LOKI: What's the Point? | EVERYTHING Explained + Full MARVEL Series Breakdown

Loki's first season is over, but the show has given us much to reflect on. What of the series' many themes abut free will, determinism, fascism and anarchy? Loki's roots as a Norse god defined by loops, while his MCU version repeats his own vicious cycles? In this video we break down the symbolism and hidden meaning of the show, and ask ourselves: what's the point?

#Loki #ScreenCrush #What'sThePoint

Loki is a character defined by loops. This trait stretches all the way back to his roots in Norse mythology. Myths are stories that have been repeated again and again over the centuries. Unlike a film or a book, Loki’s story has been told, retold, and shaped by countless people.

And everyone told their stories of the god of mischief a little differently, resulting in tiny variations. Just like in the show, there are variations of Loki from many different timelines. But what is a timeline, if not just another story? Another way of telling this tale?

Loki’s story, like all myths, is always in the process of being told by someone, somewhere. So, unlike the MCU Loki, his story never ends. This is one of the many loops that defines Loki’s existence. Myths--like a circle--are ongoing, without a defined beginning, middle and end.

But also, within Norse mythology, Loki’s story is defined by a loop. He instigates Ragnarok, the destruction of Asgard, which in turn leads to the rebirth of Asgard, and the loop begins anew.

It’s only fitting that this personal cycle has been reelected in the MCU’s version. Loki always felt like an outcast, the comic book reading nerd in a small town where people loved basketball. Or in this case, the boy who loved magic and tricks, in a society where warriors were honored.

Loki grew up to resent Thor for the way people loved him, and he secretly wanted to be his brother.

He acted out to get attention, like cutting off Sif’s hair. In episode 4, the memory loop with Sif is indicative of Loki’s own personal loop. He can never escape his self-hate and guilt, because no matter what--he did those bad things. And no amount of attention will ever make him loved like Thor.

And yet, he tried to imitate and outdo his brother by attempting genocide of the frost giants [clip]. If Thor wanted to kill a few frost giants, then Loki would kill them all, to sever all ties to his birthplace, and prove he was Asgard’s greatest hero. But, he was rejected.

When he realizes the people would never love him like Thor, Loki decides to play the role of a villain, the monster they always saw him as.

Thus, MCU Loki began his own vicious cycle. Pretending to be a villain, faking his own death--all ploys to get the attention he craves. So he won’t feel alone [his breakdown to Sif where he says he’s alone, etc] When he steals the throne from Odin, he doesn’t try to conquer the Nine realms. He doesn't unleash the casket of winters on Midgard. He creates the illusion that his father loved him. He poses as Odin to aggrandize himself.

If Loki can’t earn his father’s love, then he can steal it. But this just kept him inside the loop, until he allowed himself to truly connect with others.

Loki finally did break his cycle, only to have it reiterated again in this show.

But Loki’s relationship to loops is also reflected in the philosophy of the TVA. They consume media on reels--and reels are a kind of loop. The film reel of Loki’s life appears linear, when viewed one frame at a time. But, when you step back the story of his life is actually a loop, a flat circle.

The flat circle theory of time travel states that a 4th dimensional being could step back and see existence not as a film strip, but the reel itself. A flat circle, where our lives have already been burned into the film, and our fates are written.

This is how the TVA perceives time. So Loki’s life story, this film strip, is just another cruel loop.

[ScreenCrush]

What should we explain the point of next?

[SkaiCyan]

People keep going with Mobius' thought that Loki falling in love with Sylvie was narcissistic but another reading of it could be that Loki was finally learning to love himself rather than the intense self loathing he'd had so far.

[bobthedopeman]

I personally think Loki was made to ease people into how confusing Kang is. Establishing timelines, variants, and well the man himself.

[acekiller]

Season 2 starts with Mobius on a jet ski having the time of his life.

Edit: Thank you everyone for the 1k likes! This made my day!

[krishnakapadia]

Image if Odin was a good father and King
Thanos comes with the black order
Vs
Odin- Father's of God's
Frigga-The warrior
Hela - Goddess of death
Thor - The God of thunder
Loki - The God of mischief
Heimdall - The one who can see everything
The warriors 3 and lady sif
All the valkyries
That wolf of hela
And the entire Asgardian army

[berlinglasgow]

He didn’t want to be Thor he only ever wanted to be his equal

[arnulfoacevedo]

Funny how a show about a pass Loki sets up phase four of the mcu, would of never guessed that this would be the that one big marvel show, not even flacon or wandawision was this important to the mcu

[Moncriefs]

Dude, These types of videos are wonderful. You give us the over-arching Character Development that makes these superhero characters seem more realistic. Bravo

[tinyspiney]

Honestly to get really meta about it, Marvel and Disney are absolutely using the Loki show as seemingly the main way to set up Phase 4 of the MCU. So in a way, the very show itself is adding to the growth and change of how we see the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. To the grand story that is being told over and over again; of the heroes fighting the villains, working their way up to the Big Bad. Cyclical storytelling at its finest

[jaynekranc]

Sylvie didn't turn on him. She was just too wrapped up in years of planning her mission to let it go. But these two belong together and I hope someday they will be.

[Grimsg]

Loki is actually kind of like a wrestling Heel. That in wrestling, the more villainous the Heel to the Face (hero) character, the better the effect and the audience empathizes a whole lot more with the heroes. If there was no adversity for the Face, there is no drama in Wrestling. And the life of the Heel role is to constantly be mean, spiteful and evil and lose to the good guys. It is actually hard to keep up that Heel role with the audience constantly booing and hating on you and you keep losing as a sacrifice to make others look good. But on the other hand, if you can be so damn charismatic at being a Heel that people love you, that's when you know you got something going aka The Undertaker.

But what makes Loki not your regular Heel is that the audience can see he's a smart guy with misplaced intentions. And he confesses in the TV show that he's playing a villain role because he wants attention, it isn't really who he is. It is said that narcissists give the impression that they're overly confident and put down others is because they actually feel incredibly insecure inside, so they artificially inflate themselves to seem like they're smart, know everything, on top of everything, be condescending so that you'll trust and believe them. And I think what's so beautiful about the TV series is this is Loki discovering who he really is, that he is capable of being a hero, of being able to love and that he doesn't have to be a villain as what was 'assigned' according to the 'Sacred Timeline'

Loki has found that what he's really good at and also inspired by Sylvie, is that he can be an agent of Change. He questions, he wonders, he doesn't accept the status quo and he has realized that he can break out of his loop unlike his other variants. He helped break Mobius from his loop, he even tried to help Sylvie break out of hers but she wasn't in the right mind space, not yet. And honestly I am really happy that Heel Loki has finally turned Face, that we're now entering into a different universe of Heroic Loki and I'm just excited as anything.

[intuativefiha]

All Fathers in MCU needs parenting lessons.

[mandalynn]

I hope this means we will get Loki in more Marvel movies bc he’s my favorite

[BlackHedgehog]

So I had some thoughts now with Loki over with. I believe Sylvie's Nexus Event had nothing really to do with her gender. As mentioned, Loki can change his gender. Now, I believe her Nexus Event is that he/she wanted to become a Valkyrie. A good being, something Loki is not. To further explore this, Thor talks about how he wanted to become a Valkyrie back in Ragnarok but learned only females could become them. So Loki, being able to change his gender made the decision to permanently become female to become a Valkyrie. Now, my other thought is regarding Loki and Thor 4. I think the Loki TV show has actually explained this completely. I think while the Loki TV show will focus on the variant Loki, Thor 4 will reintroduce the original Loki that "died" in Infinity War. Why?

Classic Loki. He talks about making an illusion that fooled even Thanos. But did that get him pruned? No. In fact he lives off grid for ages and is not pruned. It's only when he has "changed" and misses Thor and everyone else that he gets pruned. Meaning, our original Loki might just be off grid somewhere. And with the TVA basically not pruning anyone now, both Lokis are free to exist at the same time. It's pretty glorious and ballsy but Marvel could do it.

[budstermcgreen]

Marvel showing us the beginning of a story....by starting at the end! Boss move! ✌️

[bbbza]

The fact Renslayer said free will belongs to "the ONE" in charge when the three statues were still up and Kang not revealed hints she knows a lot more than she's letting on

[seanwelch]

This show is the most comicbook-like project since Civil War. I love the deep lore. I think TM has done a memorable work here. Of all the characters I care about, Loki is the last villain I thought Marvel would feature this often. Thanks for another summation.

[soyanaracquel]

I love your love letters to Loki. So on point. There are more untold stories for Loki in the MCU and I hope Tom Hiddleston sticks around for all of them.

[adamjones-ps]

If Loki is stuck in the endless loop, makes me sad for him. I've really come to like his character. Don't want him to be some goodie two shoes but still the anit-hero that is a hero.

[QuoteBlink]

I'm so hyped for Multiverse of Madness…