lastingphase

[lastingphase]

Okay, sorry in advance, this may turn into a rather long ramble because I have literally been thinking about it for months.

So firstly, I was not actually aware of the whole headcanon/theory about Thanos torturing and/or mind-controlling Loki until I read a fanfic (I think it was Porcelain). And initially I thought "that's a cool interpretation, but it's definitely not canon compliant".

Then I read a few meta posts and realised it's actually a widespread thing in the fandom - or at least in parts of it.

Then I rewatched Thor 1 and Avengers 1.

And my conclusion is: Loki has always been a messy character. Most other Marvel character fit pretty neatly into a category: hero, anti-hero, villain, etc. Loki doesn't. Even in Thor 1, he's a weird mix of villain and victim. Because even when he does something that is definitely evil (trying to destroy a planet) you can still kind of understand why he does it. So narratively he's the villain, but in terms of... I don't know, emotions? he doesn't feel like a villain.

Avengers 1 only complicates things more. Because there he is definitely the villain. The speeches and posturing are like a flashing neon sign that says 'Bad guy'. At the same time there is the Thanos story going on in the background though. I think the main problem with it is that it takes place in the background. Yes, there are clear signs that Loki is being coerced into invading earth. But those signs are only clear if you're watching the movie with some degree of analysis.

My dad and I have had multiple debates that stem from the fact that we watch movies very differently. I watch to pick apart; I'm here to dissect and analyze. My dad mostly just watches movies for entertainment. He prefers plots he doesn't need to think too hard about. Most people who watch superhero movies are like my dad. They're watching to be entertained and for that purpose it's better if the characters they see clearly fit into 'good guys' and 'bad guys'.

Some people are like me though. They pick apart and examine. They speculate and write lengthy meta posts about character motivations. These are usually the people who pick up on subtext. On things like the fact that yes, Loki stabs Thor while the two of them are fighting, but he stabs him in the most non-lethal way possible.

Avengers 1 does a really great job of setting things up for the MCU. It establishes the Avengers as a team; it ties together a lot of previously disconnected stories into a whole. And it begins to hint, though very vaguely, to Thanos and the conflict of future movies. It also does a really good job of setting Loki up as the link to Thanos.

But then Thor: The Dark World happens. And none of that set up pays off. In fact, all the hints in Avengers 1 get completely ignored. Why? Because Loki is the character equivalent of a Leatherman (I'm using this reference and hoping everyone knows what that is; if you don't - it's a multi-purpose tool that combines pliers, screwdriver, knife, etc.) His role in each story changes according to what the story needs. In Thor 1, he's an antagonist - a brother turned traitor. In Avengers 1, he's a villain. In TDW, he's a redeemed villain. In Ragnarok, he's comedic relief (technically everyone in that movie is comedic relief). And in the Loki series, he's a goofy, bumbling idiot.

You know the saying 'too many cooks spoil the broth'? The same thing applies to stories. Every person who tells a story tells it differently. Because the MCU is written by a bunch of different people, it's full of a lot of different interpretations. While that's great for creating unique and diverse stories, it's not so great for creating consistent characters.

The problem for me with canon Loki isn't so much that he changed. It's that all of the most interesting things about his character never really get dealt with because at the end of the day, even if he is popular, he's not the main character. There are a bunch of loose threads that canon just never addresses. Like the fact that Loki is a Frost Giant. Or the fact that he tried to murder his entire species. Or that he attempted suicide. Or Thanos. Or even - and this is a big one for me - whether or not he faked his death in TDW.

So to conclude a long ramble into something more concise: I don't think any of us are insane. It is possible to have wildly different interpretations of a character - canon itself proves that.

I'm really starting to worry if my corner of the Loki fandom (og 2011-2013) are actually just insane. Are we like Destiel from SPN, insisting something is there that was never written into the text only hinted at, but we wanted it there anyway so we put it there? Like even if we don't like Loki from the series, that's how Loki's character is going to be now. We adapt or we die. We don't get to be mad about something we made up, right?

Like I genuinely just. I don't know. As I've released my anti Loki series video essay to YT more and more people have told me I've made up his og character and Im mad about something that never existed in the first place. Did I just... Make something up and then other fans liked that and we all huddled together in a dark corner of the internet as everyone else laughed at us? Like. God I feel absolutely insane right now.

Like I love the version of Loki that my corner of the fandom talks about. But did he actually exist in canon to begin with?

[lastingphase]

Okay, what was the point of making Loki sacrifice himself three times at least, save people and making Thanos's control and torture so obvious plus confirming it only to suddenly start to claim that he is a bad self-obsessed villain because of NYC and never cared about anyone?

I mean? ...?

[lastingphase]

Bucky and his Napping Adventures

For @ simp

Part of @marveltrumpshate

[lastingphase]

the first one has definitely been more accurate thus far 😭

[lastingphase]

Whoever decided that before the climax of TFATWS it was necessary to just take a complete break from the main plot and have a bunch of scenes of Sam and Bucky hanging out and working on the boat - they were right. I needed that.

[lastingphase]

[lastingphase]

i want Everyone who watches tfatws to keep This in mind as they watch and consider that the US military invests heavily in the mcu and has to approve scripts to ensure they dont paint the military in a bad light and think about why the villain would be represented by a red handprint on the face

[lastingphase]

let’s hear it for sam wilson,

the kindest character in the mcu who right from the beginning has been one of the most empathetic voices that people can’t help but listen to, who can relate to the struggles of those who are ignored or tossed aside in favour for the big battles and players, whose first option is peace and not violence, who sees someone getting hurt and steps in even though he’s been disrespected by that person several times, is genuine and tries to make things right and cares.

he cares.

[lastingphase]

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER, 2021

[lastingphase]

SAM WILSON & BUCKY BARNES THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER (2021) CAPTAIN AMERICA: SAM WILSON #7 (2016)

[lastingphase]

no bc fr

[lastingphase]

#The Avengers don’t really have good plans either

[lastingphase]

You know what they did to me for being a hero? They put my ass in jail for 30 years.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)  Episode 5: “Truth”  

[lastingphase]

[lastingphase]

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

Captain America and the Winter Soldier

[lastingphase]

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER (2021) | “Join”

[lastingphase]

SAM: Can’t argue with that .