki merely made it invisible and when he retrieved it and made it visible again it turned out it was broken.

Whatever, he clearly didn’t have the Tesseract or the Casket of Ancient Winters in his back pocket so I don’t see why he couldn’t just use the same dimensional pocket he used back then for the Tempad but had to turn it invisible… except for the fact that they wanted him to break it.

Sylvie starts yelling at him ‘You asshole. You killed us. You're not a serious man. You're a clown. You got drunk on the train.’ Yadda, yadda.

She’s right but the problem I see with all this is WHY LOKI GOT DRUNK?

I mean, the Loki of the myth would get drunk and lose control of himself, all right, but our Loki wouldn’t. When Tony Stark offered him a drink in “The Avengers” Loki didn’t accept it and then another and another and got plastered, nor he drank in Asgard in “Thor”, not even to drown his sorrow and even in “Thor: Ragnarok” when he watches the show he’s not drunk.

He has a cup of what I assume is mead, okay, but he’s not drunk.

So all of sudden he decided it was a moment to get drunk, because the story demanded him to sing a song to Sylvie, getting discovered, not fighting as well as he should and ending up out of the train to break the tempad.

This is a huge plot contrivance in an episode that’s filled with them.

So Loki and Sylvie get into a discussion on how Loki did it because he’s hedonistic with Sylvie saying me too but never at the expense of the mission, which was how Loki was before being in this series.

Loki shoots down Sylvie’s mission.

Loki: Oh, the mission? The mission? What, your glorious purpose? Give me a break. You can't beat them.

I wish they would just stop shooting around the words ‘glorious purpose’. A statement Loki said in “The Avengers” once is becoming the series verbal tick.

Even the sentence ‘the mission’ feels a bit weird because normally people don’t refer to their own goal as ‘a mission’. A mission is more often than not something that’s given to you by others but, so far, we were never told someone was moving Sylvie from behind the lines.

Whatever, Loki tells her she can’t beat the Time-Keepers because… no idea. Just because the Infinity Stones don’t work at the TVA it doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be stabbed and die.

Sylvie has a nervous breakdown and screams releasing her power which, I guess, is meant to parallel what Loki did when Frigga died. Which was partially cut as we never saw Loki screaming.

Whatever, it just doesn’t have the same emotional intensity because in that scene Loki was broken by Frigga’s death while here Sylvie just seems angry.

Loki goes to sit next to her the way he used to do with Thor in “Thor” which again make me think that Sylvie, more than a Loki, is a Thor.

Anyway they have a chat about their future and the one of the planet in which it turns out Sylvie knew about the Ark and how it never left because it got destroyed. So really, there was no need to ask that old lady where everyone went when she knew they were all trying to reach it.

Loki suggests to hijack the ark and make sure it gets off this moon at which Sylvie agreed because… well, I guess she can’t come up with a better option, without even realizing this would mean create a Nexus event and get the TVA come running.

As they walk toward the way Loki complains:

Loki: You know, I don't think I've ever walked this much in my life.

Differently from many people in the net I can buy it, because in Asgard they were shown to use horses or Skifts to cover great distances and that one seems to be a great distance.

Sylvie equates not having to walk that much to having a pretty good life. News flash, people can have a miserable life even if they don’t have to walk long distances. People enslaved, for example, didn’t necessarily have to run from a side to the other of the world, but yeah, the whole is just to remark how Loki lived a princely life.

Scott, Peter, might not have had to walk but definitely didn’t live royalty lives.

Loki kind of jokes about letting Sylvie enchant him so that he could sleep through the way, and he’s told that’s not how enchantment work. So… he doesn’t know?

In episode 2 he could recognize what Sylvie did as enchantment, in Ep 3 first he believes enchantment won’t work on him, then he has no idea what it was…

Loki: So, where'd you learn to do the... You know, the... Whatever it is?

…then he doesn’t know how it work? What is it, Loki is starting to suffer of amnesia?

Whatever. Loki compains he told her much about him but doesn’t know anything about her. So, for an episode that wants to set up them as a couple what Loki wants to know about her are… her powers. And he needs to know them so that he could know if he can trust her. Because if she has enchanted him already it’s not going to make a difference and if she couldn’t like the previous scene in which she seemed to fail to do so… it doesn’t make a difference either.

Really, this is just for:

A) talk about how enchantment works

B) to reveal to the audience and Loki how the people in the TVA are all Variants of regular people on Earth (again, why doesn’t the TVA takes… Krees, for example) who ends up being brainwashed by the Time-Keepers.

So yeah, another hint that the TVA is a terrible organization. Too bad it’s inserted in a terrible dialogue.

On another note… why all of sudden Sylvie finds Loki worth being trusted with such an explanation? Because enchantment doesn’t work on him? If that’s the case she could have told him sooner.

Anyway Loki is impressed she could learn that by herself, to the point he seems to view it as superior as what he can do.

Loki: And you call me a magician.

I’m impressed as well but for different reasons. I mean, she said she taught herself. But how in the world is that possible? She should have seen someone doing it and she should have been told how to do it, otherwise you don’t go and assume if you touch someone you can control them, or that you’ve to check their memories and present a fantasy and besides… if she could check C-20 memories couldn’t she just take those information she wanted from there?

Also… does the TVA take people all from a present time? Because C-20 memories were clearly in a modern setting and Mobius’ fixation with jet ski might come from the fact he lived at the same time in which they existed.

Now… they’re kilometres away from the city but they can hear the announcer in the city saying there are only 10 minutes to the launch. I mean… how loudly they’re transmitting that info, who’s close would have turned deaf!?!

So they reach the city in 5 MINUTES because they run as fast as that and decide they trust each other because… reasons.

Sylvie: Do we trust each other?

Loki: We do and you can.

Loki shows empathy by commenting on how ‘They're gonna let these people die.’ Which really won’t work so well with how they’ll try to pass him for a narcissist in the next episode.

Loki and Sylvie try to run to the Ark as meteorites start to fall more.

In the general panic, with the city starting to crash down, some guards feel like stopping them for… reasons.

Loki stops a falling building with his magic but doesn’t use it to send all the guards flying away but when they were still too far to make it to the Ark the latter is hit and, of course, rendered unable to leave.

Okay, so I really had a hard time to write all this because this episode is bad plot wise and dialogue wise and when you look at it in deep it only gets worse.

Not only it has plenty of plot contrivances that cascade also on the previous episodes so that things that happened that we could assume were due to Sylvie’s plan revealed to be for no reason at all but, when you watch episode 4 you realize the whole episode is just an excuse to keep Loki and Sylvie together for long enough they supposedly start having feelings for each other (Had they closed them in a room it would have been the same!) while using poor dialogues and a characterization of both that’s honestly not so impressive for two characters that are supposed to be extremely smart.

Sylvie tends to act with force more than with brain, Loki tries to use his brain but it either don’t work or he dumbs himself down by getting drunk for no reason.

Overall, it had been a disappointing episode.

#mcu loki #loki odinson #loki laufeyson #sylvie #frigga #9 worlds study #9 worlds study mcu loki

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alirhi · 3 years

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If I'd written Loki pt 4

(Missed one? Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3)

I'm trying to get through these, so that hopefully I can get this shit out of my head and move on lol. I have never obsessed over something I hated before. Normally I react, make up my mind about it, and that's that. I never think about it again. But this is different, because they took something I loved and turned it into a pathetic joke and I just... nope. Can't let it go. Want to. Hope I can after getting this all off my chest. but right now, I can't.

Let's see if this helps, shall we?

Episode 4 would, of course, pick up where 3 left off, with Loki being a badass magician and Sigyn doing what she can to help him save people. Mobius and Sylvie glance at each other, each frustrated by the other two for different reasons, and run into the chaos to try to talk some sense into them. Sylvie tries to get Mobius to free her, but 1) he's not stupid, and 2) Loki conjured her cuffs; there's no key.

You can't stop an entire planet! Mobius snaps, trying to get Loki to stop. "Watch me," is Loki's determined reply. You're MAD! Sylvie snaps, and Loki only grins and shrugs. "Possibly. But you're the ones advocating to let these people die." They ALL die! That's why it's called an apocalypse!

Even if you succeed, Mobius argues, all you'll do is cause a nexus event, bring the TVA right to us, and they'll undo everything you're doing. We gotta GO. "Then go!" He glares at them, arms still waving as he sends crumbling buildings back to their proper place, redirects falling debris, and struggles to push the planet back. "I nearly destroyed Jotunheim. I don't even know how many died on Midgard. I apparently unleashed Surtur on Asgard and caused Ragnarok. I WILL NOT kill anyone else!"

You're not the one killing them, Sylvie snaps. Gravity is more or less the killer, here. "If one has the ability to help and does not," Loki snaps, unwittingly parroting Peter Parker's sentiment from CW, "then one is at least partly responsible for the consequences."

"Loki," Sigyn cuts in, hand on his arm. "You're exhausted. Can you do this alone?" Listen to her, Sylvie snaps. You're just one man and that is a PLANET crashing down on our heads! "Loki, please, before you collapse... Let's worry about getting these people to safety-" Not my point! "I don't care." The two women glare at each other, and Sigyn, hand still on Loki's arm, growls, "He is a good man, with a good heart. You'd know that if you spent five minutes with him without Thor or Odin casting their shadows on him. Walking away and letting these people be annihilated was never an option!"

A massive chunk of the planet is coming right at them. Loki drops the illusion masking his Jotun heritage; it's only draining him and dividing his concentration. It's not enough. He would be enough, but he doesn't know that yet; he's tired and afraid, and doesn't know yet how strong he is. Desperate, Sylvie teleports them all away from the destruction. She didn't know she could do that. She hasn't had the centuries of training at Frigga's side that Loki did. It was a desperate hail Mary, and they all land on their asses in the dirt.

Loki wants to flip shit on Sylvie, but our boy is too reserved, too used to hiding everything from everyone, to do that. Instead, Sigyn punches her right in the face. "What is WRONG WITH YOU?! You really don't care about anyone but yourself, do you? All those people..." She turns to a seething, shaking Loki and points to Sylvie. "This is supposed to be a version of you? She's pathetic!" Back to glaring at Sylvie. "You're no Loki." No, Sylvie snaps, and then comes the Big Reveal: I'm not a variant of him. I'm his SISTER.

They were identical twins, she explains, plucked from different points in the same timeline. When she was taken, the memory of her was erased. She shares his love of magic, but very few of his powers and, because she was self-taught, none of his skill. Of course, she doesn't word it that way - she shares the Asgardian bluster and ego they were both raised with, as well - but that's the gist.

Mobius clears his throat and gestures. The people Loki had been shielding and Sigyn had been trying to round up were swept up in the wake of Sylvie's mad dash to get the hell away from the center of the destruction. It's not the whole civilization like he wanted, but Loki did manage to save just enough people to do what Mobius predicted: Their survival causes a nexus event, and the TVA finds them.

Thank god you guys are here, Mobius rushes to say, stepping between the agents and the three deities. The Loki Variant managed to catch the...well... OTHER Loki Variant, but we got stuck here by accident. Beaming with pride to cover his nerves, he gestures to Loki. I told you guys he could do it! Come on, let's get them back to the TVA before she escapes again. Oh, her? Steps between them and Sigyn, with a knowing glance at Loki that promises he'll do what he can. All part of the plan. It was really quite brilliant, you guys shouldda been there. Genius, really. Let's go before this place explodes, shall we?

"But the people," Loki begins to protest, glancing at the frightened survivors huddled together a few feet away. Mobius sighs. There's nothing to do but wait. This whole moon's set to be destroyed any minute. "No." Out come the knives, which he passes to Sigyn before conjuring another pair. Even that little bit of magic makes him woozy, he's so tired, but he hides it the best he can. He wants to apologize to Mobius, to say he knows that he's only trying to help, but that will only get him in more trouble. Instead, Loki embraces the myth that he lives to lie and betray. He smirks and shrugs, a la President Loki and taunts, "Really, Mobius... What did you expect?" He'll play it off like he's just trying to gain his and Sigyn's freedom from the TVA - and that's part of it, sure; he'd do anything to protect Sigyn - but there is no way in hell he's leaving those people to die after he fought so hard to protect them.

Loki and Sigyn fight the TVA agents. Even tired and sloppy, for him, he's kicking ass, until one of them uses that stupid slo-mo thing from episode 1. Knowing he's too powerful to ever be controlled, they prune Loki then and there, and drag the others back to the TVA.

Episode 5

#loki #loki series #loki negativity #fixing bad writing #if i wrote the series #episode 4 #it's hard not to change the WHOLE STUPID PLOT #but i'm trying

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amandaoftherosemire · 4 years

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Ice and Moonlight -- Part One

Fandom: Marvel Avengers AU

Pairing: Loki Odinson X Asgardian!Reader

Characters: Loki Odinson, Thor Odinson, Valkyrie, OFC Cassie

Author: @amandaoftherosemire

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 4,183

Format: Short Series

Warnings: Smut (very light), 18+ only, language, fluff, angst

Summary: You and Loki had been inseparable until his discovery of his true origins and his father’s deceptions. You only spoke to him once more before his sacrifice on Svartlfheim. After his death, heartbroken and left with nothing but unanswered questions, you’d left Asgard to find your fortunes on Midgard. One night, and once again not dead, Loki walks back into your life. The bastard.

A/N: I have a deep weakness for Hozier and this story is absolutely inspired by the chorus of ‘Work Song.’ When music puts a story in my brain, I tend to produce a barrage of words, so this is another one-shot that got away from me. Anyone who has been reading my stuff for awhile will know that this happens to me a lot, but the next part will be up in a couple of weeks at most. I’d be more specific, but I’m still buried in my personal life and eking out time to write so I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep.

This is canon adjacent through Thor: Ragnarok but I split off at that point to keep Loki alive without dealing with the consequences of IW and Endgame. For the purposes of this story, Thanos got super busy playing with a kitten he found, and Infinity War never happened.

Mischief // Malice // Magic

Mischief

You could smell them the moment they walked in, even over the myriad other smells that inundated the air of the bar. That air was redolent with smoke, liquor, wood, humanity, but when the door opened, the air that followed the men carried rain and ozone, ice and moonlight to your nose and you knew they'd found you. Those scents were as familiar to you as your own face, your own name, as there'd never been a day in your memory that you hadn't known and loved them.

The ice and moonlight would have been more of a surprise if your best friend in this realm and any other, Cassie of the wicked laugh and mean left hook, hadn't come barreling into your room this morning to show you the news report she'd been watching on her phone. You'd seen the royal brothers, plural, and the shriek of rage and betrayal hadn't quite clawed its way out of your throat before the rest of the report left you breathless with grief.

Asgard, of golden spires and shining seas, was gone, destroyed in prophesied Ragnarok. Your people were a remnant, refugees in an uncertain universe. You may have left Asgard, but you had intended to go back home, someday. Now someday would never come.

You would have gone to your people right away, offered your comfort to Thor, whom you loved as a brother, except Loki stood at his side and you hadn't yet decided if you were going to acknowledge his second return from the dead. You still hadn't really dealt with his first return.

You didn't look up, merely continued to flick your fingers over the keys of the piano, an instrument you'd taken to almost as soon as you'd set foot on Midgard. Heimdall had set you down in the parking lot of this bar, owned by the sharp-eyed, smart-mouthed Cassie. She'd taken one look, seen a babe in the woods, though a babe that could bench press a semi, and taken you under her wing. In return, you sang for your supper, kept her bar safe and entertained.

You'd found your voice here, a very different one from the ethereal thing that had once lifted out of you like angel song. You could still awe Midgardians with a soaring soprano, but you much preferred the richer, rawer voice you'd found here in the smoke and the dark. Your voice no longer lifted, but poured out of you, fueled by heartbreak Midgardians couldn't fathom, nor could they resist. You packed them in every night to hear the angel that fell to Earth, to witness the magic you made with your voice.

Loki couldn't understand why Thor had dragged him halfway across this horrid little planet to visit another horrid little corner of it. He would have much preferred to find some place plush, comfortable, and quiet to escape, tired of humanity after less than a week in their presence. He enjoyed the fact that he was infamous but would have preferred a little less breathless terror and a little more deferential respect.

Thor immediately sauntered up to the bar, leaning in to grin at the bartender. Though he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt in red that stretched across his massive chest in fascinating and delicious ways, there could be no doubt that he was more than an ordinary man by the scent of ozone and power that hung on him. Cassie merely lifted a brow, wishing she could allow herself to be charmed, but she recognized the pale man behind him as the one who'd, as she thought of it, set you on fire. Loki, gorgeously out of place in a smoke gray suit, sneered at the dark woman whose equally dark eyes were judgmental as they rested on him. Hostility rolled off of her in waves as she stared him down.

Which is how she saw the change come over him when your voice began to wind through the air, twining around the smoke with the same rough warmth. She wondered at the stricken look of hope and despair that chased each other across his face; she'd heard the story from you and knew your last interaction to be viciously ugly, shortly before his supposed death.

Thor was trying to charm the bartender into giving him an unusually large quantity of liquor for Midgard, experienced with human bartenders doubting his usual order. Cassie was letting him, laughing at his earnest explanations. She lived with an Asgardian and knew well their capacity for drink, but he was cute, and she couldn’t resist teasing him.

Cassie didn't know that you'd rarely overindulged on Asgard, too often responsible for the song part of the wine and song celebrations. Thor had known you were here, but he'd remembered his naïve and sheltered friend and Loki's devoted beloved. He didn't know Cassie's rough and tumble bouncer and backup for every ridiculous thing that came out of her mouth.

You'd finished so, so many fights Cassie had started.

Loki, meanwhile, was staring at you as your voice wound into his head, sinking into his gut, sending shivers of heat over his skin. There'd once been a time when the only way he heard your voice this rough and wild was when you were moving under his hands, your body prey to his mouth and rocking him to madness. Now your glorious voice was mated to that sensual rasp and dragging him back to happier days.

'Loki.' He smiled but didn't open his eyes. He could feel the petals of the flower you were toying with brush over his lips. The sun was shining and all he could smell was the warm scent of flowers and you. 'Loki. Are you sleeping, Loki? Loki.' He could hear the laugh in your voice and the sound was so pretty he kept feigning sleep so that you'd keep playing. When he was alone with you, basking in your complete and absolute devotion, he could forget everyone else.

Then you were leaning close, whispering 'Loki' in a tone so sweet it made tears prick at his eyes. You brushed your lips against his, even softer than flower petals, and the low hum in your throat was seducing him, beguiling him. His arms lifted, one hand cupping the back of your head while the other snaked around your waist. In the next moment, he was rolling with you until you were giggling on your back in amongst the flowers, Loki braced over you, green eyes laughing.

'I knew you were awake," you murmured as you drew his mouth down to yours.

"Loki." Thor clapped him on the shoulder and brought him back to the present, on the Earth you'd escaped to rather than live in an Asgard where you were forever reminded of him, of everything you'd lost. Loki had allowed Thor to believe that Heimdall had been charged with dereliction of duty because he had discovered Loki was impersonating Odin. Rather, Heimdall had let you leave through the Bifrost and refused to say where he'd sent you. Loki had completely lost his temper that day, and when Heimdall went on the run, he'd lost his chance permanently to find out where you'd gone.

Loki saw immediately, however, that Thor had known exactly who he'd find here.

"This is the lovely Cassandra," Thor told Loki, his remaining eye gentle on Loki's shining green. "She has been caring for our Y/N while she has been here."

"Ha!" Cassie barked the laugh and made both Thor and Loki frown at her. "Bitch can take care of herself." Loki's mouth opened to snarl at the insult to you when Thor's hand restrained him. Cassie was already lifting her voice over the applause that broke out at the end of your song. "Hey, Y/N! I got some boys back here think I take care of you."

A rumble of laughter went through the crowd, most of them regulars, many of them witness to at least one of many, many occasions upon which you'd saved Cassie from a fist in the face, and in one case so far, a knife in the gut. Thor and Loki looked around in confusion at the good-natured sound.

"Now, Cassie," you called back, your fingers moving into the opening notes of a more suggestive song, one you sang on a regular basis, "those boys are Asgardians." You smirked and sent a hot look over your piano at your audience. "I was a Lady, before I fell into this den of iniquity." The crowd cheered when you launched into the song and Thor and Loki shared a look, Thor gleeful, Loki shocked.

Loki stood next to his mother, watching his idiot brother work the crowd, the conceited ass, and fought the urge to roll his eyes. He glanced across to where you stood in the crowd, so close to the royal dais that he could be at your side in half a moment. You were applauding politely, but you didn't bother to resist, rolling your eyes at every ridiculous stunt of Thor's. Loki knew you were going to mock his brother relentlessly for all of this for years to come.

He could hardly wait.

He kept his eyes on you as much as possible, your smiling face keeping him calm even as his heart jumped and jumped with the excitement of his latest mischief. Any moment…

Trying to settle, he focused on the demure neckline of your dress, imagining brushing his lips over the discreet swell there. You were always demure, always a perfect lady in public; he knew one day you'd be a perfect princess, though most important was that you were perfect for him, for each other. You even laughed at the pranks he played on you.

Of course, he was always careful not to play too rough with you. You were too precious to treat with anything less than reverence.

Which is why he felt a rare pang of remorse when he heard his father say, 'The Frost Giants," and he saw terror flash in your eyes. He cursed himself for a fool when he remembered that you'd lived in fear of Frost Giants for years as a child after hearing the story of your father's death.

Your eyes stayed on his face, wide with fear and worry and he could see your hands clasped together in front of you, the knuckles white. His lips curved slightly to reassure. The sight seemed to help as you smiled back, if only a little, and he felt a rush of pride that you, glorious creature that you were, preferred him above all others.

He knew some whispered that he'd ensorcelled you, that there was no other explanation for the fact that the brightest jewel in Odin's court draped herself on the dark Prince's arm. There was no doubt you could charm anyone, including the elder Odinson if you so chose; it was incomprehensible that you should choose the younger.

You'd been raised in the palace alongside them when your father had been killed saving Odin during the War with Jotunheim. You'd been a babe yourself and had grown up with the royal brothers. Even as children, you'd always sought Loki's company, and the whispers of enchantment remained only whispers.

Loki felt another pang of remorse at using Frost Giants to ruin his brother's day when he remembered how much you'd feared them as a child. He made a note to himself to make sweet love to you later to distract you from old fears, find a way to assure you that the monsters couldn't come back. Above all, he'd use other tools in the future.

Your eyes met his, as though no one else existed, snapping him out of his reverie and bringing him hurtling back to this place where the lady you’d been was dead with your homeworld. He was unsurprised to discover he was rock hard. If he'd ever been able to resist temptation, it hadn't been when you tempted, and he was far less virtuous than he used to be. He was enthralled by the sharp edge to your voice and the wild storms in your eyes, would also be unsurprised should he fall in love with you all over again.

Your eyes were hot with old memories and he wondered if the same ones tormented you. He no longer heard Thor flirting with the angry-eyed bartender, unable to care about her hostility. He recognized her as another that you'd enchanted by being yourself and appreciated the Midgardian's protectiveness, since it was you. He easily ignored the sexual by-play behind him; all he could hear was you, and the ache that hot rasp inspired in his gut was sharp and painful. He wouldn't beg for much in this universe, but he thought you might be the exception.

Loki paused in the hidden corridor behind the wall of your bedchamber, looking down at the hand the Jotun had touched. He could still see the striated blue racing up his arm and the memory was making him feel cold deep, deep inside. He wasn't sure he would be here now if he hadn't promised to come see you. He could hardly believe it had been only a few short hours ago that he'd last spoken with you, pausing a moment to kiss you on his way to Thor. You'd whispered sultrily in invitation that he'd have to sleep with you until they discovered how the Frost Giants had gotten in; he'd whispered back that if he'd known that would be the consequence, he'd have let them in himself.

If he'd known how this day would end, he'd have done anything but.

'Loki?' Your voice was a raspy whisper in the shimmering dark as he slid in between your sheets. He'd promised to come to you as soon as he'd calmed everyone down, expecting to be here hours ago, not really anticipating that it'd be so easy to taunt his brother into going to Jotunheim. Even if he hadn't promised, upon the return from that icy land and the shocking discovery there, followed immediately by the confrontation between his brother and father, he needed to find some semblance of peace. You, if nothing else, remained constant.

For a moment he hesitated, unwilling for reasons he didn't want to examine to touch you with the hand touched by Frost Giants. That hand had betrayed some secret, some hidden aspect to himself that he'd never suspected, sending whispers of fear through him. But after everything that had happened that night, he needed you. His arm slid around your waist to pull you close. 'My love,' he murmured, burying his face in the skin of your neck and breathing deep, his heart racing with a terror he couldn't, wouldn't name.

'Was he that bad?' You turned in his arms to offer comfort, able to hear plainly the lost and broken tone in his voice. Thor could be thoughtless in ill temper and often hurt Loki because he saw only his own pain and frustration. You had long ago become accustomed to tending to Loki when he’d taken a stray lightning bolt.

'I can't--' His voice choked off, but with an emotion you weren't certain you could truly name. You wrapped yourself around him, burying your hands in his hair to hold him close, worried at the pain you thought you heard. As you opened your mouth to ask why he sounded so upset he took a deep breath. 'Please, love. Let's not speak of it tonight. Let me--' His voice cut off when his mouth met yours.

Part of you wanted to pull away, to demand he tell you what happened that put this desperation in his touch, the fear in his kiss, the pain in his voice. But there was that desperation, that fear, that pain and you couldn't stop yourself from reaching, opening to comfort, to reassure. You loved Loki with all of your heart. If he needed you, all he had to do was ask. You gave him all he wanted and more, eager under his hands, diabolical with your own.

'Love me?' he gasped once you were straddling him, connected, your hips driving him out of his mind as you twisted and rocked against him.

When you and he were alone together, all the realms fell away. 'More than anyone in the universe.' You moaned it, your eyes direct on his; you loved the way his hands tightened on your hips the more vocal you were.

Except tonight he looked wild, urgent, like he needed you to convince him. 'Forever?'

You leaned close, leading with your heart. Your body flowed against him in a graceful wave, your eyes soft in the shimmering light from the nebula streaming through your window. 'And always.'

'Do you promise, love?' Loki's arms came around you, pressing you to his chest, his heart clutching in terror even as your skin against his drove him higher. 'No matter what?'

'Oh, love, I promise,' you whispered gently, your hands cupping his beautiful face. 'Even if you got stuck pretending to be Volstagg.'

Loki's heart lifted in wonder when the laugh lifted out of him at the wicked look on your face. Only you knew when and how to tease him when he was most hurt, most insecure. Only you could make a solemn vow into a loving joke. He was reassured even as the laughter eased the tightness in his throat. With a burst of movement, he was tumbling you onto your back, to stroke into you more forcefully, wanting to forget everything but you.

'Ah, love,' he purred in a chuckle, 'no wonder they think I put a spell on you.'

Loki could have sagged when your eyes released him to turn with a smile upon your audience. He was pleased to hear the enthusiastic applause, gratified that you were as adored on Midgard as you had been on Asgard. He relented, a little. He could not hate a people that recognized your worth.

The memories were still dark in his eyes when you stood and he could have knelt in supplication at the sight of you, not in demure Asgardian garb, but in casual Midgardian clothing that revealed the body he'd never stopped dreaming of. Clad in denim that hugged your legs, reminding him of the way they'd felt wrapped around him, and a sweater in bright, Asgardian gold, you looked strong and capable, like you'd found a power and purpose that had eluded you at home. He wondered now what singing for humans did for you that singing for your own kind had not because your voice had turned to fire and fury, and he could hear a passion that hadn't been there before.

"Because I get the question on a regular basis," as you spoke you circled the piano and leaned against it, crossing your legs at the ankle and bracing your elbows on top, “yes, I know Thor.” You smirked hen the man in question turned to look at you. “And I'm about to prove it. Get your ass up here, you big, beautiful bastard," you shouted with a growl at the grinning God of Thunder, who responded with a running leap onto the stage to snatch you up into a bear hug. You laughed when he squeezed you tight enough to make you squeak, and the people who'd seen you wreck worlds with your fists snickered at the sound.

You stared at Thor, your mind blank with horror. Loki couldn't be gone, couldn't have done what Thor was saying he'd done. He'd been upset and hurting the last time you saw him, only a couple nights before, but he'd been himself. He'd left your bed with a kiss the night of Thor's banishment, claiming he needed to speak with his father, and you'd understood. Though you hadn't seen him since, his continued absence from your company made sense with the news of the Allfather's sudden collapse after Thor's exile.

Thor had found you in Loki's rooms the night he’d returned to Asgard, where you'd been waiting. You'd intended to talk to Loki, comfort him, when he was able to finally rest and had snuck in so you wouldn't miss him. You'd fallen asleep in his bed, comforted by his scent. You'd awoken to a new world, a new life and you wanted to climb back in, go back to a world that made sense, a world where your dearest love wasn't a mad monster that tried to kill his brother or destroy an entire realm.

A world where your dearest love wouldn't leave you.

A year later, you stood with your hands in Thor's, your eyes fierce and wild on his. 'I know I'm not being fair,' you said, and though his eyes stayed hard, his hands were gentle around yours. The two of you had become the dearest of friends, grieving the man you'd both loved and lost. Only Thor could truly understand the confused betrayal left to you in the wake of Loki's death. The news that he was still alive had left you feeling only more confused and betrayed.

'You may ask the unfair of me, dear one,' Thor murmured as he lifted your hands to his lips. He was about to leave, the Allfather amassing the energy to send him to Midgard.

'Please, bring him home. Tell him…' You paused, a thousand things both devoted and bitter choking you. You'd save those things for Loki's ears alone. Instead, you looked at Thor's face with shining eyes. Your voice a little angry, you went on. 'Tell him I still love him. No matter what.'

Thor's lips curved at the fury that colored your tone. Loki, if he could be reasoned with, would be coming home to a much less accommodating Y/N. 'If anything can reach him now, it would be you.' His father shouted and he squeezed your hands before letting go. 'I'll tell him.'

You watched Thor run toward the portal of energy His Majesty wielded, and hoped he was right. The moment Loki had let go, deliberately falling from the Bifrost, you'd begun to doubt.

You cupped Thor's pretty face in your hands, looking over the shorn hair, the patch covering his lost eye, the grief in bright turquoise. "Sweet Prince," you said, softly, your old nickname for him falling easily from your lips and making tears prick at Thor's eye. "You've traveled a long way without rest, haven't you?'

The wry understanding in your eyes had Thor huffing out a weary laugh. "Oh, Y/N. You have no idea."

"Come with me," you said, briskly, turning with Thor and sliding your arm through his to lead him back to the bar. Your audience was dismayed but understanding. You’d started your set with a song honoring and mourning Asgard. "Cassie knows how to water an Asgardian. If she said otherwise, she was fucking with you."

Loki had been watching from the back of the room, his gut curdling with jealousy as he saw how familiar you and Thor were with each other. You'd considered Thor family your entire life, but you'd never been close, your preference for Loki leading you to find Thor irritating a lot of the time. He hadn't seen Thor's humility, his remorse after his time on Midgard, hadn't seen the two of you, siblings in all but blood, become friends as well.

When you turned in his direction, he felt the urge to flee, to hide from the bleak amusement curving your lips, the condemnation in your eyes. You and he had never been anything resembling siblings. His feet were planted, however, his knees weak and in the next moment you were next to him, leaning on the bar to tease your Midgardian friend. Your scent wound into his head and left him dizzy as you took three glasses and a jug with no label from the other woman. If Thor hadn't clamped a hand on his shoulder, he didn't know that he would have been able to follow you behind the bar to a small room in the back.

You gestured the brothers to the couch against the wall, handing both of them a glass filled with the mead you'd taught Cassie to make. You still hadn't acknowledged Loki as anything more than Thor's companion, had decided being rude would be less insulting to Loki than pretending you didn't know him at all. Once you'd filled your own glass, you dropped into the chair behind Cassie's desk and propped your feet up.

"So. What did you do?" Thor's grin flashed at the stern disapproval aimed his way, twisting your eyebrows over a mouth twitching with mild amusement. Then your face softened with sympathy and sadness, and jealousy burned under Loki’s sternum. You'd once shown him all this loving kindness, now you'd barely glanced at him. Until that stern eyebrow lifted in his direction and he felt pinned, like an insect. "How'd you boys manage to set off Ragnarok?"

Part Two: Malice

Permanent Taglist:

@hellzzzbelle @suz-123 @cheekygeek05 @lbouvet @diinofayce @bibliophile1773 @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @miraclesoflove @nerdy-bookworm-1998 @destiel-is--endgame @irritated-bisexual @peaceinourtime82 @badassbaker @walkingtravesty97 @fashionworld12 @readermia

#loki x reader #loki odinson x reader #loki fanfiction #loki fanfic #marvel fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #mcu fanfic #short series #pantswrites #ice and moonlight

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just-random-obsessions · 4 years

Text

Funny Moments In Thor The Dark World

Find Thor 1 here

Find Avengers 1 here

This is the second part of me watching all three thor movies and the avengers movie and comparing the humor pre-ragnarok to the humor in the 3rd Thor movie. And, as before, I’m writing this on my computer where the I and U keys don’t work so sorry for any spelling mistakes.

Tag List: @nikkoliferous @fyrecrafted @lokijiro @miskiett @darthxerik @icyxmischief @iamanartichoke @juliabohemian @official-and-unstable-satan @melodylnoelle @just-another-human-2019 @fandomsfanfiction @mentallydatingahotcelebrity @cateyes315 @burningarbiterheart @imnotacreepijustlikeyou @usedtobegoodfriend96 @alexakeyloveloki

Official-and-unstable-satan and fandomsfanfiction weren’t tagged sry

Anyone who wants to be added/removed to the tag list please let me know! and if I missed someone please also let me know. Sorry this post is so long

~ “Hello Mother. Have I made you proud?”

~ “Please don’t make things worse” “Define worse”

~ “I really don’t see what all the fuss is about”

~ “Just like you”

~ *That smile!!!!*

~ “I’ve got this completely under control!” “Is that why everything’s on fire?”

~ *About the Scary MonsterTM: “All yours”

~ *Thor says hi to the Big Scary MonsterTM*

~ “I accept your surrender”

~ “Anyone else?” *All the people simultaneously: NOPE*

~ “Perhaps next time we should START with the big one”

~ *Odin obviously shipping Thor and Jane* (idk I got a kick out of this)

~ *Jane awkwardly avoiding her date*

~ *Date: hi*

~ *Him awkwardly talking about his ex*

~ “And the fact that she kept sleeping with other men” “NO!”

~ *Darcy being mistaken for a waitress*

~ *Darcy mouthing “Cute” to Jane about Richard*

~ *Darcy embarrassing Jane by talking about Thor*

~ “Is there a point to all of this cause there REALLY needs to be a point to all of this”

~ “That’s what I said!”

~ “That’s what I did!”

~ “He’s not interested” “I’m interested” (Am I the only one who feels like his awkwardness was actually kinda cute?)

~ “He’s my intern.” “You have an intern?”

~ *Intern is fucking adorable like Richard*

~ “I have totally mastered driving in London!” *Has not mastered it at all*

~ *Selvig running around Stonehenge naked*

~ *Darcy keeps calling Ian ‘Intern’*

~ *Darcy calls Jane cause she didn’t wanna shout*

~ God I fucking love Darcy she’s so criminally underrated

~ “I am not getting stabbed in the name of science”

~ “It’s okay, we’re Americans!” “Is that supposed to make them like us?”

~ “We’re scientists-well I am” “Thanks”

~ “That doesn’t seem right”

~ “I wanna throw something! Jane give me your shoe!”

~ *Jane ignores Darcy*

~ “Give me your shoe”

~ “Were those the car keys?”

~ *Ian’s face when he realizes he threw the car keys to another planet*

~ *If you have to bury so many people then you’re doing something wrong you hot dumb fuck* (I mean that’s basically what Heimdall said right?)

~ “Typical” *after being left behind while Jane goes to talk to her boyfriend*

~ *Jane! Love of my life and most talented and beautiful person in the world oh how I love yo-SLAP*

~ “As excuses go, its not terrible”

~ “I know” “You do?” “Do what?”

~ *Darcy interrupts the KissTM*

~ “Um I’m pretty sure we are getting arrested”

~ “How’s space?” “Space is fine”

~ “He’s my intern… My intern’s intern”

~ “Holy shit!” (after Jane went up in the Bifrost)

~ *Heimdall calmly dodges the car*

~ “We have to do that again”

~ “Hello”

~ “What’s that?”

~ “It’s a soul forge” *No I’m pretty sure that’s a quantum field generator*

~ *Jane being ready to fight Odin for comparing her to a goat*

~ “You told your dad about me?”

~ “It must be so inconvenient, them asking about me day and night”

~ “Please meet my mother” *Jane shies away from Thor*

~ Loki casually tossing the thingamajig in the air like the cute little shit he is

~ Lord, he’s so damn pretty

~ *Kurse being like: Lol I ain’t touchin’ that boy with a ten foot pole*

~ “It’s as if they resent being in prison”

~ “There’s no pleasing some creatures”

~ *Loki calmly reading a book while all Hel breaks loose*

~ “You have my word that no harm will come to yo-” nvm bitch die

~ *THAT look between Sif and Jane*

~ *Frigga immediately seeing through Odin’s bs lies*

~ *Heimdall: I have defeated the big space ship!! The bigger one behind him: Bitch you thought*

~ “WITCH!!!!” *Now I know who Loki gets his amazing aforementioned smile from*

~ *Selvig using shoes to explain complicated science*

~ *Selvig then using pencils*

~ “Any questions?” “Yeah, can I have my shoe back?”

~ “What’s SHIELD?” “It’s a secret”

~ *Darcy’s cute af face when she sees that Selvig is in the mental hospital*

~ “Are you sure you wouldn’t just rather punch your way out?”

~ *Loki shapeshifting into the guard*

~ “Mmm Brother, you look ravishing”

~ “Costumes a bit much”

~ “So tight!”

~ “I can FEEL the righteousness surging!!”

~ “HEY wanna have a rousing discussion about truth?”

~ “Honor?”

~ “Patriotism?”

~ “GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

~ “At last. A little common sens-”Bitch are you really fucking kidding me? (What do you mean that’s not what he said?)

~ “I thought you liked tricks”

~ “I’m Loki, you may have heard of-” SLAP

~ “That was for New York”

~ “I like her”

~ *Loki gazing lovingly at Jane in the background*

~ “Betray him, and I’ll kill you.” “It’s good to see you too Sif”

~ “If you even think about betraying him-” “You’ll kill me? Evidently there will be a line”

~ “I thought you said you knew how to fly this thing.” “I said how hard can it be?”

~ “Whatever your doing brother I suggest you do it faster.” “Shut up Loki

~ “You must’ve missed something.” “I didn’t, I’m pressing every button on this thing”

~ “Well don’t hit it. Just press it, gently.” “I aM pReSsInG iT gEnTlY AND ITS NOT WORKING!!!”

~ *Thor starts slamming buttons and it starts working*

~ *Volstagg: Oh fighting is much fun- OH SHIT IM FALLING!! HELP!!!*

~ “I think you missed a column.” “Shut up”

~ “Why don’t you let me take over? I’m clearly the best pilot”

~ *Bitch I’m the one who can actually fly*

~ “Oh dear. Is she dead?”

~ *Thor knocks over a column* “Not a word”

~ “Now they’re following us”

~ “Now they’re firing at us”

~ “Yes thank you for the commentary Loki, it’s not at all distracting”

~ “Well done, you just decapitated your grandfather”

~ *Seriously, whoever wrote the escape scene is a genius!!!*

~ *Loki yelling at Thor about how thIs was a bad idea you dumb fuck- wait wtf are you doing AAAAHHHHH!!!!1*

~ “You lied to me. I’m impressed”

~ *That smile again snfnejaihfeqrqrsbdsalxdjewonjfeq*

~ “For Asgard!” YEET

~ “Nothing personal boys!”

~ “If it were easy, everyone would do it”

~ “Are you mad?” “Possibly”

~ “TADAAA”

~ “Oh yeah, my father. Eric Selvig”

~ “And these” “yeah… those”

~ “How did you find me?” “You were naked on television”

~ “I don’t get paid enough. I don’t get paid at all”

~ “What’s happening? Birds? Birds are happening?”

~ “All right are you ready?” “I am”

~ *phone rings* “It’s not me”

~ “Why are there so many shoes in here?”

~ “I’ll just text her”

~ “So who’s Richard?”

~ *Thor hanging his hammer on a coat hanger*

~ “Where are your pants?” “Oh he says it helps him think”

~ “Loki is dead” “Oh thank God!”

~ “Better get my pants”

~ “Do you even know what these things do?” “No” “…Neither do I”

~ “Ooh get the guy with the sword!”

~ “Oops”

~ *Ian’s high-pitched scream*

~ *Does car insurance cover My Car Was Sucked Into Another Planet Due To A Cosmic Event That Only Occurs Once Every 5000 Years or no?*

~ *Thor and Malekith fighting between worlds and poor little Mjolnir trying to keep up*

~ *The two of them against windows*

~ *AAAHHH*

~ *Awww! Look at the cute little Jotunheim monster! He’s so adorable I wanna pet him so much!’

~ *Darcy and Ian kissing after he saved her life*

~ “Darcy?” “Jane!” “Ian?” “Selvig.”

~ “Myuh Myuh!!”

~ *Thor ends up on the subway*

~ *The girl taking 50 photos*

~ *Thor and the woman colliding into eachother*

~ “I’ve come to accept your surrender”

~ *Malekith gets crushed by his own ship. Now that’s some lovely karma right there*

~ *Darcy and Ian go back to kissing*

~ “He kinda committed treason on our way out” oops

~ Jotunheim Puppy chasing birds

Wow I’m so sorry this was so long. But guess what? It’s gonna get even longer. Sorry, again.

So one of the differences between the first and second Thor movies is that Thor 2 has humor in the climax whereas Thor 1 doesn’t. This is because of the differences with who is the villain. In Thor 1, Thor is having to fight his brother. To quote Avengers, they “played together and fought together” for several millennia. Of course there’s not going to be any humor in it cause there shouldn’t be. The climax at the end of the movie isn’t supposed to be some epic battle between the forces of Good TM and Bad TM. It’s supposed to be tragic that he’s having to fight his own brother because Loki lost his mind due to so many factors. The last joke in the film is “You’re an amazon liar brother, always have been” “It’s good to have you back”. There’s nothing else till the end credit scene. That’s because Kenneth Branagh knew that this was supposed to be viewed at as being sad a hopeless, not some awesome upbeat battle.

Thor 2 on the other hand, is exactly that. Thor has known Malekith for.. what? 2 days? Maybe 3? His relationship and dynamic with Malekith is different than with his brother. To Thor, this is just another enemy attacking Asgard. And I’m not sure whether this was intentional or not (because I remember reading somewhere how Allen Taylor had a bitch of a time in the editing process so I think the movie came out different than he intended) but the lack of any personal relationship will Malekith means the film can make really funny jokes and still have it fit with the film. If anything, I might even argue that the humor helped the film to maintain a very nice positive vibe. Idk I can’t think of the right words to explain it but the jokes actually fit the film very well.

However, then we move on to Ragnarok. With Ragnarok, Thor is fighting his sister. While (just like Malekith) he has only known her for two days, that still doesn’t take away the fact that he is having to fight his sibling. And I’m not a film director but if I had the option of approaching this situation and taking it the Thor 1 route or the the Thor 2 route, I’d go with Thor 1. Because it’s actually incredibly tragic that Hela has been driven to insanity like Loki (though ok a different level) due to Odin’s shitty parenting. She is the horrible way she is because Odin made her that way. And that could’ve been an AMAZINGLY complex story with the audience feeling so much sympathy for Hela like we did with Loki in Thor 1, but the narrative just falls flat for two reasons. 1) Taika admitted he didn’t want the film to be emotionally complex so 2) The humor in the climax completely detracts from the seriousness of the situation.

Also, some side notes: Yes, this is edited from the original. I accidentally deleted everything and then had to go back and add everything back in. So I also had to re-tag people too. And I also added a bit more explanation at the end. I meant to do so when I originally posted but it never got done till now. Sry. Also sry that it’s so long

#dr badass jane foster #anti ragnarok #anti thor ragnarok #my meta #thor the dark world #thor 2 #thor #loki

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kitcat992 · 5 years

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Endgame thoughts and emotions: A proper review

Yeah, I did the unthinkable today. I saw the movie for a second time. And in my defense, I did not want to. I laid in bed as my friend literally tried to pull me out of my blanket burrito and drag me to the movie theater. The issue is, he bought me a ticket and really wanted me to go with him for his first time showing. After much commotion, I dragged myself into a theater seat, pouted, and watched it for a second time.

I decided to try and find a silver lining in my misery: Now I can view the movie with a much clearer mindset, without the fog of fan excitement and the years worth of anticipation. Plus, it was a matinee showing, so I was sure the crowd would be a lot less rowdy and I would be able to really immerse myself in what was happening. And most of all, if I was going to bitch this much about the movie, I decided it was only fair I really give it a good watch.

So here I go: Thoughts and emotions the second time around.

Too long; didn’t read: It’s still shit.

Tony’s opening scene in the Benatar remains to be the best part of the film, along with his confrontation with the team, specifically Rogers. These moments are why the film started off so strong – we were receiving exactly what we waited for since Civil War. I repeat, we waited 3 years for Civil War to finally pay off. But it’s really pathetic that the only good parts of this film are the beginning, right before the 5 years later cue card.

Despite the amazing pay off from the fallout in Civil War and the incredible acting from RDJ during that confrontation scene, the pacing of the beginning STILL felt all sorts of weird. For starters, did Marvel just assume that every single movie-goer would watch Captain Marvel/Captain Marvel’s end credits scene?

Without that scene, without the whole “We found Fury’s beeper.” and “Where’s Fury?”, Captain Marvel’s entrance makes ZERO sense. And ya know what? Even after seeing the movie [Captain Marvel] it STILL makes zero sense. This is one of the many moments in the film that we’re left to assume. We’re left to assume that the team told Carol about Tony having flown to space to stop the doughnut ship, and we’re left to assume that she went and spent 3 weeks looking for him.

I was flooded with questions before the title card even rolled: When did they find Fury’s pager? And how did they find Fury’s pager? Were they just walking the streets and came across it, or did it have a GPS of sorts on it, or did it have an alert set to notify the compound in case of emergency? Did they tell Carol to go search for Tony or did Carol come across Tony on her own accord? How did they know Tony fought Thanos?? Tony even asks “Who told you that?” Well, who told him that? Did they receive the messages from his Iron Man helmet from when he was onboard the Benatar?

And let’s talk about Irondad&Spiderson moment that wrecked me – “I lost the kid.” Don’t get me wrong, this had me peeing my pants a little bit. But HOW did Steve know about “the kid”? His face says he knows, the way he reacted says he knows. Does he just know Spider-man is a kid, and he knew Spider-man went to space with Tony Stark, thus that’s the kid Tony refers to? Or did Steve also know about Peter before Civil War? Perhaps he was someone they both were planning to recruit, but Tony got to him first. How does he know about “the kid?”

That’s a lot of questions for the first, what, 10 minutes?

Immediately feeling the pacing so off balance in the movie this soon was incredibly troublesome. It only gets worse once they go off to kill Thanos. Because the moment Thor walks out of that hut, the movie takes a nose dive it never stood a chance to recover from.

5 years later.

Fuck that noise.

Okay, so the “5 years later” part didn’t bother me during my first watch. Because I so strongly (and naively) thought time-reversal was the end fate for this film. It was the only goddamn thing that made sense. But, to say the least, nothing following this cue card makes sense.

For starters, there’s just NO information given to the viewers about what happens from the fallout of The Decimation. So once again, we’re left to assume. Did the Avengers hold a press conference? Does the world now know about other universes and infinity stones and magic? Was Carol Danvers the one to explain that? Or Tony? Was the world angry with the Avengers for not stopping Thanos? Does the world even KNOW about Thanos? Does the world know what we the audience know or did the government sell them a lie? How about the Accords – did that dust away too, because we see Natasha handling business with the help of Nebula, Rocket, Rhodey and Carol.

But there’s not even a HINT of what civilians think or what they were told. We’re left to assume.

It turns out Steve’s little support-group-talk about “Some of us moving on” was actually a way for The Russo Brothers to completely erase his character development of the past handful of movies. Here we naively thought he was talking about moving on from the loss of Bucky and Sam and the other half of the universe…nope. All a ploy to remind the audience that despite the fact Steve Rogers said goodbye to Peggy Carter, buried her body, and began to live his own life in this new time and world, he still hadn’t moved on from the woman he loved for 21 months. Not only is this a giant slap in the face to Steve’s narrative, but he’s turned into a hypocrite by preaching “move on” without actually moving on himself. “Some of us move on…but not us.” is NOT a way to justify his actions at the end of this film.

I’ll say it now and here: I’m positively sick of Hollywood preaching that happy endings only come in the form of romantic relationships.

Natasha’s little spiel about family was sweet. I knew she was dead the moment she said it. My first viewing, I was okay with this. I actually felt a little touched, knowing that she got redemption from her red ledger by making the sacrifice for the family that she found. Upon my second viewing, I actually got pissed. Very pissed. Ya know why? Because Clint deserved to make that sacrifice. Nay, he needed to be the one to make it. But I’ll get there.

Paul Rudd’s acting for his reunion with Cassie was actually really touching. In fact, Scott Lang probably suffered the least amount of character-development-fuckery in this entire film. It probably helps that he was stuck in the quantum realm for 5 years instead of living with the others. I guest we’re just supposed to assume these characters changed over the course of 5 years, because they sure as hell aren’t acting like themselves.

*sigh* Tony…*bigger sigh* Morgan Stark. I know I’ve said it once before, if not multiple times already. I’m sorry for being a broken record. But Tony did not need to have a kid. She only served purpose to the narrative if time had been reversed. Perhaps Tony procreated with Pepper after Infinity War because he felt he needed to contribute to society and help get the universe back to how it was. Okay, I can flow with that. Even his insistence later on that they bring the dusted back but “keep everything from the past 5 years, at all cost” would play majestically into the ultimate sacrifice of losing his daughter for the other half of the universe to return. Watching these scenes [with his daughter] the first time around wasn’t as painful when I so naively thought time reversal would occur. My unbelievably intense opinion that Tony and Pepper did not need a kid keeps me from even remotely enjoying them now. Another thing Hollywood so wrongly assumes and pushes on audiences: If you’re a couple, you have to have a kid. Tony and Pepper were just fine without one and bringing a child into their story only prevented Tony from reversing time.

Also, the little girl who played Morgan was horribly directed. I know she was young, and I know kid actors aren’t great to begin with. But she mumbled all her lines and never looked anywhere but the ground. I will give credit to RDJ for playing the fantastic Irondad we all knew at heart he was, and I’ll treasure those moments with Peter in mind instead of Morgan.

But again, more questions arise from here. Steve, Natasha and Scott come to talk Tony into doing a time heist. The way Tony looks at them all…I can only assume he hasn’t spoken to them in years. But when? When did they all fall apart? Was it directly after he slammed his arc reactor/nano housing unit into Steve’s hand and passed out? Was it after the team told him, off camera, that Thanos was dead and the stones were gone? Have they kept in touch at all?

For the most part, Tony seems civil to them – “Table is set for 6, if you don’t talk shop you can stay for lunch.” and even pours them all drinks. But so much was left unsaid/off screen that I have no idea what’s gone on between these characters in the past 5 years. A cue card doesn’t tell me narrative. At this point in the film, I’ve already got a headache. I’m asking too many questions and getting so little answers.

I cannot even begin to express my utter disappointment in how they handled Professor Hulk. Even during my first viewing of this film, I had face palmed at this diner scene. Mark Ruffalo had a very well-thought out mini story in every Avengers film and even during Thor: Ragnarok. His struggle to control the Hulk, and Hulk’s distaste for Banner, all led up to Professor Hulk. How Banner described him is exactly how he was supposed to be – brains and brawns, the best of both worlds.

He was instead used for jokes. And lets be honest, he just looked weird. He acted weird, he looked weird, and every time he had a moment on screen I was just uncomfortable. So uncomfortable. I loved Ruffalo’s performance of Bruce Banner and all that just went away with this film. I don’t even like to think of Bruce Banner in this movie. Science Bros went away, his dynamic with the team went away, so much went away.

It felt like watching an alternate universe Avengers at this point, it really did.

Tony’s desire to get Peter back saved the universe: That is fact, that is canon. He was adamantly against time travel until he saw that photo and then BAM, he figures it out. I will take joy in this moment, despite wanting it to be something else. I really wanted this to be a grieving moment, I really wanted him to be at May’s place (who be are left to assume got dusted) or at a makeshift funeral/memorial or something. I’m happy to have gotten this scene, I really am. But I also feel empty from it. Perhaps that’s because so much is left unsaid that we’re left to assume the nature of Peter and Tony’s relationship since Homecoming.

So again, I get my hopes up for this time reversal that never pans out. Tony has a conversation with Pepper about how he figured out the time travel nonsense, but he could put a pin in it immediately and forget all about it. Pepper, softly and a little heart broken, said he wouldn’t be able to rest if he did. In my honest opinion, that was Pepper telling Tony “I don’t want to lose what we have…but so many others lost so much more. We can try this again. We can have a second chance.” That, to me, was Pepper accepting the possibility of time being reversed to 2018 and losing Morgan and their cabin and all they had done in the past 5 years. In that moment, she accepted that. She gave him her blessing.

This made sense to me, this made sense to the narrative. Because this would leave Tony with a heart breaking choice of choosing the universe over his daughter. But he would, because that would be his ultimate sacrifice. One last sacrifice, to quote his movie poster. He’d be absolutely heart broken but he would know that his loss was nothing compared to all those who were dusted, all those who lost their lives by the dusted (falling air crafts, ect) and all those who took their lives due to the grief. He’d make that decision. And we’d go back to 2018 where time would be restored to how it was. If the writers really wanted to keep the Morgan nonsense, they could have even give him a happy ending by Pepper announcing she’s pregnant in 2018, showing that he’ll still have Morgan and his happy life.

Ultimately, this is not what pans out. Things only get worse from here.

Tony returns to the team, who failed at managing time travel with Scott due to lacking a time-travel-GPS. I’m not even touching that scene, it’s just sorta pointless and there were pee jokes and…yeah. Tony invents this time gps and agrees to help them, so long as nothing changes from the past 5 years. He gifts Steve a new shield, admitting that resentment is corrosive.

So…I’m left to assume he and the team really did split ways after his return from space. I mean, it’s a sweet moment….but I’m also left to assume what the shield is made out of. Is it Vibranium? Does that mean Thanos’ sword can cut through Vibranium, as it goes on to cut through his shield during the final battle?

A throw away line here was vital and never received. Steve’s shield was widely known for being made from the strongest metal in the world, and if you’re going to recreate it, you need to establish if it’s made of the same material. A simple “You better not toss that around like a Frisbee all the damn time, it’s not made of the worlds strongest metal, ya know.” or “It cost me an arm and leg to get some of that glorious Vibranium from Wakanda. Be careful with that thing.” And all you’d have to do to make time for this one throw away line would be cut one of the many unnecessary childish jokes in the movie, or reduce the “Nah, take a picture with him, ‘cmon!” scene from like, a solid minute to 30 seconds.

Its small things like this sprinkled throughout the entire film that goes to shine a light on how awful the script really was.

They decide to get the team back together, which includes Rhodey, Rocket and Nebula. And Thor.

Pour one out for Thor. He ain’t dead, but his character development sure as hell is.

My anger with Marvel, the MCU, Kevin Feige and The Russo Brothers stands to be for so many reasons, but this one might just take the cake. Once all of my anger dissipates from bad writing, the destruction of character development, the immature jokes – this will be the one thing that remains. I will never forgive any of the parties involved for turning Thor’s clear-as-day PTSD into a fat joke. Thor became a depressed, traumatized alcoholic.That is NOT something to make light of, and yet at every corner there was a joke for him.

His one serious moment – when Professor Hulk mentioned Thanos’ name and he was so clearly triggered into a state of emotional distress – was laughed off by Rocket telling him they had beer on the ship. So not only was his depression laughed at with the fat jokes, but his alcoholism was turned into jokes as well. As someone who grew up with an abusive alcoholic father, I cannot condone this type of humor, especially for young children. There are some things you just do not make fun of.

I wrongly trusted Marvel to be able to handle mental health issues with grace and dignity, as seen in Iron Man 3. They did more than drop the ball on this. They played skee ball with it.

Oh, and Hawkeye is now Ronin (was his name actually said, though? I guess we’re left to assume again) and he’s been murdering a shitton of people. Natasha finds him, says a sad line about “not being able to give hope sooner” and recruits him. So that’s cool, I guess. Problem is no one cared about his family to begin with and they still sorta don’t. But, yeah…everyone bring the murderer onboard. Cool. It’s sorta telling the audience (which includes kids) that its okay to murder as long as you actively kill bad guys, but yeah, whatever.

Now, things have been bad up to this point. Very bad. But it just gets so much uglier from here. The team discuss Time Travel and try to tell the audience how it REALLY works in their universe – by dismissing the notion of “you mess with the past, you mess with your future” theory all movies tend to have. This is essentially the butterfly effect and its really the only way to go about time travel.

But they couldn’t do that, because then we couldn’t have the time travel shenanigans that follow. And honestly, I’ve seen a LOT of things with time travel, and their explanation still doesn’t make sense. “You can’t change the past, only your present, which then becomes your past.” Whatever, Russo Brothers. You’re just trying to pass off a shitty time travel plot without actually caring about it.

Clint does a trial run of time travel, it works, and then they go about figuring out where the stones were so they can travel back to get them. None of this was entertaining. Rocket calling Scott a puppy fell flat, for starters. Thor having an obviously distressful triggered moment recalling his mother and Jane was painful to watch and equally painfully to hear the audience howl in laughter from it. It was nice to see a 15 second shot of Tony, Natasha and Bruce laying against each other, surrounded by books as they try to figure things out but these type of brief, fleeting moments were why I was so found-family-trope baited in the first place. 4 movies too late, MCU.

Also, Nebula tells them clear as day that Vomir is a place of death and Thanos went and came back without his sister, to which Scott jokes “Not it.” So SERIOUSLY, Nat and Clint knew something was up before they even went. Dick move to whoever sent them there.

Time travel shenanigans from here. They split into teams and go to their past locations where everyone fucks up everything in every timeline, but there are no consequences because the narrative established “you can’t change the past”

Listen, I do not even WANT to try and understand this. I don’t. It’s why I don’t mess with TheFlashTV anymore. Professor Hulk goes to get the time stone but The Ancient One won’t give it to him and they have this long drawn out discussion about how if the team doesn’t return the stones, her new timeline/reality is doomed. So Bruce’s astral form promises to bring them back and he tells her Strange gave it up willing and she gives it to him and…*sigh* Again, the Russo Brothers using cheap lines to try and explain their shitty use of time travel. This scene exists solely for Steve Rogers. It gives him his reason to travel to the past at the end and return all the stones to their rightful place (and, as it will later be discussed, say Fuck You to everyone in the year 2023.) That’s all this scene is here for.

Loki got away with the space stone/tessract, Thor gets to talk with his mother while Rocket grabs the reality stone, Nebula somehow connected with past Nebula’s harddrive and Thanos got to see her memories and Clint and Natasha did a little remake of the Thanos and Garmora sacrifice from Infinity War. To make matters even WORSE, because Loki got away with the space stone, Steve and Tony have to travel to 1970, to the SHIELD bunker seen in The Winter Soldier and where the space stone/tessract is being kept, as well as grab some additional Pym Particles on the way since they didn’t have enough for the additional jump.

This entire scene is garbage. Tony runs into a young Howard Stark. And I guess because Tony’s a dad now, he goes on to forgive his own dad for abusing him. As a child of abuse, fuck that noise. Howard is made out to be a man with good intentions and Tony even hugs him before he travels back.

It’s like the Russo Brothers wanted to write Tony having everything he ever wanted (a family, a kid, closure with his father) before they killed him off. This scene served nothing to the movie, nothing to Tony’s narrative and really sent a harsh message to victims of parental abuse. The mix messages with Howard along the way of the MCU films are so flawed I cannot even begin to describe them here.

Oh, and Steve runs into Peggy’s office where he stares at her from afar. This is the Russo Brothers once again shoving down the agenda that Steve Rogers needs to be with Peggy Carter if he’s to be happy. Despite having said his goodbye and having buried her body, he’s still hung up on the woman he knew for 21 months over 16someyears ago since coming out of the ice. So we get that.

Rhodey and Nebula grab the power stone. Rhodey spends like, 1 minute talking about the temple being boobytrapped only for them to walk into it fine. Not sure what that dialogue was there for. Nebula burns her hand off getting the power stone, they go to travel back but 2014 Thanos links with 2023 Nebula’s mind harddrive and accesses her memories and discovers the future and…yeah, I’m just not even in the mood to explain this. Nebula was kept around as a plot device. It’s a real shame to see her character reduced to that. Also, jumping way ahead here — someone seriously needs to explain to me how she still exists after killing her past self. I need that explanation like whoa.

Thor’s conversation with his mother about “being who he’s meant to be, not who he’s supposed to be” would have been more touching if the fat jokes weren’t tossed in every other line. He legit had a panic attack, even SAYS “I think I’m having a panic attack.” and how do the writers go about this serious mental health issue? By having Rocket slap him.

I was sitting near a middle-aged man who howled SO loudly with laughter at this, it reminded me of how people laughed at the 3 stooges. Way to go with that one, Marvel.

I think that about sums up the time travel shenanigans. While it was fun to watch the 2012 Battle of New York from a different perspective, everything just got so royally fucked up that my headache was turning into a migraine at this point in the film. But again, it doesn’t matter. Time travel in this movie is explained as “You can’t mess things up. You can’t change the past.”

But wait. The best is yet to come. Our first death of the movie. It’s bad enough that Natasha died instead of Clint, but to have her death be such a blatant rip off of the Thanos and Garmora scene in Infinity War is a real slap in the face. All the way down to the usage of the same score music. Why? That only made the scene less emotional and moreso, took away from the impact of the Thanos and Garmora scene in Infinity War. The entire time, I felt like I was watching a fanfic with that scene. Among many others.

Clint deserved/needed to die instead. I get that they “battled it out” to be the one to jump, and he wanted to be the one to die – I get it. But that’s just…sorta not good enough. Because the writers wrote all that in when it didn’t need to happen. For starters, the entire fight over who jumped was drawn out and quiet frankly, hilarious. Sure, it showed a bit of their personalities and what friendship they had, but it ended up laughable. Maybe that’s because everything leading up to this felt like such a joke as well that I couldn’t take any of it seriously.

Regardless, while I’m not nearly as angry at Natasha’s death as I am Tony’s, I still strongly believe Clint should have been the one. Otherwise, the message I walked away with is: It’s okay to go on a murdering spree when you’re feeling hurt and bummed out, as long as you say sorry for it and try to take the spot of sacrificing your life.

I would say that Marvel didn’t want to kill off a “family man” with Clint, as he had his family and kids, but Tony had that at this point as well. I feel they killed Natasha off because they didn’t know what else to do with her, as so clearly evident in her other films. She had no direction with these movies, no real character arc to go off of, and even with her solo movie in the works (an obvious prequel) she was sort of an empty slate waiting for her story to be told. Marvel never used her properly, never really took advantage of her, and at one point even gave her a relationship that did NOT need to be [Brutasha] because they were so clueless as to what to do with the only female Avenger. (Which means she HAS to have a love interest, right? RIGHT? God, Hollywood sucks with females)

They return to 2023 with all their stones and without Natasha. There’s a 1 minute grieving scene where Professor Hulk throws a bench in the lake and Steve blinks a tear and that’s…it. I mean, christ, don’t dedicate another second longer to the poor woman, we couldn’t have that. Gotta make room for all those fat jokes. /s

They put the stones into Tony’s nano gauntlet and fight over who should put the gauntlet on – Professor Hulk wins. He says some shit that’s pulled straight out of his ass about gamma and how much gamma is surrounding the glove and that only he can handle it because Hulk is gamma. “It’s like I was made for this.”

Okay, whatever. Seriously, all this is so out of nowhere that I can’t muster the strength to care. A universe that always relied on collective narrative and plots weaved throughout movies is just pulling shit straight out of their asses at this point and I’m supposed to eat it. Please just snap your fingers and reverse time to 2018, Professor Hulk. That’s all I’m waiting for.

Tony once again says DO NOT lose the past 5 years and I guess the stones work off of what you’re thinking (ie: why they won’t let Thor do it, he’s too much of a mental mess) so Bruce…thinks about the dusted and snaps and…yeah. The dusted are back. A bit anticlimactic.

This also raises SO many questions about so many other things…what about those that got dusted in crashing airplanes? Are they just falling from the sky now? People who were in boats that are no longer there, or in trains, or cars? What if they were dusted where a wall is now built? Are they morphed into the wall? Not to mention, bringing the dusted back in the year 2023, 5 years from when they were dusted…the legal problems that will occur. What if you had an apartment and someone is living there now? Where’s your stuff? What if your spouse married another person? Not to mention, what if your loved ones who survived The Decimation committed suicide in grief?

What about all that life insurance that was dished out?

None of this is explained. I doubt any of it ever will be. As the audience, I am once again left to assume.

So anyway, cue final battle scene. Thanks to time travel fuckery, 2014 Thanos is in 2023 and he bombs the shit out of the compound and it’s all CGI action from this point forward.

I mean, the fight was pretty cool. It was just…it was a lot of CGI, and to be honest, it was dark. Like, hard to see kind of dark. I get the tone and atmosphere they were going for, but one of the reasons I loved the Wakanda battle scene in Infinity War so much is because it was during the daylight. Even the battle of Titan was bright. Again, I get the tone they were going for, but I had a lot of trouble seeing what was going on, and it was a lot at once.

The OG 3 fight Thanos alone at first, which was cool. They all get their asses handed to them and Steve’s the one left to try and finish him off, solo, when Doctor Strange opens portals around the universe and brings all the dusted and army’s to the fight. I’d like to say I felt the same excitement watching this the second time around as I did the first, but I just…didn’t. Knowing the ending of this movie robbed a lot of initial joyful moments and if you ask me, a movie shouldn’t do that.

Also, yes, the fanservice moments exist. Steve lifts Mjolnir and says Avengers Assemble. I’m sorry, that’s not enough for me to forgive the mess of this movie.

A few pairs have their reunion scattered along the battlefield. I absolutely adored Peter and Tony’s, though I remained vastly uncomfortable that Peter was suddenly 5 years in the future and even addresses it as much. “And then Doctor Strange said you gotta hurry, it’s been 5 years!” Like…again, if this was reversed, that’s fine. But friggin hell. At this moment he doesn’t even remember turning to dust and how much pain he was in. Simply “Remember when I got all dusty? I must have passed out.” They hug though, so at the end of this shitshow at least the Irondad&Spiderson fanbase got their hug.

Rocket and Groot exchange a look and say nothing.

Fucking Steve and Bucky don’t even talk or see each other in battle. Probably because the Russo Brothers reallllyyy wanted to push that Steve/Peggy agenda and not remind anyone of Stucky. I look back on my complaints about the Irondad&Spiderson in this movie and take my grateful’s that we got the hug, because the poor Stucky fanbase got friggin robbed.

So again, big giant CGI battle fest. At one point they’re playing Hot Potato with the gauntlet trying to keep it away from Thanos and get it to Scotts van. I will admit, seeing Peter get like, 11 moms all at once was badass. Though it broke my heart to see him curled up in a tight ball holding the gauntlet like that…boy gunna have some real PTSD that Far From Home will likely brush off with more jokes disregarding and disrespecting the seriousness behind mental health and trauma.

I legit forgot about Captain Marvel until the moment she showed up.

I repeat: I legit forgot about Captain Marvel until the moment she showed up.

I know this moment had a LOT of characters to balance, but christ. If the writers can’t handle multiple characters with grace, they shouldn’t be handling multiple characters to begin with. Most were in this battle scene for the sake of showing their face. I mean, did Mantis even fight? So much was going on I couldn’t see past the center focus.

And I know a LOT of people complained that they didn’t want Captain Marvel to be the one that saves the day, but honestly, she would have been the better fit.

Tony making the final snap was done for shock factor. I stand by it. The narrative called for Steve Rogers to lay down his life in a blaze of glory, and because people predicted that – which is NOT a bad thing! It just means you’re telling your story well! – they took a hard left. Steve Rogers was a man out of his time, and his narrative told us time and time again he struggled with his life without a war. He needed the fight, that was his purpose. And his purpose should have ended with that final snap.

Instead, because movies want to be edgy and unpredictable, they ruined the narrative of Tony Stark and the final snap kills him. It’s horrific to watch. His last audible words are “I am Iron Man” and his last mumbled words are “Hey, babe” to Pepper. He gurgles blood out of his mouth, his brain is melting from the sheer power of the stones, Peter legit just sobs over him and he dies after Pepper feeds him some poetic, flowery shit about “You can rest now.”

This would be an immensely touching moment if it weren’t telling the audience that death is rest and the only way Tony could rest is if he died. First and foremost, I’m sorry, I do not consider death to be rest. Death is the end of existence. And Tony Stark had plenty of opportunities to rest without death. But the Russo Brothers decided 5 years of happiness was enough for him (when honestly, was it truly happiness? We all know he was harboring guilt from the Decimation and still mourning Peter) so they gave him those 5 years and then killed him off.

Between Thor, Natasha, and Tony, the MCU has taken society’s fight against the stigma on mental health back like, 25 years. Their answer to those who have mental trauma is to make fat jokes or kill them because that’s the only way they’ll be at peace. I guess this means Spidey is next, because there’s no way a 17 year old teenager is walking way from that without some serious PTSD.

Just by watching it I have PTSD.

I’m just not even touching this one in full extent. I’m sure other people will say it better than me and already have. All I will say is this: The past 11 years of film and subsequently the collective narrative told over the course of 22 films created a purpose for each of these two characters — Tony Stark struggled to move on from the fight, to truly let go of being Iron Man and retire. Steve Rogers struggled with his place in the world, moving on from Peggy Carter and finding purpose in fighting the battles that needed won.

Tony Stark deserved an ending of retirement, or even semi-retirement, perhaps taking on an advisory role at Shield. It would show the audience that sometimes you shouldn’t fight what feels natural within yourself, and Tony had a natural urge to be involved in this superhero life. He still could be, from afar, like a new Nick Fury.

And Steve Rogers, a man out of his time, deserved to win that battle in the blaze of glory, laying down his life for the other half of the universe. I really can’t believe I’m saying this, but I feel cheated for not seeing his death.

The Russo Brothers got this wrong. And shame one everyone who supported them along the way. These character’s had arcs established for many films prior to this and with a “5 Years Later” cue card all that just goes out the window.

Tony’s funeral exists solely for the purpose of doing a slow pan shot of a ton of faces standing around somberly. As an Irondad&Spiderson fan, it hurt to see Peter directly behind Pepper, Rhodey, Steve and Happy. May looked to be the same age/not aged up so I have to assume she got dusted as well. And since I’m being honest here: I know a lot of people fawn over Harley and Tony, but him being there made little to no sense to me. Plus, 95% of the audience didn’t even know who he was.

But again, this scene exists solely so we can show a bunch of big name faces at once, the big “group shot” that’s been spoken about so much during the hype of this movie. Even General Ross is there, the little fucker.

And to be even more of a bitter little sarcastic ass — the sailing away of his first arc reactor was sweet, truly, it was. But I look at that lake surrounding their cabin and think…it’s just gunna float around out there, making it’s laps around the cabin. I’d hate to be Pepper, waking up one morning and seeing it near the front porch. Unless they go and collect it once everyone leaves…I dunno, fuck, I just don’t even like thinking about this part of the film. It all played out like so much fanfiction I’ve read waiting for this movie. This just wasn’t supposed to be the movies ending, I really can’t say that enough.

Clint and Wanda have a moment that, I suppose, is there to tell us they’re grieving over Nat and Vision. It all felt like cheap throw away lines. Natasha deserved so much more than that, and hell, so did Vision. And hell, so did half of Asgard, and Loki, and all the people who died because of The Decimation.

But it’s okay. Steve’s going to return the stones back to their proper timelines, as promised to The Ancient One, and with that opportunity of time travel he’s going to give the middle finger to the remaining team members he has by staying back in time and “living some of that life Tony told him to get.” How, you ask? By using his other hand to give his other middle finger to the life Peggy Carter established long after him, with a husband and children and a career at SHIELD, so he can marry her.

😑

Imma be honest, when I first watched this movie, it was the cheeseburger line that really broke me. Up til that very moment, I held strong. I ignored all the shitty jokes, the shitty unraveling of character development, the shitty use of time travel, the shitty death of Tony Stark – I ignored it all. For some reason, the cringey-as-fuck “Your father liked cheeseburgers. I’ll get you all the cheeseburgers you want.” line just broke me. It read so much like badly written fanfiction that to sound like the obnoxious white girl I am, I couldn’t even anymore.

But once this scene hit, I was done. This was my “Nah, fuck this movie.” moment. This was my “I absolutely do not accept this” moment. This was when I walked out of the theaters, not waiting for an end credit scene that didn’t even exists anyway, or the credits of all the actors who’ve been in the MCU since 2008. I walked out the moment that dance ended, furious. And honestly, sticking around for that montage the second time around was rough. The anger hadn’t gone away yet.

So, to sum up? Avengers: Endgame played out like a fans poorly written, rushed, badly scripted fanfiction. But that fan had only watched Infinity War and read a couple of fanfictions afterward to get the gist on how to even write in the first place.

I’ve defended the MCU up until this moment. I know a lot of people jumped ship after Civil War; clearly the Russo Brothers were doing something wrong then. But they absolutely destroyed the universe with this movie to the likes that I’ve personally never seen before. What should have been a proper send off for characters (death or no death) ended up being a laughable joke of bad script writing, poor treatment to characters who had been around for a decade, and an idiotic usage of time travel.

Doctor Strange saw 14 million futures. In my head, Endgame was merely one of their lost battles. In my head, I have disowned this movie from the franchise. And while I will always be a Marvel fan, I’m likely done with the MCU moving forward in this odd universe of 2023. It’s just sad that I have to say goodbye with such a bitter taste in my mouth.

Thankfully, that’s what fannon and fandom is for.

#endgame critique #fuck endgame #fuck the russo brothers #anti mcu #mcu #marvel #fando #avengers #avengers 4 #avengers endgame #irondad #spiderson #endgame spoilers

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the-mjolnir-owner · 5 years

Text

Here comes the post™ about the movie™ no one asked for

I’ve been postponing this due to spoilers, but I think it’s time now.

Those of you who already know me and who I speak to daily already know my opinion about EG and maybe I was expecting it to to change in some weeks, but it didn’t.

It’s not a surprise to anyone that Thor’s my favorite character who I’ve been playing for at least seven years. He brought me joy, helped me to find friends for life and gave me strength when I was down.

It’s not a surprise that I feel betrayed and disappointed by how his story was dealt in this last movie and I’m willing to ignore parts of it and replace it with my own canon. It’s not that I had faith in the production to begin with, but still I was let down with all of this disrespect.

Don’t read it if you haven’t watched the movie, heavy spoilers ahead.

My thoughts:

- Thor didn’t get anyone back. I wasn’t expecting those who were killed to return, but maybe those who got dusted could include Sif at least, but they’re not known to respect women at all. He fought for everyone’s else happy ending but his, and although this is in character, it’s still sad

- There was no satisfactory ending to Thor/Loki relationship. Everyone who bothered to watch Thor’s movies know that Thor and Loki share a deep, complicated bond. It’s a love/hate relationship and they were working to mend it when Loki had one of the most gruesome, unnecessary deaths I’ve ever seen on screen. They never shared a hug on screen and they didn’t use Tom/Loki’s popularity for anything. The death of a character who struggled their whole life by the hands of their abuser? No thank you, you can keep it

- Thor went back to Asgard and didn’t even visit Loki. I didn’t understand their time travel rules but I know they were confusing. Thor normally doesn’t play by human’s laws and I wished his approach to Loki was different. That was the last time he was seeing his brother and I understand him losing it when he meets Frigga, maybe one of the best scenes he has in the entire shitshow

- Thor’s love life sucks. Everybody had their happy dance, their happy marriage with kids, but Thor, who was left with no family at all. I don’t ship Thor/Jane but it’s clear he loves her deeply, she was an important person in his life who opened his eyes and taught him to be less arrogant, selfish and more human. I don’t want them to be a couple anymore, but they could at least respect this relationship. They did them dirty since TDW but that’s another subject. I don’t want Thor/Jane anymore when we have a whole Thorkyrie meal waiting to happen, but they could at least address this subject and show that Thor/Jane can still be friends

- They really said fuck asgardian lives. I wasn’t expecting anyone to return, but have Steve going back in time to have his happy ending was a bit selfish imo, considering Thor was left to live his own reality where everybody is dead but him. They didn’t have to save Asgard or prevent the elves from attacking, but they could have changed Thanos’ attack to their deteriorated ship and the massacre that followed. I thought Thor could meet his sister somehow and bring back the fallen asgardians. That would be better. He could have used the gauntlet himself to fix this shit, but Thor was a second rate character in EG

- I was told there was a Thorkyrie kiss scene in Ragnarok and now I understand why it was cut. Valkyrie could have a pivotal role in not allowing Thor to succumb in a spiral of self hatred and lethargy, sharing the burden of leading a collapsed civilization and helping Thor out of his drunk state, in the same way he helped her, brought her home and gave her life a new purpose. It was a conscious decision to take everything from Thor, especially his development.

If I was mad they let Valkyrie be King instead of Thor, who was grown to rule? Not at all. He wouldn’t be able to do anything considering his mental state, trauma and self image, he needs to recover and heal and it takes time.

He was king for about 8 hours and he had to witness his family, his friends and his people being slaughtered in front of him and we know he carries this blame like an anchor. Valkyrie at least managed to lead the escape pods to Earth and probably lead them while Thor was fighting in IW. She’s the only one left he can count on, and their scenes together were disappointing

- Talking about trauma. I knew he wouldn’t be ok considering what happened to him in the recent movies. He lost his mom, his brother, his lover, his father, all of his friends, his eye, his hammer, his hair, his sister, his planet, his army, his people, his battle. We know since AoU that his worst fear was losing them all and he had to witness all of this foreshowed carnificina (remember they weren’t snapped, a quick and painless death, no, they were all butchered one by one in front of Thor) without getting a break or some time to react or grieve or anything in response to it.

I’ve read before he’s a safe choice when it comes to trauma, nothing should affect him because he’s a god. But it does, he may be a god but he’s still made of flesh and bones and a beating heart that is way too big and too soft.

We watched his desperate attempts to make things right in IW, his desperate attempts to end his own life. We watched him ready to die by Loki’s side when the ship was about to explode. We watched him taking the full blast of a star, forging an ax by the cost of his own life. Bless Hemsworth for all of Thor’s emotional scenes, every time he cried I cried as well because I could understand and relate to his struggle of trying to remain fine for his friends’ sake while his heart was shattered

- That trauma reflected on his self image. He couldn’t go through all of this unscatched, and it’s ok. I understand his recluse, his effort to shut down the world outside and deal with things by the only way he knows how to deal with any inner turmoil: drowning his sorrow in alcohol. He’s always been a heavy drinker and it’s a normal, accepted asgardian behavior to drink entire casks of ale (see Valkyrie). You know what’s not ok? Using his problems as a fucking three hours joke.

- He’s the only character whose pain isn’t treated like a real problem. As if he’s being dramatic when he can’t say a name or tell a story without losing it or going through a panic attack. Skinny characters are worthy compassion, thicc characters aren’t and I see your fatphobia, @marvel

- Fucking three hour joke. I’ve seen someone point on twitter that there are two stances to weight in EG: Tiny gets stranded in space for weeks, when he returns to earth he’s malnourished, thin, sick. People immediately tend to him, he’s hospitalized, it’s heartbreaking to see him like this and it’s obvious he has been through too much. All the characters involved react to him with sympathy. The same can’t be told about Thor. He has a weight problem too, he’s dissociating and he doesn’t care what he looks like anymore. I know people who went through the same ordeal.

Thor’s punishing himself for feeling like a failure and it reflects on his body. Yet, we are lead to feel sorry for one of them (Tiny) and laugh at the other (Thor). The audience is lead to have compassion by one character going through a difficult phase and being grossed out/amused by another character who is going through the same thing, if not worse.

- It’s not woke nor progressive to have a fit man wearing a badly made fat suit to badly portray a fat person. It was literally made to entertain, to be a comic relief, not to raise awareness of how mental health problems can cause physical problems as well and it’s a missed opportunity to have an approach to it, on how men are supposed to be fit all the time, on how superhero bodies can be in all shapes and sizes. It’s all about fat-shaming and fatphobia.

I love and appreciate Thor in all shapes and forms, but what they did to him wasn’t a body positive view and if they mean to keep fat Thor in their next projects, they better hire an actual plus size actor. The sole purpose of chubby Thor was to degrade the character and strip him of sympathy because he “did that to himself”

- This mockery comes from other superheroes. What are we teaching young audiences when they watch the Avengers making fun of a debilitated person? That it’s ok to laugh at a fat, depressed person who has panic attacks? Thor gets mocked, teased and fat shamed by people who are dear to him, by the only “friends” he has left - friends whom he knows for at least 6+ years - friends he defended and saved countless times before. By his own mother to some degree.

They don’t show him the same sympathy and just like Odin, Thor’s only seen worthy by how hard he can strike, by how powerful he can be. A weapon, not a person, and when said weapon loses its sharpness, it’s not worthy fixing anymore. Thor’s a war hound and that’s the only aspect the Avengers value in him.

It’s important to remember Thor treated the Hulk differently, like a person, and supported Bruce when he didn’t want to turn into the Hulk. He treated Valkyrie differently, too, when he realized she had alcohol problems and carried an immense grief. Thor’s often betrayed by people whom he loves and trusts, but this is too much of an insult to people going through the same problems in the audience. It’s sad to see all the other characters (except Bruce/Hulk) denying emphathy and compassion to Thor, knowing Thor would never deny emphathy and compassion to anyone else

- Thor isn’t lazily eating/drinking after a broke up, no. He was traumatized from seeing everyone he had ever loved die in front of him then being blamed for not stopping Thanos, or going to the head. He hopes that by chopping Thanos’ head off he’d feel better, but he doesn’t. Thor lost more people than any of the others and Cap goes to group theraphy sessions (never bothers to invite Thor), Tiny gets hospitalized but Thor doesn’t have a fit boy anymore, he doesn’t deserve simpathy, he’s lazy for letting it happen to him and that’s how they want us to feel. Amused by Thor’s pain that’s less important now because he lost his 8 pack

- He died to forge a weapon and it wasn’t enough. He did an herculean job to make a weapon strong enough to kill Thanos, not only did he fail but he also survived to tell. If he had died trying, then his ticket to Valhalla would be granted, but he lost it as well.

Not only he carries a huge survivor guilt, but the certainty he isn’t worthy anything anymore, not even the golden halls of Valhalla wait for him. And he tries time and time again to live a glorious death that doesn’t come

- His drunkenness is ooc. They contradicted their own canon by claiming that Thor can get drunk on weak midgardian ale. He can’t. He could really drink that amount of beer, but it wouldn’t affect him. Not even physically. Thor has a fast metabolism and it would take him some hundred years to become that chubby on weak beer or other beverages. They ignored their own canon to insist in this joke, that had greenlight from everybody involved

- Marvel’s efforts to hide chubby Thor. In the trailers, in the posters, in the action figures and promotional images, we see the usual Thor, fit. It’s supposed to be a big surprise to see Thor like this, people told me. I think it’s all about sending a message that chubby heroes don’t sell and they hid this information purposely. There’s no action figures of fat Thor. He isn’t made to promote the movie, awareness or sell anything. Because a fat person serves only for fun, they think, not to sell, his role in this movie is to be mocked. But it’s on them, because in this house we love and respect chubby Thor and I can’t wait to buy his fluffly plush doll

- Thor’s weakened. Stormbreaker is used as a bottle opener and they seem to forget how powerful it was. Everything that Taika did, the Russos undid. The whole point of Ragnarok (the best Thor movie imo) was showing Thor and the audience he doesn’t need a weapon to be powerful. In IW he gets his eye back and makes an ax, forgetting all of this, and in EG he has his hammer back. Not only one, but he’s wielding two magical weapons and is still beaten? No way. I can’t believe I paid actual money to watch it. Thor could have used the gauntlet and he’d still be fine and alive, it would be so much better imo

- He is back to using a weapon to tell him he has value. He was over mjolnir’s standards on what’s worthy anymore and he’s finally free of its magical whims. Now he trusts in the hammer judgment of him again because what else does he have? Who else does he have?

- They never wanted us to feel bad about Thor. They mixed Thor’s sadness with shots of his body to entertain from the fact that he’s dead inside. His arc is made for laughs. We’re lead to think it’s funny. If they wanted us to feel bad about fat Thor, they would make him thin like Tiny who got all the sympathy he deserved. Bless Chris for the emotion he conveyed though

- Thor leaving with the Guardians was a conflicting point. I’d love to see Thor with the GoTG and I love the previous GoTG movies. But it won’t solve his problems. I wanted him to heal, and if the Guardians will help him with it, instead of the Avengers, then it’s ok. He should accept there are things he can’t change and it’s not his fault, he should try and change the things he can and look forward to something, anything, that would give him hope again

- In the end, at least, everybody was rooting for him to recover and it was good. He wasn’t magically made thin again and all the time I was waiting for a Rocky Balboa sequence with Thor lifting weight or jogging, but it didn’t happen, and at least it served to show us that he’s still worthy, a hero and himself in spite of how he looks or how much he weighs

- It hurts to see an optimistic, caring character losing it. I know he wouldn’t leave unscatched, but it’s sad to lose my ray of sunshine Thor, who always had hope and fought for what was right. Seeing my favorite character lethargic, apathetic and not being the protagonist of his own life is very hard. Thor always brought me inspiration and he instills the best in people: he supports Sif when she wants to be a warrior, he shows Jane she’s right in her researches, shows Valkyrie she’s not her failure, helps Bruce out of panic attacks in an alien planet, tries to reach for Loki time and time again, he trusts the Avengers and works with them in order to save a world that isn’t even his. He saved the world at least four times.

And they all let him down. It’s not a satisfactory conclusion, but I didn’t hope they’d make it differently. I still hope I’ll see my Thor again and even if I don’t, I’ll write him with faithful friends I met along the way. He deserves it and I won’t let him down

Any positive points after miles of salt?

Thor chopping off Thanos’ head and probably using it as a mug was nice.

I liked his Viking looks with braids in his hair and beard and how he weilded two magical weapons.

Sharing them with Cap, who is one of his best friends, is great too.

Having Thor leaving with the Guardians was a nice choice because I like the Guardians and I know Thor will return better after this vacation to assume his throne.

Leaving the throne for Valkyrie means she’s his Queen in his eyes and you’ll have to pry Thorkyrie from my cold, dead hands.

There’s a bitter taste, yeah, but things can be better in the future when the sun will shine on us again.

#ooc #endgame spoilers #spoilers #long post #endgame negativity #you don't have to agree with me but if you don't #make your own post with your own thoughts instead of adding them to mine thank you

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imagine-loki · 6 years

Text

Long And Lost

TITLE: Long And Lost

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 16

AUTHOR: FadingCoast

PROMT/ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine being Loki’s old friend/Lover in Asgard, but you left for Earth a long time ago. For all he knows, you might be dead, but you’re still alive and you’ve been working with SHIELD and/or the Avengers.

PAIRING: Loki/Sigyn

RATING: Mature.

NOTES/WARNINGS: Sexual innuendos (no explicit sex) / mentions of torture and brainwashing. The prologue is set right before Avengers. The first chapters are set after Civil War. Chapter 4 and on, are all during Ragnarok.

Also on Ao3 Tumblr masterlist

Feedback is always appreciated

Ch.16: No more dreaming of the dead

Thor hadn’t spent half a day in Sakaar and already he has been attacked, shot at, electrocuted, microwaved, tortured and sold as a slave.

His father was dead, his hammer destroyed. Asgard was under the control of his evil sister and he was stuck on this planet on the edge of the universe. At least Loki was alive, but right now he doubted he could be of any help.

He knelt in the cell, facing the wall. He thought of his parents. He had lost them both in such a short time. Frigga’s death was still fresh and painful, no matter how beautiful her ceremony was, her death was untimely. His father at least had chosen to go on his own terms, but he had been away from home.

“Odin…” Thor started, doing the only thing he could do at the moment to honor his father’s memory and to bring some relief to himself. “I bid you take your place in the halls of Valhalla… Where the brave shall live forever. Nor shall we mourn but rejoice,” he breathed out. “…for those that have died the glorious death.”

“…for those that have died the glorious death.” Loki finished the prayer with his brother.

Thor turned around and sat against the wall, staring daggers at Loki.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” Loki said. “Being lied to. Being told you’re one thing and then learning it’s all a fiction.”

Thor picked up some of the stones that littered the floor and threw them at his brother. They went right through. It made Thor rolls his eyes. Loki groaned.

“You didn’t think I’d really come and see you, did you? This place is disgusting.”

Thor still said nothing, and kept throwing stones to a less than amused Loki.

“Does this mean you don’t want my help?” Loki taunted him. “Look, I couldn’t jeopardize my position with Grandmaster, it took me time to win his trust. He’s a lunatic, but he can be amenable.” Loki put his hands behind his back and studied Thor. He knew Thor wanted to go back, and whether he liked it or not, he also had to go. “I know you’re thinking of going back.” Thor looked at Loki curiously this time. “I’m just trying to make sure you understand what it is we’re up against here: Our sister destroyed your hammer like a piece of glass. That makes her stronger than both of us. As you are, you don’t stand a chance. Do you understand what I’m saying to you? You aren’t in a position of kicking your way back.”

Thor just scowled. Maybe he does understand what Loki is saying, but plotting and scheming weren’t things Thor was inclined to do in any situation.

“Fine.” Loki said, sort of defeated. “If we are going back to Asgard–”

“You want to go back?” Thor finally spoke. Loki just raised an eyebrow. “After all you did?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Let me see… You faked your own death, you stole the throne, stripped Odin of his power, stranded him on Earth to die, releasing the Goddess of Death.” Thor said. “Have I said enough, or do you do you want me to go further back than the past two days?” He buffed. “All of this is your fault, as usual.”

Loki’s eyes burned. For once, he wished he was in that disgusting cell, just to punch Thor in the face. Thor stared coldly at him.

“Of course you’d say that.” Loki said, composing himself. “Anyway… I’ve tried to find out about this champion you’re supposed to fight. But the only information I’ve gathered is that he is massive, deadly and savage. Do me a favor and don’t die.”

Thor hurled a particularly big stone at Loki’s head. The illusion disappeared as the rock sank on the opposite wall.

“You do have anger management issues.”

“For Bor’s sake!” Thor said, terribly frustrated, and looked at the woman that had materialized by his side.

“Relax, Thor. I’m just here to pay my respects. I know how hard it is to lose one’s family.” Sigyn said. Thor sighed in defeat. In his grief, he hadn’t stopped to think about the extended family they had lost.

“Thank you.” Thor muttered.

“ And by that I meant Frigga, by the way.” Sigyn pointed out, Thor scoffed.

“Well, after everything I cannot expect you to have any love for Odin.”

“I never did.” She shrugged. “Not after the way he treated Loki his whole life. So I cannot exactly say that his passing saddens me.”

Thor shifted uncomfortably. “Why come back when you found him then? You could’ve killed him… Loki’s spells would’ve been nothing to you.”

“Loki could’ve killed him too, you know? But he didn’t.” Sigyn said, Thor hung his head. “I came back because of who else could find him.” She added. “Hela is the most immediate of your problems, but you know is not the only one.”

“One crisis at the time, sister.” Thor said with a sad smile. “Think Loki will actually help?”

“Loki always does what he wants.” She rolled her eyes. “It would be stupid to try and change his mind.” She took a deep breath. “But right now, he has to go back to Asgard. So he needs you, and you need him.”

“Sometimes I feel like I don’t know him.” Thor said with a sigh. “How do I know if I can trust him?” It wasn’t a question Thor wanted answered, so Sigyn kept silent. “Why does he need to go back?”

Sigyn smirked. “He has his reasons.”

“But you know.”

“Of course I do.”

Thor half smiled. “How will I ever deal with the two of you again?”

“The same way you did for 600 years on Asgard.” Sigyn said with a smile of her own.

Thor sat quietly for a moment, pondering on Loki’s words. He didn’t like it, but Loki was right. He wasn’t going to admit it, but he felt a little jealous of Sigyn’s relationship with his brother. “You always knew what to do with him.” He added. “Since we were kids, you just– get each other.”

“That’s because I took the time to get him. You never wanted to get him.” She said. “You were happy with your role and the privileges attached to them, so you grew blind to what was going on with Loki.” Her illusion shifted to be sitting in front of Thor. “Odin was never a great father to him, and you know why.”

“Cause he wasn’t his son.” He muttered.

“Loki had to perform to your level without any of the rewards. And if he did succeed, it didn’t matter. You were always going to have the upper hand.” Sigyn bit her lip. “Now, you get to feel a little bit of what he felt when he found out, and you still blame him.”

Thor stiffened a bit, feeling a faint blush on his cheeks. “Well, he has done some stupid things…”

“Haven’t we all?” Sigyn smirked.

Thor exhaled loudly and leaned back. “Is he going to take me out of here?”

“Thor, I might be a witch, but I can only see like 30 seconds into the future.” She said. “I think you’ll have to get yourself out of here.”

“Will he be able to get us back to Asgard?”

“That I know he will. Maybe even with some friends.” She added, looking at a confused Thor. “Look around you, Thor. You’re not alone in here.”

“What are you suggesting?”

“That you use that you’re good at. Punch your way out of this and win.”

Back in the training room, Sigyn sparred with Bucky.

The time difference she and Loki had made it hard to keep up with everything that was happening in Sakaar. Training with Bucky gave her something to keep her head clear.

So far she had learned through Loki that the Hulk was the famous Sakaar champion everyone was afraid of (she even made a mental note to tell Steve about it). Thor had fought him and won. The Grandmaster didn’t keep his promise to release him, so Thor escaped. Loki was desperate, and the Grandmaster wasn’t very happy with him.

If I can’t find that stupid oaf…

Relax, you will find him.

Sigyn and Bucky took a break. His arm needed some minor adjustments. She allowed herself to enjoy a cup of tea, until she felt an exhilaration that wasn’t hers. Loki was fighting someone.

I found a Valkyrie!

What?

This woman I’m fighting! She’s a Valkyrie!

Get inside her head!

Loki was a bit thrown off by Sigyn’s suggestion. This allowed the Valkyrie to knock him off balance and catch him against the wall.

“I thought the Valkyrie all died gruesome deaths?” He said with a hint of a smirk.

“Choose your next words wisely” The woman pressed her knee against his chest.

“I’m terribly sorry… Must be a painful memory.”

Using one of his favorite tricks, Loki put his hand on the Valkyrie’s head and focused his power on her. Her eyes went blank and her mind showed him her worst memories. A whole army of Valkyries attacking Hela. The goddess destroying them one by one. Their white horses slain. The floor flooded with blood. The sacrifice of one of her own to push her back home. The shame of being the only one left alive, and nothing left to lose.

Hmm, she might be of some use. Lose.

What?

Did you not see all that? She might help you. Let her beat you.

You do know how to improve my selfconfidence.

She has a better chance of finding Thor as well.

I am going to regret this.

He didn’t like it, but Sigyn had a point. As soon as the Valkyrie recovered from Loki’s attack on her brain, she turned even more aggressive. With only a couple of moves, she was overpowering him. Accepting defeat, Loki let her knock him out.

Skimming through Ragnarok like 80% of that movie did not happen! xDD

#Loki #Lover #Angst #God of Mischief #Submitted fic #submission #long and lost #chapter 16 #fadingcoast #friend #love #asgard #dead #alive #S.H.I.E.L.D.#Avengers #relationship #midgard #ecstatic

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rose-gold-romantic · 6 years

Text

What Heroes Do: Chapter Ten

A Loki x reader that takes place during Thor: Ragnarok. Follow-up fic to Tesseract and Lokasenna .

I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK! Want to be tagged in updates? Let me know!

@malignentmac @fandomsfanman @i-am-supermerwholoked221b@markusstraya @lafayettes-baguettes-1@pandaqua

Bruce was the first to awake, yelling as he looked out the cabin window. Asgard lay in front of us, in all of it’s golden splendor.

“I’d never thought I’d be back here.” Val said as we approached the city.

“I thought it’d be a lot nicer.” Bruce said, standing up. “I mean, not that it’s not nice. It’s just, it’s on fire.”

“Here, up in the mountains.” Val said, pointing to a readout on the control panel. “Heat signatures. People clustered together. She’s coming for them.”

“Ok, drop me off at the palace.” Thor said, “I’ll draw her away.”

“And get yourself killed?” Val said, eyeing him.

“The people trapped down there are all that matters.” Thor said. “While I’m dealing with Hela, I need all of you to help get everyone off of Asgard by Bifrost.”

“How the hell are we supposed to do that?” Bruce asked.

“I have a man on the ground.” Thor said as we approached the palace.

We hovered for a moment, Thor placing a large machine gun inside the ship.

“Now, the ship has a gun.” he said, pushing it into the ship with one last heft. “I found this in the armory.” Thor added, handing Val a bundle of clothing. “Good luck.”

“Your majesty,” Val called out as we began to leave. “Don’t die. You know what I mean.”

We took off, Val changing into her new armor. I prepped the gun, fastening it to the deck of the ship as best I could. Flying out towards the Bifrost, we saw a large crowd of people running down the Bifrost, only stopping when they saw the enormous Wolf waiting at the other end.

The wolf began running towards the people, and they started to run back.

“Fenris.” Val muttered under her breath. She opened fire, lasers hailing down on the Bifrost in front of the wolf.

The Asgardians continued their retreat, only to be stopped by Hela’s undead army. Undead soldiers poured out of the Bifrost building, running up behind the wolf. The bullets continued to bounce harmlessly off of Fenris, the wolf choosing to continue his advance.

“This stupid dog won’t die!” Val shouted above the whine of the ship’s engines.

Bruce stepped towards Val, resolve in his eyes. “Everything’s gonna be alright now, I’ve got this.” he said, stepping towards the open door. “You wanted to know who I am?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Val asked, staring at Banner.

“You’ll see!” Bruce replied, leaping off of the ship to the Bifrost below.

I raced into the cockpit to steer the ship in Bruce’s absence. “Val, I could use a little help!” I yelled back, “Those dead guys are starting to climb all over the ship and I’m losing control!”

Val and I struggled to keep the ship upright, narrowly avoiding hitting Asgardians as we slid to a halt on the Bifrost. I was thrown from the ship, fighting to stand despite my bruised body’s protest. I drew my sword, running towards Hela’s army as they fought with the Asgardians. Undead soldiers fell left and right beneath Asgardian blade, my own shortsword meeting its mark time after time.

I was taken off-guard by one, falling to the ground, my sword knocked from my grasp. Just as the soldier moved to strike me, he was blown away by a gun blast, a man made of rock stepping into my view.

“Hey, man.” the stone figure said, “I’m Korg. We’re gonna jump on that spaceship and get outta here. Wanna come?”

I looked over through the mist, a horned figure appearing as the engine noise grew louder.

“Your Savior is here!!” Loki’s voice echoed through the mist, his figure becoming clear as an enormous ship approached the Bifrost.

Asgardians crowded near the ship as Loki stepped onto the Bifrost. “Did you miss me?” He smiled, and I rolled my eyes at his dramatic flair. “Everyone, on that ship, now!”

Loki made his way through the crowd, approaching Heimdall and I as Korg and his friend combated the undead army.

“Welcome home.” Heimdall said, “I saw you coming.”

“Of course you did.” Loki said, turning to face me. “I told you I’d come.”

“I remember.” I said, picking up my shortsword. “Let’s do this.”

We braced as the army approached, taking them down one by one as they tried to break past us. An overwhelmingly large bolt of lightning struck the palace, causing everyone on the Bifrost to look on in awe. I glanced up at Loki, who smiled fondly a the sight of his brother’s power. The lightning arced towards the Bifrost, Thor sailing through the air to attack Hela’s army. Thor cut through the enemy forces, his electrified body re-enforced with a strength that I had never seen before. Fireworks shot up from our ship, Val stepping out confidently to aid in our fight.

Loki and I fought back to back, dodging and guarding each other in perfect unison, protecting the Asgardians that were still fleeing onto the ship. I used my invisibility sparingly, as it drained my energy, and I did not wish to accidentally meet my end at a friendly blade’s hand just because they couldn’t see me. It did work to my advantage as I struck a ghoul down, saving Loki from an untimely end. I reappeared, helping Loki up from the ground as our newfound friends finished off the enemies that surrounded us.

“Marry me.” Loki breathed, his eyes staring deep into mine.

“What?” I asked, just as breathy from our strenuous fight.

“Marry me, please.” he asked again, picking his helm up from the ground. I turned to fight off another enemy, my mind flooded with a million thoughts as my cheeks flushed and my heart soared.

“Are you sure this is the best time for this?” I asked, yanking my sword out of a skeleton.

“Does it have any affect on your answer?” he shouted back above the noise, placing his helm back on his head.

“Of course not.” I shouted back, dodging another attack.

“Well?” he insisted, rolling and snagging the enemy’s leg with his helm’s horns, stabbing them before gazing back at me.

“Of...of course I will!” I stuttered out, shoving a soldier off of my sword.

We continued to finish off the last of the soldiers, Val, Loki, Thor, and myself all working ourselves to be closer together. When the last of the enemy had been taken care of, Heimdall hurried off to guide the last of the Asgardians onto the waiting ship.

“You’re late.” Thor said, gasping for air from the fight that we had just finished.

“You’re missing an eye.” Loki replied.

“This isn’t over.” Val said, walking past all of us, bringing our attention to Hela, who was standing on the Bifrost.

“I think we should disband the Revengers.” Thor sighed to Val.

“Hit her with a lightning blast.” Loki said, gesturing to Hela.

“I just hit her with the biggest lightning blast in the history of lightning.” Thor said, exasperated. “It did nothing.”

Hela continued to approach, stalking slowly like a cat about to pounce.

“We just need to hold her off until everyone’s on board.” Val said, panting.

“It won’t end there.” Thor said. “The longer Hela’s on Asgard, the more powerful she grows. She’ll hunt us down. We need to stop her here and now.”

“So what do we do?” Val asked.

#loki #loki x reader #self insert #fanfiction #fanfic #marvel #thor #ragnarok #romance #slow burn #tesseract #lokasenna #valkyrie #what heroes do #whd

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skeletonwoman · 6 years

Text

Cotton Eye Thor (Thor)

this was a req!! Yay!!

Request: I absolutely loved “Your Face” and was wondering if you could write another Thor imagine taking place right after Ragnarok where the reader and Thor are reunited for the first time since Thor loses his father, his eye, etc. and he breaks down and the reader comforts him. Super super fluffy please ❤️ (If it fits, could the reader be Tony’s daughter? But if it would just be irrelevant you can leave that out, whatever you think is best). Thanks

i hope you like it! it took days to complete

HELLA RAGNAROK SPOILERS EVERYBODY. HELLA. ;)

“It was a ski trip,” you snarl, barely holding back your rage. “It wasn’t a f*cking declaration.”

Tony laughs, completely ignoring your words as he regales Pepper with your best moments from the weekend.

You’re so stupid. A few PhD’s and suddenly you think you can handle a delusional Stark?

“Seriously Tony,” you growl and he sighs, shooting Pepper a look before he turns toward you. You can see the small curve to her mouth, as if it’s all so adorable.

“Daughter-”

“Nope.”

“I’m having a conversation, what do you need?”

He says it so calmly. As if it’s no big deal.

You’re so stupid. No ski trip is worth this. Well… This one you just went on was fan-f*cking-tastic.

“I need you to stop calling me your daughter. Someones going to hear it and think it’s genuinely true.” You try to give him a serious look, that this is a serious issue and he smirks.

“Shall I list the evidence,” he begins, his Jarvis imitating voice out in full force. Asshole. “Your genius brain? Obviously from me. You have my mothers eyes. You’re a tiny ball of rage, just like I used to be- but I covered it with sarcasm rather than your outright hostility.” He grimaces and your teeth clench. “You’re easily the right age. And Fate somehow dropped you into my arms when you needed me most. The only thing we haven’t done is a DNA test because you’re afraid it’ll be positive and you’ll be my daughter and I’m afraid it’ll be negative and you’ll truly push me away.”

He grins widely and your anger melts away.

You want to say something, to ease him but there’s nothing you can say.

Pepper moves half a step closer, her palms smoothing over his shoulders and he subtly leans into her touch. Under her hands, his entire being softens and you sigh with relief.

Turning, you come face to face with your most favourite person in the entire universe. Of all the galaxies and stars and planets and peoples. This is your favourite.

And he looks like shit.

But even shit, he’s still yours. And you’re his- despite how much being his sucks.

“My love!” Thor booms playfully and you throw yourself into his arms, your legs wrapping around his waist. “I have missed you!”

“Okay, that’s my kid, bro,” Tony grumbles and you scoff, your eyes glued to your best friends face as you stroke your fingers through his hair.

“I’ve missed you too,” you hum, and he beams at you. Tony makes another grumbly sound and you roll your eyes- brightening Thors smile.

“Where’ve you been, anyway?” Tony asks and you frown slightly, shifting slightly. Thor releases you slowly, your body dragging down his a touch more than necessary.

You note that Tony makes an indignant noise about this as well.

“Out, about.” He waves a vague hand, still holding you tight to his body with the other. He catches your gaze, “would you like to go watch Greys Anatomy? Where I have been, I have not kept up.”

You frown slightly, your gaze darting about his face before you swallow.

“Of course, there’s been two new seasons since I last saw you, gorgeous. You’ll never guess what’s gone down.”

He smirks knowingly before hefting you with a firemans lift over his shoulder. Your surprised squeak bursts into a laugh and you smack his ass hard.

“You have to ask!” You shout, smacking him again and he moans exaggeratedly.

“Harder! Yeah, baby!”

“I hate both of you,” Tony snarls and Pepper laughs softly. Your view of them disappears around a corner and Thors shoulders suddenly soften under your stomach.

“Thor?”

“Not yet,” he murmurs and you smooth your palms over his back reassuringly.

“Is this where we left off?” You ask, glancing from the screen to Thors face. He nods, tension around his eyes and you crawl up the bed. Collapsing against his side, you gently palm his cheek and smooth your thumb against his temple. “How’d this happen?”

His head tilts into your palm and his remaining eye falls closed.

“I…” He exhales a heavy breath and presses a kiss to your wrist. “I had a vision when we first met Wanda, when she… Gave those dark visions to everyone, I saw something. After that I went-” He shakes his head. “Erik Selvig tracked down a location for me and I induced another vision, that confirmed my fears. That Asgard would fall under the curse of Ragnarok.”

Your mouth falls open and you stare at his still closed eye.

“Did… Was…”

“I followed the clues to Surtur, the creature that was foretold to ruin Asgard and I defeated him. Took his helmet-crown-thing. I returned to Asgard on his warning and… Loki lives.”

You gasp audibly this time, and his lips twitch with the beginnings of a smile. His gaze catches yours and you raise your eyebrows.

“Yes. He had sent my father to Midgard, imprisoned him in an old persons home and worn my fathers guise and ruled in his stead. After I made him reveal himself we went in search of father. Met a Mr Strange. He was… A ridiculous little man.”

You giggle, your thumb running over his temple again. You’re familiar with Strange.

“Father gave us a vague message that his lifeforce was holding back a monstrous sister we had never met and that he lied about history. Then he died. And our sister arrived. Her name’s Hela and she’s the worst. She pushed us out of the Bifrost while trying to murder us and we ended up on a trash planet, Sakaar. I was enslaved into a fighting ring, my brother slept with the leader of the planet- he’ll never admit it. I found the Hulk, and a Valkyrie, the last of her kind- turns out my sister exterminated the lot of them. We escaped to Asgard, rescued the people, set off Surtur and he destroyed the planet while my sister- whos life force was tied to the planet, fought and died.” He coughs, blinking hard as if just noticing the tear tracks burning down his temples. “My brother lived, Banner lived, Heimdall lived. I don’t… know why I am so emotional.”

His arms encircle you, cuddling you against his chest while he buries his face into the crook of your neck.

“I missed you, more than I thought I would. Every time I went to sleep I wondered whether you were asleep too, whether you missed me, how soon it would be until I could come back to you.” He presses a dry kiss to your neck. “After it all happened, I had- I have a planet of men and women to find homes for. We have settled them on an island here but I don’t think this is forever, there is too many people on your planet already.”

“You’re going to find them a new planet? An second Asgard?” You tilt away from him to catch his eye and he mumbles an agreement. “And you’ll…”

“When I find it, I’ll have to remain there, as king.” His palm smooths up your back and into your hair. “I’ll also…” He clears his throat and his gaze darts from your face to the show playing in the background then back to you. “I will need a queen, to start a family- assure my peoples futures but-”

Are- can he hear your heart? You can hear it. Surely he can hear it. Hear it stopping, breaking, going too fast, cracking. Something. Somethings wrong. He’s still talking when you sit up, pushing back out of his grip.

The change is instantaneous, from nervous to panicked. Worried to fearful.

“Y/N,” he blurts and you hold up a palm.

He needs a broodmare. A pedigree bitch. Whatever animal breeding metaphor that comes to mind.

“I need-”

“I need you,” he cuts in, his hand cupping your jaw as he sits up. “I need you with me, because I can’t be a king, be anything for anyone if I’m not with you.”

“You just said-”

“That I need a wife and family, but I want you. And you can give me- be those things for me. Right? If you wanted- me, if you wanted me.” He expels a hard sigh, relief evident and you find yourself smiling. Somehow.

He wants you.

Despite everything, he wants you, wants you.

You’ve never kissed him.

He’s practically proposed and you’ve never even kissed him.

Your fingers bury themselves in his hair as you tug him to you, your lips finding his in a rushed kiss. For a moment, it’s messy and awkward and your heartrate spikes. You’re going to marry this- then it softens. And his hands are sliding around your waist while his tongue strokes into your mouth. And you’re on your knees, braced over his lap while his hands smooth over your ass- then squeeze.

A giggle pulls you apart and you can’t help beaming when your gazes clash. His grin is too smug but you can’t help but feel it too.

“I love you and I want you to be my queen. Will you consent to marrying me? Now or in the future?” He pauses for half a second- no time for you to answer. “Preferably sooner, we are in a lull that I am sure will not last. Should anything happen I want you to be cared for, you are my heart and my people must know it.”

“Tony would look after me- not that that matters right now, but Tony would look after me.”

He frowns, nodding but keeping his lips sealed. After another moment of silence it hits you.

“Oh! Yes, yes! I will, I’ll- Yeah, lets get married and do all the things that come with it. Queen, whatnot.”

To see the look on his face after you agree, you’d suffer a hundred royal positions. A thousand. Anything to have that moment forever.

Actually…

“FRIDAY! Do you have playback in the rooms?”

“On one minute loops, Miss.” Comes the automated voice and you sigh happily.

“I want a record of this last minute. I want the minute before I asked you about playbacks.”

“Yes, Miss. It has been sent to your tablet as an AVI.”

Scrambling off your new fiances lap, you snatch your tablet from beside the bed and crawl back up beside him. On screen, you can see his face clearly where your back is to the camera. Your position brings warmth to your cheeks, though it might have something to do with the soft kisses he’s placing on your neck. Your on screen self nods and… There.

“I love you, by the way. I love you too,” you say, dropping the tablet behind you and climbing back aboard him. “I love you and want to marry you. And Friday, I want this few seconds as a clip too.”

“Yes, Miss.”

I didn’t edit it in my excitement to finally post and be done etc so i guess just f*cking kill me if it’s riddled with mistakes (they often are- it’s like my thing at this point)

#thor fic #thor imagine #thor x reader #thor fanfic #thor fanfiction #thor odinson imagine #thor odinson x reader #thor odinson fic #Thor odinson X reader imagine #thor odinson x reader fic #marvel #avengers

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occasionalfics · 6 years

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The Ones To Go, 10 (Thor X Reader)

IT’S ANOTHER FINALE!

Summary: Thor’s life is finally no longer a series of unfortunate events.

A/N: For a while I had no idea where this was going to end. And then it just kind of happened in the fluffiest way it could? But like I’ve said before, I’m not even mad.

Thank you so much for reading <3 This story (and the prequel) were so much fun to write and share, and so many of you reached out to say how much you liked them and I’m so grateful for that!

Warnings: More fluff. All of it. Thor deserves to be happy and soft.

Words: 3,614

Torunn came first, then Alvgeir a few moments later, named Supernatural Spear after the trident his mother wielded. A Thordottir and Thorson. Loki had been right; she’d carried twins to term, then spent long, strenuous hours in labor with Thor at her side. He never left her, refusing to clear the room when the nurses asked him to. His Queen screamed at them to stop, but they forgave her, knowing that she was in pain. So Thor stayed and watched the first two of their children come into the world, his hand in hers as she squeezed every muscle in her body to deliver them.

When they’d been cleaned and fed, when they’d each gotten to hold one at a time and calm their children’s wailing, he asked the nurses to put the twins to sleep and the maids clean the bed. Then, as they had for one another before, he went and drew a bath. He asked the nurses which oils or salts he should put in the water and carefully followed their advice, then he gently picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. He put her down in the water before removing the loose nightgown the nurses had put on her earlier.

She sighed as she slowly lowered herself into the tub, wincing as her limbs spread into a sitting position.

“Are you alright, my love?” he asked, going to shut the door to the bathroom.

“Yes,” she said under her breath. She grunted, and the water sloshed against the tub. When he turned back around, she’d gotten her body under the water up to her shoulders and her eyes were closed. “Just...come sit with me please.”

He pulled his clothes off, then did as she asked, gently stepping into the tub behind her. He put his legs around her, then she positioned herself against him. He’d put his hands on the rim of the tub, but she gripped them and wrapped each one around her body.

“Mm,” she groaned. “Much better.”

“Is the water helping ease your pain?” he asked, to which she nodded.

“It’s more like strain now,” she answered. “Stars, it’s like I fought six battles in a row without stopping.”

He laughed and moved some of her hair out of the water, letting it fall over his shoulder and beyond the tub. “Just two very intense, worthy battles,” he told her. “Which I thank you for fighting.”

She shrugged. “Are you going to thank me for giving birth to all our children?” she asked, a hint of jest on her tongue.

His fingers spread across her stomach, then ran along her sides - up and down in slow cycles. “Perhaps,” he said softly as she rolled her neck. “You put more physical effort into one act than I ever have. Thanks is the least you deserve.”

She didn’t protest to that. She relaxed, shutting her eyes again, and pushed water back and forth with her forearms. They sat silently like that for a bit, just enjoying what might be one of the last moments of privacy they’d get for a while. They had children now, and a kingdom to rule, and they still didn’t know quite what the rest of her siblings might mean for their future. So far, only one brother had come to the planet, and Thor was grateful for that. Now that Torunn and Alvgeir had been born, they had to be even more wary of strangers.

Heirs posed threats to the claim of other siblings. Hela had, in some way, taught him that, though she’d been locked away for too long for her claim on Asgard to mean much. His people never would’ve have accepted her, even if she’d come with much less aggressive tidings. He had to remind himself that, most likely, (Y/N)’s other brothers and sisters ruled their own kingdoms. They had no need for this one. He hoped.

“Do you have a favorite?” she asked out of nowhere. “I think Torunn’s mine.”

He chuckled again and shook his head. “A favorite child?” he asked. “They were born mere hours ago - and they’re our children!”

“I know, I know,” she said. “But she was made in the perfect image of you.”

He didn’t agree. The twins looked like each of them, together. Torunn had his blue eyes, yes, and Alvgeir had hers, but he had the light hair of Frigga and Thor where she had (Y/N)’s hair. He knew his wife was joking, but he shook his head anyway. “They’re both magnificent,” he told her. “Both equal parts of both of us.”

She smiled, nodded, and reached over her shoulder to stroke his beard. “Of course,” she agreed. “And I’m sure Brunhilde will want to start training them both tomorrow.”

They laughed together at how absurd - but predictable - the situation was.

“Loki can’t wait to start magic lessons,” he said. “Before we know it, they’ll be hiding all the swords they can find.”

If they were any other set of parents, that may have worried them. But Thor had wielded Mjolnir from the time he could lift it, and (Y/N) was born the Goddess of War. She knew as well as Brunhilde did how to safely teach children to use weapons - and they both knew that there would be no stopping their children from getting their hands on axes and shields before long. At least they had the right team to do so appropriately and safely.

After a few more minutes of silence, she sighed and pushed her forehead against his neck. He lowered his lips to her temple for a quick kiss, then listened as her breathing evened out.

“Are you ready for bed, my Moon and Stars?” he asked a while later, after they’d both turned pruny.

She sighed and groaned, then nodded. “I’m sure the twins will be up early for food. May as well.”

They returned to Midgard when the twins were four. It’d been a long time, or so it felt. The whole group went - all save Heimdall, who was deemed worthy of protecting the throne in the interim. He could see all who came and went, and he would be able to communicate with the King and Queen while they were away. He was trustworthy and dedicated to the safety of the realm, and thus he was left in charge of it.

Thor and (Y/N) decided to bring the twins, knowing that they would need to be looked after while the fighting ensued. The threat didn’t seem as bad as Thanos, so they agreed to bring a maid and a nurse in their entourage for Torunn and Alvgeir.

When they arrived, (Y/N) kept Thor close to her. He’d carried the deaths of his friends heavily on his shoulders, though he hardly showed it to be so. He was strong - he had to be, as king. But he always got to be soft and emotional with her, so she understood better than anyone what returning to Midgard would mean.

It meant facing the battle with the new Avengers once more. It meant recognizing that some of his friends were dead. It meant attempting, once again, to acclimate to Midgardian advances. With his family, though, Thor felt strong and able.

It was a pleasure to see the Captain America mantle passed on to Sam Wilson. Though Thor hardly knew Bucky Barnes, he recalled that the Winter Soldier had made it so that Bucky was currently unfit for the title. He seemed happy enough helping to run a recruitment program for the Avengers, assessing enhanced individuals for their strengths and weaknesses. And to see Bruce Banner happy - as happy as one might be with a rage monster trapped inside - and working on new biological enhancements was always a delight. (Y/N) was certainly pleased to see her friend in such a high position and good spirits.

Natasha adored the twins, and they loved her in turn. “I’m coming to whatever planet it is you guys live on and babysitting. Often. I’ll make Stephen get me there because these two,” she said with Torunn at her hip and Alvgeir on her back, “are amazing and I love them.”

(Y/N) bowed her head and said, “You’re most welcome. We’d love to have the whole team for their next birthday, if it’s possible.”

Natasha’s eyes went so wide, the only thing to eclipse them was her smile. “Okay, that is absolutely happening now.”

The twins cheered, and the adults laughed. When Clint arrived with his family - the new Avengers compound was something of a safehouse, with emergency lockdown procedures programmed into FRIDAY’s hardware system - the twins finally had someone closer to their age to be around. It warmed Thor’s heart to see Torunn try to figure out Midgardian toys with the Barton children.

The children all stayed behind, as they were meant to, when the battle came. With the new recruits and old friends, it was nothing. Easier than Ragnarok, though perhaps more difficult than overthrowing (Y/N)’s father. The battle was over in a matter of hours, and then there was a grand feast at the compound.

Princess Shuri and King T’Challa had come with the Dora Milaje, most of whom Brunhilde was still...particularly friendly with. She went off with a few of the soldiers while the monarchs spoke.

“I see the trident is still working well,” Shuri said, nodding at the weapon in the corner of the room.

(Y/N) nodded with a smile. “It’s a work of art, Princess,” she said. “I only hoped you’d find a good use for the roses we sent as a thank you gift.”

“They make a particularly fragrant tea,” T’Challa said.

Shuri rolled her eyes. “Says the man with the heart-shaped herb powering his body,” she said with a shake of her head. “For the rest of us, I was able to breakdown the components of the plant and create a hybrid material that acts as synthetic skin. I’m working on attempting to recreate whole limbs.” Her eyes shifted, and Thor realized she was glancing over at Bucky.

“He doesn’t like his vibranium arm?” (Y/N) asked, perhaps digging too far to quickly.

Princess Shuri shrugged. “He says he’d like to retire early. Not now, but eventually. Sergeant Barnes’ seen a lot. He might like even a synthetic arm that no longer makes him a target.”

Thor had the thought that maybe, unlike he and his wife, who had both been raised as warriors, he wasn’t meant to spend his entire life in defense mode. “We’ll be sure to send more roses when we return home,” he said, finally turning his attention back to the conversation at hand.

Before they did return, Wanda brought them to her favorite bookstore. Natasha ran off with the twins to the children’s section, so (Y/N) and Thor browsed the other areas. He found the mythology section particularly fascinating, especially when he pulled a book of Norse myths off a shelf and skimmed the pages. The stories were so outlandishly ridiculous that he had to laugh - though he did admit that some were certainly truer than others.

His Queen went and found the very books she’d lost in the fires her father had caused. She brought a stack of fairy tale books - books from all over the Midgardian globe, from different cultures and traditions - to a little nook and got to reading. She nearly cried when she picked up a Hans Christian Andersen collection, remembering with crystal clarity what his stories had meant to her in her lonely days, before her loving husband had come into the picture.

Natasha and Wanda paid for everything, and Thor made it a point to repay them somehow.

On the day they returned home, Torunn held Natasha’s face between her small hands and asked, “You promise you’ll come see us?”

Natasha smiled softly and nodded. “Your momma said we can all come for your next birthday, remember?”

Torunn’s face lit up, and she removed her hands to throw her whole small body against Natasha’s. “Good. Don’t forget,” she said.

Natasha laughed, but Thor could see the tears brimming in her eyes. “Never, little dove,” she said, using a pet name she had only come up with a few days prior. It suited Torunn, who only allowed Natasha to use it in the first place. “And you,” she said, pulling Alvgeir into her embrace, “my Alf. I love you both.” She looked up at Thor and (Y/N) over their children’s shoulders, her smile more genuine than Thor could recall having seen before. With a small nod of approval, Natasha pulled them both back and said, “Be good, and be brave. Got it?”

Both children nodded, then kissed her cheeks, one on each side. When they returned to their parents, Natasha stood.

“You guys did a good job,” she said softly.

Thor sighed through his proud smile. He approached Natasha and wrapped her in a huge, warm hug. They’d seen so much together, had lost so much together, and still fought together when they needed to. Her affection for his children made his heart soar, and her approval meant more than he could say. “Thank you, Natasha,” he said. He left a gentle kiss on the top of her head, and then the family readied themselves to go home.

A few years later

“Torunn,” Thor called across the training ground. He and (Y/N) sat in the stands while Brunhilde and the twins sparred in the ring below. “Keep your posture loose and feet grounded!”

“Don’t listen to your father,” Brunhilde said. “He only knows how to use his fists.”

“That’s not true!” Alvgeir said. “He’s the God of Thunder!”

Brunhilde rolled her eyes, but Thor stood proud and watched as the twins listened and learned. (Y/N) sat at his side, her stomach swollen with another child. This time, she insisted it was only one, and she was sure they were having another girl, just like Thor wanted.

“Have you told them?” his Queen asked as she looked on.

“That their ultimate test will be to fight you?” Thor asked back, turning and sitting to be at her level. He smirked and shook his head. “Not yet. I thought it would be a nice surprise for their birthday.”

She smiled. “Good. I want to see their faces light up at the news.”

He chuckled at that.

“The two of you are sickening, you know that?” Loki asked from two seats away. Thor had practically forgotten he was there, but then he looked at his brother and shrugged.

“You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to be, Loki,” (Y/N) said, leaning forward as best as she could with her stomach protruding as far as it was.

Loki had, surprisingly, settled nicely over the years. He enjoyed being useful at court and teaching the twins magic. He even, occasionally, enjoyed trusting his brother to care for him. He still had his moments where he disappeared and caused mischief elsewhere, but for the most part, he was content.

Which was exactly what he was when he turned his attention back to the ring. “They’re late,” he said, his tone dry. “They were meant to meet me in the library an hour ago.”

“Oh, come now brother,” Thor said. “They enjoy their lessons with their aunt.”

“She’s not their aunt,” Loki said. “I am, however, their uncle. And Alvgeir’s shown more promise at my lessons than Brunhilde’s.”

(Y/N) laughed, loud enough to halt the lesson in question below. She didn’t stop, either, even as all eyes turned to her. She took in sharp, short breaths and shook her head, whining as she leaned forward to catch herself. Thor shot his arms out, but she stayed in her seat and pushed him away.

“Oh, stars,” she cried, still laughing. “I can’t believe-” she took a breath, “that our children-” another breath, “have made you so adorably petty!” She went into another fit of straight laughter, pushing back in her chair to throw her head back.

Loki stared for a second, then moved toward his brother and whispered, “I am not adorably petty.”

Thor’s smile turned into a devilish smirk. He rose a brow at Loki and shrugged. “You kind of are, Brother.” He sat back in his own seat, then grabbed one of (Y/N)’s hands as she calmed herself down slowly. “Better accept it now. Your only going to have more pupils as time goes on.”

As they all returned their attention to the sparring below, Thor realized just how lucky he was. He and his brother were on mutually agreed upon terms of civility. The twins were enthusiastic, bright, wonderful people who were proving their strengths and weaknesses all on their own. Brunhilde had been named General of their army a few years back, and when she wasn’t overseeing her troops, she was conducting business in court or training the twins for the future. Heimdall had resumed his position as Gatekeeper after Loki had been able to open a portal to the other realms off the beach.

And he and (Y/N) were more in love than ever, more beloved by the people than her father had been, and were expecting a third healthy baby soon. Less than a decade ago, he’d been unsure of the future, but then she had found him. She still often blamed herself for the nature of their meeting, but he’d forgiven her long ago. Together, they were everything Asgard could’ve ever needed.

Thor looked at (Y/N) and sighed before he could stop himself. She was magnificent. Just as fierce as the day he met her, but infinitely softer. She’d proved that people could be both, if he ever needed the reassurance. Not for the first time, he was sure his parents were smiling in Valhalla, beaming with pride at his choice of a wife. Frigga especially would be brought to tears at the scene of her sons sitting in the stands, watching her grandchildren learn to defend their home and crown from a Valkyrie. Perhaps, if Torunn was the one more skilled in battle, Brunhilde really could reinstate the order of the Valkyrie. He knew it would be an honor to both himself and (Y/N) if that did happen.

She turned and looked at him as the lesson ended. Loki stood and left the stands to collect his niece and nephew for magic lessons, so they were left alone for a few moments.

“What is it, my Sky and Sea?” she asked, using a name to match his Moon and Stars. She’d started calling him that after the twins had been born, and she’d said it was because of his storms.

He sighed contentedly again and shrugged. “Just thinking of how wonderful my life is,” he said through a lopsided smile.

She rolled her eyes, though she smiled at him. “You’re so sentimental,” she said. It wasn’t meant to degrade him or be negative by any means. She simply pointed it out, as she sometimes did when he got this way.

He laughed softly and nodded. “It’s true,” he told her, “but only when your smile reminds me of what I have.”

She reached over and ran her fingers through his long hair - he’d let it grow out since they’d returned from Midgard the last time; sometimes he wore it up, but today he let it down. Not for the first, nor the last time did she tell him, “You’re far too good to me, Thor Odinson.” This time, unlike she did when they’d first courted one another, she said it with a light tone, still smiling as she twisted her fingers in his locks. “Will you let me braid this later, when I need a distraction from court?”

He turned his eyes toward his hair, though he couldn’t really see it, and nodded. “There isn’t much to braid, but sure.” Then he stood and came around to help her up - she had to push against the back of her seat to launch out of the chair, then lean on him to come around it. He knew she was already impatient for this baby - hopefully Sigrid, if he got his way - to be born, so he watched quietly and held her arms until she’d come all the way around the chair.

They were meant to go to the throne room for a meeting with a neighboring sovereign, but Thor had other ideas. He wouldn’t make them too late, but he wanted to be alone with his wife and by the Stars, he’d get his way about this. So he brought her into the library, one of her favorite places in the palace, and just looked at her. He sometimes felt as though she was a physical manifestation of everything he’d ever wanted and deserved, but she was still her own person and he loved her for it.

So he said as much: “You know, I’m still baffled by how much I love you.”

She sighed through a smile and put her head on his shoulder, only straining a bit around her stomach. “And yet, I’m not surprised at all that I fall for you again every morning,” she said softly. “It’s my favorite part of each day.”

He was lucky, but so was she. They both knew it, and they both appreciated the other because of it. They stayed in the library for a few quiet moments before heading to the throne room to resume their day, as they would continue to do for many, many more days.

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#thor x reader #thor odinson x reader #the ones to go fic

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minaminokyoko · 6 years

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A Love Letter to Black Panther

Disclaimer: Y'all gon' get tired of hearing me scream, "WAKANDA FOREVERRRRRRR!"

Because I mean it. Bless this movie, man. This is everything I have ever dreamt of seeing from a black superhero with an all black cast. They couldn't have done a better job. This movie is a vision, fully realized. It's going to leave a very important impact on pop culture at large and I am so here for that. I've been a black nerd since birth, and to be given a big budget film with a 90% black cast that is backed by a studio giant is so gratifying I can see why some people left the theater in tears of joy. It's not that we haven't had black films before that did well. It's not that we're not giving credit to Blade for being a (mostly) successful film franchise with a black hero at the helm. It's all the elements lining up from having Ryan Coogler direct to grabbing actually African cast members to being marketed during the Superbowl--which is the most expensive ad time you can buy on television--to seeing an amazing integration of tradition, science fiction, and modern topics that are relevant to the black community. I sound like I'm overstating things, but I truly am so happy with how this film turned out. It wasn't a cheap cash grab. It was a genuine attempt to weave a story about African and black culture based around a whole lot of ass-whuppin' and I can't wait to dive in. Follow me, Wakandans.

Naturally, spoiler alert.

Let's start with the man himself, the King of Wakanda, T'Challa. First of all, I knew I'd love him since Civil War. Most people went for Tony or Steve and came out of that movie going, "OH MY GOD BLACK PANTHER IS THE FUCKING BADDEST I CANNOT WAIT FOR HIS SOLO MOVIE DUDE." We all knew he was a total badass, but what I left this movie with was a sincere love for the mercy and compassion he showed us in this film. It's very easy in a position with that kind of power to let it corrupt you and become jaded, but the gestures he made in this film were so lovely. I love that he was outraged by his father trying to erase history with what happened to his uncle and cousin. He was genuinely angry and hurt by it all and in the end, he showed so much kindness by letting Kilmonger see the sunrise before he died that it was honestly touching. I love T'Challa because he has such a big heart. It’s an incredibly important perspective to provide, as much of the world still sees black men as angry, dangerous thugs incapable of kindness. He has flaws as well, like his anger issues and naivete, and that's what makes his journey so compelling. It's very easy to write a royalty character as above it all, but that's why Thor: Ragnarok was so well received recently: they knocked Thor off his princely pedestal and brought him down to our level. We understand what T'Challa is going through even though we aren't royalty. He has a homeland to protect and a family to look after in his father's absence, much like we have our own responsibilities trying to tug us in a thousand different ways. I love that he challenged his father and brought about a new era, extending his help to the world. T'Challa is an excellent character and Chadwick Boseman did a hell of a job with him.

As a black woman, you know what's coming next. My girls Nakia, Okoye, and Shuri. Where do I even start? First of all, let me raise my fist for some lovely dark-skinned women getting the spotlight in a major superhero film franchise. Now, don't get me wrong--I absolutely freaking LOVED Tessa Thompson in Thor: Ragnarok. She slayed. But my heart is just bursting with pride at these beautiful badass women who are given weight, agency, and attention in this film. I have absolutely nothing against light-skinned women at all, but I do acknowledge that they tend to get roles easier than dark-skinned women because society still has this idiotic aversion to them because of the establishment's idea of beauty. It was such a rush to see each woman on screen having inner conflict and deciding what side of the line they would stand on. I love Nakia's stubborn nature and her hesitance to join the fray, but the second T'Challa was gone, she switched into spy mode and she did the damn thing. She saved the people who cared about her, she saved Ross, and she stood up for her country as well as the other people out there who needed her help. You are a diamond, Nakia. Okoye is probably going to come out of this film as the runaway favorite, if you ask me. I mean, Danai Gurira is already worshiped for her role as the amazing Michonne on The Walking Dead, but seeing her here, slicing and stabbing and beating the tar out of everyone while struggling with her loyalty to the Wakandan throne just gives me all the feels. I adored her sharp tongue and her grumpy frown and her impossible awesomeness. Then there's Shuri. I can't express my delight with her. She was such an adorable, witty addition to the team. I fully admit that I fell for the low-hanging fruit: the "WHAT ARE THOOOOOOOSE!" joke was hilarious even though I know no one over the age of thirty is going to have a single clue what she was referencing. I loved her calling Ross "colonizer." Shuri was throwing shade left and right and it was glorious. Furthermore, having her be the gadget gal of the film was brilliantly done. I loved her enthusiasm and her amazing tech. I loved that she bravely fought even though she was inexperienced. She was such a great character and I look forward to seeing beautiful little girls idolizing her mind and her strength in the future.

Kilmonger is definitely one of the strongest villains in the MCU so far. Most people ding Marvel for having thin villains, and that's not an unfair assessment. In my opinion, it's Cutting Room Floor issues. When you have to tell a story in two and a half hours, sometimes there's just too much content that you're excited to fit in and you just can't get it in there, so you take out chunks related to the villain to avoid the hero having an unsatisfying character arc. It's not a great idea, because then your villain isn't three dimensional and it can diminish the overall enjoyment of the film. Kilmonger is the answer to that problem. He had a reason for what he did, and while it wasn't an excuse for his cruelty, it definitely made you think about the fact that every good villain is a hero in his own mind. Kilmonger's plan even tempted someone in T'Challa's camp because it had a serious amount of relevance not only to Africans but black people all over the world. Wanting to stomp out oppression, especially in this day and age, is a trap I think a lot of people can fall into. I love the almost Shakespearean tragedy of it all, that maybe this could have been avoided if T'Chaka stayed behind and explained to the boy where he came from and that he had no choice. It probably wouldn't have worked, but just abandoning the kid with his dead father was ice-cold, and it's more tragic that it was done out of good intentions in T'Chaka's mind. I love that T'Challa sympathized with Erik and even offered to save him in the end. That has weight. That's excellent writing. I do admit, though, that Michael B. Jordan is definitely a young actor, because he was hamming it up pretty hard in certain scenes, but overall the kid did well with the role.

The costume design and scenery were just breathtaking. Man, I love the visuals we got to see. African culture is so vibrant and interesting. I'm really delighted knowing millions of people will get some exposure to all the different aspects and traditions it has to offer.

The soundtrack is killer. From the score to the tracks, it was done truly well.

Andy Serkis as Claw (although I don't appreciate the bait and switch, I can live with it; Marvel always kills their villains that are not Loki and even he is probably going to die in Infinity War). I knew he was an oddball in Age of Ultron, but damn, was he a complete nutcase. I appreciate how completely insane he was the whole time with no real explanation as to why. The simple glee on his face when he giggles, "I made it rain!" was just flawless. He might have the market corned for wackiest Marvel villain thus far. I'm sad that we only got to enjoy two performances from Serkis, but they were still entertaining as hell.

The action sequences had me floored. This is one thing I've always adored about Marvel films. The pacing is always excellent and they know how to wow you. If you follow me at all, you'll know one of the numerous reasons I hated the Justice League movie is that there was NO imagination in ANY of the fight scenes. Black Panther offers some of the best and most creative scenes to enjoy, from hand to hand combat to flipping cars with a fucking vibranium spear. I was cringing and twitching in my seat like I was playing a VR of Tekken, for God's sake. These fight scenes were so well done (though I will ding the film for lighting issues; the jungle scene suffered badly from that problem, as did at least one other one to my chagrin) and I loved everyone's various weapons and fighting styles.

MY BOY BUCKY AT THE END CREDITS YOOOOOOOO. I am infatuated with the idea that the Wakandans analyzed him and have been slowly helping him recover from being brainwashed and abused. It made my cold, petrified heart all warm inside when he smiled and looked out over the water. I just want Bucky to be happy, okay?! Leave me alone!

Well, I've gone on long enough, haven't I? I regret nothing, honestly. This is like The Dark Knight all over again: one of those rare instances when the hype for something was so crazy that we were sure it couldn't deliver, but not only did it deliver, it kicked the hell out of all expectations. I can't wait to see where the road will lead from here. My wish and hope is that this movie does so damn well that Hollywood opens its damned eyes and listens to what we have been saying since the beginning: we want diversity and we want it well done and we want it now. Stop relying on the old ideals of a market that we outgrew decades ago. Black people are just as complex and interesting as everyone else on the planet, and it's time you woke up. We've been doing it ourselves with all kinds of various projects from comic books to novels to short films and you can either lead, follow, or get out the way, as Jidenna once said. Your move, Hollywood.

WAKANDA FOREVER.

#Black Panther #marvel #Marvel Cinematic Universe #T'Challa #representation matters #movie review #sorta #film review #Black Panther So Lit #spoiler alert #spoilers

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haydeetebelins · 6 years

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Anyway have a wall of text about Helpheus -- from first meetings up to the moment he figures out how he fucked up with her and tries to make it right. pre-romance, just laying the groundwork for now. it’ll all be enemies to friends to lovers by the end. and it will hurt.

there’s just shy of 2000 words under the cut why am i like this nobody cares but someone said it would be ‘tasty’ to talk about them at all. so i blame that person. and the fact it’s almost midnight.

Starting with first meetings, of course.

Hel, a teenager, thrown out of her home by someone she thought loved her, isolated, lied to, gaslighted by Odin. Invited, as a queen, young though she might be, to some affair. Her family is not there -- but of course not. Odin has already told her that her father left with his new wife, and he would not want to see her, the daughter of a lost love. So Hel comes to Asgard tired, and she is angry, and she only wants to go to her chambers and sulk.

But wait! Someone is in her room! Someone is in this place, with its high windows, that was hers in another life. This tall, dark eyed Jotunn, with his black hair wild. And she demands to know what he is doing here. He is in the wrong place at the wrong time -- and she is shouting at the wrong man for it.

Things are said. Lines in the sand are drawn. No less than Frigg herself intervenes, clasping her hand across Hel's mouth, offering the most fearful and profuse apologies for Hel's behavior. And Hel wants none of it, but she is dragged from the room, denied entry to the one place that was her comfort.

Before she can say anything to defend herself, gentle, good Frigg is half to slapping her. Asks if she knows who that was. Asks if she knows what she has done.

Frigg breaks the truth to her like fine china against the face. She's mouthed off to no less than the Third of the Seven.

Hel's blood runs cold, thinking her days are numbered now, she knows Dream’s reputation and his love of cruelty. This is how she dies. Still, for the sake of politics, she bites her tongue, makes her apologies to Frigg. She swallows her own pride but its another blow to know that nothing in this place is hers anymore.

She spends the rest of the affair keeping her distance from Dream or studying him too intently. At one point asks her little kin Thrud if she sees the Jotunn at the front of Odin's table. What Giant, Thrud lisps, that's an Asa with Afi. and Hel knows she's fucked and that really is Dream.

She catches Dream at the end of the delegation, as he himself is leaving. Asks his forgiveness. Says she is sorry for incurring his wrath, and rattles on like a girl, not the queen and diplomat she will become. Dream would have let it slide, because Frigg had pleaded so skillfully and so kindly for the girl and her youth and her struggles. But Hel's apology also paints her afraid of a tyrant, and his pride won't have such disrespect.

So he mocks her again, asks why she thinks Queen Frigg's words were not enough, why her arrogance made her have to say anything at all. And Hel bites her tongue near to bleeding at the naked self-righteousness of his actions. But yes, little queen, he will forgive her, after tonight. She need never worry for his wrath again.

That night, in her own dark hall, she is reunited with her brothers. They are all free. They are back in the Ironwood, where once she was safe and happy. Her mother and father are there, too. She is happier than she has been in years. Everything is right, everything is just what she wants. There is no emptiness in her.

And then she wakes up, alone in her bed, beneath Yggdrasil, knowing that it was a dream, and she weeps. In this, the Dream Lord has his petty revenge on a girl.

But he does not break his word. After her punishment, all is forgiven, if not wholly forgotten. She grows more solemn, and well-spoken, and she is polite with him, if reserved. He repays the sentiment in kind, in the times when they run into each other at various affairs. She comes to befriend his most beloved sister, and at times they hear of each other, and their affairs, from Death. Neither pays the other much mind.

And then he disappears after centuries of.. acquaintanceship. Things are certainly more chaotic without him, but Hel can hardly notice. She wonders to herself, over the decades, if he has died and if the 7 can ever be 6. He is the great mystery. The only missing persons case in all mythology.

But her returns, at the end of a decade. And it is strange, when she first hears his name in present tense. But his sister is happier for his return, and Hel does not question it. Perhaps sends her regards via messenger with all the others who remind the Dream Lord of their loyalties and alliances.

She owes him nothing and he has no power over her. It's little more than goodwill and acknowledgment of his station.

She has little and less to do with him for nigh a year. When he gains Hell. When he holds his court. It stings at first, knowing Odin so easily forgets her and her realm and its function, not realizing his true intentions with the Christian Hell. Worse still that her father is only freed like a dog upon a chain.

What cuts her the deepest is the midnight specter, Loki given form before her. He must be a dream thing. Grimnr and Lord Shaper conspire to hurt her, and she knows not why, as if Odin ever needs reason for his cruelty, as if Dream ever, ever did. And she tries to tell him to stop, stop talking with her father's voice, and stop weeping with his eyes, to please get out of her hall and return to whatever master made him. This is a dream, and it settles leaden in the pit of her stomach. It is the crueler mate to Morpheus' prior 'gift'

Loki pleads his case. and with one question, he proves himself. He is real, and he is not of dreams. Her father is free. She could weep for joy, but they have much to discuss, webs to untangle of Odin's making. She starts to realize the truth, and that Loki spent so long seeking her out, trying to find her brothers. That Odin lied all that time. Her father did so many things up to and including slaughtering Odin's own dearest son to try and send a message, or some regard, something to his only daughter. That he would have fought and died to find his way back to her, to free her and her brothers. That someone out there loved her and ruined himself to try and show it.

They have all the time in the world for it, as he comes and goes. But that first night, he reveals his liberator.

The Dream Lord.

A creature she has known to be more monster than reason. Perhaps he is, as others say, changing. Perhaps, at the very least, he is not the monster she knew him to be for so long.

It scares her to death, approaching him in his own home, but she must. Debts must be repaid, or named. And half-trembling, she has her audience with him, and thanks him truly for his mercy with her father, and offers herself as ally and tool, if ever he has need of her.

He does.

Even then, he sees her value as a potential pawn in his long game. At the very least having her loyalty might make Loki more malleable -- what father wouldn’t move the heavens to free his daughter? He accepts her as ally and, should the need arise, an agent of his interests. With that, half of Hel’s business outside of her own realm is concluded, leaving only Odin to be dealt with.

That is what leads her to Asgard in the aftermath. By her mirror, in the way that she swore never to do. She finds Odin's chambers, and she does not make a threat, she is a threat.

Hel coolly, with darkness surging around her because something dead and long atrophied in her still fights to be free, lets him know that she knows. She knows everything now. She knows Bestla's son a liar, a monster, the kind of man who hurts a little girl for no reason but his own need for control and to try and burn fate to the ground. And her eyes are so sickly green against the chiaroscuro of her form. She is jotunn, and that's a primal, brutal thing.

How can she know?

And that is when she drops the bombshell of her latest company. The Dream Lord. and Odin realizes an alliance might slip from his hands. And she says that, in Morpheus’ honor, she ought to show Odin how cruel she can be -- she wants his pulse against her palm as she tears his neck from his torso -- and she ought to pay him as he deserves -- long, lonely teeth tearing deep into him -- and so she will. So she will. She says this in parting. She will make the Allfather pray for Ragnarok.

Odin going to Dream for explanations, for why he’s allowed himself some affinity with Odin’s enemy. Dream calmly explaining that he did Hel a good turn after the affair with... Well, Hell, and she saw fit to owe him a boon in return. It will pass. He's sure she's too proud to keep the arrangement long. They discuss it and Dream just 'why do you care about the company she keeps, all these centuries you've told me she's nobody, just a...'

And it slowly suddenly dawns on him. Oh, she's your prisoner. She's nobody to you. And I encouraged that once.

So now, in fine Dream fashion, he’s facing the reality that he encouraged what was done to Hel and it's just a modified version of what he himself endured for 70+ years, that Hel was given titles and false power with her imprisonment but it's still that. Helheim is still her cage.

Dream did nothing when it was first brought up as a possibility, and supported it over the centuries, by not speaking up, by encouraging Odin to keep it up, by never questioning what a child did to deserve being sealed way beneath Yggdrasil. He said that it was acceptable because she was a threat. Because of what she might do when grown, her fate was brutal. To him it was no different than destroying a dream vortex, because Odin did what he had to in order to protect his own. And now sitting on the other side of his imprisonment, Morpheus disgusted.

Dream trying to make up for it. Trying to give Hel some time, some boon, anything that might give her freedom, for however long it might agree with her. He knows her destiny, writ clear in his brother's book. He knows she must have the cage, and the war with Asgard, that he cannot stop this -- but Ragnarok is so far away.

He wants to badly to do whatever he can to keep her from what he encouraged be done to her. He can't apologize for it and she shouldn't accept it but he's not doing this for his ego or his newfound sense of conscience, he's doing it for her, because she never deserved any of it.

It is through this consideration of ways to pull Hel from her own prison that Dream gets the idea to send her on a sort of quest. There is, in fact, something she can do for him -- seek out knowledge of a particular rite from Svartalfheim, that has fallen out of practice. And in this, Hel begins her path towards Dream’s ends.

And if anyone actually gives a shit about any of this, next time I will write out the build up of their romance arc.

#sh: the last thing he tasted was me #READ IT WHILE YOU CAN TOMORROW I WILL HAVE SOME DAMN SENSE AND ITLL BE GONE

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