Why Did Loki Turn Evil In The MCU?
Summary
- Loki's villain origins in the MCU stem from his discovery that he is actually the son of a Frost Giant, which led him to believe that Odin favored Thor over him, causing him to turn against his family and become a villain.
- In Loki season 1, it is revealed that Loki's villainous acts were elaborate tricks to create the illusion of power and compensate for his perceived weakness. This stemmed from his childhood and the belief that Odin didn't love him.
- While Odin's hiding of Loki's true parentage and Thor's demeaning behavior may have influenced Loki, ultimately he is to blame for his villainous actions due to his own issues with self-acceptance and misinterpretation of his upbringing. His journey towards redemption as an MCU hero is a major focus of his character since 2013 including with the Loki TV show.
With Loki only further solidifying the titular God of Mischief as an MCU hero, the character's villain origins from Phase 1 can sometimes be forgotten. Since 2013's Thor: The Dark World, Loki has been positioned as a morally gray anti-hero before being shifted into a full-blown hero by the time of Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War. Given so much of Loki's MCU story has centered on his transition from villain to hero, oftentimes his stint as the former villain character archetype in the franchise can be forgotten.
Loki's fan-favorite status also means that his villainous beginnings in the MCU are forgotten in favor of his more lovable side. However, given that Loki season 2's story will only further explore his solidification as an MCU hero, it is worth exploring how Loki's origin as a villain went in the franchise. Remembering Loki's original story and why he turned into a villain in the first place is vital not only to his overall MCU story but in making his full shift to a major Multiverse Saga hero hit that much harder.