#- to the attempted annihilation of Jotunheim...

[tori-artemis]

Oh this is a great question to think about! Tbh I had a lot of hopes back when the series was premiering (and before when it was just announced), so to go off of those... well first off, I really really wanted an exploration of Loki's trauma, his past and even his psyche. Like I know a psychological thriller/horror probably wouldn't have been in the cards for a Disney+ show, but tbf I feel like the creators of Wandavision touched on aspects found in those types of genres (if in a PG 13 kind of way) so I don't think I was too off base for hoping to see something like that for Loki. (Not to mention the ridiculous comparisons to films like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs that Mike Waldron kept making... but I'm not gonna get into that rant again.)

I think I would've put a lot of focus on what the hell actually happened to Loki when he fell into the Void and disappeared for an entire year or so, and how he ended up encountering Thanos and the Black Order, how that all went down, etc. Either through flashbacks, or (possibly altered) memories, or Loki recounting those events interview/interrogation-style (and being an extremely unreliable narrator in doing so, like for instance saying something like "I made a deal with Thanos and worked with him willingly" and then at some point you see into his head through flashbacks/night terrors and realize that clearly wasn't the case, just stuff like that). The possibilities were endless tbh, like there's just so many creative opportunities to explore that one aspect of Loki's backstory. And since that's such a burning question to me (and many other fans tbh) still to this day, I feel like that'd be the first thing I'd want to tackle.

Another important thing I'd want to include would be Loki's gender fluidity and his bi identity. Like I don't think it necessarily has to go with Loki referring to himself as bi, like I don't think he has to say the actual word "bi" in order to give any meaningful kind of rep?? Especially now that Agatha All Along has come out, I feel like I'd want to approach Loki's identity in a similar type of way, just unapologetic, and as authentic as possible to his comic book counter part. Like hell, he can have hang ups with those parts of his identity (which would actually make sense, being from Asgard and since he already has a lot of self-loathing issues in general due to being Jotun).

I wouldn't mind that, especially if it was done in a non-typical way, like maybe it's not being sexually intimate with men/males that's looked down upon on Asgard, but - similar to the Norse apparently - it's on what role they play, or basically who's the "bottom" - that gets shamed, or maybe same sex relationships aren't looked down upon at all on Asgard, but giving birth/getting pregnant while being/presenting as male is, bc it's seen as unnatural, and then let Loki go through an experience where he develops deep rooted insecurities about those aspects of his identity due to Asgard's cultural prejudices. And like this doesn't even have to be explicit (tho after the birth scenes in both Wandavision and especially Agatha All Along I can't help but roll my eyes at ppl having a hang up with Loki going thru something like this, especially if they were totally okay with Wanda and Agatha having birthing scenes, but anyways). It can be something as simple and as subtle as Loki finding out he's pregnant (maybe he can magically feel the fetus growing inside him, or he can hear the heartbeat/etc, or maybe it's as simple as having morning sickness and/or a change of diet). And it just ends up with him drinking tea/potion (due to pressure from Odin/Frigga/society, or maybe he's not ready and seeks it out himself) which gets rid of the baby, but again it's done in a very non graphic way. Of course the whole mpreg thing is just an example, and doesn't have to be in a series about Loki (that's what fanfic is for!) but basically: let Loki be queer, he can have hang ups about being queer, and tbh I'd want the hang ups to be kind of different from the usual discussions/portrayals of queerness in media mainly bc Asgard's an alien/fantasy society so I'd want their cultural norms to be pretty different from ours (human society in general), but overall just let Loki be queer, goddamnit!

Furthermore, I'd want to explore Loki's self loathing in particular, and see his view of himself change as he develops and grows throughout the series. If he encounters other versions of himself then I'd want to see what that would look like... and preferably done differently from how the show approached it (regarding Sylvie). Like I don't want him to just, I don't know, praise his other self up the way he ends up doing in the series (I know he also fought with Sylvie at the beginning but tbh I couldn't really take their rivalry seriously, it felt very sibling-like - which I actually enjoyed at the time, mind you, but a reflection of one's internal self-hatred it certainly is NOT, and like overall the whole dynamic just didn't work for me bc I find those two characters so undeniably different from each other and therefore it doesn't really work as a metaphor for self hatred/self love, but that's neither here nor there).

Like - let it be messy! Let it actually be vitriolic and hateful if that's what the series is trying to convey. Let Loki be angry, let him rage, let him lash out - at versions of himself and at other characters, like c'mon! This is a character that has a lot of inner darkness and has suffered through a lot of trauma and has difficulty trusting others due to said trauma (especially if we're going with Avengers era Loki) so how about we Show That.

Tbh I wouldn't have minded for Loki's main villain (both in the series overall and wrt the lead character) to be a version of himself. (As long as it was portrayed in a thoughtful way, like don't just make him evil please, in fact he doesn't even have to be evil at all - he doesn't have to destroy or conquer other worlds, he could literally just be out there destroying all versions of Loki, which would force our protagonist to fight/confront this person hunting him down). Like I think there would be so many possibilities for all of the ways a protagonist could deal with a "villain" - or rather, an antagonist like that. Some far more darker than others, depending on how you want your story to go. Like it could end similarly to the Agent of Asgard comics (where I believe Loki ends up forgiving and embracing his "evil" self... tho I've not read the comics so please feel free to correct me if I've gotten something wrong). Or if I were writing this series, I would've just had Loki forced into a position where, after being worn down to reaching his emotional breaking point, and in a fit of sheer rage, he'd end up brutally murdering the antagonistic version of himself, in the ultimate form of self destruction, and then I'd have him reeling from the internal consequences of such an extreme form of violence done against himself - but that's just my ridiculously morbid psychological-horror-loving ass for you. I'd just want to completely unravel him ngl, before having him overcome the impossible by rebuilding himself once more (w/ a little help from his newfound friends)...

If the TVA had to be involved in some way, I'd want to approach them as an ominous totalitarian organization, and if Loki were to be tortured by said organization, it most certainly would NOT be portrayed as some throw-away-attempt-at-comedy-type-of-scene (AHEM). I'd go for a darker tone overall, and Loki's torture at the TVA would be portrayed with all of the horror demanded by those types of scenes dealing with that kind of subject matter.

Tbh I have so many ideas for a Loki-centric show, some that involve the TVA and some that don't, but there's just so many threads and I don't want to make this any more convoluted than it already is, so to put it simply: I'd want the focus to be on Loki first and foremost. If it's called Loki, then it should be about the main lead, similar to how Agatha All Along was about Agatha, and Wandavision was about Wanda. (Which means, if the TVA has to be involved, then they would be secondary to the series' main focus - which would be on Loki and his relationship with himself.) Secondly, I'd want to see his trauma not only brought up, but fully explored. Which includes his traumatic upbringing (Odin's A++ Parenting, Frigga's enabling, family dysfunction, Asgard's toxic social/cultural norms) as well as the horror he experienced in the Void and on Sanctuary, maybe even some events in the first Avengers film, but seen through Loki's eyes this time. And I'd just want Loki to be queer, so if he's bi then let him have previous (or current!) relationships (or flirtations) with men (or attraction towards men) as well as women, if he's gender fluid then Show. That. Whether he physically transforms into a woman at times, or through his inner monologue where he refers to himself with different pronouns even if his gender presentation hasn't changed, or even his ambivalence towards being trapped/labeled in a one-gender-ticked-box, but Show. It. That part of his identity deserves to be shown, especially in a series where Loki's the central character.

If you yourself could’ve directed/wrote the Loki series, what would you have done differently? What would you have wanted to see in a series about Loki? What would you have focused on? Would the series take place somewhere other than the TVA? Which characters would you include? What would be the end goal? What aspects of his character would be explored?

[dramatistvx]

Loki fic recs!

Hello there! Here are some of the Loki fics I’ve read that I thought were really good :) Enjoy! 

Some of the fics contain dark themes so please read the tags and be safe! :)

Time Travel -fix it- 

The Fun With Time Loops series by Infinite_Monkeys

Summery first work:

With One More Try (Can We Start Again) 

Loki's attempt to conquer Earth has, to his great dismay, succeeded spectacularly. When Thanos sends him to collect the Time Stone, he strikes a deal with the Stone's keeper: he'll be sent back to the beginning of the invasion, and this time, armed with knowledge about his opponents, he can lose properly.

Or: a time loop fic in which Loki does increasingly desperate things to try and get the Avengers to defeat him already. 

Words: 13,563 - chaptered

Series total; 4 works, words: 78,913

Pretty sure you’ve already heard about this one and for good reason. It’s so good! Loved the whole series. I liked the third work best, tho it’s quite a bit longer than the others -60 k- It has more depth and -wayyy more angst- you get to see more of Loki struggling and him generally being in pain oOp- but he’s trying! Also Thor just wants to help bc he cares hihi. Love love love.

those yesterdays bleeding through by wnnbdarklord

Loki dies on the desolate plains of Svartalfheim, Thor's howls of grief ringing in his ears. He wakes up on his bed in his cell, where there is no sign of destruction.

A time loop fic where Loki gets the chance to fix things on the day the Dark Elves attack Asgard. And another. And another.

Words: 9,508

Another great time travel fix-it fic! I actually read the Fun With Time Loops series because I liked this fic so much and needed more lmao. There’s also a twist in the end that I didn’t see coming ;) It has so much angst for 9k I love XD I’d say that it’s a bit more explicit in the angst so be aware! Overall great read if you want something short and angsty but with a hopeful ending. 

De aging

Amateur Theatrics by galaxysoup

In which Thor’s primary problem-solving method (a mighty blow from Mjolnir) fails to have the desired effect on a magical artifact, and his secondary method (a mightier blow from Mjolnir) proves to be actively disastrous.

Words: 26,586 - chaptered

Love love love this one! After a magical accident, Loki accidentally gets de aged and it’s the most adorable thing ever. There’s fluff and angst and kid Loki is just so precious. I also love how Loki and Clint bond in this. Literally go read this! xD

Hurt/Comfort, Angst

Ichor in Violet by tirsynni

When Thor learns that Loki can travel to other realms without Heimdall seeing, of course he convinces Loki to take them both to Jotunheim to hunt Frost Giants. There an accident unravels centuries of lies and threatens to unravel Loki, too.

Words: 14,574 - chaptered

Where Loki accidentally discovers who he really is and has trouble dealing. Thor is confused, he just loves his brother. The angsttttt. This is dark so be aware! 

The Tapestries series by Lise

Summary first work:

It turns out that even a god can't escape a beating by the Hulk unscathed. At the end of the Battle of New York, Loki doesn't get back up. This changes more than you'd think. 

Series total; 4 works, Words: 30,727

Oh the angst *wrings hands* 

This series is amazing! It’s Loki struggling to deal with centuries of unresolved anger and hurt while simultaneously trying to cope with more recent events, the Void..Thanos. 

Basically, Loki just wants to go home, wherever that may be. Everyone’s trying, genuinely trying. You just gotta know when -how- to stop fighting. It’s very well written and It really dives into the psychological aspects of his trauma. Also, Odin actually cares for once lmao. This one is also pretty dark so be aware! 

Mistakes Made (And Corrected) by ADreamer67

In a different universe, Hela rebelled sooner. In a different universe, Hela Odinsdottir seduced Laufey with promises of power and convinced him to attack Midgard. In a different universe, Hela got pregnant, and didn't want to be. In a different universe, Hela left her newborn son for dead and went to face her father.

In a different universe, Loki Helajarson is two hundred and fifty years older than Thor. Let's see what happens.

Words: 47,072

Woah, just- this is so good!! It’s a very different take on Loki’s character but it’s still really fitting. After Thor is banished and the Odin sleep is fast approaching, Loki is to be king. Things don’t go very well for him, to say the least. I loved how the characters were portrayed and absolutely adored the dynamic between Loki and Thor. There’s so much angst and turmoil and it’s pretty dark so read the tags and be safe! 

Just Close Your Eyes by ADreamer67

Ragnarok has come to pass, the Asgardians have reached a deal with the leaders of Midgard for territory of their own, Loki is allowed to stay (provided he doesn’t leave said territory), and Thor is settled on the throne. So all in all, things are going well, if you ignore the recent massacre and planetary annihilation.

Well, except for the fact that Loki is working himself into the ground. And Thor is having none of it.

Cue a not entirely legal brotherly field trip where Thor will make Loki relax, or die trying. Responsibilities? Pssh, who cares about those? (Hint - Loki. Very much so)

Words: 31,832 - chaptered, still going

So fun! It starts out pretty angsty but it gradually becomes a little more lighthearted. Then, it’s just Thor and Loki exploring Midgardian customs together -mostly Loki being mildly disgusted by them lmao- :) 

Birthright by ADreamer67

Four years ago, Odin told Loki his birthright was to die. If only he knew.

When the Laufeyson was born small, too small and frail to survive, the solution seemed obvious. Though it had been many a generation since it had been done, the child was brought forth to the Casket, to be bound to its' power in an ancient ceremony that would imbue the little one with all the strength of a typical Jotun. That ceremony was interrupted by battle, and the child was left with the unguarded casket, in the hopes that the casket could keep it alive until it was safe to finish the ceremony.

That ceremony was never finished.

Over a thousand years later, the Casket of Ancient Winters is destroyed during Ragnarok. No one thought this would be an issue, least of all Loki. Guess what.

Words: 76,599 - chaptered, still going

This is so good!!! It’s one of the first fics I read in the fandom and it has really set my standards high. There’s so much angst and turmoil and it’s so well written. I absolutely adored the dynamic between the crew and how much Thor loves his brother even though Loki thinks he doesn’t deserve it. I really like the way ADreamer67 portrays the characters. 

Soulmate/Soulbond, Relationships

Maybe You (and your sad blue eyes) by alby_mangroves

Loki had already come to accept being born without a bonded soul to cleave to, one more way in which he would always be the lesser brother. So of course it made sense that it would settle upon him when he least expected it.

(Set in the timeline of Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor, and The Avengers. Canon divergent just before Chitauri invasion.)

Words: 29,258 - chaptered

I don’t really ship Loki and Steve -bc stucky heheh- but I came across this fic in another rec list and I absolutely loved it, plus the art is stunning! Def a great read if you like angsty soulmate/soulbond fics but with a happy ending.

The sexual awakening of Steve Rogers by aLoggedInReader

Steve's life has always been complicated, but he did not know just how much of a rollercoaster it could become until Bucky came to stay with him.

Bucky is trying to be helpful and get Steve to live a little, but between being a hundred years old and having only lived a couple of those years, as an assassin for Hydra to boot, he tends to miss the mark now and then.

Adding an Asgardian prince in exile to the mix surprisingly does not make things easier.

Words: 47,333, still going

Sksjsksksk I don’t really ship Loki/Steve but this one is just so fun. features a lot of female Loki, flustered Steve, protective Bucky and overall wholesomeness and chaotic energy. Everyone just wants Steve to be happy. -mostly Steve centric-

The lines, here are written by dfotw

In a world where everyone has their soulmate's name written on their wrists, Steve Rogers has quite a lot more... and Loki, a lot less.

Words: 18,009 - chaptered

Lmao Imma just stop saying I don’t ship them XD This one is also really good. It’s angsty and tender with a hopeful ending. 

[alwida10]

Soo, some thoughts on episode two nobody asked for? No problem! And this time I’ll even try to put some structure in it!

Things I liked:

1) the TVAs main attitude is shining through the fissures. Loki calls them out that ‘reset charge’ is simply veiling the fact those things annihilate everything in their vicinity. And B-15 first makes a joke about Loki’s jacket and then orders her minute man to prune the other Loki variant when they see ‘it’. Well, it was to be expected they wouldn’t respect the variants much. But it’s nice - they are slowly revealing the TVA as the bad guys. Especially I like about this that it mirrors the warrior three’s, since loki is once again forced to fight fight side by side with people who joke about him. Which leads me to point…

2)! Loki’s reactions on people (in this case hunter B15) joking about him while he’s right there. We saw his reaction to Volstags jest on the Bifrost in Thor 1.

This wasn’t so far from it. It’s not framed as a joke the audience should laugh about and he answers back at her. My main fears regarding the Loki series were 1) we would be supposed to laugh about him not with him, 2) he would be out of character. He definitely was the butt of many jokes (many of those in episode 1), but at least the narrative takes his position in this instance. Perhaps they are trying to soften the transition from Ragnarok for the general audience? Or the amount of bad taste differs from moment to moment, idk.

3) the acting of the people possessed by Loki. The smile and ‘Randy's’ stride were cool. I like different actors playing the same ‘person’. It’s like a remix of a song.

4) they did not forget that Loki is Jotun! Not only is he briefly shown in blue but also he mentions his heritage. It’s … something. I also liked that he still considers Asgard his home, and the Æsir ‘his people’ while he still looks down on them.

I have seen others claim Loki wasn’t arrogant, but I disagree. While Thor was certainly much worse in that regard, I do see a certain arrogance in him. When Thor asks if Loki considers himself above humans he answers ‘well, yes’. Or the way he looks at jotunheim before he says ‘in all its … glory’. The way he talks to Tony in avengers when they meet in the tower. Yeah. That’s arrogance. And I don’t think it’s a bad trait. A little bit of it makes it funnier to challenge him. The whole frostiron ship is based on this dynamic!

So, yeah. I think the arrogance is in character, but the loss of control, the huffing in anger when he had to sign the papers, and the throwing of salat in Pompeii are not, IMO. Why didn’t they let him open the goat cart while being disguised? Why didn’t they let him claim a stage to give a speech of doom as he did in avengers? That would have caused a lot of commotion without looking weak. Meh. (Because he isn’t the fearsome antagonist anymore, I get it. *sigh*)

Things I didn’t like:

1) the way they show him doing mischief. Like the salat scene. Yeah, it was somewhat funny to see Möbius mourn his salat. But again they chose Loki to look weak while doing so. They could have given him the aura of menace while doing so. But they went for silly. This is becoming a recurring topic. I mostly like what they show but not how they do it. The acting choices are off. )In episode 1 there was a lot ooc-ness. The point that irked me most was him running to this stone in Mongolia to stand on it because it made him look weak. Like *much* weaker than just sitting in the sand would have made him look. It shows insecurity. If he had projected a double on the stone whiteout the humans noticing? Fine! Totally ok. But letting your audience watch your pathetic attempts to appear bigger takes away all the effect and even diminishes your pathos. And such nonsense in an episode which’s major plot point is that Loki’s aware he’s using an illusion to inspire fear?!? 🤦‍♀️ but there is some possible explanation that would mend this problem for me - I’ll explain in the next point.

Things that could be good or just by chance:

1) Now, in this episode Loki’s range of behavior is immense. He hustles and bustles from one of Möbius’ sides to the other. He stalls for time giving speeches devoid of meaning. He tells inflated stories to one TVA librarian. And does whatever that salat scene was supposed to be. The words ‘molecules’ and ‘hologram’ out of the mouth of a Viking god just don’t fit. It’s not how he talks. Please! All very tiresome. BUT there was this scene when Möbius leaves the judge's office. Loki starts out hustling, but when Möbius doesn’t react as anticipated and even tries to manipulate Loki, Loki drops the act and turns solemn. A similar thing happens in the fair’s tend when Loki recalls Asgard. His body language, tone of voice, and even his vocabulary change. An elaborate way to indicate Loki’s whole demeanor is crafted to fit his surroundings or just inconsistencies in the acting/writing? I hope we’ll get to see.

I mean, as someone who tailors my whole personality to fit the people I’m around, I wouldn’t exclude the possibility Loki regal demeanor in Thor 1 and TDW was a defense mechanism against the hostility he was confronted with on Asgard. But I would pity if that part of him would not be shown again.

Outlook:

I like the fact we’re about to see more deviated time lines. It has a lot of potential. Also, i liked how torn loki was between going to Möbius or after the woman. Both aren’t on his side and he had to make a guess. If my hypothesis with Loki tailoring his demeanor to fit his surroundings is correct, we should see a stark contrast as soon he leaves the TVA and its people behind.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 15 July 2019

Quick Bits:

Age of X-Man: Omega #1 concludes the event with this finale one-shot from Zac Thompson, Lonnie Nadler, Simone Buonfantino, Tríona Farrell, and Clayton Cowles. It’s a confrontation between many of the groups within this world and X-Man as they discover the nature of the world and discuss some philosophical concepts of conflict and identity.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #50 begins “Amnesty” from Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Eduardo Pansica, Daniel Henriques, Julio Ferreira, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. It’s damn good. Arthur returns home here and there’s a reintegration of old supporting cast members, Wonder Woman, and further information about what’s going on in Atlantis. Also the set up for an interesting story possibly further down the line. Great art from Rocha, Pansica, Henriques, Ferreira, and Gho.

| Published by DC Comics

Assassin Nation #5 is the end to what has been a fun and humorous action-packed series from Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett. More great action with some surprises along the way.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Batman #75 begins “City of Bane” from Tom King, Tony S. Daniel, Mitch Gerads, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles. It sets up a new status quo in Gotham with Bane at the helm and a bizarre slotting of various villains into traditional roles.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Badge #12 concludes this series with one last mission from the combined forces of all of colour badges, showing us how a coordinated effort really should have taken place before the groups’ purpose was co-opted. This has been a great series from Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins, and Jim Campbell.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Black Science #41 sets up an interesting and somewhat surprising new reality after last issue. I kind of expect that we’ll see another big twist as we head towards the finale in the next two issues. Rick Remender, Matteo Scalera, Moreno Dinisio, and Rus Wooton give us an interesting look at “paradise” this issue.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Blade Runner 2019 #1 begins a new time period and introduces a new Blade Runner in this alt-present tale from Michael Green, Mike Johnson, Andres Guinaldo, Marco Lesko, and Jim Campbell. Ash is an interesting character and this interpretation of the mythos is wonderful. Also, the artwork from Guinaldo and Lesko perfectly fits this neon apocalypse world.

| Published by Titan

Bloodborne #13 begins the next arc, “The Veil, Torn Asunder”, as an unnamed veteran searches through the madness of Yarnham and beyond. Beautiful artwork from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson, really bringing the existential horrors to life.

| Published by Titan

Daredevil #8 goes in a very interesting direction as Matt accepts a dinner invitation from the married bookseller he keeps flirting with, leading to an assassination attempt and captivating dinner conversation about rules and responsibility. Chip Zdarsky, Lalit Kumar Sharma, Jay Leisten, Java Tartaglia, and Clayton Cowles are really delivering an interesting story here.

| Published by Marvel

Excellence #3 delves into some of the details of how the Aegis deals with rogue magic users. Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Emilio Lopez, and Deron Bennett are doing some very interesting world and character building here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Fairlady #4 is another great issue. The humour that Brian Schirmer provides in the dialogue is wonderful. This one dives into the mystery of mystery novel missing its final page and there’s one hell of an ending.

| Published by Image

Ghost Tree #4 concludes this excellent series from Bobby Curnow, Simon Gane, Ian Herring, Becka Kinzie, and Chris Mowry. There are a lot of goodbyes in this issue, some pleasant, some not, and some heartrending choices and consequences. Very well done.

| Published by IDW

Gideon Falls #15 checks in with Father Fred’s nightmares. The different time periods and streams, and their crossings-over at this point, are fascinating, even as things become even more chaotic and horrifying. Gorgeous art from Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Image

Immortal Hulk #21 has gorgeous guest art from Ryan Bodenheim as we get a story filling in this past of Fortean and a dangerous change in the present. Al Ewing also brings forward some of the recurring subtext of form and substance through the Bible and Kabbalah to give a deeper understanding of some of the themes here.

| Published by Marvel

Infinite Dark #8 brings an end to the second arc, with a revelation of the nightmarish creatures trying to destroy the station and a choice for how to proceed with the potential survival or annihilation of the remaining human race. Wonderful work from Ryan Cady, Andrea Mutti, K. Michael Russel, and Troy Peteri.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Invaders #7 begins a new arc, “Dead in the Water”, dealing with the fallout of Atlantis’ assault on the surface. There are some more hints of Namor’s problems, the return of another Invader, and hints at some nefarious things on the horizon. I love the introduction of Tony Stark into the mess in the present, adding another conflict to deal with. Chip Zdarsky, Carlos Magno, Butch Guice, Alex Guimarães, and Travis Lanham continue to deliver some solid storytelling here.

| Published by Marvel

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens #4 features an interpretation of the myth of Lorelei by Aud Koch (with letters from Jim Campbell). It’s wonderfully told, with beautiful, magical artwork.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / Archaia

Justice League #28 concludes “Apex Predator” from James Tynion IV, Javier Fernandez, Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran, Hi-Fi, and Tom Napolitano. This one’s basically integral to the core “Year of the Villain” story as Lex gives his offer to J’onn. 

| Published by DC Comics

The Life & Death of Toyo Harada #5 picks up some of the pieces for the remaining few of Toyo’s forces, as they try to make a plan for what’s to come next. It should be interesting to see what the next step is in the finale. Gorgeous artwork from CAFU, Kano, and Andrew Dalhouse.

| Published by Valiant

Little Bird #5 brings this ambitious and unique story from Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar to an end. The personal nature of this story as Little Bird comes to terms with her family has been a very enthralling element in this fight for freedom, and the sacrifices that one makes. Stunning artwork from Bertram and Hollingsworth.

| Published by Image

Loki #1 is an entertaining beginning to this new series spinning out of War of the Realms from Daniel Kibblesmith, Oscar Bazaldua, David Curiel, and Clayton Cowles. It dives in to Loki’s new role as King of Jotunheim and how he’s humorously approaching his duties. There’s a nice set-up for something coming that’s dismissed as a trick.

| Published by Marvel

Outpost Zero #11 reveals the discovery of life outside of the outpost, which leads to an unexpected reaction and sign of more conspiracies to keep the entire populace in the dark. Sean Kelly McKeever has been seeding little hints that something not right has been going on for a long time within the colony and there is more evidence of it here.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Pearl #11 sets us up for the end as Pearl returns to San Francisco to take care of the Endo Twins. Also, a game changer of a cliffhanger. Love the double page spreads from Michael Gaydos.

| Published by DC Comics / Jinxworld

Promethee 13:13 #1 is a digital-original prequel to Christophe Bec’s Promethee series from Andy Diggle, Shawn Martinbrough, Dave Stewart, and Simon Bowland. You don’t need to have read the original to follow this, but I still highly recommend it. This is an interesting starting point, with even more of a conspiratorial/espionage feel than the sci-fi of the main series. It’s good and I’m very interested to see where this goes.

| Published by Delcourt / Soleil

Ragnarok: The Breaking of Helheim #1 is a welcome return of Walter Simonson’s new take on Thor and Norse Mythology, pushing the story in new directions as Thor gains a vision of the end from his father and sets out for Hel. Simonson, Laura Martin, and John Workman work together as a seamless team here delivering a wonderful next chapter to the story. For those new to this series, there’s also a rather nice Q&A section that helps with some of the details.

| Published by IDW

Resonant #1 is an intriguing debut from David Andry, Alejandro Aragon, Jason Wordie, and Deron Bennett. This first issue sets up a different, very interesting post-apocalyptic world that we’re kind of uncertain of, but with the core of a single father trying to protect his children. The art from Aragon and Wordie is incredible.

| Published by Vault

Road of Bones #3 goes even harder into the brutal horror of three men trying to survive without any resources in a harsh landscape devoid of life. Rich Douek, Alex Cormack, and Justin Birch elevate the terror nicely this issue.

| Published by IDW

Rumble #14 unleashes the Last Knight of the Scourge Knights upon the world, bringing with him death through oblivion. John Arcudi, David Rubín, Dave Stewart, and Joe Sabino are definitely raising the stakes here, especially with Rathraq distracted by a personal conflict.

| Published by Image

Sera and the Royal Stars #1 is a fantastic debut of this fantasy series from Jon Tsuei, Audrey Mok, Raul Angulo, and Jim Campbell. It draws on Persian history and folklore as Sera is called upon by Mitra to fulfill a quest to prevent the end of everyone.

| Published by Vault

Silver Surfer: Black #2 continues to build the mythology around Knull. I love this blend of the seed from Venom with what’s been going on in the cosmic side from Guardians of the Galaxy, Donny Cates is doing a great job of reinforcing an evolving shared universe feel. Also, the art from Tradd Moore and Dave Stewart is phenomenal. 

| Published by Marvel

Sonata #2 unveils some more mysteries about the planet, including some incredible monsters out to kill and eat everyone. The art from Brian Haberlin and Geirrod Van Dyke is very nice.

| Published by Image / Shadowline

Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen #1 is a fun debut from Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Nathan Fairbairn, and Clayton Cowles that brings back a lot of the ridiculousness of the old Jimmy Olsen stories, seeing Jimmy in bizarre and humorous predicaments. There’s also an interesting exploration of Jimmy’s family’s history in Metropolis. And wonderful artwork from Lieber and Fairbairn.

| Published by DC Comics

Usagi Yojimbo #2 continues “Bunraku” as the investigation into the puppets continues. The supernatural aspect that Stan Sakai is bringing to this lead off arc for the new volume is engrossing and the colour from Tom Luth is growing on me.

| Published by IDW

Vampirella #1 is kind of a weird start (excepting the zero issue) to this new volume from Christopher Priest, Ergün Gündüz, and Willie Schubert. It’s framed as Vampirella seeking help from a psychiatrist following the trauma of the plane that she was on in the zero issue crashing, a disbelieving psychiatrist, and it’s certainly different.

| Published by Dynamite

X-Force #10 concludes “The Counterfeit King” and with it the series (at least for now). Ed Brisson, Dylan Burnett, Jesus Aburtov, and Cory Petit go out with a bang as X-Force have a final confrontation with Stryfe and his remaining forces. Also, wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Animosity #22, Ask for Mercy: Season Two #1, Bags (or a story thereof), Blossoms 666 #5, Bronze Age Boogie #4, Captain Marvel #8, Clue: Candlestick #3, Collapser #1, Cyber Force #11, Deadpool #15, Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor #10, Domino: Hot Shots #5, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark #7, Evolution #17, Faithless #4, Firefly #8, From Hell: Master Edition #6, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #264, Hit-Girl: Season 2 #6, Infinity 8 #13, Invader Zim #45, James Bond 007 #9, Joe Golem: Occult Detective - The Conjurors #3, Jughead: The Hunger vs. Vampironica #3, Jughead’s Time Police #2, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Tempest #6, Love & Rockets #7, Lucifer #10, Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #4, Port of Earth #12, The Punisher Annual #1, The Ride: Burning Desire #2, Secret Warps: Ghost Panther Annual #1, Spider-Man: Life Story #5, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #34, Star Wars: Tie Fighter #4, Superior Spider-Man #9, Teen Titans #32, They Called Us Enemy, Transformers #9, Transformers/Ghostbusters #2, Turok #4, Uncanny X-Men #22, The Unstoppable Wasp #10, The Warning #9, Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me #1

Recommended Collections: BPRD: The Devil You Know - Volume 3: Ragna Rok, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, By Night - Volume 2, Dead Kings - Volume 1, Die!Die!Die! - Volume 1, The Empty Man: Recurrence, Grumble - Volume 1: You’re the Dog Now, Man, Gunning for Hits, Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown, Jughead: The Hunger - Volume 3, LaGuardia, Miles Morales: Spider-Man - Volume 1: Straight out of Brooklyn, Princeless - Volume 8: Princesses, Vindication, Ronin Island - Volume 1, The Witcher - Volume 4: Of Flesh & Flame, Wolverine: The Long Night, Wonder Woman - Volume 9: The Enemy of Both Sides

d. emerson eddy might currently qualify as a liquid.

[mylokabrennauniverse]

About the Jötnar

Since I was a little girl I have loved the Norse Mithology and I always get upset when the Jötnar are mentioned in a derogatory way. This is a story told by men who identified with a part of what they called gods. They repeated the deeds that they told them. These stories was narrated by the "Gods of Asgard". That's why the Jötnar were evil and fearsome, they were the enemies of the Aesir.

But I have always loved the Jötnar and I have rarely found texts in their favor. They were wise, beautiful and very spiritual, this last characteristic was opposed to the physical strength of the Asgardians. They were not the monsters that Marvel tells us. Although now that I think about it, this is a story told by Odin.

Jord was Thor's mother, she was a Jotün.

Photo: https://mitologianordica.top/dioses-nordicos-y-criaturas/dioses-y-diosas-del-aesir/jord/

In this text there are some points that I would like to share because these are quite enlightening about the true nature of the Jötnar.

The giants of the pre-Christian mythology and religion of the Norse and other Germanic peoples are a tribe of spiritual beings whose power equals that of the two tribes of gods, the Aesir  and the Vanir.

Their character, however, is very different from that of the gods – and, in fact, the giants and the gods correspond to opposing, but intertwined, cosmological principles.

The Devourers

“Giants” is a misleading Anglicization of the name of these beings. In modern English, of course, a “giant” is first and foremost something of enormous size. Calling a godlike being a “giant” can’t help but remind one of Michael Palin’s famous prayer in Monty Python and the Meaning of Life: “O God, you are so very big, and let me tell you, we’re all really impressed down here.” The word is a rather ludicrous designation for beings who were genuinely dreaded in heathen times.

Speakers of old Norse called them jötnar (singular jötunn, pronounced roughly “YO-tun”) or þursar (singular þurs, pronounced “THURS” like the first element in “Thursday” but with a soft “s” at the end). Jötunn comes from the Proto-Germanic *etunaz and means “devourer.” The Old English eóten is a cognate (it means the same thing and comes from the same Proto-Germanic word).Þurs is derived from the Proto-Germanic *þurisaz and means something like “powerful and injurious one” with a secondary connotation of “thorn-like.” The Old English ðyrsand Old High German duris are cognates.

How, then, did these “devourers” come to be called “giants?” When the Norman (French) William the Conquerer seized control of England in 1066 CE, the English language became filled with French words. Among these loanwords was the Old French geant, the ancestor of the modern English word “giant,” which replaced the Old English eóten. Geant referred to the Giants of Greek mythology, who were a group of spiritual beings who, like the jötnar of Germanic mythology, were the enemies of the gods. The Greek ancestor of geant, in turn, was once used to translate a Hebrew word that denoted beings of enormous size in the Bible, and over time this connotation of “giant” became the word’s dominant meaning.

Now that we’ve addressed these important linguistic considerations, we’re in a much better position for exploring who these “devourers,” as we’ll now call them, are, and what their role is in the pre-Christian Germanic worldview.

Utangard Spirits

One of the fundamental concepts that underlies the indigenous Germanic worldview is the distinction between the innangard and the utangard. “Innangard” means “within the enclosure” and refers to that which is orderly, law-abiding, and civilized. “Utangard” means “beyond the enclosure” and refers to that which is chaotic and anarchic. Asgard, literally “the enclosure of the Aesir gods,” is the divine model of the innangard. Midgard, the world of human civilization, is patterned on Asgard and allied with it.

The world of the devourers is Jotunheim , “the world of the jötnar,” which is also called Utgard (Old Norse Útgarðr). “Utgard” means the exact same thing as “utangard” (once again, “beyond the enclosure”).

Thus we see that the Aesir are the innangard beings par excellence, while the devourers are the utangard beings par excellence.

This typology is borne out throughout the sources, where the Aesir are the benefactors and protectors of civilization, while the devourers are constantly trying to drag it back to primordial chaos (and, at Ragnarok , they succeed). They’re forces of destruction, entropy, and decay.

Nevertheless, the devourers weren’t straightforwardly evil; at times, they could also play constructive roles (albeit usually inadvertently).

This is shown most clearly in the Norse creation narrative , wherein the gods construct the cosmos out of the corpse of the slain devourer Ymir. Here, as elsewhere in the sources, we find a recognition of the basic ecological understanding that civilization doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and its sustenance depends on the existence of chaotic and wild realms which contain the resources it requires for its continued existence. The gods themselves are almost all descended from devourers; for example, Odin is half devourer, and Thor is three-quarters devourer. The gods don’t seek to annihilate the devourers, but rather seek to keep them in check so that the cosmos remains in balance. This mitigation and partial control also seems to have been the goal of the worship or propitiation of the devourers during the Viking Age.

Thus, while attempts were made to keep the devourers at bay, their value was also recognized. Paradoxically, these forces of entropy are also necessary for the flourishing, and even the very existence, of the cosmos.

Fuente : https://norse-mythology.org/gods-and-creatures/giants/

@annievvv7 I think this may like you.

[i-am-made-of-memoriies]

Of Valkyrie and Frost Giants

A/N: So this is a fic I’ve been thinking about writing for ages now. After watching Infinity War (my poor, poor soul), I had a lot of inspiration. I hope you enjoy!

Putting on her most regal look, Kara walked quickly to the palace of Asgard. On her way, she saw the happy Asgardians playing in their lavish gardens, accompanied by the gentle trickle of ornate fountains; the scene before her was almost idealistically beautiful.

   Odin had requested her presence at the palace days ago, instructing her to arrive once she had done sufficient research on a certain topic. For almost a millennia, tension between Jotunheim and Asgard had been steadily increasing. What once seemed like a small dispute had been augmented into an incipient war. That was unless someone took decisive measures. Of course, many Asgardians favored the simple solution of massacring the entire race of Frost Giants, essentially wiping the problem off the face of the universe; yes, that would be ‘simple’ and require less planning and diplomatic effort, but Kara was convinced there was another way. She wasn’t naive enough to believe that the Frost Giants could be reasoned with. Many a king had attempted that and been subsequently destroyed; what Kara needed was an alternative. Something to act as a bridge between both kingdoms.

“You requested to see me?” Kara kneeled in front of Odin respectfully, her armor jingling as her knee met the marble floor.

   “I did.” Odin replied, sitting atop the throne regally. He wrinkled his eyes in a kind smile. “I believe you’ve done your research?”

   “I have.” Kara replied, standing up to meet Odin’s gaze. “I do deem it wise to besiege Jotunheim, though I don’t believe that absolute annihilation of the race is the only solution.”

   “Say we do go to war with Jotunheim,” Odin began, “if we are to emerge victorious, what will we do with the inhabitants?”

   “I am not sure your majesty.” Kara sighed with a hint of resignation in her voice. “Perhaps if we found something-or someone even, to act as a diplomatic bridge between the two kingdoms, the feud would be ameliorated.”

   “That is sound reasoning, Kara.” Odin said, nodding gently. “You never asked why I asked you out of all of the other Valkyries.”

   “I suppose I didn’t, your majesty.”

   “I simply drew names out of a hat.” Odin chuckled happily, “I have deep, deep trust in every single one of you.”

   Kara happily reciprocated Odin’s smile.

   Kara departed happily from the Valkyrie training grounds, surrounded by her fellow warriors. Cool night air brushed through her messy hair, cooling her sweaty body.

   “Elite female warriors my ass!” One of the Valkyries chuckled, “None of you held a candle to me today.”

   “I beg your pardon!” Kara shot back affectionately, “You see that stab wound in your arm? Wonder who gave it to you.”

   “That’s nothing!” She replied, flaunting the slightly blood-stained bandage. “I could’ve slit your neck several times if I wanted to, but I’m far too benevolent.”

   “No way.” Kara insisted. “Your sword stayed far, far away from my precious jugular vein during the entire training session. That was a pathetic lie.”

   “If I wasn’t so tired right now, I’d slit your throat to prove I could.”

   “Ah, but you’re tired. Tired because you couldn’t beat me or the other valkyries with ease. Why you ask? Because they do hold a candle to you.”

   “Shut up Kara.” The valkyrie groaned. “I’m going to get a drink. I’d invite you, but I know how much of a teetotaller you are.”

   “I’m not a teetotaller.” Kara sighed, “I’m just not a drunk. Not to mention, I’m underage.”

   “Psh, you follow that rule?” The valkyrie snorted, “Even when I was your age, I didn’t follow the rule.”

   “I’ll reiterate. You’re a drunk.”

   “I’ll see you later Kara. Calm down a bit in the meantime, will you?”

   Kara smiled to herself, making her way up to her room, located in a gilded tower. If she looked out the large window opposite the door, she had a panoramic view of Asgard’s streets. If she wanted to leave at some ungodly hour without waking the rest of the Valkyrie, she could slide out the aforementioned window and wander the moonlit square. Every aspect of Asgard was gorgeous, from the pure scenery to the locals; the situation filled Kara with ineffable warmth. Despite her happiness, the Jotunheim issue still cast a prominent shadow, always inhabiting a portion of her mind. Odin seemed to have liked her plan, or lack thereof. She had essentially just told him not to kill everybody and try to strike an alliance. The more she thought about it, the more pathetic her plan appeared. Perhaps choosing the youngest Valkyrie wasn’t the most intelligent choice on Odin’s part. Still, she stood by her idea that massacre wasn’t the way to go. So what if the rest of her plan was mere speculation, at least she had a foundation. Hopefully, Odin, with all of his wisdom could find a way of making the best of the situation, since war would occur less than six months.

   The first birthday of Odin’s son, Thor, could not come at a more inopportune time. As the current heir to the throne, his first birthday was supposed to be an extravagant event, but with war looming merely weeks away, the foreboding tension in the air took away from the celebrations. That’s not to say people weren’t happy; no, in fact, the party was a raving success as Thor displayed his health and strength even as a baby.

   Somehow Kara knew that he would have great power later in his life. A king though? She would admit, he was still a one-year-old, but he somehow didn’t scream king to her. Regardless of her thoughts, the baby was adorable and required all of her attention until the war began.

   Kara cradled the demigod in her arms as Odin delivered an elaborate and eloquent speech on how Thor would bring honor to Asgard and all of the nine realms. A bit premature, she thought, given that Odin didn’t know if he would end up like his older sister and try to kill everyone. God, Kara was lucky that she was too young to remember Hela’s reign. Some of her fellow Valkyries remembered the actual event, though only one was an actual Valkyrie at the time.

   Thor stretched his pudgy little arms and pulled gently at Kara’s hair. She smiled at the baby and poked his rotund stomach lightly, watching him giggle in joy.

   Who cares if he becomes a raging madman? She thought happily. He’s a cute-ass baby.

   Odin approached her happily, scooping the baby out of her arms. “Thank you for holding Thor.” He smiled at her, rocking the baby in his muscular arms. ”My wife, Frigga, really wants to dress him up now. I suppose I can’t stop her.”

   “I suppose you can’t, your majesty.” Kara agreed. Though she wanted to, she knew that it was a terrible idea to bring up the upcoming war at Thor’s birthday party. Luckily for her, Odin breached the topic without her prompting him.

   “The Valkyrie will not be fighting in the Jotunheim siege.” He added with strange lightheartedness.

   “Your majesty, why?” Kara implored, looking taken aback.

   “We need you in Asgard in case the siege is not victorious.” Before Kara could interject, Odin raised his hand. “Please don’t argue. It is for the safety of the kingdom.”

   Though Kara didn’t agree with Odin in the least, she nodded obediently. “I’ll spread the news to the rest of the Valkyrie. I promise not to make a fuss, but I can’t vouch for the rest of them.”

   “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” He brushed away her warning easily. “Now please eat, we have a surplus of food.”

   Kara nodded and made her way to the refreshments. If there was one thing she could always count on at royal parties, it would be the refreshments. A long table stretched from the wall-to-wall of the royal hall, adorned with the most lavish foods you could imagine. Full roast ducks, pigs, and chickens were in the center of the table, surrounded by every cheese imaginable. Platters of tarts and pies filled the end of the table, framing one giant, multi-tiered cake. Kara’s mouth practically began to water once she saw the table; filled with hungry joy, she grabbed a large plate and began to choose her favorite foods. After she had piled her plate high with food, she went to join some of her civilian friends, most of which she hadn’t spoken to since she was a child.

   “Kara!” Her childhood best friend Arvid exclaimed, “I haven’t seen you for ages!”

   “It really has been too long.” She agreed, giving the man a quick hug. “How have you been?”

   “I’m taking over my father’s job as a blacksmith soon, so that’s been a lot of work, but how about you?” He clapped Kara on the back. “You’re a Valkyrie now, aren’t you. I always knew you’d become some kind of warrior since you were always beating someone up as a child.”

   “Not always.” She replied, taking a hearty bite out of a chicken leg. “Only when I really needed to.”

   “Psh. Sure.” Arvid chuckled sarcastically. “I hear that we are going to war with Jotunheim in a few weeks. Tell me you’re not going to join the siege.”

   “No need to worry.” She patted the man on the back. “The Valkyrie will be protecting Asgard and it’s residents.”

   “Well that’s nice to hear. Those horrible Frost Giants. Odin should’ve just murdered them all.”

   Not wanting to incite an argument, Kara nodded diplomatically and took her leave of the royal hall, returning to the Valkyrie tower.

   The tension in the air was practically palpable as Kara made her rounds through Asgard. Odin and his soldiers had left the previous day and were still yet to return, leaving the Asgardians oblivious to the result and goings of the siege. All Kara knew was that no Frost Giants had invaded Asgard as of yet, hopefully signaling success.

   For once, no one roamed the open streets of Asgard as they were ordered to remain in their houses in case the Frost Giants triumphed.

   Minutes turned into hours, still yielding no invasion or happy return of the Asgardian soldiers; it was a strange stalemate of feelings, the relief that Kara felt because Asgard wasn’t under attack and the worry that nagged in her mind because Odin and his soldiers were still yet to return.

   Eventually, Kara heard sounds coming from the Bifrost. As she strained her ears, she let out a sigh of relief to hear the happy, joyous voices of the Asgardian soldiers she knew so well. In the distance, she saw the lines of soldiers making their way over the shimmering rainbow bridge; thankfully, only a few of them seemed to be wounded. In the back of the victorious procession was Odin, missing an eye and cradling two bundles.

   They must be the fruits of his pillage. Kara speculated, grinning happily to herself. All she could hope for was that the Frost Giants hadn’t been wiped off the face of the universe. Whether Odin had been able to forge a bridge of camaraderie between the two realms, Kara was unsure, though she wished it so.

   She waited at the gates of Asgard for Odin, ready to congratulate him on what seemed to be a successful siege.

   “It appears that you have triumphed, your majesty.” Kara said respectfully. “Though you seem to be missing an eye.”

   “Ah, don’t worry about that.” He brushed off Kara’s concern, “And yes, we were victorious. Not only that, but we did not wipe out all of the Frost Giants. I also brought back someone I believe can forge an alliance between the two nations.”

   Kara cocked her head in confusion. Someone? She thought. I didn’t see any Frost Giants in his procession. “Who may that be?”

   Odin reached tenderly for the larger bundle in his arms, pulling away some of the blankets. “This is Loki. Laufey’s son.”

   “You brought home the rightful king?!” She exclaimed, “Will this not anger the Frost Giants? How will the poor child live in Asgard? Will he just be locked up for the rest of his life, used solely as a bargaining chip?”

   “I will raise him as my own. And if I am not mistaken, was this not your idea?”

   “I didn’t intend for you to bring back an innocent infant.” Kara muttered, looking guiltily at the child. “And why doesn’t he look like a Frost Giant. He is much too small, not to mention, he isn’t blue.”

   “I am not sure why he is so small, but his appearance seems to be a subconscious illusion. When I first picked him up, he morphed into this form; I sense strong magic in him.”

   Kara didn’t know what to think. Odin was correct though; Loki would be a brilliant bridge between the two realms if he didn’t grown up to resent Odin. Like Thor though, the baby smiled and giggled, his strangely blue eyes looking mirthfully up at Kara. “He’s very cute.” She commented, unsure of what else to say.

   Odin nodded and proceeded towards the castle, baby in arms.

   Kara walked the familiar path to the palace. Odin had requested her presence again, this time he had mentioned her watching Thor and Loki while he was out with Frigga. Honestly, Valkyrie shouldn’t be performing babysitting jobs, but in the current time of peace, there was little else to do.

   “Ah, Kara.” Odin greeted her with a friendly smile. “As you know, Frigga insists on taking me out to celebrate her birthday. Though Thor and Loki aren’t toddlers anymore, I can’t leave them alone. Would you mind watching them for me?”

   “Of course, your majesty.” Kara agreed, rising from her kneeling position. “Where are they?”

   “Thor! Loki!” Odin called. Within seconds the two children came bounding into the throne room, tripping over their feet.

   “Yes father?” Thor replied obediently while Loki stood silently in the background.

   “Your mother and I will be out today. Lady Kara here will be watching you.”

   “Mother will be gone?” Loki asked worriedly, his blue eyes widening.

   “Not for long.” Odin assured. “Only until the end of the day.”

   Loki nodded and looked to Kara.

   “I suppose we can go to the park.” Kara suggested.

   “I’d love to Lady Kara!” Thor exclaimed happily, bouncing towards the door.

   Loki followed behind his brother, showing no obvious elation.

   “Do you want to go to the park too, Loki?” Kara inquired, noticing the boy’s lack of excitement.

   He nodded and continued to follow his brother through the streets of Asgard.

   As soon as the three arrived at the sprawling green fields, adorned with tall, leafy trees, Thor sprinted off on his little legs, stumbling over every obstruction. The boy bounced on his toes and hopped over rocks that stood at his height.    

   “Brother!” He exclaimed, brandishing a large stick and swinging it like a sword. “I’m a Valkyrie!”

   Grinning at his brother, Loki made a small knife materialize in his palm. Making sure his weapon was visible he charged at his brother, ready to stab him.

   “Lady Kara, HELP!” Thor cried, running away from Loki. “He’s gonna kill me!”

   Realizing that Loki was probably down for murder, Kara sprinted in between the two boys, disarming both of them in one fluid motion. “Alright you two.” She sighed. “We need to talk.”

   Loki and Thor sat on opposite sides of a log; Thor glared at Loki while the latter smiled mischievously back.

   “First of all,” Kara started, placing her hands on her hips, “you can’t just stab your brother, Loki.”

   “I wasn’t gonna kill him.” Loki stated simply. “Mother just taught me how to make illusions.”

   “That dagger was no illusion, Loki.” Kara reprimanded. “That was the real deal.”

   “Oh.” Loki looked at his palm thoughtfully. He hadn’t intended for the dagger to be corporeal, yet it somehow was. It would have been a problem if he had stabbed his brother with it.

   “Yeah brother!” Thor whined, “You’re always trying to kill me. It’s not fair!”

   With that, Thor launched himself at his brother, knocking the smaller boy over. The two wrestled on the ground like writhing snakes, trying to land as many punches as they could.

   “Alright you two.” Kara sighed again, pulling the two off of each other. “Why don’t you play on opposite sides of the park?” She scanned the open field. “Or why don’t you play with that girl over there. She seems lonely.”

   “Okay!” Thor bounced to his feet running over to the girl.

   Loki looked at his brother’s quickly receding back and sprinted after him, quickly overtaking him in speed.

   “What’s your name?” Loki asked, practically grabbing the girl’s hand.

   She pulled her hand away and glared at Loki. “I’m Sif.” She stated simply. “And you must be Loki.”

   “I’m Thor by the way.” Thor interjected, making sure that he wasn’t left out. “Have you ever seen the Valkyries? They’re awesome. I wanna be a Valkyrie.”

   “They’re all women, you idiot.” Loki hissed, slapping his brother’s arm. “I could be a Valkyrie.” He smiled proudly at both Thor and Sif; narrowing his eyes in concentration, he morphed into a young girl. “See?”

   “No fair!” Thor whined, “That’s cheating Loki. I’m gonna tell mother!”

   “And why would she care? She’d be proud of me.”

   “That was interesting, Loki.” Sif added in his defense.

   “I wanna learn illusions too.” Thor pouted. “Actually, Loki, wanna arm-wrestle?”

   “Fine brother.” Loki capitulated, morphing back into his normal form. Secretly he knew that he would probably lose, but part of him wanted for his brother to be happy.

   The two princes rested their elbows on a rock, waiting for Sif to commence the match.

   “Begin!” She announced.

   Within seconds, Thor had pulled ahead, making Loki’s significantly smaller arm tremble. Grinning victoriously at his brother, Thor leaned forward, pushing Loki’s arm down with such force, the boy fell sprawling to the side of the rock. Letting out a guttural groan of defeat, Loki pushed himself up tenderly, massaging his arm.

   “I won brother!” Thor announced triumphantly, “I won!”

   “I am aware.” Loki grumbled, “But if we were to have a competition of wits, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

   “Are you calling me dumb?!”

   “Yes, yes I am.”

   “Why you-“ Thor’s threat was interrupted by Sif jumping in between them.

   “I challenge you to an arm wrestle.” She stated, tucking her long black hair behind her ear.

   “A-are you sure?” Thor asked apprehensively.

   Sif nodded and placed her elbow on the rock, beckoning for Thor to join her.

   With an uncomfortable look in his eyes, Thor intertwined his fingers with Sif’s.

   “Begin.” Loki announced, looking at the match curiously.

Sif’s dark eyes bored into Thor’s as she pressed against his arm with an incredible amount of strength. Slowly, she added more and more weight, forcing Thor’s arm to tremble in exertion. Loki looked at the match with giddy infatuation. His brother was losing a competition of strength! Not only that, but he was also losing to a girl at least four inches shorter than him.

Kara also looked at the match with fascination. Sif held great, great promise.

Minutes passed and Sif had still not broken a sweat. She seemed to be merely testing the waters as she incrementally added more and more strength, waiting for Thor’s breaking point.

She really is quite clever. Kara mused, hoping that she’d one day consider becoming a Valkyrie. She’d fit in wonderfully.

Finally Sif leaned into her hand, sending a burst of strength and slamming Thor’s arm onto the rock.

“Wow.” Loki muttered. “She holds much more promise that you, brother.”

Mouth still agape, Thor turned towards his brother and shot him a glare. “You’re really strong.” He commended, turning back to Sif.

“Thank you.” She replied, smiling victoriously. “I’m going to be the strongest warrior one day. Even though I’m a girl.”

“What are you talking about?” Thor exclaimed incredulously, “Girls are the strongest! Have you seen the Valkyrie?! I really wanna be a Valkyrie.”

“You’ve said that at least twenty times in the past ten minutes.” Loki groaned, “You. Can’t. Be. A. Valkyrie. You’re not a girl!”

“Alright you two.” Kara sighed, gripping the boy’s shoulders. “That’s quite enough. May I speak with you for a moment, Sif?”

The girl looked suspiciously at Kara and nodded slowly. “I’m sorry for beating the prince!” She apologized quickly. “I thought he’d be… stronger.”

“Ahaha,” Kara chuckled, “I’m not mad at you for beating Thor, it’s quite the opposite really. I’m very impressed by your skill. As you get older, bring joining the Valkyrie into consideration. We can always use strong warriors like you.”

Sif smiled. “Thank you, but I don’t think I’ll become a Valkyrie.”

“No?” Kara looked back at her with a surprised look. “Why?”

“I want to join the band of warriors that fight in the battles with the king. And even though I’m a girl, I’m going to be the best!”

“Well, I believe in you.” Kara gave Sif a pat on the back. “I hope to see you around again. I’m sure the boys would love to play with you more.”

A/N: So here’s the end of the first chapter! This story is a obviously a Valkyrie still exists AU. The storyline will follow Kara’s relationship with Thor and Loki and her arguments with Odin. It will probably go through the Thor movies and beyond (hopefully), with the Avengers playing a large role in the near future. 

Please like and comment!

[thelightprophecy]

So we’re just going to ignore the attempted genocide? Loki didn’t just ‘try something new with a few deaths’ he tried to annihilate Jotunheim and everyone on it. Thor realized by the end of the movie that what he did was wrong and that war wasn’t something he should seek out. Loki started the movie by sneaking Frost Giants into Asgard, resulting in the deaths of at least two guards and the three Giants, as a prank. Five people died, a very foreseeable consequence, so that Loki could embarrass Thor. He killed a bunch of humans and destroyed a town, again to punish Thor, then tried to wipe out his own people to impress Odin. Loki made the exact same mistake Thor did only he took it to the extreme. But sure Loki is just the poor traumatized baby boy who never did anything wrong and Thor is the real villain.

i love thor 1 because thor is like death DEATH murder kiLL KILL DIE!!!!! but then Loki goes "hey so im trying something new and that means some deaths--" and then thor and loki fight bc thor didn't like that

[lokiodinsonblog]

Character Questions for Asgardians (Please repost, don’t reblog)

Name: Loki Odinson Age: 1160 years (approximately) Height and weight: 6’ 2’’ (188 cm) / 480 lbs (217kg) Species: Jotun

Social Status: Prince of Asgard Military Rank (if any): (This absolutely depends on the verse. If Loki is taking the throne, he’s either currently or soon will be commander in chief of the Asgardian armed forces, likely delegating the actual work of it to Sif. If Thor is back, then he’s a commander who advises Thor and Sif.) God/Goddess-hood (if any): God of Mischief Occupation (if any): Sorcerer, Prince, Scholar (Is your character canon in Marvel Comics, MCU, other Marvel production, or an OC?:) Canon in both MCU and comics

Weapon of choice: Knives and magic Who trained you to fight: Allmother Frigga, royal weaponsmasters Your favourite finishing move in battle: A knife flung neatly into an eye socket Kill count: Too many to remember Your first kill: A bandit who attempted to outflank Thor and his friends.

Do you use magic/seidr, if yes, what kind: Yes, sorcery, shapeshifting, illusions.

Favourite drink: Tea Favourite food: Curry Favourite member of the royal family: Frigga.

Describe the house/room you live in: I in the palace, in one of the royal suites. It’s large and spacious, most of the ever-present gold toned down with green draperies or hidden behind dark walnut bookshelves crammed with books and trinkets.

Describe your everyday wear: Leather coat and trousers over shirt, boots, sometimes a cloak, armor, or a robe

What would you wear to a feast? What would you wear to a casual meeting with friends? For formal feasts, it’s usually green and gold formal dress armor, but I might wear elaborate layered robes if it’s something a little more casual. For meetings with friends, generally it’s whatever I have on at the time.

You are minding your own business and look up to see two ravens watching you. What do you do? Roll my eyes and bite back the urge to send them chasing after five or six clones.

First time you travelled through the Bifrost, did you get sick? I don’t know, you’d have to ask Odin. I probably did. Infants puke, after all.

What was the first place outside the realm of Asgard you visited? Well, technically Jotunheim.

Do you feel you belong to Asgard or do you feel more home at some other realm? I thought I belonged to Asgard- the realm itself, not the people. But I’ve found Midgard to be very nice.

Is it wise for Asgardians to marry Midgardians/humans?: No, the lifespan difference is bound to cause issues. But the heart is a fickle thing, so.. sometimes, fuck wise advice. Just be prepared for the mortal to age and die. Or sneak them and their entire family golden apples, that works too. Especially as a crowning victory in a prank war against Sergeant Barnes.

If you were in Asgard when Loki disguised as Odin was running the place, how good/bad of a job you think he did?: I think I did a fantastic job, thank you very much.

When you heard Thor left Asgard to be in Midgard, what did you think about his decision? That’s complicated. On one hand, I was finally going to get a chance to get something done. On the other, I did try to let Thor prove he was willing to take responsibility and step up to assume the duties rightfully his as heir to the throne. On a third hand (I can make clones of myself, I can bring in as many hands as I want) I could see he was as grieved over Mother’s death as I was. On a fourth hand, I was bitterly disappointed and irritated with Thor for fucking off when Asgard needed him.

On a fifth hand, WHAT THE FUCK THOR.

Who should be ruling Asgard, or what’s left of it, after Odin’s death? What do you hope for Asgard now that the Realm itself has been annihilated?

Depends, is Thor going to get his ass in gear and actually rule and lead what’s left of Asgard’s people? Is Thor finally going to settle down and be a king? 

I mean I don’t want to but if he doesn’t step up someone has to and I’m the only other person with anything like a legitimate claim to the throne and I can actually do the job when the going gets tough. 

The hardest part would be convincing Sif not to gut me.

Tagging: @dearlokigodofmischief @likesmoulderingfire

[lokeanrampant]

Gotta say, @geehollow absolutely nailed it. Asking Loki to show remorse on screen would never happen because they are framing the narrative to make Thor and Odin look like the good guys, even though both have CANON acts of harm far greater than Loki, where Loki's true crime is...

Defiance.

He defied the expectation of Odin to be a good puppet upon finding out his true parentage. His introductory "act of defiance" by letting Heimdall know where they were going? Please. One, Heimdall can fucking SEE that, but only as it happens, so this was a preemptive heads up. Why? It's what Loki had always done and actually been groomed to do -- clean up Thor's messes.

He defied the family business. Odin is a mob boss, specializing in a protection racket via threat of death to you, your family, your pets, everyone who ever knew you, and everyone else to boot. *Thor has killed THOUSANDS, for FUN. It's the way of Asgard. It's the way of Odin, who conquered the Realms with blood. So Loki attempting to destroy Jotunheim? He is simply doing/finishing what Thor started, only more intelligently, more effectively, more creatively. Odin should've been fucking proud of the results, especially considering Odin's past genocides. After all, it's the family business and he grew up with all the stories and all the times Odin sent his Enforcers (Thor & Co) out .

He defied Odin yet again by refusing to live in a household and environment that actively shamed and killed those like him...for sport. And rather than live in that abusive hell, he actively chose death. He's not only escaping toxicity, but the Cult of Odin. How many people do we see do the same when everything they are is hated, shamed, and attempted to have beaten out of them?

He defied Death it/herself.

He defied Thanos and The Other...out of sheer SPITE. You think they could honestly break him? He lived with Thor and Odin and the Idiots Three, plus Sif (and don't get me started on why they have to single her out that way) for a thousand+ years. They have nothing on the Odin family and he's cottoned on to that game. He can see it for what it is and no fucking thank you, he will beat you at your own game. And if he can make his 'brother' (previous abuser) look like a hypocrite (he is*) and a liar (he is) and an ass (he totally is), the more the merrier. That he can do that AND spite Thanos & Co. (new abusers) for trying to take advantage of someone recently escaped from an abusive and seriously toxic relationship and knows EXACTLY what that looks like? Oh yes.

He defied the family business a second time by his actions on Earth. This is a man (though I believe, canonically, he's still a teen by Asgardian standards?) who knows all about death and genocide (see above family history, past and present). This is a man who KNOWS strategy because he wasn't groomed as an Enforcer, he was groomed as a Cleaner, forever consigned to cleaning up where the Enforcers got sloppy. He could stage warfare more cleanly and efficiently than any of he chose to do so (see Jotunheim). He could've annihilated Earth and the Avengers without a second thought, but instead choose, yet again, to defy all expectations of him. Because he refused to be anyone's puppet.

He defied remorse for his actions in front of Odin. This makes Odin look bad. And like any abuser faced with defiance, the abused meets with harsher abuse.

He defied expectation of him being as cold and cruel as Asgardians are taught Jotuns to be. He could've slaughtered millions on Earth and chose not to. He could've let Jane die and choose not to, at the expense of his own life.

He defied Death a second time.

He defied the expectation of him in both how he chose to treat Odin, who was barely hanging in there in the first movie, AND by being an apparently good and benevolent ruler. Cleaners are good at negotiations; he's had to be and damn it, he's GOOD with his words. Why waste resources when you don't need to do so, especially knowing you may need them later to mitigate damage from past and future Odin & Thor actions?

And that's not even all of them.

Here, he basically starts out angry and traumatized and gaslighted, literally to within an inch of his life, and everything he's known has been pulled out from under him. That's a major mindfuck. It's YEARS of betrayal hitting all at once. All the little pieces suddenly fall into place of why he was never good enough, no matter how he strived to be everything that was expected of him. He learned it was a rigged game and no matter how well he played, he would never win.

So to ask for him to show remorse? It's asking an abused child to apologize for being abused. He is doing what it takes to survive and constantly trying to break free of both the physical chains and the"family" that keeps trying to wrangle him back. It's the constant emotional and physical manipulation of the abusers trying to reclaim their prey, a family member guilt-tripping a child and then striking out when they don't get their way.

Is Natasha expected to forgive her abusers and go back to working for them? Is Bucky? How about Stark? Should he forgive Obediah? He sure as fuck shouldn't forgive his father. These are all abusers and yet no one expects them to be okay with going back. No one tallies their body count, active or passive. We're expected to root for them escaping. Loki is still trying to escape and in doing so, in trying to escape those chains, he is portrayed as the villain. Says a whole lot about how society considers the abused to be lying about their abuse. He's a villain for not accepting and remaining "in his place." That says a lot more about society putting on blinders, seeing what they want to see, and how people who rock the boat and rip those blinders off the see-no-evil people are seen.

Loki is, always has been, and always will be, in every iteration, defiant of the roles others have placed on him. He chooses his own path. And yet, even here, his actions and defiance actively benefit those around him.

And the abused should never have to apologize or show remorse for being abused.

Natasha as well as other Avengers has showed remorse for her actions and became a better person and a hero by saving people and the world, Loki didn't. He's a cool character and good villain but he's not written like that because writers have some prejudice against him. He was always meant to be a bad guy.

I can’t tell if you’re arguing that Loki genuinely never showed remorse and that’s what makes him a villain over the rest of the Avengers, or if you’re arguing that the narrative has never allowed Loki to show remorse, thus cementing his villain status. 

Because, really, it’s the latter. There has never been any room or opportunity in the story for Loki to express any remorse, and even if there was, who would he express it to? To Thor, whom by the time The Dark World began was 500% done with Loki and wouldn’t have heard him out anyway? To Odin, who 1) literally disowned Loki like he was trash (”your birthright was to die”) and 2) had so many war crimes under his belt I’m surprised he could even buckle it? The Avengers? The Warriors Three + Heimdall, who all committed treason against Loki pretty much the same day he was made regent? 

This is the whole problem. Because the narrative needs Loki to be the villain, they have to manipulate the rest of the story in order for it to fit even though he is not truly a villain at heart. They delete scenes that portray him sympathetically or provide any justifiable context to his actions; they position the other characters - Loki’s family and friends - as distrustful and suspicious of him, for no real reason except that he’s Loki. He’s pushed to his breaking point and then, when the smoke clears and he’s left to face the consequences of what he’s done, no one around him cares to ask why. 

Natasha has the opportunity to show remorse because Clint gave her that opportunity. he saw something in her and “made a different call.” Nobody, not even Thor, has ever done that for Loki. 

There’s this inherent implication in the argument of “well, Loki never showed remorse” that Loki should have shown up subservient and disgraced, falling to his knees for forgiveness while everyone around him contemptuously decided whether or not they felt like giving it. Not only would Loki never do that, out of principle alone, but no one else is held to that same expectation. 

Everyone else in the story has been given the opportunity to show their remorse through their actions or because someone else has seen the potential in them or even just taken the time to listen to them. But Loki - no one bothers to ask, no one gives him the benefit of the doubt. And furthermore, when Loki does show remorese through his actions and literally sacrifices his life for Thor, it’s still somehow not enough to prove that Loki is a good person. The narrative even takes it a step further and undermines it by retconning his death and acting like he faked it for the lulz. No other character is treated that way.