Looking at LokiPart 87: Avoiding the Void
(In the interest of full disclosure, it should be noted that my parents work for Disney's parent company, though neither of them are directly involved with Marvel.) Welcome back to my article series exploring the characterisation of the Norse god Loki within the pages of various Marvel-published comics. A couple of things to note before we begin. Firstly, as Sequential Tart is edited largely on a monthly basis, Tarticles can be written as much as two months before they actually go live, and a lot can happen in the comics world in two months. Secondly, while I've generally read issues after the one I'm talking about, I try my best to relate what was going through my head when I was reading, and not take my knowledge of future issues into account (or, when I do, I'll make note of it). Therefore, theories postulated here may very well be disproven by what's currently on the stands. And thirdly, let me define the names I've given Loki in this article series, for the purposes of distinguishing between the various iterations of the character: - Old Loki / Original Recipe Loki is the Loki of the comics before he was killed by The Void. Tired of being locked into a role, he arranged his own death with the intent that Thor would resurrect him as a child with a clean slate, and thus he might convince everyone he was good. Sometimes Old Loki also refers to a Loki from the future, aka King Loki. - Kid Loki (as the fandom dubbed him; I have also called him "Little Loki" and "Original Recipe Kid Loki") typically refers to the good boy Loki as depicted in Kieren Gillen's run on Journey into Mystery (and a few other comics before, during, and after); I have also used it to refer to Ikol after he ate the soul of the original Kid Loki and took over his body, and to refer to the ghost of Kid Loki (who was really just a delusion of Ikol-Kid). - Ikol is the copy of Old Loki that first lived as Kid Loki's magpie familiar, then killed the original Kid Loki and took his body over. Through the course of Gillen's Young Avengers run, Ikol was literally haunted by his murderous deed, and became good. He grew up to become what I call "Young Loki". - Young Loki refers to Ikol at the end of Young Avengers and through most of Loki: Agent of Asgard. There are two versions of him: one grew evil again, and became King Loki in the future. The other was from the timeline that eventually overwrote King's timeline, where he stayed good and was more or less killed by King (who time-travelled into the past). In his dying state, that second Young Loki sort of made a new version of himself to carry on in his place: the God of Story. He wished for Story to be good and to continue loving Thor. - King Loki is the first iteration of grown-up Ikol; he was good for a while, but when no one would believe he was good, he gave up trying to be so and just embraced the role everyone foisted on him: that of the God of Evil. The God of Story defeated him, and in a place outside of existence, forgave him, and absorbed him, accepting him as part of himself. - Story, aka the God of Story (and whom I also dubbed Punk Loki), ended Agent of Asgard at peace with himself, after Young had learned that lies are really just a type of story, and that's what he's actually the god of. Story knew that playing a role, like that of the villain, does not define him, and that he could in fact do good even as the bad guy; it's his job to help others tell their stories. (He also told us that he might someday be replaced, and that for all he knew, his replacement could be truly bad again.) The last we saw him, he was walking between worlds, waiting for the Secret War to end, so he could bring Asgard, which he'd saved, back. The current, post-Secret War II Loki also calls himself the God of Story, but it's unclear as to whether he is actually the same Loki at all, or, if he is, if he was altered any by the restoration of Earth-616. Now, let's get to examining the issue at hand!
The Void touches Zelma's chest, making it glow; she asks what's happening, and The Void laughingly tells Loki to answer her. Enraged, Loki tells The Void "Enough!!!" Strange tells us that even being inside The Void, he can feel Loki's hatred of Strange for what the man has done. Even in his anger, though, Loki shows pity with his, "Oh, Stephen ...." He explains to Zelma that Strange bound the spell "The Exile of Singhsoon" to Zelma's soul. The Void taunts Loki to show it who he really is; I assume it expects him to just rip the spell from her. Loki gently reassures her that they will fix this, telling her to close her eyes -- and then reaches inside her, pulling the spell free. Strange tells us how painful it is, but it doesn't seem like there's an alternative. Still, I get nervous when Strange tells us that the bonds between all magic-users unravel and burn, and that Loki is taking all the magic of Earth into himself! I hold onto hope that he has a good reason for this, but while I trust the Story Loki of the pages of Agent of Asgard, I don't trust Marvel. I hold onto hope, though, given the compassion he's shown for Zelma -- there is, if nothing else, reluctance in what he's doing. If he really only cared about power, he wouldn't need to put on a show for her at this point. The Void declares the God of Betrayal born again. Thing is, good guys will betray when necessary, so that doesn't mean much. The Void abruptly trades glee for pain, as Strange is torn free. That, too, gives me hope -- if Loki were evil again, I don't think he would bother freeing Strange. Well, I suppose he might just want to weaken The Void / have an ally against the being, but I really don't think that's all it is. Still, Loki does tell Strange that he needs to get up and fight. Strange points out that he has no magic; Loki assures him that he's working on it. We see Loki punch the earth, and lightning course through the ground. We then see magic-users filled with the blast. Strange feels the power, asking Loki what he just did. Loki explains that he used the spell to draw the power of Midgard into himself in order to jump-start the "dragon lines". Strange clarifies for us what's happened by asking, "You ... you brought magic back?" "Well, of course," Loki replies. I'm relieved that they had Loki want everyone to have magic again, not just decide to keep it all for himself. I mean, it suits Story to have him do that; I just have been worrying that they might do away with Story and make him like Old Loki again -- especially as he's been depicted in other comics of late, like that Spider-Man issue I looked at last month. But here and now, at least, it seems his desire to be good remains -- and with it, perhaps he loves magic for magic's sake, rather than for power. Except, we know he was looking for power before he took the mantle -- was this all he needed it for, to jump-start magic for the good of all? Loki asks Strange what the man thinks he was going to use the spell for -- then, self-aware and doubtless acknowledging that Strange had every reason to suspect something nefarious, tells him not to answer that question. He goes on to add that magic is not permanently fixed, as The Empirikul did a lot of damage, but they'll have to hope it's enough. As Loki conjures the guns of Skurge, Strange starts to warn Loki of what he will do if Zelma has been harmed. Loki scoffs, pointing out that, being a god, excising a spell from a soul isn't hard for him; Zelma's fine. He then asks if they shall get to work; hesitating, Strange agrees. Moments later, The Void captures them, Loki crying out that there's nothing they can do; Strange encourages him to keep fighting. Suddenly, Sentry appears! Loki seems understandably horrified at the man's resurrection, but shrugs Strange's excuses aside, telling Strange to come on as he hurries to help Sentry fight The Void. They succeed in re-sealing The Void into the Sanctum. Angry at Strange, Sentry moves to punch Strange, but Loki shields Strange, calling out the man's name in alarm. So not only is Loki not killing Strange now that The Void is taken care of, he's helping Strange despite being angry over what the man did to Zelma, and over the release of The Void in the first place, and over the resurrection of Sentry! He could have let the man just suffer the consequences of his own actions. Sentry screams at Strange over lies and broke promises, then leaves. Loki helps Strange to his feet, saying he's sure the man will get over it. I believe it's genuine altruism, but I suppose it could be, like with Spidey, an effort to convince Strange (and through Strange, others) that he's good -- possibly for nefarious reasons. Strange confesses that he's ashamed of how he behaved towards Loki, saying he should have talked things out, starting to say that he'd assumed something of Loki. Loki cuts in, asking if Strange's assumption was that his actions were part of a plot to destroy the world, adding that he gets that. He goes on to say that he knows what he is and what people think of him -- it's why he's done all this. He admits his price can never be paid, but says he'll try for as long as he wears the mantle. It's a beautiful moment, and I'm excited that someone might give Loki a chance, finally ... right up until Zelma breaks in. She reveals that, when Loki removed the spell, she was able to see into him, and demands he tell Strange the truth. He tries to pretend he has no idea what she's talking about, but caves. He admits that there never was a tournament -- it was just an illusion. He does on to add that if he was able to trick Strange at all, it proves Strange doesn't deserve the mantle. I'm crushed that this Loki would do such a thing, would decide the worthiness of someone else and rob them of something so important to them. I mean, I could maybe see Young Loki do something like this -- especially the original version that went on to become King Loki and battled the altered timeline's Young Loki -- but Story is supposed to be past this kind of thing, is only supposed to do what needs doing and not care what others think of him, not be desperate to prove he's a good guy, nor make excuses for his actions (especially not the kind that lays the blame on his victim)! This is some massive back-sliding -- he certainly deserves the punch Stephen gives him! Granted, it arguably gives him something to struggle with, which makes things interesting, but just how much should I be worried? How much is a lie -- is there any good left at all, or has it all been a ruse? I want to still believe he wants to be good, that this was just a really bad way of going about it, born of desperation -- and maybe of frustration with Strange for being inept. Perhaps the truth is, this was the only way to save magic, seeing as, if he had just come right out and tell Strange what needed doing, Strange wouldn’t have believed him -- but then, why not just admit now that that's what was going on? And this revelation casts a pall over the trust he'd gained with Jane-Thor -- surely she'd be furious if she knew! Not to mention, I had loved the idea of the Vishanti verifying his goodness! Strange throttles Loki, asking why he did it. Loki claims he's done it to make Strange stronger, warning the man of things that are coming that he thinks the man wasn't strong or prepared enough to face: the war of the realms, Hell on Earth, the gathering of the Infinity Stones, and the final host. "Pity parties don't win wars, and neither do rules. You needed to learn, how to break every one of them in order to save this realm. You've learned that now, and you're ready. You're welcome." After a moment of silence, "Not buying it, eh?" Strange confirms that he's not, and Loki agrees that it's not his best. The thing is, Zelma doesn't cut him off or call him on it, and Loki's lies often contain truth, so I reckon this: Loki stole the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme because he felt he'd do a better job with the dangers he'd listed. He may or may not have also figured that, if he got found out, it would indeed help Strange get better too. His next claim is that perhaps Strange going to Asgard was part of Loki's plan all along, a trap that helped Loki set off a change of events ... but Loki decides that's no good. Then he actually says, "How's this, then!" and suggests everything he'd done was because he could see Zelma's future potential and wanted to help her become the next Sorcerer Supreme. Or, he next suggests, maybe he was just bored and thought it would be hilarious. Strange tells him to shut up, give back the cloak, and leave while he still can. Loki reckons that seems fair. I'm glad he doesn't see himself as so superior as to refuse to hand the mantle back, as I'm sure Old or King, or even Ikol-Kid, would have done! Could it be that the God of Story was trying to write that story retroactively, creating reality out of what seems the best-sounding version of events? Could all of those stories hold a grain of truth? Or perhaps the original story was the truth (or at least the truest), and he told those other stories out of frustration that the truth wasn't believed? Or were none of them true at all? Zelma's silence, her lack of further demands of truth or denial of his words, is maddening! In any case, I find it intriguing that Loki would admit to lying as he went along, and even tell lies that potentially paint him badly. I'm also wondering why the Vishanti would let him get away with what he did. Surely they should have been furious that someone would dare interfere with their Sorcerer? Perhaps they agreed that Strange didn't deserve the office if he could be so easily tricked! Or perhaps they felt this would be a good training exercise for their chosen one. If Loki hadn't stumbled across the Vishanti and the tournament ... who did he come across in Legacy #1? Who told him to summon the Final Host he mentioned to Strange here? (Actually, that question seems answered, more or less, in a comic I'll discuss next month -- but it doesn't answer why Loki would warn Strange of this Host when he himself agreed to summon it!) Before leaving, Loki, looking remorseful, says that, no matter the reason why he did what he did, the death of Bats, Strange's dog-friend, wasn't supposed to happen. He's been trying to remedy it, and hopes his efforts will suffice. He starts to, as he puts it, sincerely apologise, but Strange sends him packing through a portal to "nowhere fun". I don't blame Strange at all, but I do think Loki is indeed sincere here -- a good sign. Meanwhile, Zelma, tired of all the lies, angry at what Strange did, and offended that Strange didn't trust her enough to keep her in the loop and let her help, leaves. Honestly, I figure what Strange did -- risking her life and violating her soul to place something within her without her permission -- is as bad as what Loki did, if not worse. After she leaves, we learn that Loki has resurrected Bats as a ghost of some kind! Well, at least that's one mistake that he accepted responsibility for! (One that wasn't even really his fault, mind, save for that the specific circumstances that led to the dog's wouldn't have come up if he hadn't tricked Strange.) Two issues later, Strange, captured in a hell dimension, comes to believe that Loki, Scarlet Witch, and his ex, Clea, have come to his rescue -- but it turns out to be a trick from Mephisto, and they aren't really there. Thus, I'm not going to do a nitty-gritty examination of Loki in these pages. Still, I think it's worth noting that, while Strange doesn't seem thrilled to see Loki, and they bicker a lot, and he thinks Loki does some reckless things, Mephisto says of Strange, "He still thinks his friends have come to save him." Is Mephisto mistaken, or does Strange actually consider Loki a friend? Also, this situation proves that Loki at least spoke the truth about what Strange would end up facing! But how did he know ...? Then, in the next issue, after Strange is reunited with Bats, Strange says he should have known better than to think Loki and Wanda would come to save him; the fact that he was able to believe it in the first place suggests that he has reason to think they would. A little later, Bats remarks to him, "What was it Loki said? Something about pity parties not winning wars?" The fact that he would remember that remark suggests he'd forgiven Loki, come to see Loki as someone worth listening to -- and maybe even agreed with him about Strange needing to get stronger and get over himself. Next month, I'll cover some comics with small Loki appearances that have been piling up on my desk -- including depictions of him that, like the Spider-Man issue last month, have me very nervous .... Previous installments: Part One: Across the Universes Part Two: Rebirth on Earth-616 Part Three: Introducing the Mighty Kid Loki! Part Four: Journeying Into Mystery With Magpies Part Five: Going To Hel Part Six: The End of Fear, and a New Beginning Part Seven: More Than a Memory, a Bond Beyond Blood Part Eight: Wake Up, Little Loki, Wake Up! Part Nine: No Rest for the Wicked Part Ten: It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Identity Part Eleven: Loki the Wedding Planner Part Twelve: Loki the Diplomat, or Loki the Spy? Part Thirteen: The Road to Manchester is Paved with Good Intentions Part Fourteen: A+ Parenting Part Fifteen: The Trust Issue Part Sixteen: The Best-Laid Schemes of Gods and Demons Part Seventeen: Whose Side Are You On, Anyway? Part Eighteen: Heel, Hel-Wolf, Heel! Part Nineteen: Putting Out the Fire Part Twenty: The Burden of the Crown Part Twenty-One: Good Versus Evil Part Twenty-Two: Case In Point Part Twenty-Three: The Waiting Game Part Twenty-Four: The Parent Trap Part Twenty-Five: Saved by the Belle Part Twenty-Six: Something Sinister Part Twenty-Seven: Psyche! Part Twenty-Eight: You Can't Always Get What You Want Part Twenty-Nine: Breakfast Meat! Er, Meet! Part Thirty: A Wild Patri-Not Chase Part Thirty-One: The Exes and the Oh!s Part Thirty-Two: Mother's Day Ill-Wishing Part Thirty-Three: Thor: The Dark World Prelude #2 Special Edition: Review of the film Thor: The Dark World (Part One) Special Edition: Review of the film Thor: The Dark World (Part Two) Part Thirty-Four: Time for a Change Part Thirty-Five: His Own Worst Enemy Part Thirty-Six: The Gang's All Here Part Thirty-Seven: Brother to Brother Part Thirty-Eight: Spiders are Pretty Fly Part Thirty-Nine: Like Father, Like Daughter Part Forty: Locks and Keys Looking at Loki, Part Forty-One: Dating in the Fast Lane Part Forty-Two: An Otter Catastrophe Part Forty-Three: A Gram of Truth Part Forty-Four: Loki Laufeyson and the Prisoner of Asgardia Part Forty-Five: Say What, Now?? Part Forty-Six: If You Need Me, I'll Be Elsewhere Part Forty-Seven: Changing Sides, Changing Genders Part Forty-Eight: Jail-Breaks Part Forty-Nine: Family Reunions Part Fifty: Old Frienemies Part Fifty-One: Truth be Told Part Fifty-Two: A Villainous League of Their Own Part Fifty-Three: Introducing the God of Heroism Part Fifty-Four: Nature Versus Nurt--Err, Magic Part Fifty-Five: Broken Spells, Broken Hearts Special Edition: The Super Hero Squad Show Part Fifty-Six: Truth and Consequences Special Edition: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload Part Fifty-Seven: The Trial Begins Part Fifty-Eight: The Never-Was and Future King Part Fifty-Nine: The Devil and the Drink Special Edition: Ultimate Spider-Man, Season 1 Part Sixty: Reinventing the Wheel of Fate Part Sixty-One: Cupid of Mischief Special Edition: Ultimate Spider-Man, Season 2 Part Sixty-Two: The New Guy Special Edition: Ultimate Spider-Man, Season 3, Part One Part Sixty-Three: Best Buds ... with Bucky?? Part Sixty-Four: It's the End of the Universe as We Know it (and Loki Seems Fine) Part Sixty-Five: Is This the Never-Ending Story? Part Sixty-Six: When One Door Closes .... Part Sixty-Seven: We Haven't Been Properly Introduced .... Part Sixty-Eight: I am an Army Part Sixty-Nine: Love and Marriage ... Don't Always Go Together Like a Horse and Carriage Part Seventy: Not-So-Hero Worship Part Seventy-One: Getting Political Special Edition: Thor: Dueling with Giants Part Seventy-Two: Embracing One's Fan-Base Part Seventy-Three: Vigilante Electee Part Seventy-Four: Winners and Losers Part Seventy-Five: Real Estate Part Seventy-Six: Just Call Me Severus Part Seventy-Seven: Getting Squirrely Part Seventy-Eight: Loki Ragna-Rocks! Part Seventy-Nine: Rocking Gods Special Edition: Thor: Ragnarok, Part One Special Edition: Thor: Ragnarok, Part Two Part Eighty: Keeping Up Appearances Part Eighty-One: The New Sorcerer Supreme in Town Part Eighty-Two: The Squirrel, the Girl, and the Yggdrasil Part Eighty-Three: The Grifters and the Grifted Part Eighty-Four: Trouble Comes a-Knockin' Part Eighty-Five: Dealing with Surfer Dudes is No Walk on the Beach Part Eighty-Six: Returning the Favour Other Loki-related writings of mine ... For the Love of Loki - My review of the first Thor live-action film (originally done for Pink Raygun, now housed at my Tumblr), with heavy Loki-centric commentary. Thor: Tales of Asgard - My review of the animated film, with some commentary on Loki. The Avengers - My review of the film, with some commentary on Loki.For the Love of Loki - My review of the first Thor live-action film (originally at Pink Raygun, now at Tumblr), with heavy Loki-centric commentary. Thor: Tales of Asgard - My review of the animated film, with some commentary on Loki. The Avengers - My review of the film, with some commentary on Loki.
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