Whether it be in the MCU or the comics, Loki has an array of exciting powers and mischievous skills. But is the Asgardian god of mischief really a god?
Loki Season 2’s release is imminent, with the god of mischief returning alongside Sylvie, Mobius, and more. Much of the season remains a mystery, but the mystery surrounding Kang the Conqueror is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Season two of Loki marks Tom Hiddleston’s seventh outing as the character. Loki has changed a lot since his introduction in 2011’s Thor, but those roles have honestly done little to explore what being an Asgardian actually means.
We know from the first movie that Asgardians come from a mystical realm, but the infusion of technology raises myriad questions. So is Loki actually a god, or is he something else that believes it is?
MCU’s Loki might be a god
The MCU’s interpretation of Asgardians is a little vague. They do definitely hail from Asgard, a mythical land in the Nine Realms. And many of them refer to themselves as gods – Thor is the god of thunder, and Loki is the god of mischief.
It’s almost time. ⏰
Watch the brand-new trailer for Marvel Studios’ #Loki Season 2, an Original series, streaming October 6 on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/2z7PNp3vta
— Loki (@LokiOfficial) July 31, 2023
By all accounts, the Asgardians of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are gods, but their depiction also implies they may be aliens. Much of the discussion of Asgard, particularly in the first Thor, touches on the idea that magic and science are the same in Asgard, implying that they come from a technologically advanced race rather than any being any type of deity.
The MCU doesn’t spend a lot of time on this and lets viewers draw their own conclusions. Whether or not the Asgardians are actually gods doesn’t really matter to the narrative, and whether the wondrous technology of Asgard is magic or technological is up to interpretation.
Loki is an actual god in the comics
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The Marvel comics are more cut-and-dry about it. The Asgardians of Marvel are gods, full stop. They’re introduced as gods in their earliest appearances, and Asgard is hailed as a realm full of gods.
Loki actually debuts ahead of his other Asgardian counterparts, appearing in the early romance comic Venus years before his debut in Journey Into Mystery. From the very beginning, he’s presented as a cunning god of mischief, and there is never any debate about the legitimacy of his claim.
Loki has taken on many forms throughout his time in the comics, all as part of his god of mischief status. He’s been known to appear as a child, a woman, and traditionally appeared as a middle-aged man. Most recently, a much more upbeat Loki inspired by his MCU depiction has taken center stage.
Norse Loki was a tragic figure
Of course, Loki in the original Greek myths was decidedly a god, though a much more tragic one than the comics or MCU have depicted. He is still the half-brother of Odin, but he is a much more tortured soul.
Loki is at first on friendly terms with the gods, but that ends when he causes the death of Odin’s son, Baldur. Loki is bound by the entrails of his own son and remains there as punishment until he is fated to escape his bonds as part of the Ragnarok prophecy.
Fortunately, Loki of the MCU and comics has enjoyed a much more jovial existence. And with the success of the MCU, the comic variation of the character has gone on a much brighter path, becoming an outright hero at times.