#Loki symbolism

[idreamofsleeping]

LOKI SPOILERS!!!

SO ITS A TREE RIGHT???

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Norse Mythology, there is a tree called Yggdrasil. Now I’m not super familiar with it but it’s generally known as the Tree of Life that houses all the nine realms and every living soul, and is incredibly closely associated with Odin. THIS. IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.

I’m not very knowledgeable on this topic so feel free to add or correct me lmao-

[joyful-enchantress]

Loki’s costume at the end of S2E6 was perfect.

Yes, every part of it, down to those slippers.

And here’s my unsolicited (and delayed) thoughts on the matter.

First, let’s talk about his robe. Not only was it utterly beautiful, down to the draping and the deep, rich shade of green (and I mean come on, would we expect anything less?), its style was incredibly symbolic.

If you look at previous Loki ensembles, especially the ones that include a horned helmet, there is an air of grandeur and finery about them. The exquisitely stitched, buttery leather; the shiny gold trimmings and metal armor accents; the dramatic, billowing capes and overcoats. Even the silhouette of these looks is broad and structured — one might even say severe. Everything about these past looks screams “Look at me; I’m important” and reinforces Tony’s own observation in The Avengers that Loki is a “full-tilt diva” — he longs for the respect and attention that he deserves (and has been denied almost all of his life) and that longing is reflected in his clothing. They are reminiscent of the royal palace in which he was raised. They allow him to be battle-ready, because he’s had to fight and claw for every scrap of love and attention he’s managed to get. They represent a broken prince. A warrior cloaked in royalty. A would-be-king.

Now, compare that to his robe in Loki S2E6. It isn’t flashy. It has a soft silhouette. The shade of green is deeper and richer than we’ve seen; more earthy. An earthy shade of green which, in my opinion, is a nod to Yggdrasil, the cosmic tree that he will weave the branches of the multiverse into. The gold trimming across the front is subtle and understated - I even missed it at first and didn’t realize there was any gold trimming on the robe at all until I got a closer look later. It is simple. The draping is reminiscent of the robes worn by Buddhist monks. His robe reflects a Loki that has more wisdom and humility, and who has realized that being a good king — a proper god — means he will spend his life in service to others. It is the robe of a man who is confident and self-assured and knows exactly what kind of god he needs to be.

Now let’s talk about the slippers. I noticed that they got quite a bit of flack immediately after the finale aired. And I get it — they’re an odd choice, especially when we are so accustomed to the dramatic boots and finely-crafted and statement-making dress shoes he typically dons. For similar reasons as the robe, they are symbolic and fitting for Loki’s development into a wiser, more humble character. Don’t get me wrong, these loafers are still impeccably stylish, and no doubt they are of the finest craftsmanship, because this is still Loki we are talking about here. But they have a purpose, and that purpose is to get him to his final destination. These simple slippers barely even protect Loki’s feet, showing us a kind of vulnerability that we’re unaccustomed to seeing from Loki. He isn’t guarded in this moment; he’s open, connected to his purpose, and sure of himself. The shoes aren’t for battle; they aren’t meant to impress. They are meant to serve.

Now, about what is, quite possibly, my favorite feature of the costume. The horns. These iconic horns which we’ve associated with Loki from the very beginning take on an entirely reimagined look in the finale. First of all, they are bigger than any set we’ve seen resting upon Loki’s brow. So big, in fact, that they weren’t actually a physical part of the costume Tom Hiddleston wore. So big that they would likely hinder his performance if he actually had to bear their weight on his head.

In addition to their size, the horns are made of the same temporal-infused material from which both HWR’s talisman and the citadel at the end of time are constructed. Gone are the opulent golden horns that glisten and shine with the grandeur of royal finery. These horns are dark and heavy. They symbolize the unfathomable weight of the burden that Loki bears in his godly endeavor to save the multiverse. The golden temporal material that runs throughout the horns like veins is reminiscent, to me, of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of mending broken things with gold. And in a way, Loki is a broken thing that has been healed and mended throughout his personal journey of self-acceptance and friendship, and is now more beautiful than he ever has been. More humble. More selfless. More godly.

In addition to the horns, the cape, too, is the largest we’ve seen Loki wear. And while at first, this dramatically oversized cape may seem to stand in opposition to the humility that the rest of the outfit encapsulates, it works. It works because, like the horns, it is symbolic of the burden Loki has chosen to bear. This cape would be unbearably heavy; it would make even the most basic movement difficult. And on top of its sheer size, his cape even becomes torn into strips that are woven into the timelines themselves, literally securing his burden — his service to the multiverse — around his neck.

Lastly, I want to talk about the way this outfit manifested. There’s been a common thread throughout this discussion about the humility and selflessness that this ensemble puts on display. And while that’s true, we’re talking about a relative level of humility and selflessness, when compared to Loki’s previous tendencies. This is still Loki we’re talking about here. He’s got a flair for the dramatic. He’s nothing if not intentional about the way he presents himself. And the way he marched down that gangway like it was his own personal runway, while his clothing fell away in shreds and tatters to reveal this completely fresh but familiar look, was completely on-brand for him. It was theatrical. It was glorious.

His outfit at the end featured accessories that were heavy and larger than life. Those parts were a burden.

It wasn’t short on the style and drama that we’re so accustomed to seeing from Loki. It was glorious.

And every part of it, down to his humble shoes, was fit for purpose.

One look at this finale costume and you know, without doubt, that Loki is burdened with glorious purpose.

A/N: If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading my unsolicited thoughts on this beautiful piece of costume design! Also, apologies for the delay in posting. I know some of you have been told this post was coming since the night the finale aired, weeks ago. Thank you for your patience with me as I gathered my thoughts and found the time to organize them and type them out.

🏷️ @peachyjinx @acidcasualties @muddyorbsblr @lokischambermaid @lokisgoodgirl @mochie85 @tallseaweed @give-me-a-moose @fictive-sl0th @coldnique @maple-seed @loopsisloops @gigglingtiggerv2 @simplyholl @superficialdomina @mischief2sarawr @ijuststareatstuffhereok89 @wheredafandomat @liminalpebble @ladyofthestayingpower ++

[atomicradiogirl]

i’m losing my marbles over the symbolism of the pie room

[smokingcaterpillar]

”Loki” ©️2021

Artist profile: yagihikaru on deviantart

[oo0offf]

There's a lot of really good symbolism in God of War Ragnarok, but the bit that I think about the most is Odin's fate at the end. Like, ultimately they end up killing him, and they could have written literally any method of death possible for him...

...but what do they do? How do they off the guy who has spent the whole game sweet-talking, lying, and shape-shifting?

Atreus puts his soul into the marble labeled "Loki".

Not his knife, not the mask remnants, not any other object... The marble meant to hold the god of lies and tricks.

And that's fucking beautiful.

[catwouthats]

Lokius is not queerbait because queerbait does not have this much symbolism and cinematography supporting it.

In the least it will be queercoding and they will say Disney didn’t let them.

[eek-a-tron]

Loki & Catwoman commission by the brilliant Debbie Balboa! (Somewhat inspired by this fic!)

[purple-iris]

Can I just say that, narratively, the season finale of Loki somehow feels like the Norse myth of Loki:

Tied in the cave in great pain till the start of Ragnarok and the end of time.

Yes, this time around he is in a position of power, no snake venom dripping over him, no writhing that cause earthquakes, but he is confronted to his greatest pain, his burden, loneliness, tied to it to protect everyone he loves and the entire multiverse.

Not even a Sigyn-character-type to metaphorically "hold the bowl" and alleviate the pain of his loneliness.

Unless...

Mobius, the only one of his friends who says that he will "let time pass" now that Loki has sacrificed himself for them all and the multiverse.

(This is not me saying Mobius is a Sigyn-Variant, far from it she would deserve her own character and so does he, but narratively, Mobius, like Sigyn in the myth, should be at Loki's side, together, for all time, always.)

[thelibraryofsylphide]

Loki, the Weapon

Loki Moodboard trilogy: 1 | 2 | 3

Special mentions of shit I really wanted to add but didn't know how:

[sunflowerdigs]

Mobius literally dropping all of his kids toys to show Loki jet skis, COME ON

[worstloki]

Loki telling the Avengers he's never had a family before them all and Thor is sitting in the back of the room spitting out his coffee sobbing crying he feels sick to his stomach

[artthoufruity]

I love how O.B and Mobius have cool time/infinity related names and then there's just Casey and Brad

[lokiusly]

was this part of the score on the show? what does it mean? let’s discuss! (also this part>>> everything else in the mcu combined)

[compil]

hrnghf. is he Mobius bc Loki told him his name is Mobius because he introduced himself as Mobius because Loki told him his name is Mobius so on and so forth? like. the Mobius Strip?

[callmefirefly]

After watching the Loki finale (which was insane), I wondered why the final scene focused on the colour green so much. At first I thought that it was because the colour has always been associated with Loki because of his outfit, but it turns out that there’s a deeper meaning to it. The colour green symbolises rebirth, renewal and immortality, and that is exactly what this scene is showing - Loki becoming a new version of himself (God of Stories) and it also highlights that he has to live forever in order to ensure that the multiverse and the different timelines within it don’t get screwed up or destroyed. I find it amazing how one colour can add so much more meaning to an already emotional scene, even though it’s subtle.

[catwouthats]

Love is a dagger.

It’s a weapon to be welded far away or up close.

You can see yourself in it.

It’s beautiful. Until it makes you bleed.

But ultimately when you reach for it, it isn’t real.

Said by Loki (Loki s1 ep3)