Was Loki ever an MCU villain? Tom Hiddleston didn't think so

Tom Hiddleston's comments on LokiHis motivations throughout his MCU arc raise questions about the villainous nature of the God of Mischief. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is one of the MCU's first villains and one of the characters with the most screen time. Over the course of five appearances in MCU films and two seasons of his own Disney+ series, Loki's journey in the MCU has undergone many drastic changes. Loki was Thor and The Avengers'main antagonist, then Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnaroksecondary hero, Avengers: Infinity Warthe first great victim and, finally, Loki heroic protagonist of season 1 and season 2.

In both comics and Norse mythology, Loki is a deity with no defined loyalties. Loki can torment Thor and the rest of his fellow gods (the Aesir) one day and help them stop a threat the next. The Norse Loki sets in motion the events that lead to Ragnarok, but he is also the last resort for many deities and mortals when they need an immortal ally. In Marvel Comics, Loki assembled the all-star villain team "the Cabal", but also joined the Young Avengers and saved the Asgardians by saving their history in the midst of multiversal collapse.

Was Loki ever a true MCU villain?

Loki's motivations make him different from most MCU villains

Tom Hiddleston reflected on his twelve-year journey as Loki Laufeyson during a Deadline panel for Loki 2nd season (via CBR). Hiddleston expressed his appreciation for the character and confessed: “I never saw him as a villain” why “I always saw him from the first film as a broken soul with a broken heart who felt like he didn't belong.” Tom Hiddleston's idea that Loki was never a villain evidently influenced the MCU characteras Loki displayed clear signs of remorse and sadness even in his antagonistic appearances.

Loki wasn't always driven by his resentment towards Odin and Thanos. For example, the Mind Stone embedded in the Scepter likely influenced Loki's actions in The Avengersand he really wanted to help Thor defeat Malekith and the Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark Worldonly usurping Odin's throne when he found the opportunity. The original variant of Loki redeemed himself when he helped Thor fight Hela in Thor: Ragnarokand he could have been a full-fledged hero if Thanos hadn't killed him in Avengers: Infinity Waropening sequence.

Tom Hiddleston never played Loki as a true villain

Tom Hiddleston played Loki Laufeyson as a troubled god with poor impulse control and questionable morals, not like a mustachioed villain. Freeing the Destroyer and leading an alien invasion of Earth might seem like malicious acts for a god like Loki, rather than potentially world-changing terrorist attacks. From Loki's perspective, he just wanted to belong and be admired, since he would never be the “true” son of Odin and the rightful king of Asgard. Even so, Loki often realized the error of his ways and tried to correct course by helping Thor.

Of course, regret and emotional baggage from childhood aren't enough to justify Loki's actions. Loki betrayed Thor and Odin multiple times, consciously decided to accept the Scepter from Thanos and the Other, and ignored the repercussions of overthrowing his own father's reign. Characters like Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, Shang-Chi, and Scott Lang also had troubled pasts and had multiple chances to express their frustrations in violent, malicious, or harmful ways, but instead chose to turn their pain into motivation to become heroes.

The MCU's Vastly Altered Loki Arc Means He Was Both a Hero and a Villain

No version of Loki will be a complete hero or a complete villain

Tom Hiddleston's original Loki variant moved towards his redemption despite several setbacks and his selfless sacrifice in Avengers: Infinity War He established himself as an honorary Avenger. Yet, the MCU went a step further and fully redeemed Loki in his own series. Loki The protagonist of seasons 1 and 2 is technically not the same character that Tom Hiddleston played in his five previous MCU appearances, but he has proven that each variant of Loki can change your life if they so choose.

Tom Hiddleston's two main Loki variants can't escape the sins of the past, but these wicked acts have allowed them to recognize their mistakes and perform heroic acts to make up for it. Hiddleston's original Loki helped Thor defeat Malekith and Hela (and at least tried to help Thor defeat Thanos), and the second Loki earned his place as the God of Stories – protector of the entire multiverse – after saving the entire Skyline. Sacred Time. Therefore, Loki He is neither a hero nor a villain, just as he is neither a frost giant nor an Asgardian, nor a god nor an alien. Just like his mythological counterpart, Tom Hiddleston's Loki is always somewhere in the middle.

Source: Deadline (through CBR)

• Release date

  February 14, 2025
  

• Release date

  July 25, 2025
  

• Release date

  July 24, 2026