Loki, the DisneyPlus Hotstar Premium show about our favorite God Of Mischief, finally begins streaming on June 9. Focusing on a younger, past version of the trickster, the show follows his run-ins with the Time Variance Authority as the organization gets him to fix the timelines he threw into chaos following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019). It's been nearly a decade since the charming and talented Tom Hiddleston took on the role, and like Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, Chris Evans's Captain America and Chris Hemsworth's Thor, it's hard to imagine anyone else in that part. So before the show airs, let's recap the 10 best Loki moments:
Given Loki's strong MCU character arc, it's easy to forget how phenomenal and emotional Tom's portrayal of Loki was in the very first Thor movie. The scene in which Odin finally reveals Loki's true heritage is a powerful one. We feel Loki's pain, his sense of betrayal, and we get a glimpse into his motivations that unfold over the next 10 years.
Confronted by a newly "worthy" Thor at the Bifrost bridge during the movie's climax, Loki finally reveals his grand plan to save Asgard by committing genocide on Jotunheim. This is Loki at the height of his megalomania, a Loki convinced of his righteousness. At this point in the MCU, beings more powerful than the Asgardians had not really been introduced and so this moment was also crucial to establishing Loki "Mad God" Laufeyson as a credible future threat to the Avengers.
Avengers was our first great superhero team up movie and so we absolutely deserved that Terminator-esque Loki entrance. As he uses the Tesseract to punch into a SHIELD base on Earth, he is no longer the shunned heir of Asgard. He is the mad God who's ready to rule Earth by any means necessary. Tom Hiddleston's evil Loki face is perfection – and hard to unsee, even to this day. And 10/10 for that campy but awesome dialogue and delivery.
No explanations needed for this epic moment from the Avengers, that my mother repeatedly refers to as the "woh dhobhi pachad waala scene".
Until Thor: Dark World, Loki's personal relationships focused on his father Odin and his brother Thor. That film showcased the close and loving relationship he had with his mother Frigga. Her death (spoiler) is one of the few times we see Loki express emotion and anger at a loved one's loss. That is why when Thor momentarily steps back to say that their mother would not like them fighting, Loki's response: She wouldn't exactly be shocked, either… is both funny and poignant, capturing the dysfunction that is family – Asgardian or not.
Loki, disguised as Odin, is watching Matt Damon playing Loki, in a play about Loki in Thor: Ragnarök. This typically Taika Waititi scene is as hilarious as it sounds. Matt Damon delivers a rather believable performance as Loki, so much so that no one would blame you if you didn't notice that this was Matt Damon. In fact, there are two people playing Loki in this scene, and neither of them are Tom Hiddleston. Listen to that dying speech in the play carefully – told from Loki's perspective, it's is a great precursor to his redemption.
This time the dhobi pacchad is delivered to Loki's brother, much to his glee.
When Bruce Banner asks Loki if he's trying to kill everyone on Sakaar like the last time they met in The Avengers, his matter-of-fact, but hilarious answer is: It varies from moment to moment. Just like my love-hate relationship with this character.
This elevator chat between the two brothers is not only one of my personal favourite Loki moments, but is one that should make it to any all-time top MCU moments list. It's a very human moment between two Gods. When Thor asks Loki to stay back in Sakaar, calling it the kind of backwater, morally twisted, backwater planet where he would thrive – Loki replies, "Do you truly think so little of me?" Thor tells him that he's always thought the world of him, but people can't help being who they are. This rather profound moment sums up 5-6 movies' worth of character and story development in just one scene.
Those are not tears, damn you. Those are just droplets from my cold, cold heart melting.