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While it’s been positive for the MCU to acknowledge Loki’s bisexuality, it’s nowhere near as powerful as how Netflix’s Ragnarok handles it.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki Episode 3, “Lamentis,” streaming now on Disney+, and Season 2 of Netflix’s Ragnarok.
There’s been a lot of praise going around for the Marvel Cinematic Universe confirming Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief as bisexual in the latest episode of Loki. He confesses as much to Sylvie, another Variant Loki, on Lamentis-1 as they discuss love, life and loss. However, while it’s a step towards equality and inclusivity, it’s nowhere as powerful when compared to who Netflix’s Ragnarok depicts Loki’s gender fluidity and pansexual behavior.
As great as it is to recognize the Asgardian trickster in terms of diversity and representation, Loki still skirts around the topic and doesn’t overtly provide evidence. Actions speak louder than words, especially given how Disney has treated similar matters in recent years, such as cutting Valkyrie’s bisexual nature Thor: Ragnarok.
This point is summed up in Episode 2 when Loki and Mobius visit a renaissance fair in 1985. Rather than turning his attention to both men and women, as ladies pass by and fawn over him, the God of Mischief’s distracted and returns the favor. Now, whenever Disney’s involved, there’s a fine line projects have to navigate, but it’s still important to make these arcs feel genuine. And that’s what Netflix’s Ragnarok does when Season 2 shift Laurits into full-on Loki mode as he seeks out his destiny after his brother, Magne, becomes Thor and other gods come to light in Edda.
Loki decides to explore his own identity as a hybrid, being half-Giant, which his inner-circle embraces. Most of the town’s happy for him, and he’s encouraged to date men. Like any person searching for love, this leads to jealousy when his crush is caught with another guy, but rather than lose control, it opens a chasm of loss. This devastating event forces Laurits to dissect his lineage and find out why Loki’s soul entered into his mortal vessel to experience hurtful emotions and painful sentiment.
Ragnarok’s approach to Loki is more nuanced and relatable, with the God of Mischief being ready to embrace his newfound lifestyle head-on. Sure, Loki isn’t only about the titular Asgaridan’s love life, but tossing it away in one line is a disservice to a character that means so much to so many. Moving forward, if Loki were to receive another season, the powers that be at Disney would be smart to embrace what Ragnarok has in allowing the God of Mischief to truly be himself.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane and Eugene Cordero. New episodes air Wednesdays on Disney+.
Ragnarok stars David Stakston, Jonas Strand Gravli, Theresa Tømmeraas, Frostad Eggesbø, Emma Bones, Henriette Steenstrup, Gísli Örn Garðarsson, Synnøve Macody Lund, Odd-Magnus Williamson, Tani Dibasey, Kornelia Eline Skogseth, Eli Anne Linnestad and Jeppe Beck Laursen. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently available on Netflix.
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