Loki’s Love Line Makes Odin’s MCU Past Even Worse

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Loki episode 3, “Lamentis.”

The events of Loki episode 3 serve to make Odin’s MCU past, and in particular his relationship with the God of Mischief, seem even worse. The relationship between Odin and his two sons, Loki and Thor, has long-defined both of their journeys across the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as each has struggled to live up to the weight of their father’s legacy and expectations in different ways. Even though Odin died in Thor: Ragnarok, that has continued for both characters, and it’s something that Loki continues to explore.

Loki episodes 1 and 2 made references to the trickster god’s past, including his true origins as the son of a Frost Giant by reminding viewers he is Loki Laufeyson, not Odinson. Similarly, his line that “no one good is wholly good” seemed to be a direct reference to Odin, a man who was upheld as the paragon of goodness and all that was just in the Nine Realms, only to have been revealed as a former tyrannical ruler. It’s clear that Loki has plenty of unresolved issues over his family to deal with, and that continues in Loki episode 3, “Lamentis.”

A conversation between Loki and Sylvie turns to the question of what love really is For Sylvie, “love is hate,” an idea that Loki himself scoffs at. He has his own take, stating that “love is a dagger.” The God of Mischief continues to (somewhat drunkenly) explore the topic, saying: “It’s a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. You can see yourself in it. It’s beautiful until it makes you bleed. But when you reach for it…” with Sylvie providing the finishing touch, that love “isn’t real.” It’s certainly a very Loki metaphor to make, but one that is rooted in his own experiences of love, particularly where Odin is concerned.

For most of his life, Loki felt as though he was seen as the lesser of Odin’s sons, though he never quite knew why until he learned of his true parentage. That suggests Loki always yearned to be loved and accepted by his father, but never received what he was looking for. Odin used the dagger both up close and far away (in Asgard and on Earth; in life and even in death, given the reveals of his own past), allowing Loki to just glimpse it enough, especially seeing it through the preferential treatment of Thor. And when he discovered the truth? Well, it’s fair to say it did hurt him so bad that it made him bleed, and indeed the fact that Odin wasn’t his real father at all then leads to the notion that love was never real.

While mischief is very much in Loki’s nature, it’s increasingly apparent that he isn’t inherently bad, and that much of his life and past misdeeds were shaped by his upbringing. Had Odin not lied to Loki and shown him more love, then things may have been very different for the trickster in terms of his relationships with Odin, Frigga, and Thor, and his actions too. The “love is a dagger” scene might be presented as the half-baked metaphor of a drunken god, but it reveals a deeper, more painful truth, and shows how difficult opening up to love is for Loki – something that could be addressed as the series continues.

Loki releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

About The Author

James Hunt
(851 Articles Published)

James is Screen Rant’s Movies Lead Editor, having started out as a writer for the site back in 2019. A Sports Journalism graduate, James quickly realized that supporting Sunderland AFC was painful enough without writing about it, and so decided to talk a load of rubbish about movies and TV instead. Formerly the TV editor at WhatCulture, he has a particular love of Star Wars (The Last Jedi was great), Game of Thrones (season 8 was good), and Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling…never mind) – y’know, all that really niche, nerdy stuff. Spending most of his days editing articles about or writing on movies and shows, James likes to really get away from work and unwind by, er, watching movies and shows. He’s fuelled by pint-sized cups of tea, peanut butter, more tea, and a quiet, constant anger (like the Hulk, only not green, or strong, or big).

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