#sometimes if you see plotholes it's mean ypu didn't look deep enough

[vetrenar]

Selfcest as a type of therapy or an attempt to analyze character of Loki

Hello. This post is caused by a big wave of negativity that I see on Tumblr regarding the last episode ("selfcest is bad" yada, yada, yada, creators are stupid cowards for not letting Loki go on with Mobius, yada, yada, yada) and also clamors about "nerfing" Loki ("he looks like Mobius/Sylvie sidekick in his own show") .

And I just snicker at the former (I will yet return to this), but the latter has some fair point - there were moments where Loki's actions seem... off, making us to think something like "It's too pathetic for Loki. Certainly, he has A Big Plan".

Like with a broken TemPad! It seemed so far-fetched that lead to appearing of "Loki has time-stone", " Loki made an illusion" "Half of the episode is just a dream" theories. And to dissatisfaction later, when it turns out there wasn't any Big Plan. Only a genuinely incompetence.

Also, even ordinary humans seems made him to struggle in the battle while he can to stop a fall of the freaking tower!

Some can just mutter about bad writing and inconsistent power levels. But I love the series, MCU and all things they can give us and refuse to believe in the "shitty characterisation" explanation in the series lead actor of which can literally give hours-long lectures about his character.

So I begun to think. And after some brainwhacking I finally got enlightening and understood a very important thing that have missed before.

Soo... Is Loki smart? Or is he stupid and pathetic in the series?

Loki is God of Mischief. He's always planning. Always tries to win. Always lies.

And... All of this is a total, cheesy, massive bullshit.

And the only thing you can be sure with the trickster - yeah, he probably will try to deceive you. But, maybe, the lie will be not where you think it is.

Infinity War Loki attacked Thanos with a butter knife not because he got a fit of stupidity. But because he chose to attract attention to himself in the desperate attempt to make Titan to overlook Thor.

And Loki we see in the show... He went through a humiliating and totally self-esteem-breaking experience (even there was something left to break). He lose at Midgard (and we aren't even beginning to think that was before that point), was told that all his existence is meaningless, watched his terrible death after attempt to kill Titan with a dagger. His family and home are no more, the essence of universe is a paperweight, and all he ever was is a second-rate villain in the some space-lizards' storybook. Put it simply, he was left with nothing - not even illusions.

So... Did God of Mischief, after his terapic conservation with Mobius, cheered up and desided to go all out, find new goal and probably, as a little bonus, overthrow TVA?

Yeah... But nope.

Nope.

Loki just gave up.

Just genuinely surrendered and stopped trying.

Of course, he will never ever let somebody - himself included - to see this weakness. He still bickers with Mobius, puts bravado face and does a not-so-bad job with tasks at the hand. Still jokes, reacts at his surrounding, makes some fights and seemesly tries to enjoy his life.

But on the the grand picture?..

Utter and complete passivity. No Big Plan. No really hard fighting - especially against humans, killing whom now is a mocking reminder about "hurting anothers to make an illusion of control" (He still tries to put an illusion of control. But, at least, not at somebody's lives experience). If he is to live, he will live. If he is to die... Well, he will not really trying to avoid that.

He is incompetent because he no more tryies to be competent.

The most sincerely Loki we see isn't the one who says "I'm always ten steps ahead of you". He is here:

And this laugh, while being sincerest, isn't the laugh of the joy.

(if to think about "five stages of grief", it clearly will be a depression).

And there is Silvie. Who is Loki, but still has a goal and a fire within. Who is annoying, fierce, emotional... And, surprisely, genuinely charming. And she certainly isn't just a measure for somebody to " became a better version of himself".

To love themself is narcissistic? But for someone who's self-esteem was completely shattered, the very realisation that it's possible - to love themselves, - is therapic.

Loki craves for attention not because he wants to inflate his big ego as pre-first-film Thor. It because he is left with no ego at all and just tries to convince everybody - himself included - otherwise.

And if honestly, before series I was against any romantic relationships for Loki in there. Not because of some prejudice but I thought that for it's too early for Loki to have any romantic relationship. "You have to love yourself before you can love someone else", and Loki clearly has a looooot of work in this field. The love for anothers obviously isn't difficult for him (even if he somewhat tries to deny that) but without love for himself it will never be enough.

But Sylvie? It's like to have both of lessons in the single pack. She isn't him and she is a different person with different past and personality but also she still is "Loki". The possibility to like her mean that there is something in "Loki" generally that can be liked. He wouldn't dare to believe in that on the word of any another person - be that family or Mobius or any another possible romantic partner. But Sylvie? She is a real, living proof. A positive association with general term. Not the question "what do you see in me? " but the direct answer.

So, if to put out the brain from the gutter and to remember that love is not equal to sexual attraction (and even with this? no difference. The main focus still is psychological, not physical) , the love for Sylvie is, probably, the type of romantic relationships Loki need right now.

Honestly, when I've saw ep. 4 in the first time, I was veeery baffled. Because, you know, of all "selfcest" jokes and overall I'm not a fan of romance (but a total sucker for sublings relationships, and this is a main reason for me be in MCU). But now... The more I think about this idea, the better it seems.

So... As far, the only " flaw" I see in series is a total number of episodes. There is so many of strings of plot that I fear the creators will not have a time to unravel them all properly (in that regard WandaVision with relatively more straight storyline has advantage). But I am infinitely grateful to creators for this "weird" and "selfincestic" show. And yeah, the mid-credits scene was a pure blast! XD I hope that acquaintance with multiple Loki will let our Loki to really see himself and - that is more important - to like what he see. Really like and believe and not just make a narcissistic facade.

#loki 2021 #loki series #loki odinson #thor #marvel #character development #loki spoilers #i have this blog probably for three years already an only now white the first post #loki #sylvie #characterisation #sometimes if you see plotholes it's mean ypu didn't look deep enough #sylvie laufeydottir #mobius #loki fandom #loki × sylvie #loki×sylvie #loki laufeyson