Loki: Glorious Purpose
November 9, 2023 10:43 PM - Season 2, Episode 6 - Subscribe
Loki learns the true nature of 'glorious purpose' as he rectifies the past. Explained. Also explained. Easter eggs.
I hope someone can explain the ending because I’m entirely at sea.
posted by orrnyereg at 11:01 PM on November 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 11:01 PM on November 9, 2023 [2 favorites]
Loki turned himself into the Giving Tree.
posted by wabbittwax at 11:02 PM on November 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by wabbittwax at 11:02 PM on November 9, 2023 [6 favorites]
See the Explained links. Loki used his god powers and new knowledge of space and time to turn himself into a new and unlimited Temporal Loom in the form of Yggdrasil the world-tree, taking up his own seat at the end of time and finally fulfilling his Glorious Purpose, becoming the true God of Stories and saving his friends.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:10 PM on November 9, 2023 [20 favorites]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:10 PM on November 9, 2023 [20 favorites]
Going to have to sit with this for a very, very long time.
Didn't definitively feel like the end of the story but it also definitely felt like an end.
Overthinking is what my brain does so hmmm.
posted by Faintdreams at 3:23 AM on November 10, 2023
Didn't definitively feel like the end of the story but it also definitely felt like an end.
Overthinking is what my brain does so hmmm.
posted by Faintdreams at 3:23 AM on November 10, 2023
One of the Easter eggs not mentioned: in the end credits, the letters of Loki's name vanish... except for "O." as in Odin. After trying to take over Asgard in the Thor movies (and temporarily succeeding), Loki is the All-Father now.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:07 AM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:07 AM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
Loki season 1 was excellent. Season 2 just "puny god"ed season 1.
Hiddleston is the most charismatic MCU lead we've got, and the only one that stands a chance of taking the RDJ role. They're wasting talent if they don't bring Loki back into the fold (loom?) for the next Avengers movie.
They're also wasting talent if the writers for this season don't get to do more work in the MCU.
posted by bfranklin at 5:19 AM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
Hiddleston is the most charismatic MCU lead we've got, and the only one that stands a chance of taking the RDJ role. They're wasting talent if they don't bring Loki back into the fold (loom?) for the next Avengers movie.
They're also wasting talent if the writers for this season don't get to do more work in the MCU.
posted by bfranklin at 5:19 AM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
This season might get a rewatch from me. I had complaints about the pacing of earlier episodes, which felt padded at time. But to see that there was an overall plan and that time highjinks were going on behind the scenes makes me wonder how those earlier episodes work after seeing the conclusion.
That said, I liked this episode and its conclusion, though think it could have been a bit clearer about what was happening. Thankfully we could see what was going in visually i.e. it wasn't too dark.
Loki could have killed Sophie to avoid all this. So many chances to do, hell, infinite chances. But he choose not to do so, even as Sophie refused to change her mind, no doubt because of all the things that happened to her. But Sophie did not try (or try very hard) to kill Loki, which would have enabled her to get what she wanted. Interesting stalemate.
I would have liked to have seen more about the various characters, it was a fantastic cast and giving them room to chew the scenery would have been great. But the show is called Loki, so there we go.
For now, I'm hoping there is no Season 3, or at least for a while there isn't. Random appearances of Loki in future films are a must though, complete with his arrogance and charm, but tempered a bit by his growth. Sort of like an Odin, yeah.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
That said, I liked this episode and its conclusion, though think it could have been a bit clearer about what was happening. Thankfully we could see what was going in visually i.e. it wasn't too dark.
Loki could have killed Sophie to avoid all this. So many chances to do, hell, infinite chances. But he choose not to do so, even as Sophie refused to change her mind, no doubt because of all the things that happened to her. But Sophie did not try (or try very hard) to kill Loki, which would have enabled her to get what she wanted. Interesting stalemate.
I would have liked to have seen more about the various characters, it was a fantastic cast and giving them room to chew the scenery would have been great. But the show is called Loki, so there we go.
For now, I'm hoping there is no Season 3, or at least for a while there isn't. Random appearances of Loki in future films are a must though, complete with his arrogance and charm, but tempered a bit by his growth. Sort of like an Odin, yeah.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
The problem that lots of comic book stories have is that there's no stakes. The dead come back, time can be reversed, the heroes always win.
That's why this is so beautiful. Loki didn't find a magical or science whatsit or Cunning Plan, because HWR would always defeat those. He had to give everything up and not just Die Heroically but transform. He couldn't ever be a hero, but he could be a God.
Amazing stuff. Fucking brilliant.
Other notes:
This really exemplified how HWR was an asshole, because Timely was capable of more. Meaning HWR chose to be what he was, and could have chosen differently.
Also Marvel can now choose:
Renslayer as a replacement villain, or Kang variants who are other actors
Sylvie as a Loki who can interact with other characters at any point
posted by emjaybee at 6:19 AM on November 10, 2023 [14 favorites]
That's why this is so beautiful. Loki didn't find a magical or science whatsit or Cunning Plan, because HWR would always defeat those. He had to give everything up and not just Die Heroically but transform. He couldn't ever be a hero, but he could be a God.
Amazing stuff. Fucking brilliant.
Other notes:
This really exemplified how HWR was an asshole, because Timely was capable of more. Meaning HWR chose to be what he was, and could have chosen differently.
Also Marvel can now choose:
Renslayer as a replacement villain, or Kang variants who are other actors
Sylvie as a Loki who can interact with other characters at any point
posted by emjaybee at 6:19 AM on November 10, 2023 [14 favorites]
Also going to need some time to digest and reflect but first impression was that this stuck the landing.
I was initially worried they were trying to Groundhog Day/Edge of Tomorrow this into "this is the combination of key presses and timings required to save the day" but instead went more philosophical and Palm Springs'd it - you can't prep for breaking out of the box, you have to take a leap of faith first.
posted by Molesome at 6:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [5 favorites]
I was initially worried they were trying to Groundhog Day/Edge of Tomorrow this into "this is the combination of key presses and timings required to save the day" but instead went more philosophical and Palm Springs'd it - you can't prep for breaking out of the box, you have to take a leap of faith first.
posted by Molesome at 6:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [5 favorites]
Well that was definitely an ending.
posted by wierdo at 6:47 AM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by wierdo at 6:47 AM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I liked this episode! After complaining all season this one worked for me. I think mostly because they finally gave Hiddleston front and center and he's a very good actor and also he's my boyfriend (shhh, he doesn't know.) Also I liked the plot. The video-game-like first section, him replaying the game over and over again trying to figure out how to win. The return to season 1 events. Then the hard choice of realizing he really has to kill Sophie. Then finding a new way out, one that involved self sacrifice. I even liked Jonathan Majors and HWR's writing, there in the office at the end of time.
It made me wonder what the rest of the season was about. in particular why they had even had the episodes involving Renslayer, or Miss Minutes, or X-5. Leave those out and you're left with 3 episodes, or rather a sprawling 2h40m movie perfect for cinema release before it does 3x the revenue in streaming.
I hooted in glee when they turned the loom/hourglass sideways to reveal Yggdrasil. And then the new TVA iconography reflecting their Norse origins. For All Time. Always.
posted by Nelson at 6:53 AM on November 10, 2023 [11 favorites]
It made me wonder what the rest of the season was about. in particular why they had even had the episodes involving Renslayer, or Miss Minutes, or X-5. Leave those out and you're left with 3 episodes, or rather a sprawling 2h40m movie perfect for cinema release before it does 3x the revenue in streaming.
I hooted in glee when they turned the loom/hourglass sideways to reveal Yggdrasil. And then the new TVA iconography reflecting their Norse origins. For All Time. Always.
posted by Nelson at 6:53 AM on November 10, 2023 [11 favorites]
Odin hung himself from Yggdrasil to gain knowledge from the runes carved in its roots to try and prevent the destruction of reality; Loki prevented the destruction of reality by BECOMING Yggdrasil
posted by KingEdRa at 7:03 AM on November 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by KingEdRa at 7:03 AM on November 10, 2023 [3 favorites]
It's amazing how much more satisfying the ending can be when your protagonist resolves the conflict by making a decision with personal consequences rather than just having a big punch-out action scene.
posted by Uncle Ira at 7:31 AM on November 10, 2023 [44 favorites]
posted by Uncle Ira at 7:31 AM on November 10, 2023 [44 favorites]
Loki made the hard choices, so he gets the big chair.
posted by orrnyereg at 8:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [12 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 8:30 AM on November 10, 2023 [12 favorites]
It's amazing how much more satisfying the ending can be when your protagonist resolves the conflict by making a decision with personal consequences rather than just having a big punch-out action scene.
Even better is that the "big" fight that does occur between Loki, Sophie, and HWR is a layered fight based on their personalities and goals. It's very character driven as opposed "hey, it's time to fight".
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:33 AM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
Even better is that the "big" fight that does occur between Loki, Sophie, and HWR is a layered fight based on their personalities and goals. It's very character driven as opposed "hey, it's time to fight".
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:33 AM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
I think the lines from Science/Fiction are critical.
I thought this was a fantastic ending though. I was bothered in the middle episodes as to why Loki isn't getting character development and isn't doing much god stuff, but that was all a setup for the finale.
It reminds me of the ending of the Diana Wynne Jones children's novel "The Homeward Bounders" which haunted me for years.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:48 AM on November 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
I want my friends back.So it's not quite a happy ending. Loki gets to achieve his Glorious Purpose and save his friends, but the price is spending eternity alone.
I don't wanna be alone.
I thought this was a fantastic ending though. I was bothered in the middle episodes as to why Loki isn't getting character development and isn't doing much god stuff, but that was all a setup for the finale.
It reminds me of the ending of the Diana Wynne Jones children's novel "The Homeward Bounders" which haunted me for years.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:48 AM on November 10, 2023 [4 favorites]
Contrary take: I really didn't get it at all. I'm so disappointed that I have to go on line and read all the back story to get the emotional weight of what happened.
All that money and the story couldn't be on the screen? I love these characters so I guess I will read up and rewatch - but he's the God of Mischief not the God of Time and I remain disappoint.
posted by Space Kitty at 8:59 AM on November 10, 2023 [7 favorites]
All that money and the story couldn't be on the screen? I love these characters so I guess I will read up and rewatch - but he's the God of Mischief not the God of Time and I remain disappoint.
posted by Space Kitty at 8:59 AM on November 10, 2023 [7 favorites]
Notes while watching.
"I'm a fast learner, and I'm a god." "Centuries later..."
Victor's slow trek is reminding me of that one episode of For All Mankind. (If you've seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, I will shut up because major spoileration.)
God, I hate He Who Remains. Such a pompous fucking ass. What did Marvel see in this guy that was soooooooooo great? I just see a pouting asshole and I'm tired of his pouting face and his 'tude.
"Okay, it looks like someone got ahold of the set list."
Spaghetti everywhere and I'm so confused. I have no idea what's happening.
"Hi, I'm Miss Minutes."
"Are we sure she won't try to kill us all?"
....Yeah, what just happened? Thank you, TheophileEscargot, for explaining that, though I also cracked up at "giving tree."
A quick 'Loki' finale crackpot theory
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:31 AM on November 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
"I'm a fast learner, and I'm a god." "Centuries later..."
Victor's slow trek is reminding me of that one episode of For All Mankind. (If you've seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, I will shut up because major spoileration.)
God, I hate He Who Remains. Such a pompous fucking ass. What did Marvel see in this guy that was soooooooooo great? I just see a pouting asshole and I'm tired of his pouting face and his 'tude.
"Okay, it looks like someone got ahold of the set list."
Spaghetti everywhere and I'm so confused. I have no idea what's happening.
"Hi, I'm Miss Minutes."
"Are we sure she won't try to kill us all?"
....Yeah, what just happened? Thank you, TheophileEscargot, for explaining that, though I also cracked up at "giving tree."
A quick 'Loki' finale crackpot theory
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:31 AM on November 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
SYLVIE. Her name is Sylvie.
posted by kitten kaboodle at 11:24 AM on November 10, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by kitten kaboodle at 11:24 AM on November 10, 2023 [11 favorites]
This season might get a rewatch from me. I had complaints about the pacing of earlier episodes, which felt padded at time. But to see that there was an overall plan and that time highjinks were going on behind the scenes makes me wonder how those earlier episodes work after seeing the conclusion.
A lot of the earlier episodes felt like wheel spinning...but here we see He Who Remains engineered it to feel so to Loki, so that Loki would give up and get in line. I think it might play better seeing that endgame come about.
posted by stevis23 at 12:05 PM on November 10, 2023
A lot of the earlier episodes felt like wheel spinning...but here we see He Who Remains engineered it to feel so to Loki, so that Loki would give up and get in line. I think it might play better seeing that endgame come about.
posted by stevis23 at 12:05 PM on November 10, 2023
As I said in the previous thread..
And having thought about it, this ending is not the worst possible one.
BUT! It's been 12 hours since I saw it and yes it is still heartbreaking.
posted by Faintdreams at 1:34 PM on November 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
And having thought about it, this ending is not the worst possible one.
BUT! It's been 12 hours since I saw it and yes it is still heartbreaking.
posted by Faintdreams at 1:34 PM on November 10, 2023 [2 favorites]
Oh jebus I hope this is the end of Jonathan Majors’ Kang.
I minded him less in this episode than in the previous ones, possibly because he was so extraneous. Everything that happened was essentially just one character, Loki, figuring shit out, and figuring his shit out. That’s good storytelling and it was easy not to think about other things.
The World Tree reveal was beautiful, and my heart swelled. I also liked how Mobius went back and Don was already there. Also, that Sylvie dropped by and went off to parts unknown. The only thing I didn’t like was Renslayer being sent off to the void and that Alioth thing being still there. That seemed a bit weird, somehow.
In the end I’m glad I watched this season of Loki, which I had almost bailed out of, as it managed to weave together a satisfying ending out some very frayed threads.
posted by Kattullus at 2:15 PM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
I minded him less in this episode than in the previous ones, possibly because he was so extraneous. Everything that happened was essentially just one character, Loki, figuring shit out, and figuring his shit out. That’s good storytelling and it was easy not to think about other things.
The World Tree reveal was beautiful, and my heart swelled. I also liked how Mobius went back and Don was already there. Also, that Sylvie dropped by and went off to parts unknown. The only thing I didn’t like was Renslayer being sent off to the void and that Alioth thing being still there. That seemed a bit weird, somehow.
In the end I’m glad I watched this season of Loki, which I had almost bailed out of, as it managed to weave together a satisfying ending out some very frayed threads.
posted by Kattullus at 2:15 PM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
I actually cried at the final shot. In order to save his friends, he had to make the ultimate sacrifice, and now he's alone, burdened by a very glorious, but very lonely purpose.
The character growth he went through in this series, whew. I'm so proud of him. My heart breaks for him, but this was one thematically one of the better redemption stories I could imagine for him.
I would love to see nods to Yggdrasil Loki in future Marvel works, though, I am getting exhausted by Marvel on the whole. (I would make an exception for Sylvie.)
posted by lesser weasel at 5:41 PM on November 10, 2023 [10 favorites]
The character growth he went through in this series, whew. I'm so proud of him. My heart breaks for him, but this was one thematically one of the better redemption stories I could imagine for him.
I would love to see nods to Yggdrasil Loki in future Marvel works, though, I am getting exhausted by Marvel on the whole. (I would make an exception for Sylvie.)
posted by lesser weasel at 5:41 PM on November 10, 2023 [10 favorites]
I was pleasantly surprised by that ending. I don’t read the comics so I’ll have to read up on some of the comic lore, but I could definitely appreciate how they ultimately gave Loki what he thought his purpose was (to basically rule everything) but via sacrifice, not a thirst for power. Nicely done.
I figure this wraps up this series? But I hope it’s not the last we see of the characters and this new and more noble TVA.
posted by eekernohan at 5:52 PM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
I figure this wraps up this series? But I hope it’s not the last we see of the characters and this new and more noble TVA.
posted by eekernohan at 5:52 PM on November 10, 2023 [8 favorites]
Just when I thought this show couldn't give me any more Doctor Who vibes, there's Loki's big face on top of special effects during the credits.
posted by Gary at 8:30 PM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Gary at 8:30 PM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I regret watching this season of Loki - - a thorough waste of my own personal timeline.
posted by fairmettle at 8:39 PM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by fairmettle at 8:39 PM on November 10, 2023 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed this season and loved the finale!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:58 AM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 12:58 AM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
Loki was among the first Disney+ titles; after kicking off with WandaVision and the first season of this, I think they got pretty far into the weeds with baffling disappointments like Secret Invasion. This was a pleasing reminder that this stuff can still be excellent.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:43 AM on November 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:43 AM on November 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
When Loki went out the airlock in Timely’s place, I expected him to scatter infinite time-expert Lokis throughout infinity so he could be the ever-present god of mischief, taking up the burden of being the villain in HWR’s place.
But grasping the threads of fate and taking up a throne he no longer really wanted so his friends wouldn’t all vanish is really good, too.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:50 AM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
But grasping the threads of fate and taking up a throne he no longer really wanted so his friends wouldn’t all vanish is really good, too.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 8:50 AM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
This is where Marvel needs to go now. Stories can end. They should end! That's how we get closure. The universe goes on, of course, and there can be other stories set in it (like how Spider-Man had to deal with Iron Man's death; Iron Man is gone, but Spider-Man goes on and Stark's death fuels his stories), but an ending is an ending is an ending, and without an ending, the beginnings and middles don't matter so much.
posted by Servo5678 at 9:21 AM on November 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Servo5678 at 9:21 AM on November 11, 2023 [7 favorites]
I like stories with endings! FWIW I read somewhere that Loki was originally intended to have two seasons, a complete planned story, so apparently this really is the end. Also Hiddleston recently suggested he's done playing Loki in the MCU. Nothing is forever in tinseltown (or Marvel) but I can certainly imagine him being ready to do other things.
posted by Nelson at 9:38 AM on November 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Nelson at 9:38 AM on November 11, 2023 [4 favorites]
I thought the last three episodes of this season were great!
I thought the first three episodes were crap. I still think they're crap even in light of the ending. (I stopped watching after the second, and only resumed because I read on Fanfare that the fourth one got good again.)
But... much better to screw up the beginning and stick the landing than to have a great beginning and screw up the ending.
posted by kyrademon at 12:32 PM on November 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
I thought the first three episodes were crap. I still think they're crap even in light of the ending. (I stopped watching after the second, and only resumed because I read on Fanfare that the fourth one got good again.)
But... much better to screw up the beginning and stick the landing than to have a great beginning and screw up the ending.
posted by kyrademon at 12:32 PM on November 11, 2023 [5 favorites]
Tom Hiddleston's 14-Year-Long Marvel Journey as Loki Ends in Season 2 Finale (Extended) (The Tonight Show)
This is linked in the article above and I’d already seen it, really recommend watching, Tom Hiddleston is so good! I smiled the whole way through.
posted by ellieBOA at 2:10 PM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
This is linked in the article above and I’d already seen it, really recommend watching, Tom Hiddleston is so good! I smiled the whole way through.
posted by ellieBOA at 2:10 PM on November 11, 2023 [2 favorites]
he's done playing Loki
And somewhere, deep in the swamps of the multiverse, Alligator Loki stirs.
posted by SPrintF at 4:21 PM on November 11, 2023 [10 favorites]
And somewhere, deep in the swamps of the multiverse, Alligator Loki stirs.
posted by SPrintF at 4:21 PM on November 11, 2023 [10 favorites]
I really hope this series wrote a big creative check for Benson and Moorhead to cash on their own projects. It really felt like an evolution of the stuff they were trying to do with The Endless, which is a movie I really like but it didn't have an internal logic that hung together - I'd love to see them revisit that world with the level up they've had since.
posted by jason_steakums at 5:16 PM on November 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by jason_steakums at 5:16 PM on November 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
This was a good ending. The pacing was indeed weird, but I didn't actively hate any of it, and some of it definitely works a bit better in retrospect.
One weird thing is that killing Sylvie was kind of a false choice. Kill Sylvie and the TVA that Loki knows survives, and the Sacred Timeline is restored. Don't kill Sylvie and eventually the Loom blows up, restoring the Sacred Timeline (and blowing the TVA to smithereens, and then rebuilt and put under Kang's management). The only people he can save by killing Sylvie is Mobius and friends. I don't think it really sold how monumentally selfish it would have been for him to do it?
(it seemed inevitable that Loki would end up out the airlock if only for durability reasons and I assumed he would have tried that first, honestly. Worth it for the scenes of Loki trying to speedrun it though)
posted by BungaDunga at 8:11 PM on November 12, 2023
One weird thing is that killing Sylvie was kind of a false choice. Kill Sylvie and the TVA that Loki knows survives, and the Sacred Timeline is restored. Don't kill Sylvie and eventually the Loom blows up, restoring the Sacred Timeline (and blowing the TVA to smithereens, and then rebuilt and put under Kang's management). The only people he can save by killing Sylvie is Mobius and friends. I don't think it really sold how monumentally selfish it would have been for him to do it?
(it seemed inevitable that Loki would end up out the airlock if only for durability reasons and I assumed he would have tried that first, honestly. Worth it for the scenes of Loki trying to speedrun it though)
posted by BungaDunga at 8:11 PM on November 12, 2023
He Who Remains' idea was that forcing Loki to kill Sylvie would finish breaking him. He was trying to shape Loki into a perfect minion and he needed that last act of compliance/symbolic suicide to have a version of Loki that he could control. The selfishness/futility of the choice was the point.
posted by Karmakaze at 6:45 AM on November 13, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by Karmakaze at 6:45 AM on November 13, 2023 [5 favorites]
That soundtrack! Natalie Holt better get some big films out of this. One of the best uses of theremin I’ve ever heard.
posted by q*ben at 9:16 PM on November 13, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by q*ben at 9:16 PM on November 13, 2023 [4 favorites]
This is where Marvel needs to go now. Stories can end. They should end! That's how we get closure.
Seems to me a couple of times in Neil Gaiman stories, characters have said that the hardest part of a story is knowing where to end it.
Not a few franchises have demonstrated this truth less elegantly.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:23 PM on November 13, 2023 [3 favorites]
Seems to me a couple of times in Neil Gaiman stories, characters have said that the hardest part of a story is knowing where to end it.
Not a few franchises have demonstrated this truth less elegantly.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:23 PM on November 13, 2023 [3 favorites]
Ke Huy Quan Saw Something Familiar in Loki’s Ouroboros [Vulture / Archive]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 AM on November 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ellieBOA at 7:04 AM on November 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
Tom Hiddleston Rules it "Unwise" to Believe Loki's Story Is Truly Over (Exclusive) [ComicBook]
That article is taken from a video interview they did.
posted by ellieBOA at 8:21 PM on November 14, 2023
That article is taken from a video interview they did.
posted by ellieBOA at 8:21 PM on November 14, 2023
Tom Hiddleston is currently 41
He started playing Loki 14 years ago, when he was 27/28.
That's like 34% of his life to date.
He should be able to take an extended break and go do something else, or y'know never play the character again if he doesn't want to.
I say this a a HUGE fan of the character Loki and particularly Hiddleston's embodiment of said character - but no one becomes an actor with a view to playing the same single character for their entire career.
posted by Faintdreams at 7:33 AM on November 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
He started playing Loki 14 years ago, when he was 27/28.
That's like 34% of his life to date.
He should be able to take an extended break and go do something else, or y'know never play the character again if he doesn't want to.
I say this a a HUGE fan of the character Loki and particularly Hiddleston's embodiment of said character - but no one becomes an actor with a view to playing the same single character for their entire career.
posted by Faintdreams at 7:33 AM on November 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm with you creatively but most actors dream of that kind of paycheck. (See also Sir Anthony Hopkins, you may know him as "Thor", who is famous for doing mediocre acting for a string of mediocre roles because they paid well. Inbetween some really fantastic performances, of course.)
posted by Nelson at 7:50 AM on November 15, 2023
posted by Nelson at 7:50 AM on November 15, 2023
Anthony Hopkins famously marked his Thor script as “N.A.R.” For No Acting Required. I don’t really agree with the sentiment but it’s entertaining:
“I try to apply it to everything I do: no acting required,–On ‘Thor,’ you have Chris Hemsworth—who looks like Thor—and a director like Kenneth Branagh, who is so certain of what he wants. They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne; shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.”
posted by q*ben at 7:59 AM on November 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
“I try to apply it to everything I do: no acting required,–On ‘Thor,’ you have Chris Hemsworth—who looks like Thor—and a director like Kenneth Branagh, who is so certain of what he wants. They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne; shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.”
posted by q*ben at 7:59 AM on November 15, 2023 [2 favorites]
And somewhere, deep in the swamps of the multiverse, Alligator Loki stirs.
Casual viewers already kvetch about how they need to do so much homework to watch a movie now; it’d be hard to explain why a major character in a future movie is Loki but not played by that Englishman but now by a mute two-foot-long CGI reptile.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:01 AM on November 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
Casual viewers already kvetch about how they need to do so much homework to watch a movie now; it’d be hard to explain why a major character in a future movie is Loki but not played by that Englishman but now by a mute two-foot-long CGI reptile.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:01 AM on November 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think the only hope for the future of the MCU is to go full Dada. CGI crocodiles are just the beginning?
posted by orrnyereg at 1:32 PM on November 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 1:32 PM on November 15, 2023 [3 favorites]
“I try to apply it to everything I do: no acting required,–On ‘Thor,’ you have Chris Hemsworth—who looks like Thor—and a director like Kenneth Branagh, who is so certain of what he wants. They put me in armor; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne; shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.”
I suppose Hopkins's ideal of acting is more subtle and personal and human, but he does a fantastic job of what he was given to do in the first Thor movie. It's hard to imagine someone doing a better job with that scene where he reprimands Thor.
Thor: "As king, I...
Odin: "But you're not. KING."
posted by straight at 11:04 AM on November 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
I suppose Hopkins's ideal of acting is more subtle and personal and human, but he does a fantastic job of what he was given to do in the first Thor movie. It's hard to imagine someone doing a better job with that scene where he reprimands Thor.
Thor: "As king, I...
Odin: "But you're not. KING."
posted by straight at 11:04 AM on November 16, 2023 [4 favorites]
It's hard to imagine someone doing a better job with that scene where he reprimands Thor.
And that feral growl when Loki tries to interject was an ad-lib.
posted by cheshyre at 4:40 PM on November 16, 2023
And that feral growl when Loki tries to interject was an ad-lib.
posted by cheshyre at 4:40 PM on November 16, 2023
There's an interview with Hiddleston from way back at the first Thor movie that boils down to Hiddleston not sure about playing a supervillain and Branngh told him "it's Shakespearian court intrigue and you're the disrespected second son," and Hiddleston replied, "Oh well sure, I can do that." I take Anthony Hopkins "no acting required" the same way -- after his long career, dropping into that archetype barely counts as effort. Take Richard E. Grant's comment when he played old Loki in the full comic-book costume back in season one: "My late Father asked me 4 decades ago ‘Do you really want to spend your life in make-up and tights?’ At 64, this get-up for [comic book Loki] would have made him cackle!¹" All the research and practice for playing a bigger than life monarch or walking around in brightly colored tights without feeling silly had already been done so long ago.
Part of me still really wants to see Kid Loki in the Young Avengers that's being assembled and we now have an excuse to bring him in as a variant. The challenges there are finding a kid who can pull off the role and getting the audience past "alternate timeline version of known character".
posted by Karmakaze at 6:14 AM on November 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Part of me still really wants to see Kid Loki in the Young Avengers that's being assembled and we now have an excuse to bring him in as a variant. The challenges there are finding a kid who can pull off the role and getting the audience past "alternate timeline version of known character".
posted by Karmakaze at 6:14 AM on November 17, 2023 [4 favorites]
Thinking about it, you could get Alligator Loki, Lockjaw, Lockheed, and Chewie (Goose in the movies) together and have them form the Avenging Super-pets. Maybe get Squirrel Girl as their patron. It's sounds crazy, but it just might work!
posted by SPrintF at 8:10 AM on November 17, 2023
posted by SPrintF at 8:10 AM on November 17, 2023
As part of its subscription platform, Marvel has been publishing some short digital comics under the banner of "Infinity Comics"
There has been an Alligator Loki comic, along with Marvel Meow, which features Chewie alongside other animal companions of assorted supers. (image-search for screencaps - it's adorable!)
And they've recently announced Infinity Paws, which looks like it will feature Alligator Loki, Chewie, Pizza Dog & Jeff, the Land Shark.
posted by cheshyre at 12:59 PM on November 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
There has been an Alligator Loki comic, along with Marvel Meow, which features Chewie alongside other animal companions of assorted supers. (image-search for screencaps - it's adorable!)
And they've recently announced Infinity Paws, which looks like it will feature Alligator Loki, Chewie, Pizza Dog & Jeff, the Land Shark.
posted by cheshyre at 12:59 PM on November 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
Am rewatching season 1, two episodes in, and it's holding up well. This 2012 Loki was an arrogant, power hungry diva. But seeing how his life didn't amount to much obviously shook him up.
Yet he was still a brilliant trickster, outsmarting Mobius and Hunter B15 in delightful ways, with a great mischievous vibe.
It should obvious to say now, but being taken out of the universe and dynamics that he'd known for all his life really gave him the chance to be something else. No wonder he loved Mobius so much, prompting his growth into something more.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:59 PM on November 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
Yet he was still a brilliant trickster, outsmarting Mobius and Hunter B15 in delightful ways, with a great mischievous vibe.
It should obvious to say now, but being taken out of the universe and dynamics that he'd known for all his life really gave him the chance to be something else. No wonder he loved Mobius so much, prompting his growth into something more.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:59 PM on November 19, 2023 [2 favorites]
Am I remembering something correctly? In the previous episode, when The Gang Was Back Together in the giant cylinder, before the spaghettification began, didn't the TemPad they were using mysteriously disappear?
posted by bq at 12:09 PM on December 1, 2023
posted by bq at 12:09 PM on December 1, 2023
nice. echoes of "sacrifice" at end of Constantine too.....
posted by lalochezia at 7:33 PM on December 17, 2023
posted by lalochezia at 7:33 PM on December 17, 2023
Marvel Studios Drops Jonathan Majors Following Guilty Verdict
posted by 1970s Antihero at 3:00 PM on December 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 3:00 PM on December 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
Yay. Good. Finally.
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:42 PM on December 18, 2023
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:42 PM on December 18, 2023
Huh. I liked the first season quite a lot, but this one just did not work for me. In the first half I was having trouble keeping track of character motivations and what I was supposed to be caring about. The show seemed to really like Victor Timely. I really did not.
The universe-ending spaghetti simplified things, but what a depressing ending. Stuck in a tree like Merlin to hold the multiverse together, alone. (After being functionally alone for centuries doing time loops.)
I guess he could go insane there and come back as a villain again, like Avengers only worse? That doesn't sound fun either. Poor guy.
posted by mersen at 8:10 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]
The universe-ending spaghetti simplified things, but what a depressing ending. Stuck in a tree like Merlin to hold the multiverse together, alone. (After being functionally alone for centuries doing time loops.)
I guess he could go insane there and come back as a villain again, like Avengers only worse? That doesn't sound fun either. Poor guy.
posted by mersen at 8:10 AM on March 25 [1 favorite]
Well, I'm still thinking about that ending, which is something in this media-soaked age? I think why it felt so depressing is, this Loki seemed to have a chance at a happy ending. Our first Loki finally made peace with Thor and Asgard, and was immediately murdered by Thanos. The Loki who ran from Thanos spent his very long lifetime cowering at the end of time, and redeemed himself in one glorious/fatal moment at the end of Loki Season 1.
Spare-Tesseract Loki seemed to get a second chance thanks to the time-traveling Avengers, and then Mobius and the TVA. He got a bad suit, and friends, and a new line of work that could maybe keep someone employed for eternity. (Trickster, Time Lord, potato, potahto?) It wasn't grand, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, more than he had as a prince of Asgard. And then the world ended and he got a throne and the tree and glorious purpose, and it's very mythic but awfully sad.
I guess I want a Loki who survives New York and then has to redeem himself by playing well with others, indefinitely, not grand sacrificial gestures that get you out of doing group work. I want to see more of Sylvie too, I like her, but her background is different enough that she is a different person.
posted by mersen at 7:29 PM on March 25
Spare-Tesseract Loki seemed to get a second chance thanks to the time-traveling Avengers, and then Mobius and the TVA. He got a bad suit, and friends, and a new line of work that could maybe keep someone employed for eternity. (Trickster, Time Lord, potato, potahto?) It wasn't grand, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, more than he had as a prince of Asgard. And then the world ended and he got a throne and the tree and glorious purpose, and it's very mythic but awfully sad.
I guess I want a Loki who survives New York and then has to redeem himself by playing well with others, indefinitely, not grand sacrificial gestures that get you out of doing group work. I want to see more of Sylvie too, I like her, but her background is different enough that she is a different person.
posted by mersen at 7:29 PM on March 25
but he's the God of Mischief not the God of Time and I remain disappoint
On of the things I do like about the TV series is that in comics, while Loki has occasionally had heel-face turns, chances to be something other than a handy villain, but it is the nature of comics that no matter how interesting and rich something like Young Loki might be, at some point not long after some other writer is going to come along and go 'but I want the classic Loki' and any character development disappears. In the cinematic universe, development can actually stick, and Loki doesn't *have* to be chained to being the same archetype trickster/chaotic villain.
posted by tavella at 12:03 AM on April 3 [3 favorites]
On of the things I do like about the TV series is that in comics, while Loki has occasionally had heel-face turns, chances to be something other than a handy villain, but it is the nature of comics that no matter how interesting and rich something like Young Loki might be, at some point not long after some other writer is going to come along and go 'but I want the classic Loki' and any character development disappears. In the cinematic universe, development can actually stick, and Loki doesn't *have* to be chained to being the same archetype trickster/chaotic villain.
posted by tavella at 12:03 AM on April 3 [3 favorites]
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posted by TheophileEscargot at 10:43 PM on November 9, 2023 [2 favorites]