![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eleanorjaneUpon a second viewing of Thor, I've come to a few conclusions:
1. Odin is an asshole, and a terrible father. I don't know whether it's his fault or Frigga's, or both, but as adults Thor is an arrogant, prideful twat with no thoughts beyond the end of his nose, and Loki apparently lacks even a basic notion of right and wrong. Odin is well aware of the fact that he's meant to be raising a future king here, but somehow despite being so wise and careful and foresighted, he winds up with two sons who should never be given any kind of authority or power, ever. Nice parenting, Odin. No, really.
Also, let's not forget he steals Baby Loki away from the frost giants, which is fairly awful, and almost all of the bad decisions Loki makes are pretty much attributable to a) this fact, and b) the way in which he found this out.
And then when Loki, misguided and errant son desperate for his father's approval that he is, is dangling above apparently-certain doom and pleading with his father? All Loki says is "no". No "I'm sorry I dicked you over, son", no "I forgive you for certain unkingly actions", just... "no". It's no wonder Loki lets go.
You guys, Odin is an asshole.
2. Loki is not really a bad guy, per se - at least, not any more inherently bad than Thor. On second watching, and bearing the reveals in mind, Loki might be manipulative but he does genuinely seem to love Thor; he just doesn't want to see him rule because he knows it'd be very bad for all concerned. Which the audience knows too, so if thinking that makes Loki a bad person, I guess we're all bad people. His original manipulation is intended just to keep Thor off the throne; when Odin succumbs to the Odin Sleep (wtf is that? hello ridiculous deus ex machina), Loki steps up, and sets out to prove to his father that he's just as good as Thor. Which is perfectly reasonable, for astolen adopted child who's always been very obviously second.
All his really questionable behaviour is basically him frantically trying to keep the wheels from falling off after things go wrong, but I genuinely believe that he's not actually a bad guy at the start of the story; he might be insecure and jealous, but he's not evil or villainous. All his villainy is as a (bad) reaction to what's happening to him, and could have been entirely averted by better parenting, love and understanding from Odin. Heck, even when we think he's letting Laufey in to kill Odin, to avoid having blood on his hands, it's subverted and it turns out he only wanted to be the hero where Odin could see.
3. Loki is basically a doppelganger for my read on Fanon!Draco Malfoy, right down to the looks (with the exception of the dark hair).
4. Sif is ridiculously hot.
5. The love story still feels totally Pastede On Yay, and I think the movie would have been better without it.
...okay, I think that's the lot.
1. Odin is an asshole, and a terrible father. I don't know whether it's his fault or Frigga's, or both, but as adults Thor is an arrogant, prideful twat with no thoughts beyond the end of his nose, and Loki apparently lacks even a basic notion of right and wrong. Odin is well aware of the fact that he's meant to be raising a future king here, but somehow despite being so wise and careful and foresighted, he winds up with two sons who should never be given any kind of authority or power, ever. Nice parenting, Odin. No, really.
Also, let's not forget he steals Baby Loki away from the frost giants, which is fairly awful, and almost all of the bad decisions Loki makes are pretty much attributable to a) this fact, and b) the way in which he found this out.
And then when Loki, misguided and errant son desperate for his father's approval that he is, is dangling above apparently-certain doom and pleading with his father? All Loki says is "no". No "I'm sorry I dicked you over, son", no "I forgive you for certain unkingly actions", just... "no". It's no wonder Loki lets go.
You guys, Odin is an asshole.
2. Loki is not really a bad guy, per se - at least, not any more inherently bad than Thor. On second watching, and bearing the reveals in mind, Loki might be manipulative but he does genuinely seem to love Thor; he just doesn't want to see him rule because he knows it'd be very bad for all concerned. Which the audience knows too, so if thinking that makes Loki a bad person, I guess we're all bad people. His original manipulation is intended just to keep Thor off the throne; when Odin succumbs to the Odin Sleep (wtf is that? hello ridiculous deus ex machina), Loki steps up, and sets out to prove to his father that he's just as good as Thor. Which is perfectly reasonable, for a
All his really questionable behaviour is basically him frantically trying to keep the wheels from falling off after things go wrong, but I genuinely believe that he's not actually a bad guy at the start of the story; he might be insecure and jealous, but he's not evil or villainous. All his villainy is as a (bad) reaction to what's happening to him, and could have been entirely averted by better parenting, love and understanding from Odin. Heck, even when we think he's letting Laufey in to kill Odin, to avoid having blood on his hands, it's subverted and it turns out he only wanted to be the hero where Odin could see.
3. Loki is basically a doppelganger for my read on Fanon!Draco Malfoy, right down to the looks (with the exception of the dark hair).
4. Sif is ridiculously hot.
5. The love story still feels totally Pastede On Yay, and I think the movie would have been better without it.
...okay, I think that's the lot.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-17 07:08 am (UTC)Sif is the hottest. I can only hope she shows up in other Marvel movies and/or possible sequels.