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1!!'''WARNING:''' There are unmarked spoilers on these sheets for all but the most recent comics.
2!!Loki
3[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loki_7310.jpg]]
4!!! '''Alter Ego:''' Loki Laufeyson
5!!! '''Notable Aliases:''' Loki Odinson, God of Mischief, God of Stories, Scarlet Witch, Lady Loki, Serrure, Ikol, Loren Olson, William Lawson
6!!! '''Team Affiliations:''' [[ComicBook/{{Axis}} Astonishing Avengers]], Cosmic Avengers
7!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Journey into Mystery'' #85 (October, 1962)
8
9->''"No. Mischief is a small thing, a toy I've well used and discarded. This isn't mischief. This is '''mayhem'''. Just watch."''
10-->-- '''Loki''', ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}: Loki Vol. 1'' #1
11
12Loki is the adoptive brother and ArchEnemy of [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]]. He is based on the being of the same name from Myth/NorseMythology. The character first appeared in ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'' #85 (October, 1962). The character was created by writer Creator/StanLee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Creator/JackKirby.
13
14Loki was born of Laufey, King of the Frost Giants. Laufey was [[AbusiveParents a brute of a father]], ashamed of his son's comparatively non-giant size, but as luck -- [[TimeyWimeyBall and Loki's own hand]] -- would have it, Laufey would be slain in battle with the All-Father Odin, Lord of Asgard. Out of pity, Odin took the boy from Jottunheim and raised him as his own son alongside his biological son Thor.
15
16Throughout their childhood and into adolescence, Loki was resentful of the differences in which he and Thor were treated by the citizens of Asgard. The Asgardians, [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy a race of proud warrior deities]], loved Thor for his courage, his might, tenacity, and bravery in battle, and Loki was clearly inferior to his foster brother Thor in those areas. What he lacked in size and strength, however, he made up for in intelligence and skill, particularly as a sorcerer. And thus Loki came to detest Thor.
17
18He arranged for Thor to be exiled to Earth in mortal form, and plotted his death, unleashing scores of monsters and mayhem upon him and the world in pursuit of that goal, whilst in Asgard he schemed on many occasions to seize rulership of Asgard. His plots against Thor were thwarted time and again, and when he pitted him against the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]], he made new mortal enemies when ComicBook/TheAvengers united for the first time to oppose him.
19
20But Loki couldn't be humbled. He bartered with other mortals and gave them power to fight this new team; he schemed with other villains and sought to defeat Thor and his allies with their aid; while still working towards one day claim Odin's crown.
21
22And after decades and centuries of planning and plots, he finally achieved his goal -– and for his troubles, Thor brought about [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Ragnarok]].
23
24Loki was shaken, as [[EvenEvilHasStandards he did not seek something so terrible as the destruction of Asgard]], but Thor's actions freed them from the tyranny of [[AbusivePrecursors the Shadow gods]], and they were reborn.
25
26Loki returned as a woman, (though she later chose to return to a more masculine form,) and once again worked towards taking over Asgard and the defeat of Thor. But Loki paid a heavy price for his actions and he died once again, only to rise once more, this time as a child; as he had schemed to manipulate Hela into having his name removed from the Book of Hel, thus when he died, he would be reborn instead of truly dying. Kid Loki was innocent and trusting, but still as wily as the God of Mischief was.
27
28Thor found Kid Loki on Earth, restored part of his identity (though he remained in the form of a child and lost almost all his memories and powers) and brought him back to Asgard, where he found an echo of his elder self, whom Kid Loki reduced into the form of a magpie, condemned to a lifetime as "Ikol," his opposite. Determined not to become like his past self, Kid Loki went on several adventures to gain Thor's and everyone else's trust and affection, but eventually found himself in a situation that required his mind to be destroyed by letting Ikol overwrite it and take his body. So, the Loki seen now is a bit of a copy of himself, but while he did end up nearly causing the meltdown of reality as we know it during his stint with the ComicBook/YoungAvengers, he discovered that his heart just wasn't in it anymore - the fact that Kid Loki's memory functioned as a sort of conscience ("I am the crime that will not be forgiven") and his absorption of Kid Loki's memories and, to an extent, his nature, didn't hurt.
29
30Loki became more appreciative of his brother Thor, who still (rocky periods aside) treats him with trust and love. Now he puts his mind towards more benevolent ends, and has assisted Thor and his friends in their hours of need -- even if he's still as cunning as before. He even worked for the good of Asgard, too, in the All-Mother's secret service, if partly to expunge one crime, one story, from his past so he wouldn't be bound by it and turn back into his old evil self. Then, after a stint as the All-Mother's spy on Malekith's Dark Council, he appeared to betray her by stabbing Freyja in the back with a poison blade. However, as Cul, Odin's currently semi-evil older brother and right-hand, accurately noted, failing to kill Freyja with a poisoned knife from that range would make Loki either "a very bad poisoner, or a very, very good one."
31
32It turned out to be the latter, both to get him in closer to the Dark Council, and to protect Freyja (if he hadn't done it, Malekith would have sent someone who would have succeeded). During this time, he also arranged the reformation of the Avengers because, as he put it in ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'', "Assembling the Avengers - it's Loki's greatest trick". This time, it was sincere motives, as he pretended to be the herald of the corrupted Celestials, leading to the formation of the 2018 Avengers team by playing the villain (which Black Panther - and possibly Thor - noticed, even if no one else did). However, the Dark Council didn't trust him, and the resurrected Laufey killed him by eating him in ''ComicBook/WarOfTheRealms''... or rather, he tried.
33
34Thanks to Matt Murdock as 'the God Without Fear' knowing he was alive and pulling off an impossible ricochet throw of Heimdall's sword down Laufey's throat, Loki cut his way out, and claimed the throne of Jotunheim, of which he is now the somewhat reluctant King.
35
36Read in his own voice [[SelfDemonstrating/{{Loki}} here]].
37----
38
39[[AC:Comic Books]]
40* ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery''
41* ''ComicBook/{{Loki|2004}} Vol. 1'' (2004)
42* ''ComicBook/{{Loki|2010}} Vol. 2'' (2010–2011)
43* ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}''
44* ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMysteryGillen''
45* ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers Vol. 2''
46* ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard''
47* ''ComicBook/VoteLoki''
48* ''ComicBook/{{Loki|2019}} Vol. 3'' (2019-2020)
49* ''ComicBook/{{Loki|2023}} Vol. 4'' (2023)
50
51[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
52* ''Anime/MarvelDiskWarsTheAvengers''
53* ''Anime/MarvelFutureAvengers''
54* ''Manga/DeadpoolSamurai''
55
56[[AC:Film – Animation]]
57* ''WesternAnimation/HulkVs'', voiced by Creator/GrahamMcTavish
58* ''WesternAnimation/ThorTalesOfAsgard'', voiced by Rick Gomez
59
60[[AC:Literature]]
61* ''Literature/LokiWhereMischiefLies''
62
63[[AC:Live-Action]]
64* Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, played by Creator/TomHiddleston (see also his [[Characters/MCULokiLaufeyson character page]] and his [[Characters/MCULokiLaufeysonVariantL1130 main variant's character page]])
65** ''Film/{{Thor}}''
66** ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''
67** ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''
68** ''Film/ThorRagnarok''
69** ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar''
70** ''Film/AvengersEndgame''
71** ''Series/{{Loki|2021}}'' [[note]]Multiple variants of Loki[[/note]]
72
73[[AC:Video Games]]
74* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance''
75* ''VideoGame/MarvelAvengersAlliance''
76* ''VideoGame/SuperHeroSquadOnline''
77* ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes''
78* ''VideoGame/MarvelHeroes''
79* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight''
80* ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder''
81* [[spoiler:''VideoGame/MarvelsAvengers'', in a sidequest where he is disguised as Thor]]
82
83[[AC:Web Animation]]
84* ''WebAnimation/MarvelRisingUltimateComics'', voiced by JP Karliak
85
86[[AC:Webcomics]]
87* ''[[Webcomic/AlligatorLoki2022 Alligator Loki]]'' (Infinity Comic), written by Alyssa Wong with art by Bob Quinn.
88
89[[AC:Western Animation]]
90* ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelSuperHeroes''
91* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'', voiced by Creator/JohnStephenson
92* ''WesternAnimation/TheSuperHeroSquadShow'', voiced by Ted Biaselli
93* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'', voiced by Graham [=McTavish=]
94* ''[[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 Ultimate Spider-Man]]'', voiced by Creator/TroyBaker
95* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'', voiced by Troy Baker
96* ''WesternAnimation/HulkAndTheAgentsOfSMASH'', voiced by Troy Baker
97* ''WesternAnimation/{{Guardians of the Galaxy|2015}}'', voiced by Troy Baker
98* ''[[WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021 What If...?]]'', voiced by Tom Hiddleston
99
100----
101
102[[foldercontrol]]
103
104!! Tropes associated with Loki and their various incarnations:
105[[folder:In General]]
106* AbusiveParents:
107** Laufey was ''not'' a good father. As a time-travelling adult, Loki took revenge on his wounded progenitor with a sword, screaming "YOU WILL NEVER STRIKE ME AGAIN!"
108** Laufey briefly came back to life during Loki's misadventures with the Young Avengers. Let it be known their reunion was anything but happy - he literally tried to ''eat him''!
109** During the War of the Realms, Laufey tolerates Loki's presence since they're allies, but clearly does not like his son in the slightest. After Loki betrays Malekith, Laufey states that the frost giants consume their shame and eats Loki, who proceeds to carve his way out of his father's stomach, killing him.
110* AbortedArc: Subverted. ComicBook/SpiderMan once aided him in subduing his wayward daughter, leaving Loki with [[http://arousinggrammardotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/spiderloki12.jpg a debt to pay.]] Due to the Siege, and other [[ComicBook/OneMoreDay events]], it seemed doubtful he'd ever have the chance, but in ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #795 (Feb. 2018) Loki finally pays it.
111* AdaptationDyeJob: While the myths never mention Loki's hair color, many depictions portray him with red hair, whereas here he is a brunette.
112* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Because of Frost Giant heritage, in Asgard Loki was always compared unfavorably to his adoptive brother, Thor. This, coupled with AbusiveParents above, seems to have played a role in his nature.
113* AmplifierArtifact: The Norn Stones are his most prominent, though he has a collection of these. Though the Stones' properties vary depending on the writer, they tend to have the power to give the bearer whatever they desire, which is generally manifested in a massive boost to Loki's innate magical abilities.
114* AntiAntichrist: Ancient prophecies tell that it's Loki's destiny to bring forth Ragnarök, but even at his most vile, Loki's main determination is only to ''rule'' the Nine (or Ten) Realms, not destroy them. (Yes, in the countless repetitions of the cycle he always did so at the end, but it was rarely his original intention.)
115* ArchEnemy: He's Thor's greatest and most personal enemy.
116* BadassBookworm: His intelligence is without question and he's an unusually scholarly Asgardian, but he's also still a Norse god, and one does not grow up amongst the Aesir without learning how to fight, nor have a blood feud with ComicBook/TheMightyThor without being ''good'' at it.
117* BatmanGambit: He has been playing Thor, the Avengers and all of Asgard like a fiddle with a high success rate since time immemorial.
118* BecomingTheMask: Loki may insist that Loki is always Loki (and only fights for Loki), but which can be quite the question. For example, after Kid Loki merged with Ikol, is the young Loki that resulted the kid version, whose body he inhabits, and part he plays; or the old, whose memories and personality he possesses, but part tries to avoid; or maybe somehow [[SplitPersonalityMerge in-between]]? For what it's worth Loki himself is hoping for a solution that makes him [[ScrewDestiny less predictable]]. But the [[Creator/MarvelComics house]] almost [[StatusQuoIsGod always wins]]. [[spoiler:And it won. But too late for Loki's tastes, which prompted him, well, the King!Loki him, to MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight (or was it the other way around?). What happened? Let's just say Loki must really hate {{butterfl|yOfDoom}}ies.]]
119* BeingEvilSucks: He has been plagued by a guilty conscience, taking the form of [[spoiler:the so-called "Kid Loki", whose soul he destroyed when he took over his body as part of his ploy to make his comeback]]. ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' [[ShoutOutToShakespeare figures prominently]] in his accusations.
120* BigBad:
121** Of many ''Thor'' stories, as well as both the first [[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]] story. [[spoiler:He's also the true villain of ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'' and ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'', despite being the hero of both; Loki is truly complicated.]]
122** Of the ''ComicBook/DarkReign'' and its finale event ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}''. ComicBook/NormanOsborn, as director of HAMMER, is the new face of the Superhero Registration Act that has been an obstacle for Earth's heroes since ''ComicBook/CivilWar2006''. However, Loki began engineering events such as re-establishing the Mighty Avengers to undermine Osborn's authority and thus his already-fragile sanity, winning ComicBook/TheHood to his side by giving him the Norn Stones after the latter had been stripped from Dormammu's control, and colluding with [[Characters/MarvelComicsDoctorDoom Doctor Doom]] to house the Asgardians in Latveria in exchange for the secrets to the Asgardians' immortality so he could ingratiate himself with Asgard's new king Balder. Loki then plays on Osborn's SanitySlippage to convince him to invade Asgard.
123** He's also, surprisingly enough, [[spoiler:the villain of ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'', as he struck an [[BigBadDuumvirate alliance with Mother]] in order to gain control of Wiccan and his powers.]] Well, until he changed his mind at least.
124* BigBrotherWorship:
125** As much as Loki seems to detest Thor, he might begrudgingly admit there are some things he might admire about him, at least after he forgot that he ever hated him in the first place. Even if [[CallingTheOldManOut his dad doesn't like it]].
126** As "Kid Loki" at least, he's justified with this line of thought, as Thor is currently the only person who likes him at all and is nice to him.
127** How deep does his love for his brother go? When young Loki faced a SadisticChoice of dying or [[spoiler:becoming like his past self]], young Loki and [[spoiler:his past self]] [[TakingAThirdOption solved it]] by destroying themselves almost completely so that Loki could remake himself, but what they chose to hang on to was their {{only friend}}ship, their self-determination, and ''their love for Thor''.
128* BlackMagic: One of the many branches of power available to him and another contrast with his muscle bound brother.
129* BrainsEvilBrawnGood: Loki is intellectual and evil, whereas Thor has physical might and is good.
130* CainAndAbel: Well, duh. He's in the role of Cain while his brother is the Abel.
131* CharacterizationMarchesOn: His original incarnation was evil, hated Thor and wanted nothing more than to rule Asgard. Since his subsequent rebirths, they're more neutral than evil, are on semi-good terms with Thor and doesn't have any interest in ruling Asgard.
132* CharactersAsDevice: Since he's explicitly a chaotic evil character Loki can be of use to authors as an out to undo any retcons to a character's legacy as some lie he concocted to mess with them. The revelation that the Beaubier twins are half-elf and that Hank Pym is the Scientist Supreme are both prime examples.
133* CharacterExaggeration: Ever since his surge in popularity in ''Film/TheAvengers2012'', Loki in the comics and other media will rarely portray him without his glaive (the chitauri sceptre containing the Mind Stone in the movie) and treat it as his weapon. This is despite the fact that Loki only uses said sceptre in one movie and uses knives from then on, and that the sceptre wasn't even his to begin with (it was given to him by Thanos).
134* ChickMagnet: While one would think this only applied to him after the success of the movies, in his [[https://web.archive.org/web/20150109193248/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/goofythor-9.jpg very first appearance]] he wooed his brother's lover, Jane Foster, just by challenging Thor to a fight. He also apparently had a lot of human lovers in the past.
135* ChildOfTwoWorlds: Born as son of the Frost Giant King, but adopted and raised by the Asgardian royal family, he can truly say he's one. Not that he ever really felt he belonged to either society, as both equally loathe him, albeit for different reasons.
136* ChronicVillainy: [[spoiler:Right before allowing himself to be overwritten by his memories]], his child self called him out on it. The later Lokis are a bit better about this; their motivations are ''usually'' a bit better than sticking it to Thor or Odin.
137* CleverCrows: Ikol, the magpie containing the memories of what Loki was before he died. Since then his new incarnation developed [[AnimalMotifs quite an association]] with these birds... some might even suggest for some [[MagpiesAsPortents other]] [[ThievingMagpie reasons]].
138* ComicBookFantasyCasting: For his adventures performing tasks in Midgard for the All-Mother (tales told in his own series, ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'') and also when later troll... visiting his brother's... um replacement's book, ''ComicBook/{{Thor 2014}}'', upon seeing the reaction Mr. Creator/TomHiddleston got in films, artists have modeled his [[http://media.tumblr.com/0ed5b9ca9df753f8420b259990abd168/tumblr_inline_mxel5kDsaL1rn7obi.png new face]] on his likeness. It isn't without its difficulties, however, as he had to move his apartment once after being [[http://67.media.tumblr.com/a5200c9f110de258c7d2ececc5de342b/tumblr_njxuqnY49F1sajkn0o1_500.png repeatedly confused]] for some Midgardian named Music/HarryStyles.
139* ConsummateLiar: As the God of Lies, he's extremely skilled at lying.
140* CoolSword: He was, for a time, owner of Gram, sword of Sigurd (the Ever-Glorious), a sword that forces all injured by it to face the truth. Time-travel plays no [[TimeyWimeyBall small part in its complicated origins]]. Alas, his brother destroyed it.
141* CrownOfHorns: Loki has more or less always worn a crown, helmet, or headdress with two horns projecting at the front. In early appearances, the horns were quite implausibly huge; later artists were usually more restrained, though more flamboyant treatments have periodically reverted to the "infeasibly large horns" version.
142* DarkAndTroubledPast: His early childhood was littered with neglect and physical abuse. Also, the fact that he's a runt by Frost Giants' standards (1/5 the size of his kindred) led his father to abandon him in the ice, although if he hadn't done so, Odin would not have taken him in and he might not have evolved into the PhysicalGod he is.
143* ADayInTheLimelight:
144** Got a four-issue miniseries in 2004, another in 2010, and a one-shot during ''Siege''.
145** As of #622, Loki - in his younger form - has taken over the main Thor books as the protagonist (Thor is the protagonist in another one) and they have been renamed ''Journey into Mystery'', to great critical acclaim. Along with his solo adventures, as of October 2012 he's also a member of the Young Avengers.
146** In 2014, he got another new solo series, ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard''.
147** Loki's plans for 2016 include running for president of the US, so don't forget to ''ComicBook/VoteLoki''!
148%%* DeadpanSnarker: Very much so.
149%%* DistaffCounterpart: So unmatched is Loki that he is his ''own'' DistaffCounterpart. [[ComicBook/EarthX Not for the first time, either.]]
150* DoNotAdjustYourSet: He pulled this once on ComicBook/{{Apocalypse}}, appearing on one of his television monitoring screens and then having a chat with him from it, then popping out of it to have a proper conversation. It was fun until he took him prisoner with his AntiMagic tech...
151%%* DoppelgangerSpin: He had this power since the first Avengers story, though he uses it more frequently in the movies.
152* EasilyForgiven: Zig-zagged. Thor ''always'' forgives him in the end and gives him another chance, but he refuses to accept their mercy. Odin used to do the same, but after Loki's return as a child, Odin has run out of patience, with Thor being the only reason he has not been banished or killed. The ''only'' person who has forgiven him is Thor. Everyone else wants to kill him.
153* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: He has dark hair and pale skin and is definitely eerie.
154* EnemyMine:
155** Surtur once attempted to destroy Asgard. Odin and Thor stood in his way. Loki temporarily put aside his differences with his father and brother to fight Surtur at their side.
156** He once tried to manipulate [[ComicBook/XMen Mr. Sinister]] into stealing his genetic material from Doctor Doom, whose AntiMagic prevented him from doing it himself. Circumstances forced them to fight their way out together.
157** He once teamed up with Spider-Man. Loki wanted to save one of his children from being possessed by Morwen, and Spider-Man wanted to save the world [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and to get Morwen to stop hitting on him.]]
158* EnemyWithout: [[spoiler:Leah of Hel and the former lovers of the Young Avengers, who joined Mother's side, all turned out to be creations of his guilty conscience that he subconsciously brought to life to punish himself for killing Kid Loki.]]
159* EvenEvilHasStandards:
160** Loki will always make clear that he seeks to rule Asgard, ''not'' to destroy it.
161** When the time came for his younger self to make an inspiring speech to the Angels of the Tenth Realm, he felt it prudent to address the pressing fact that they would be killing ''babies''. At length, at that.
162* EvilChancellor: Prince Balder chose him as an adviser after becoming the ruler of Asgard, believing that Loki had turned over a new leaf. In reality, Loki was manipulating him in a scheme to banish Thor, claim Asgard and separate the city from Midgard.
163* EvilIsPetty: The other main motivation of Loki, besides ruling Asgard, is showing up his brother by any means necessary.
164* TheEvilPrince: He's the Prince of Asgard and Jotunheim and ''very'' good at being evil.
165* EvilPlan: He sets his sights on Odin's throne or otherwise sees how he can make Thor suffer.
166* EvilSorcerer: His knowledge of the mystic arts is unparalleled in all of Asgard, even though many mighty sorcerers and sorceresses make it their home.
167* EvilVersusOblivion: He has stated as much his aim is conquest, not destruction. He stated this during a fight with Surtur: there is no point in his ruling all that he surveys if all he surveys is burned to a cinder.
168* TheFightingNarcissist: He maintains a [[SarcasmMode perfectly healthy and realistic]] awareness of his own handsomeness, and he can certainly fight. His fighting style is in fact far more based on grace and agility than brute strength.
169* ForcedTransformation: Amongst other things, he has transmogrified Thor into a frog and his own grandfather into the snow - yes, '''the''' snow, as in, all snow ''everywhere''.
170* ForTheEvulz: ComicBook/NormanOsborn was an amusing toy for him... for a while.
171* GenderBender: He has been known to take on feminine form, in particular that of his brother's lover, Lady Sif. Why Sif? To torment him, of course. Not that that actually affected his gender (he still referred to himself as Odin's ''son'', Thor's ''brother'', generally ''he'' and so forth).
172* GodOfEvil: God of Mischief ''and'' Evil. Albeit it was later changed and he became the God of Mischief and Lies instead for a while, at which point his destiny split: Either go back to the previous title, because "lies ''are'' evil, right?", or [[spoiler:push it more and become the God of Mischief and ''Stories'']].
173* GoodOldFisticuffs:
174** While plotting out his far-reaching plans before the ''Siege'' event, he realized he needed control of the Dsir, the dreaded undead Valkyries that eat souls. So naturally the best option was to [[CurbStompBattle beat them into submission]] with his bare hands.
175** He also has [[http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/15/150339/2970747-5647122265-Loki_.jpg slapped]] Eric Masterson to the brink of unconsciousness.
176%%* HandBlast: Just in case you start thinking he's all guile and manipulation, he can certainly take care of himself in battle with these.
177* ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou: His ''Agents of Asgard'' incarnation seems to be developing an attachment to a certain Miss [[MeaningfulName Verity]] Willis because she can see through any sort of lies and illusions, and is therefore very hard for him to fool.
178* TheHeavy: Every incarnation of Loki had mastermind many plots over the years.
179* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Sometimes he's a haughty sorcerer who thinks Asgard rightfully belongs to him...and sometimes he's TheUnfavorite brother of the Mighty Thor who can never be an adequate Jotunn or Aesir.
180* ItsAllAboutMe: Odin fights for Asgard, Thor fights for Midgard, and Loki fights for himself.
181* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:As revealed in ''Agent of Asgard'', any Loki that came after him is a different Loki, meaning that the original Loki who died in ''Siege'' was gone for good.]]
182* KneelBeforeZod: Loki will often demand to whom he considers lesser beings to bow to him.
183* LackOfEmpathy: He thinks himself above any others and will be ready to admit it.
184* LargeHam: He seems to enjoy himself while displaying his superiority to ''those pathetic Midgardians!''
185* LeanAndMean: Loki is probably the skinniest male in Asgard. He is also one of Thor's meanest villains.
186* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Since becoming the god of stories, he's started doing this rather frequently. He often references his own character arc and what role he's supposed to play in relation to a plot line, whether he's the villain, hero or something else.
187* MagicKnight: He much prefers to manipulate things from afar or use magic than to resort to what he considers barbarian methods... but if he [[CombatPragmatist needs to fight]], [[LetsGetDangerous he]] ''[[LetsGetDangerous will]]'' [[LetsGetDangerous fight]]. The Disir learned ''the hard way'' [[CurbStompBattle what happens to those who underestimate his battle prowess]].
188* TheManBehindTheMan: On several occasions, the villains Thor defeats were Loki's stooges.
189* ManipulativeBastard: And an excellent one at that.
190** He has manipulated everyone in Asgard at some time or another. Fitting, given that he is [[Myth/NorseMythology the god of deception]]. Oh and in this case, "bastard" is meant literally. He insists that he's not really the "God of Lies", just mischief. Of course, he's such a good liar anyway, who could ever tell?
191** He's so good that even when people know not to trust him (which has been Status Quo for fifteen real time years), he still ends up manipulating them anyway.
192** His younger self needs to be this since he doesn't have any magic, only his brains and his silver tongue.
193** He's not above manipulating [[spoiler:incarnations of ''himself'']] either.
194** Loki is known for his manipulative tendencies and even spins this reputation in his favor to get people to do what he wants. Later incarnations of him often have more benign goals, but given his schemes have a tendency to cause a lot of harm regardless of the intentions, he is not well-liked.
195* ManOfWealthAndTaste: When he travels to the mortal realm, at least in [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks the good old days]], he dresses his best - he looks [[BadassInANiceSuit good in a suit, after all]].
196* MasterOfIllusion: His film incarnation in particular is fond of this, but the Loki of Earth-616 is more than his equal in his own right.
197* MemoryGambit: [[spoiler:"Kid" Loki]] was a scheme to let him return from death with a new lease on life and a better reputation. It did not go entirely according to plan, but Loki is nothing if not adaptable.
198* MesACrowd: In his most serialised adventures, there are no less than [[spoiler:four distinctly separate versions of him; his original self, the younger version of himself's ghost or spirit, the current version, taking traits from both while being distinctly separate from either, with notions of redemption and... heroism, and an older version of that one, who has gone back to standard villainy.
199* MotherOfAThousandYoung: As ComicBook/SpiderMan was once surprised to learn, [[ReallyGetsAround Norse gods have a lot of time on their hands.]] While most of Loki's children are normal enough and mortal, he does have a few that are either immortal, such as Hela and Vali Halfling, or have... not inherited his handsome looks, such as Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent.
200* MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning: Knowing he would in all likelihood die at some point, he planned ahead. Which came in useful when he did eventually die.
201* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Frost Giants are very big, very stupid, and typically DumbMuscle. Loki is a brilliant schemer, a powerful sorcerer, and slightly shorter than Thor (the horns on Loki's helmet notwithstanding) and very slender. While Loki is still very strong and durable, that is primarily in comparison to the superheroes and villains of Earth, not Asgardians or other Frost Giants.
202* NeverBareheaded: Some runs of ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' have depicted Loki this way, though as with many comic book characters it's DependingOnTheArtist (it's fairly established that his hair is short -- shorter than in [[Film/{{Thor}} the film version]], black, and pomaded back). The J. Michael Straczynski/Kieron Gillen era took this trope to heart, however, by depicting a Loki who wore his horned helmet and cowl even when shirtless and hammering at a sword à la TheBlacksmith. Loki currently averts the trope, he pretty much only wears a circlet thingy, and even that only on missions; [[spoiler:however his (possible) evil, future self was shown to wear the classic helmet]].
203* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: As is common for characters whose skill lies in magic, he's often capable of doing whatever the plot needs him to with it, though not to the level of ComicBook/DoctorStrange since the writers still need Thor to be able to defeat him.
204* NiceJobFixingItVillain: He once schemed to pit Thor in a deadly battle against the Hulk, but [[ComicBook/IronMan some]] [[ComicBook/AntMan other]] [[ComicBook/TheWasp heroes]] showed up as well. His plot was soon uncovered, and - much to Loki's later irritation - he ended up inadvertently bringing the Avengers together. Indeed, this incident is his single greatest regret in life, [[spoiler:or at least ''was'' until he killed his better self]].
205* NighInvulnerability: As a small Frost Giant he is as durable and strong as any average Aesir, though he is not naturally as durable as the muscle-bound Thor. Fortunately, as a sorcerer, he has ''super''natural durability, as he has granted himself a range of advantages no other Aesir has; most Asgardians would be more bothered than him at the prospect of decapitation, for a start.
206* NormalFishInATinyPond: In terms of physical strength, Loki doesn't stand out in a world of {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s, with the most powerful among them capable of lifting literal millions of tons. But on Earth, it's a completely different story. He's capable of reducing buildings to rubble with just his bare hands, grapple with the Silver Surfer to a stalemate, and NoSell punches from Spider-Man who, mind you, is strong enough to lift tanks.
207* NotDistractedByTheSexy: He is not so easily swayed by a pretty face and body, but on occasion he has been distracted by [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman both Lorelei and her sister Amora the Enchantress]]. Story Loki also once flirted with Fandral the Dashing.
208* OddFriendship: Spider-Man and he had a short lived one during their brief team-up. It was certainly entertaining, everyone can agree on that, given their [[DeadpanSnarker wit]]. By the end he was grateful enough that Loki told Spidey he could get a favor from him in the future, which he eventually did in 2018, although despite the number of fans wishing for Spider-Man to use it to get Loki to undo ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'' he used it for something else.
209* OtherworldlyAndSexuallyAmbiguous: His younger self [[spoiler:and also his later God(dess) of Stories incarnate]] would change gender for no reason other that they could (and he only could like he was thanks to some limitations placed on his shapeshifting those days), and would also identify accordingly. Yes. That's ''Goddess'', or ''Mistress'' or generally ''she'' when Loki is a woman. Thank you very much. By ''ComicBook/TheImmortalThor'', Thor and Loki use "they / them" when referring to Loki.
210* {{Patricide}}: Laufey violently eats Loki for betraying Malekith's army, proclaiming that frost giants eat their shame and weakness. Unfortunately for Laufey, Loki takes the opportunity to cut his way out of his father's stomach, killing him and subsequently making Loki the new king of Jotunheim.
211* PetTheDog: When he becomes king of Jotunheim, he comes across another runt frost giant about to be killed by some of his kin for stealing the lid to a pot. Loki empathizes with the giant and protects him, even giving him a special position so the other giants will not harm him.
212* PhysicalGod: As he is of Asgard/Jotunheim, his power, his age, and his strength are all godlike.
213* PopCulturalOsmosisFailure: Loki can safely say that this is [[AvertedTrope not the case.]] It looks like [[spoiler:assimilating his child self]] has given him knowledge of Internet culture and popular media such as ''Series/GameOfThrones'', despite being of a species and from a culture vastly different from that of Midgard.
214* PopCulturedBadass: Though for much of his history he had a disdain for anything mortal, he became this after he was resurrected in the body of a child and discovered the internet. He's now one of the very few Asgardians who carry a cell phone (he even boosts the reception with magic), will use the internet to accomplish his goals, play video games, and constantly make pop culture references, having apparently become quite the fan of many movies and TV shows which he gets via "torrents of bits".
215* ProgressivelyPrettier:
216** While Loki has always maintained a certain "''je ne sais quoi''," there is no arguing that, as Kid Loki, his design grew from "[[http://25.media.tumblr.com/aa9fc8169b4895e08882fc8a311ad34a/tumblr_mfz3hyvR2u1r2mzigo1_1280.png eyebrowless goblin child]]" to "[[http://25.media.tumblr.com/ad42603b2281d19d805600fc55302987/tumblr_mf4kfw9xp61rxd4cao5_250.png handsome young lad]]."
217** Having now [[spoiler:been granted an older body through Wiccan's magic,]] he now has the appearance of [[spoiler:a young adult in their late teens/early twenties.]] The reaction from the internet seems to be, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20140525170600/http://24.media.tumblr.com/b4c27dbd8d2b17b3eb7c05445d188cca/tumblr_mv4ob7twpf1rt6kpxo1_r2_500.png "Oh no he's hot."]]
218* PsychopathicManchild: He's an ages-old PhysicalGod with incredible intellect, cunning, magical might... and the emotional maturity of a spoiled toddler. His entire motivation for everything he has ever done is that his Dad likes big brother Thor more than him and lashing out in response. In a conversation between his child incarnation and a copy of his former self, the child Loki actually comes across as the wiser and more mature of the two. Loki also has a bit more maturity due to his guilt over [[spoiler:replacing child Loki]]. It's sort of inevitable that a self-proclaimed God of Mischief isn't a paragon of maturity.
219* PsychicPowers: He can enter the minds of hapless victims, such as the Hulk to turn him on Thor.
220* RageAgainstTheAuthor: It's hard not to read the entirety of [[spoiler:his younger self's sacrifice]] without seeing a touch of... aggravation at the fact that, because of the Editors and his newfound popularity as the villain of ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', no matter what, this was only a temporary arrangement. He even looks at the viewer while describing how it's beyond either of them's power to make the story have a happy ending. (He even declares that an unspecified "they" won't let him change.) The only way for the new Loki to be allowed to change without being forced to become evil at some point in the future under a new writer [[spoiler:is for his younger self to be entirely erased from existence.]] This is admittedly something that can be undone if someone has the gall to.
221-->'''Leah:''' [[{{Foreshadowing}} Better to die as good fiction than live as bad.]]
222* RedemptionDemotion: After his death in ''Siege'', the subsequent Lokis that came after the original have been far less capable in their sorcery than the original. However, it's justified for both Kid and Teen Loki. For the former, being reborn meant that his young body is incapable of handling of such magicks. As for the latter, it's simply because he's too [[BrilliantButLazy lazy]] to bother himself from learning the advanced stuff, instead relying on his guile and manipulative nature to get ahead, and it works. Story Loki is partially hamstrung by narrative convention; if they just snapped their fingers and solve everything, that wouldn't make for a very interesting story, now would it?
223* RedemptionEqualsDeath: In ''Siege'', he took responsibility for his deeds and sided with the heroes, but got torn apart by an eldritch horror as a result.
224* {{Retcanon}}: Loki was redesigned to be much more conventionally attractive thanks to the popularity of Creator/TomHiddleston's portrayal of him in the movies.
225* ReluctantRuler: After becoming king of Jotunheim, Loki is not exactly happy about his new position. His people -the frost giants- ''hate'' him, and the job is so boring he often sneaks out to have some action. To be fair, he wasn't really aiming for the throne to begin with.
226* SadlyMythtaken:
227** Originally in the Norse myth, Laufey was his mother, and he was the blood-brother of Odin, meaning that he's Thor's adopted uncle, not his adopted brother.
228** In ''Blood Brothers'', he seems unaware that he is the father of Hela.
229* SayMyName: He once commanded a legion of fans to do so in the "Hall H" of the San Diego Comic-Con.
230* ScrewDestiny:
231** His core motivation approximately since the events of ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}'', when he realized that his role as the [[CardCarryingVillain God of Evil]] clashes with his role as the [[TricksterGod God of Mischief and Chaos]] by making his actions... [[ChronicVillainy a little more predictable than he'd prefer]].
232** This became more difficult in the Autumn 2014 event ''ComicBook/{{Axis}}'', due to the ComicBook/RedSkull tampering with the brain of Charles Xavier and letting himself be possessed by ComicBook/{{Onslaught}}. Not to mention Doctor Doom trying to kill him to prevent him from what he'll become afterward. [[spoiler:Loki simply broke the timeline and freed himself from that particular future for good.]]
233%%* SiblingRivalry: With Thor, of course.
234%%* SorcerousOverlord: On the occasions he managed to ascend to the throne of Asgard.
235* SquishyWizard: Downplayed in that he's this ''only'' in comparison to Thor and other beings of incalculable strength. To any normal human, he's a KungFuWizard.
236* StatusQuoIsGod: Deep down he will always be Loki. [[spoiler:And he wouldn't have it any other way. But he ''would'' totally rules lawyer what and/or who Loki is when given a chance, and he would die and/or kill for that chance. You've been warned.]]
237* SuperStrength: While not on the level of Thor, he still ''is'' a Frost Giant, and much stronger than humans by far. During a magic brawl with Strange, Zelma Stanton tries breaking them up by nullifying Loki and Strange's magic. Unfortunately, the spell only cancels their magic, leaving Strange a mere human and Loki with his inherent Frost Giant strength, which he proceeds to use to send Strange flying with his fist.
238* TheoryOfNarrativeCausality: Not that he was ever averse to playing with the fourth wall occasionally, but his young incarnations are especially strong believers in the power of the narrative. Not only have they something against the authors, but they also had at least three plans involving rewriting the story, be it their own or that of his uncle, Cul Borson. It's no wonder they became the [[spoiler:God of Stories]].
239* TheseusShipParadox: Applied to all the Lokis following on from the original. Are they the same people, and should they be treated as such? Is Teen Loki required to shoulder the blame for original Loki's crimes, or merely their own? Thor, for his part, sees them all as the same person for good and bad.
240* ThirdPersonPerson: Loki has a habit of doing this in various comics.
241* TimeTravel: He can do this more or less at will; it gives him a distinct advantage when carrying out his plans. Even he cannot guess how much of Asgardian history was shaped by him until he decides to go back and affect it - the disappearance of his foster grandfather, his own adoption and the death of Laufey, and who knows what else? All him, and he didn't even know it!
242* TheUnfavorite: He considers himself Odin's least-favourite son and wants to make him regret what he considers as having [[WellDoneSonGuy underestimated him]] by making all of Asgard bow at him feet. Or, as his [[spoiler:God of Stories incarnation]] decided, [[StoppedCaring screw them]]; they won't sacrifice themselves for their acceptance anymore. [[spoiler:They refused Odin's "SoProudOfYou" and mocked his King!Loki incarnation for wanting it in the first place]]. [[CueTheFlyingPigs Well yes]]. It '''was''' the [[ComicBook/SecretWars2015 end of the world]].
243* TheUnfettered: Whether he's opposed to Thor or working towards some mutual end, he's always willing to go further than his brother.
244* VillainTeleportation: He'd be a poor master of BlackMagic if he could not teleport at will.
245%%* VoluntaryShapeshifting: When disguises are called for, mostly.
246* WellIntentionedExtremist: He considers most of his plans regarding Asgard as being for the good of Asgard, and the universe on occasion, and he considers himself to often see the answers more clearly than the heroes because they are held back by too many ethics.
247* WhichMe: Loki can confuse even himself by talking about himself, like how it took a long time for [[spoiler:little Loki]] to realize who [[spoiler:old Loki's spirit]] talked about, when mentioning ''Loki only dying for Loki''. In theory, when he says Loki that can mean any iteration of Loki mentioned under MesACrowd, or abstracts like the [[TheoryOfNarrativeCausality story]], TricksterGod, [[ManipulativeBastard general]] [[GuileHero role]] or ideal of Loki. When Loki says "I" that means explicitly him personally, if you were wondering.
248* WouldHurtAChild: He admits to never having cared much for other people's children, and gladly uses them to gain advantage over their parents.
249* WouldntHurtAChild: At least once his teen incarnation came around. Turns out existentially scarring himself by [[spoiler:destroying and assimilating his child self]] got them slightly fond of them, so he's at least against child murder, as the Angels of Heven can attest. Wiccan owes his life to their [[spoiler:[[ConscienceMakesYouGoBack unwillingness to complete the plan]] of [[DrivenToSuicide tricking him into committing suicide]]]], even if he endangered the world by doing so.
250* YouCantFightFate: As long as the tales of his prior activities exist, Loki shall be drawn back to his old habits. Given that he would rather die than be predictable, efforts are underway to erase them.
251[[/folder]]
252
253[[folder:The Original Loki]]
254!!Loki
255 [[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loki_laufeyson_earth_616_0.jpeg]]
256[[caption-width-right:250:[[labelnote:Loki's female form]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loki_laufeyson_earth_616_0001.png]][[/labelnote]]
257
258!!! '''Notable Aliases:''' The God of Mischief
259!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Venus'' (vol. 1) #6 (Golden Age), ''Journey Into Mystery'' (vol. 1) #85 (Silver Age)
260
261Loki is the biological son of Frost Giant chieftain Laufey. After Odin killed Laufey in battle, he adopted Loki and raised him as his own son. It was revealed that Loki engineered his own adoption through means of a StableTimeLoop as part of his plan to destroy the Aesir.
262----
263* AbusiveParents: Laufey was ''not'' a good father. A time-travelling adult Loki took revenge on a wounded Laufey with a sword, screaming "YOU WILL NEVER STRIKE ME AGAIN!"
264* AffablyEvil: Depending on his mood, but just because he's [[ManipulativeBastard a ruthless manipulator]] doesn't mean he can't be ''civil'' about it.
265%%* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: Thor was this to Loki during their childhood in Asgard. This, coupled with AbusiveParents, is basically Loki's FreudianExcuse.
266* AmbitionIsEvil: He wants to rule Asgard no matter the cost.
267%%* {{Archenemy}}: To Thor.
268* AstralProjection: He has demonstrated the ability to project his thoughts telepathically across great distances as well as potent hypnotic capabilities.
269* BadassBookworm: While he's mainly known for his skills at magic and guile, he's quite the skilled fighter and an expert battle strategist as well.
270* BigBad: Of many ''Thor'' stories, being Thor's ArchEnemy, as well as the first ''[[ComicBook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' story, and one of the main threats in the Marvel Universe.
271%%* BlackMagic: He uses this often.
272* BodySnatcher: Has made a bad habit of this ever since he came back to life after Ragnarok. First he came back in the body intended for Sif and claimed it was the body intended for him, and later claimed he had inhabited her body by mistake when he returned to his true form. [[spoiler:He later forced Kid Loki to allow him to take over his body, eradicating his younger self's mind in the process.]]
273%%* BrainsEvilBrawnGood: In comparison to Thor.
274* BringIt: At the start of ''Dark Reign'', when Norman Osborn's tripping on his success, he tells the Cabal that if they cross him, he'll go after them. Loki just chortles once.
275%%* CainAndAbel: He's the Cain to Thor's Abel.
276%%* CardCarryingVillain: He ''is'' the God of Mischief and Evil, after all.
277* ChildOfTwoWorlds: Rarely touched upon but the fact that he is a small Frost Giant adopted by Asgardians; hated, feared and mistrusted by ''both'', really didn't help their mental state or identity issues. In ComicBook/{{Thor 2014}} as Spoiler Character 2 (probably) denied both. [[IAmWhatIAm Loki is Loki]].
278* ChronicVillainy: No matter how many second chances Thor and Asgard are prepared to give him, Loki simply can't seem to help but play the villain's part.
279* ClassicVillain: {{Pride}} and Ambition are his principal traits, and he also possesses [[GreenEyedMonster Envy]].
280* ConsummateLiar: Loki is the God of Lies, though he also manages to play with it -- people know they can't trust him, so he simply factors in the not being trusted into what he says. He's so good that he can manipulate a person when they know who he is, that he's evil, and that he's probably manipulating them and shouldn't be trusted. In ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'' they even befriended a LivingLieDetector (Verity Willis, who is pretty much BlessedWithSuck, both because of her power and the friendship) and then successfully lied to her. She sarcastically congratulated to the feat later.
281%%* CoolHelmet: His iconic horned helmet.
282* DarkAndTroubledPast: Loki's early childhood is littered with implications of neglect and physical abuse. Also the fact he's a runt giant, which means he's like 1/5 the size of his kindred. This is often an explanation for his self-loathing and mean behavior.
283* DatingCatwoman: He once had a prolonged relationship with ComicBook/{{Storm|MarvelComics}} of the ComicBook/XMen, when she and the ComicBook/NewMutants were stranded in Asgard -- he even gave her back her ElementalPowers, as she had been depowered at the time (there was also some brainwashing involved). When he was... persuaded... to send them all back to Midgard, he offered her a chance to stay with him as his queen, and even admitted that being with her might have been worth losing the throne. While she turned down his offer, he sentimentally took the molten remains of the thunder-hammer he had used to empower her and reshape it into a statue of her to keep as a memento.
284* DeadpanSnarker: Frequently, he enjoys trading barbs with others.
285* DealWithTheDevil: He has been pressed-ganged into deals with actual devils at times, such as his forced alliance with [[ComicBook/DoctorStrange the dreaded Dormammu]], but he has been on the better end of this more often than not; Crusher Creel, the Absorbing Man, is just one of many mortals who have gained [[SuperEmpowering special gifts]] courtesy of him.
286* DependingOnTheWriter: His relationship with wife Sigyn tended to vary between writers. While Loki was never a good husband some stories showed him viewing his marriage as nothing but an unwanted burden while others had him saying that Sigyn was the only person he truly loved and was genuinely appreciative of her loyalty towards him.
287* DisappearedDad: Discounting his relationship with his children (Jormundgandr, Fenris and Hela), Loki hasn't been a stellar father to the children he sired with human women either.
288* DistaffCounterpart: Loki bears the dubious honor of being one of the few characters to become his ''own'' DistaffCounterpart. When the Asgardians are reborn following the Ragnarok, Loki claims what was supposed to be Sif's new body to himself.
289* EasilyForgiven: Thor and Odin ''always'' forgive Loki in the end and give him another chance. Loki is so convinced that they secretly hate him that he never takes it.
290* EvenEvilHasStandards: He's [[ItsAllAboutMe all about himself]] and wants to take the 9 Realms because he wants to one-up Thor; he has also fought to defend to it to [[EvilVersusOblivion prevent its destruction]].
291* EvilChancellor: To Balder, during his tenure as Asgard's king in the JMS run. His manipulations lead Balder to banish Thor from Asgard and relocate the citizens to Latveria, where they are experimented on by Doctor Doom.
292%%* EvilMentor: In magic, to his son Vali and later to [[{{ComicBook/YoungAvengers}} Wiccan]].
293* EvilIsPetty: His main motivation is simply showing up Thor, by any means necessary.
294* TheEvilPrince: He is prince by adoption of Asgard and technically prince by birth of the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. He has enough clout with the Frost Giants to at least use them as Mooks from time to time and regularly schemes to overthrow his adopted father Odin, take over Asgard and kill his foster brother Thor somewhere along the way.
295* EvilSorcerer: He is perhaps the most powerful sorcerer in all of Asgard, rivalled only by evil (mostly) sorceress Karnilla. Loki has the ability to generate and control a great quantity of mystical abilities for a variety of purposes, of which can be used to further enhance or augment his physical diagram, like his speed, strength, and stamina, but only temporarily.
296* FoeRomanceSubtext: It probably isn't best to think ''too hard'' about how when he turned Storm, who he had a bit of a crush on, amnesiac he also made her a knock-off of Thor.
297* ForTheEvulz: Most of his actions, if not trying to one-up his hated brother, is simply for his own amusement.
298%%* HandBlast: One of his main forms of attack.
299* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Loki actually hates himself and has a raging inferiority complex. However, he loves to hide it behind false arrogance and superiority. We see more of the unmasked inferiority complex with Loki as a child, since he's a kid who knows everyone but his big brother hates him... and worse, that the person he used to be means he ''deserves'' it.
300* ItsAllAboutMe: No matter what he says, just about everything he does is self-serving. Sometimes, he can be honest about it.
301-->'''Odin:''' For Asgard!
302-->'''Thor:''' For Midgard!
303-->'''Loki:''' For myself!
304* KickTheDog: [[https://dcomixologyssl.sslcs.cdngc.net/i/4086/8795/4d9cb7145821a.jpg?h=dd60ac78ce18512a49eb6ee95cdc5975 When confronting the Power Pack]], he used the fact that their grandmother was dying to his advantage and taunted them about it.
305* LeanAndMean: Often portrayed as lean if not decently built, and certainly very evil.
306* LevelAte: One of his [[EvilIsPetty more frivolous]] acts of mischief was to change buildings and cars into candy.
307* MagicKnight: Most stories focus on his illusions and magic, while occasionally a story comes along that reminds readers that Loki grew up in a warrior culture and was taught the art of the sword. He isn't as good of a fighter or as physically powerful as many others, but he can more than hold his own or make up for it with his magic. Being immortal has given him plenty of times to develop his skills in both areas.
308* ManipulativeBastard: He has manipulated pretty much everyone in Asgard at some time or another including himself. Fitting, given that he is the [[Myth/NorseMythology personification of deception.]]
309%%* TheManBehindTheMan: A number of Thor's other enemies were created by Loki.
310%%* MasterOfIllusion: He loves this, so he uses this to trick his opponent or escape.
311%%* MemoryGambit: [[spoiler:The reason for Kid Loki's existence proved to be this.]]
312* MindControl: He has used this on the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]] and various others, mortal and otherwise, with varying degrees of success. As an EvilSorcerer, he can do it any time, but how effective it is depends on the mind.
313* MisplacedRetribution: The reason he dragged the New Mutants into the Nine Realms. After a previous scheme, he'd given his word to not seek revenge on the X-Men. The New Mutants were not the X-Men, and therefore clearly fair game.
314* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Frost Giants are mostly depicted as very big, very stupid, and typically DumbMuscle. Loki is a brilliant schemer, a powerful sorcerer, and is usually shown as slightly shorter than Thor (the horns on his helmet notwithstanding) and pretty darn skinny. While he is still very strong and durable, that is primarily in comparison to Earth superheroes/villains, not Asgardians and other Frost Giants. In a conversation with his child self, they both reveal their contempt for their kind and their endless cycle of violence.
315* NiceJobFixingItVillain: He once schemed to pit Thor in a deadly battle against the [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]], but ComicBook/IronMan, ComicBook/AntMan and ComicBook/TheWasp showed up as well, due to Loki's own interferance. Loki's plot was soon uncovered, and -- much to his later irritation -- he ended up inadvertently bringing the Avengers together.
316* TheNthDoctor: Loki erased himself from Hela's books in ''ComicBook/DarkReign'' so no Loki goes to the afterlife since. Which means when a new one arrives after an unfortunate death, which is predictable as DeathIsCheap in comics, he/she/them will be a different person (so the Loki of the past is not the same as Kid or the 3rd despite all being Loki). He wasn't aiming for this effect, but when did Loki's plans ever not involved unexpected consequences?
317* OrcRaisedByElves: Loki was a Frost Giant raised by Odin after ([[DeathIsCheap apparently]]) killing his father Laufey. Loki attempts to conquer and destroy Asgard and in general the universe. He also hates his own race, especially his AbusiveParent (who Loki also killed in one instance).
318* ParentalNeglect: One of the reasons he turned so psychotically evil is Odin never bothering to make it clear he loved him, at least not to his face.
319* PapaWolf: His relationship with his children can be strained ''at best'', but as it became evident with his (temporary) partnership with Spider-Man, he ''does'' [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes care for his progeny]], and as Morwen [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown painfully learned]], [[RoaringRampageOfRescue he does not take lightly anyone possessing them]].
320* PetTheDog:
321** After his plan to lure the X-Men and New Mutants to Asgard culminated in him having to return them all to Earth while he gained nothing from his efforts, while he deprived most of them of the new powers or gifts they had acquired during their time there, he specifically stated that he wouldn't be so cruel as to subject Karma to regaining the excess weight she'd lost during her time there (prior to her coming to Asgard, Karma had been possessed by the Shadow King and her body had bloated up considerably as the villain indulged his appetites, only slimming down due to the strain of her time in the deserts around Asgard).
322** When his mortal daughter Tess Black gets possessed by an ancient sorceress of chaos, Loki goes out of his way to save her, and considers himself indebted to Spider-man for helping him save her.
323* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: When appearing in a ''New Mutants'' storyline, he takes a moment to note Storm is very beautiful, before adding that this is despite the color of her skin.
324* ProgressivelyPrettier: When he first debuted, he was drawn as a craven-looking man as a sharp contrast to his stepbrother's good looks.
325* ReallyGetsAround: Implied. When he reveals to Spider-man that he sired a daughter, he simply comments that he's a Norse God; that's basically what he does.
326* RedemptionEqualsDeath: During the ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}'' event, Loki realizes that he's been making a massive mistake: He wanted to make Asgard greater than ever, but let his hatred of Thor get in the way of that. [[spoiler: In a last ditch effort to stop the Void, he uses the Norn stones to empower the New Avengers to give them a fighting chance. When this doesn't work, Loki takes the full brunt of the Void, dying while tearfully apologizing to Thor.]]
327* SealedEvilInACan: In his first [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] comic appearance, he had been magically imprisoned inside a tree by Odin as punishment for his antics. He would become free only if his plight caused someone to shed a tear. No one missed him strongly enough to want to cry, so he resorted to [[WhenTreesAttack poking Heimdall in the eye with a leaf]].
328* SharpDressedMan: During ''Acts of Vengeance'', he disguises himself by A: not speaking in the typical butchered Elizabethan English Asgardians used at the time, and B: Dressing in sharp suits.
329* SiblingRivalry: His rivalry with Thor is one of his main motivations for villainy.
330* SmugSnake: He's extremely overconfident, and his plans don't go ''quite'' the way he wants them to, including occasions in which he's the one responsible for his own failures, and does not take them as well as he could. But if you were a PhysicalGod and master of sorcery with a genius level intellect, you'd be high on yourself too.
331* StableTimeLoop: The circumstances that led to Loki becoming his current self turn out to be the result of the villain using magic to travel back into the past. He interfered in the war between the Asgardians and the Giants of Jotunheim by casting a curse that turned the leader of Asgard, Bor, into snow; then used his illusion powers to haunt Bor's son, Odin. Consumed by grief, Odin was easily manipulated into adopting the child version of Loki, thus ensuring the latter would grow up into the God of Mischief.
332* StartOfDarkness: Loki was originally a weak and abnormally short giant, who was regularly belittled by his own parents. However, following an encounter with his time travelling future self, Loki embraced his inner hatred and manipulated his own father into fighting a losing battle against Odin. This in turn led to him being adopted by Odin, then growing up into one of the most fearsome villains in the Marvel universe.
333* SuperEmpowering:
334** He turned Crusher Creel into the Absorbing Man and has given powers to several other less known villains.
335** He gave The Hood some [[AmplifierArtifact Norn Stones]] when his arrangement with Dormammu predictably took a bad turn, but reclaimed them to empower the Avengers so they could stand a chance in the fight against [[ComicBook/TheSentry the Void]].
336* TakeOverTheWorld: Loki seeks to become the lord of all creation and someday make [[KneelBeforeZod all bow before him]].
337%%* ThirdPersonPerson: Has a habit of doing this in various comics.
338* TookALevelInBadass: In his earliest appearances, he was more of a nuisance than a major threat, but it wasn't long before Loki became ''truly'' menacing.
339* {{Troll}}: Ironically for a guy who comes from a race named "Frost ''Giants''," he does occasionally scheme, manipulate, annoy or outright hurt people just for "[[ForTheEvulz funsies]]".
340* UglyGuyHotWife: Loki used to be ugly, yet his wife was the beautiful Sigyn. He also had a brief love affair with Lorelei.
341* TheUnfavorite: He definitely thinks of himself as Odin's least favourite son.
342* VillainousWidowsPeak: On the occasions he's been bareheaded, it's shown he has a pretty prominent widow's peak.
343* VillainTeamUp: He will sometimes work with other villlains if needed. He once led almost every mortal villain to perform [[TitleDrop Acts of Vengeance]].
344* VillainTeleportation: Often uses magic as a getaway.
345* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Like a number of gods or goddesses, Loki possesses highly developed shape-shifting capabilities. He is able to adopt almost any form imaginable whether it be animals, other humanoid beings, or even inanimate objects.
346* WeaksauceWeakness: When he first appeared, he had one -- he couldn't use his powers ''when wet.'' Against Thor, who could easily make it rain. No wonder this is ignored now.
347[[/folder]]
348
349[[folder:Kid Loki]]
350!!Kid Loki
351[[quoteright:276:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0778ca5d48e05b7cd078f6f0d431cabc.png]]
352
353!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Thor'' (vol. 1) #617
354
355After his death in ''ComicBook/{{Siege}}'', ComicBook/{{Loki}} was resurrected as a preteen without his adult memories, powers, or emotional baggage. He was the lead character during the run of Creator/KieronGillen on ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery''.
356----
357* AmnesiacsAreInnocent: Loki has no memories of his adult self's evil acts, or his motivations for committing them.
358* AmnesiacDissonance: The point of the "Kid Loki" arc – he's a preteen again, with no memories from before his preteen years (except for in his nightmares). Therefore he does not remember his hatred of Thor, which started when they were teens. Instead, he [[BigBrotherWorship adores him]]. [[spoiler:Eventually he came to remember him, but his feelings towards him remained warm.]]
359* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:Inexplicably, he makes a return in ''Asgardians Of The Galaxy'', apparently separated from his older counterpart. [[SubvertedTrope In Issue #4, it's revealed that he's actually Ikol's guilt]]]].
360* BigBrotherWorship: As far as Loki is concerned, his big brother Thor is the center of the universe. Kid-Loki practically worships Thor and nothing he does can ever be bad. Even if [[CallingTheOldManOut daddy doesn't like it]].
361** Kid Loki is justified with this line of thought, as Thor is by that point the only person who likes him at all and is nice to him.
362* BreakTheCutie: Things start out bad for him and proceed to get progressively worse.
363* CessationOfExistence: At the end of [[spoiler:[[{{Creator/KieronGillen}} Kieron Gillen's]] run on ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'', Ikol/adult Loki overrides his mind, annihilating his identity.]]
364* ADayInTheLimelight: After Thor #622, Kid Loki took over the book, which was renamed Journey in Mystery.
365* DyingAsYourself: [[spoiler: He claims that despite accepting to kill his ego for the sake of Mephisto not getting the crown of thorns, as part of Old!Loki's plan, he still wins because he did change.]]
366* FakeDefector: Loki uses his bad reputation to pretend to betray Asgardia as part of his schemes to help Asgardia on more than more occasion.
367* {{Geek}}: Is an absolute geek in regards to Midgardian culture and technology.
368* GuileHero: As he has very little of his adult self's magical or fighting skills, he relies almost entirely on his wits.
369* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Most of his plans unravel at the end of "Everything Burns", specially the crown of fear, which pretty much forces him to go along with Old!Loki's plan to kill himself.]]
370* IHatePastMe: Kid Loki had no love for his evil past self.
371* {{Keet}}: Extremely eager and happy, his enthusiasm surprises even Thor.
372* MoralityChain: To Thor. [[spoiler:When Thor discovers that Ikol took over Kid Loki's body, he goes ''absolutely'' ballistic on him. What stops Thor from bringing himself to kill them was the memory of Kid Loki's final moments with Thor.]]
373* ManipulativeBastard: A good version of this (he needs to be, since he doesn't have his magic; manipulation is all he's got).
374* NiceJobBreakingItHero: He pitted the Fear Lords in an eternal battle over the Fear Crown, [[spoiler:but didn't count on Mephisto intervening and taking the crown for himself. This was all part of the original Loki's plan.]]
375* PopCulturedBadass: He becomes fascinated with Midgardian pop culture after discovering the internet.
376* TalkingToThemself: [[spoiler:Ikol turns out to exist in solely in Loki's mind.]]
377* TricksterGod: Well, he's still Loki. [[spoiler: Literally as it turns out; "Kid Loki" is a scam pulled off by Loki to avoid the ignominy of predictability.]]
378* TraumaCongaLine: The entire run of ''Journey Into Mystery'' is just one big ShaggyDogStory for the poor kid. Almost everyone in Asgard still hates him for what his original self did, [[spoiler:he loses his best friend Leah, abandoned by [[FalseFriend Thori]], and discovered in the finale that everything he accomplished is nothing more than another of his original self's schemes.]]
379* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Even when his intentions are good, Loki's schemes still lead to disaster.
380[[/folder]]
381
382[[folder:The 3rd Loki (Teen Loki/Ikol etc.)]]
383!!The 3rd Loki (Teen Loki/Ikol etc.)
384[[quoteright:270:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/6721a4114ffdb0fc968a51e936f80e9b.jpg]]
385!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Journey into Mystery'' (vol. 1) #622
386
387->''"I am the echo of a scream[[note]]They're a [[ThatManIsDead copy of the old Loki]][[/note]]. I am the magpie who whispers[[note]]They're mostly the consciousness that Ikol was[[/note]]. I'm [[MyGreatestFailure the crime that will not be forgiven.]]"''
388
389[[PronounTrouble He/she]]... or rather they... are the Loki who was born from the death of Kid Loki at the end of ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery'', who cursed themselves with their first breath, and the world (including [[YouBastard the readers]]) with the second. Oddly they're pretty much neither of their predecessors, but instead take elements from both well still somewhat forming their own identity. "Star" of ''ComicBook/YoungAvengers'' and ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard''.
390----
391* ActingYourIntellectualAge: As Kid Loki they were prone to some very troubling unchildlike behaviour. On the other hand, their intellectual age was obviously lower than [[spoiler:their [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld actual age]] would suggest]]. "You're as old as you feel" and they didn't feel like an adult yet either. When they eventually got their teenage body, they started acting more adult or young adult at least.
392* AmbiguousGender: On aging up, this Loki can be a woman whenever they feel like, and would do so for no other reason. Odin outright calls them his "child who is both his son and daughter" on at least two occasions.
393* AmnesiacDissonance: They ''still'' can't remember why they hated Thor in the first place, despite having most of ''their'' memory back.
394* AnimalMotif: Look at their quote and guess. Could it be magpies?
395* BatmanGambit: Their entire ploy to reform the ComicBook/YoungAvengers had them manipulate Miss America by telling her they plan on killing Wiccan so that she goes to warn him and brings the team back together.
396* BecomingTheMask: Thanks to the nature of gods, this begins to happen to them after they take the place of their younger self.
397-->"I stepped into your part. And now that part steps into me."
398* BewareTheHonestOnes: They're not that honest but when they do do honest things, they're quite unpredictable and untrustworthy.
399* BigBad: Everything bad during their run with the Young Avengers was their fault, with the exception of the fake Patriot. Given all the CharacterDevelopment, they were a VillainProtagonist too. In their defense at least the ''League of Evil Exes'' [[RealityWarpingIsNotAToy wasn't intentional]].
400* BodySnatcher: They took over the body of kid Loki.
401* BuffySpeak: They're approximately equivalent to a human of about twenty-one years of age, and has become quite fond of Western pop culture. Is it any wonder they sometimes do the... adjective fail thingy?
402* ClonesArePeopleToo: They are a personality copy of the past Loki in the body of the kid, literally created in the process of a CloningGambit. They fought very hard to become their own person which reaches its peak when [[spoiler:Old Loki tries to push them into accepting the role of the past Loki. They would rather burn virtually everything in themselves that belonged to their previous incarnations, taking a new title, writing a new story, and breaking the timeline]].
403* ConsummateLiar: They're ''Loki'' after all, no matter how they look. [[spoiler:This ends up being subverted after AXIS, since they can't lie any more. Until they change to the God of Stories that is.]]
404* DeathOfPersonality: Warned ahead of time that "ego-death is coming", they eventually [[spoiler:destroy their current self to prevent their ever becoming King Loki, becoming the God(dess) of Stories.]]
405* {{Determinator}}: They don't know the meaning of giving up. This is also one of their vices, if they got something in their head they won't give up no matter the cost and will need other people to point out if it's counter-productive or self-destructive. Considering their pride, greed and selfishness they generally lack the friends they sourly need when that happens. [[spoiler:Until King Loki begins to meddle and [[NiceJobFixingItVillain accidentally fix this]] that is.]]
406* DidYouJustScamCthulhu:
407** Loki made a deal with a parasite called "Mother" and orchestrated Billy bringing it into the world, then betrayed it and prevented it from consuming Billy. And they did it in such way to not break the magical deal that prevents it from revealing their involvement and escape the consequences. And they did it again later, when they played a game of questions with the parasite. It thought she learned a lot and they learned nothing, but they pointed out how they could afford to answer all its questions with no harm done, while they learned "Mother" knew nothing about what interested them.
408** They trick Mephisto into believing they were gonna get Sigurd's soul in exchange of the Sword of Truth after they both signed Mephisto's contract. Actually, they used many invisible devices to ensure they would be invisible and exchange Mephisto's contract for one of their own that ensured their sword was theirs again, Mephisto vanished and Sigurd delivered to the All-Mothers. [[spoiler:All to trick them into believing Loki captured Sigurd when in reality Sigurd was Loki's inside man in the Asgardian jail.]]
409* EscapeArtist: They claim to be the biggest expert in escaping {{Cool And Unusual Punishment}}s, especially those by Odin, and with their track record we're inclined to believe them. It's anybody's guess ''why'' people still try to imprison them, they'll make their ''inevitable escape'' sooner or later.
410* EvilAllAlong: They were this at the beginning of ''Young Avengers''. If we go by his future self, they've gonna be this eventually despite all their good intentions. [[spoiler:They do manage to avert ''that'' particular evil future self that was plaguing them at least.]]
411* FakingTheDead: They seemingly annihilate themselves in an attempt to defy the villain's plans in issue #13 of their solo series... [[spoiler:it's also a ploy to redefine what being the ''God of Lies'' means (Stories not Evil), break the timestream, make their future time displaced, and screw destiny. And it ''works''.]] They come back to Verity at the last pages (8 months in-universe time) with a PlotRelevantAgeUp. The villain is still fooled though.
412* FutureMeScaresMe: [[spoiler:They aren't like the past Loki, but there is a pretty strong possibility that they're going to turn out like that but worse. Said possibility just ''loves'' to torture them with this.]]
413* GetItOverWith: After admitting how they [[spoiler: replaced kid-Loki and manipulated the Young Avengers]], they asks Miss America to kill them before they can talk their way out of it again. She replies that she's not going to make it that easy for them.
414* GuileHero: While hero might be stretching the term, Loki will use their wit and resources in most situations.
415* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: They plotted to steal Billy's power and drive the boy into suicide but changed their mind and helped the team out of a tight spot at the last minute. They still planned to betray them later but they ended up liking them and decided to leave before they could turn on them again.
416* HelpfulHallucination: During their time with the Young Avengers Kid Loki often appeared in front of them to try to persuade them to do the right thing. They almost never listened to it and ended up paying by having many other physical hallucinations of their teammates manifest and join the parasite Mother.
417* HeroicVow: This Loki vowed that they will not end up becoming the Loki that has tormented the Marvel Universe for such a long time. They made this at least twice, one before taking over Kid Loki's body and then again when they were talking to Prodigy at the Young Avengers new year's party. So far they hasn't broken their vow.
418* HometownNickname: In ''Ms. Marvel'', Bruno (one of Kamala's friends) called them "Hipster Viking" not because he knew they were from Asgard, but because he thought they were from Williamsburg (apparently people from funds dress weird there).
419* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: Their behavior around Verity is always this because she can see through any of their lies, so they always have to either plan ahead or use a different kind of trick with her.
420* IMeantToDoThat: To truly ridiculous degrees at times. For example when they were still Ikol they claimed to Kid that Loki's whole death, resurrection and so forth was totally part of the plan and nothing backfired at all, which is blatantly untrue if you read these tropes. [[spoiler:The "ghost" of past Loki downright denied later that he intended to die.]]
421* ImpossibleThief: Once managed to steal an item from the telepathic Red Skull's person with him not noticing until Loki was long gone.
422* TheJinx: If you can be certain about one thing around Loki at all that'll be ''things won't go as you expect them'', how bad that's to the people around them is as erratic as they are. (Yes. They can cause mischief by standing still.)
423* LoopholeAbuse: They cannot avert being the ''God of Lies'', but that way lies evil, so they decide to go around that by becoming the [[spoiler:''God of Stories'']] instead, because that sounds a lot nicer while meaning basically the same, and it ''works''.
424* MadGod: Loki was never particularly sane to begin with, dying and sundering, killing, remaking, etc. themself didn't help their mental state at all, which combined with being a RealityWarper makes them very dangerous even if they don't mean harm. Basically when they can't tell fantasy from reality, neither will anybody else.
425* MagicIsFeminine: Loki is a sorcerer and has been depicted as being [[OtherworldlyAndSexuallyAmbiguous just as comfortable in a female body as he is in a male one]]. His younger self [[spoiler:and also his later God(dess) of Stories incarnate]] would change gender for no reason other than that he could.
426* ManipulativeBastard: Comes with being the Norse god of mischief.
427* TheMentor: Was one to Billy in magic.
428* MetaGuy: Loki was always kind of MediumAware, but this version of them is an outright in-universe FourthWallObserver (gods being ''trope based entities'', which they're keenly aware of), who occasionally also wreaks havoc on the real fourth wall, but when not can still lecture on about the TheoryOfNarrativeCausality.
429* MoodWhiplash: They're a master of slipping disturbing remarks between jokes.
430* MrViceGuy: They're pretty much every sin personified (except envy, they lost most of that) but special mentions go to greed and sloth, they want to better themselves for personal gain (wanting everything includes friends) and more comfort.
431* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: They're still so wrought over their guilt that [[spoiler: at one point it manifested itself as Leah and plotted to destroy reality.]]
432* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:The murder of Kid Loki]].
433* MythologyGag: Loki's involvement helped [[RagtagBandOfMisfits to bring a group of misfit heroes together to save the world.]] Kinda like the original Avengers except this time they joined them (itself a callback to Pym realizing this and offering Loki a seat on his team--ironically causing his team to disband in the process).
434* NotEvilJustMisunderstood:
435** Invokes this trope by comparing themselves to [[Series/GameOfThrones Tyrion Lannister]] to convince the Young Avengers to trust them. Wiccan and Hulkling don't buy it, and America Chavez has no idea what ''Game of Thrones'' is.
436** A more dark example is when they desperately try to convince Thor and the Asgardians of this after [[spoiler: the Asgardians learn about what they did with Kid Loki]].
437* OurGodsAreDifferent: As a pagan deity ("Evil Mischief God") they feel entitled to critique Wiccan's religiously insensitive alias.
438* PlotRelevantAgeUp:
439** They get one from Wiccan in their time with the Young Avengers. (From child to late teen early twenty~ish)
440** And then another one in their solo series when they rebrand themselves. (To adult.)
441* PopCulturedBadass: They'll quote ''Film/ThePrincessBride'' at you, or reference ''Series/GameOfThrones'', or casually admit writing SlashFic. They're as much of a technophile as the kid was, the only things they've issues with are [[DoesntLikeGuns guns]].
442* RebelliousSpirit: Kid Loki already had shades of this, but they bring it to brand new levels. [[spoiler:In a twist what people expect from them is good old [[ChronicVillainy predictable villainy]]. [[RebelliousRebel Nope]]!]]
443-->'''Loki:''' I am my ''own'', and I will not sit long in any box built ''for'' me.
444* RealMenCook: They're surprisingly talented at cooking, due to their love for Midgardian cuisine.
445* ScrewDestiny: We don't know to what extent but they actually manage to derail the story.
446* SkewedPriorities: We're not even talking about their vices. Loki's priorities can seem very strange because they tend to ignore (apparent) danger entirely. A cosmic horror tries to kill us? Since when is that an excuse to not take a joke? (And by the way your alias sucks!) The world is ending? Big deal. Tell me about yourself!
447* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: In their "Young Avengers Wanted" ad, they describe themself as "One mischievous and lovable godling who is not at all evil and definitely not manipulating everyone."
448* TakeAThirdOption: [[spoiler: Is given the option to accept being Old!Loki or cease to exist like Kid Loki. Decides to reinvent himself instead.]]
449* TalkingToThemself: They've [[spoiler:Kid Loki's "spirit"]] in their head who personifies their guilt and acts as a conscience.
450* TheTease: Loki flirts with ''everybody''. Guys, gals, it's the same for them.
451* {{Technopath}}: Generally speaking Loki is a highly versatile magic user, which they acknowledge to mean RealityWarper, but this application of their powers is unique to the third. They admitted finding technomancy easy and low risk, because technology is ''very gullible''.
452* ThatManIsDead: They're pretty adamant on claiming that past Loki died in the ''Siege'', and they aren't him. Which can also read as a toned down version of NeverMyFault in this case. [[spoiler:Meaning they say that they're not the murderer, but the weapon, and insist that they didn't really have any choice in how Loki's last gambit would play out. Issue 13 of ''Agent of Asgard'' proves this is, for all intents and purposes, true]].
453* [[ShesAllGrownUp They're All Grown Up]]: They took over the body of Kid Loki but later while with the Young Avengers, they become the very attractive Teen Loki thanks to Wiccan.
454-->'''Kate''': ''Now'' he looks like trouble.
455* TokenEvilTeammate: Of the ''Young Avengers'', albeit their level of evil is up to debate. [[spoiler:Were more evil than they claimed to, but also less evil than they thought themselves to be.]] Even after leaving the team at least Miss America considers them her [[FriendlyEnemy frenemy]].
456* TheToothHurts: Telling the truth to Thor about what really happened to Kid Loki results in their losing a tooth, which remains missing for the remainder of their life.
457* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Milkshake, a legacy from ''ComicBook/JourneyIntoMystery''. And bacon, it really is magic.
458* TrashLanding: His confrontation with Sigurd (the Ever-Glorious) resulted in them falling into a pile of trash. The rest of that confrontation... [[CurbStompBattle did not go well for Loki]]. Loki still managed to get the last laugh on him, though.
459* VillainousRescue: They stopped Billy from going through with his suicide and bought the team enough time to escape the parasite.
460* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Of a limited kind. Loki can turn into anything, ''so long as it's them''. Meaning they can't turn into a fly, because they're not that sort of god, but they can turn into a humanoid fox, or in one instance a unicorn.
461* WellDoneSonGuy: Oddly enough, they're less of this than the previous two incarnations of Loki, since Odin seems to have a fairly ambivalent attitude towards them, at a contrast to previous hostility.
462* WouldntHurtAChild: For their own surprise. They're at least [[DownplayedTrope strictly against child murder]], as the Angels of Heven (yes, that is the actual spelling the comic uses for the place) learned the hard way.
463[[/folder]]
464
465[[folder:King Loki]]
466!!King Loki
467[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b631662fb257a5b4a4bab65d3098f762.jpg]]
468
469!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Loki: Agent of Asgard'' (vol. 1) #1
470
471-> ''"You think I am the Loki that was?! Dolt! Simpleton! I am '''what will be!'''"''
472
473'''King Loki''' (or Old Loki, if you prefer) is a representation of everything the Teen Loki hates and fears: Themself drawn back into the ways of evil and insanity. The main villain of ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard''.
474%%'They' is used as King Loki's pronoun because they are an alternate future version of the third (you know, the one which is "Mother of Gods" and "Moonking" in the same sentence, and Odin's child who is "both his son and daughter").
475----
476* AuthorityInNameOnly: Calls themselves a king of Midgard, after having killed everyone and everything on the entire planet, meaning there's no-one for them to be king ''of''.
477* AxCrazy: Completely out of their gourd, prone to mad laughter and histrionics.
478* BeneathTheMask: God(dess) of Stories Loki literally/metaphorically (for gods or at least Loki that's kind of the same) DramaticUnmask them to show that under the ancient evil there is also a very sad Loki, as the only acceptance they thought they could get was as ''this''.
479* BerserkButton: Odin finally managing to get over the CannotSpitItOut sent them into a rage fit as apparently in King Loki's timeline he never did. For comparison the freaking ''Incursion'' only got a "[[{{Understatement}} Well, that's new.]]" out of them. We did say that the old man could've saved people ''a lot'' of trouble with occasionally admitting that he loves his children, didn't we?
480* BewareTheSillyOnes: Acts like (and is) a raving nutjob, but is no less dangerous for it. Just ask Doctor Doom, or Balder...
481* BreakThemByTalking: As demonstrated on [[spoiler: Ego the Living Planet, now Ego the Necroworld.]] It took 99 years of constant whispering, but eventually he quite literally talked [[spoiler: Ego]] to death.
482* ButterflyOfDoom: Their presence and meddling unwittingly derailed the timeline quite a bit. Them possessing Thor made the All-Mother ask Loki to become Asgard's agent, and their continued presence worked wonders on Loki's "human" connections (with Lorelei, Verity, Sigurd, and Odin). And when they wanted to see Thor and Angela fight he averted a bloody war (and caused the whole Angela series). etc. In ''Loki: Agent of Asgard'' #6 their future still qualified as a CloseEnoughTimeline, but that was ''before'' the current Loki decided to break it entirely. Also there is an official alternate universe number (Earth-14412) for it now. In 2019's ''Thor'' #12, however, they tell Loki that Earth-14412 is inevitable. Bare in mind, though, that that issue is a dream sequence full of out of character moments and general nonsense, and the Venom!Loki in it isn't much like the version from ''Loki: Agent of Asgard'' this entry is about. What this implies is up to the reader.
483* CardCarryingVillain: This one's just an outright psychopath. And they're quite happy about it.
484* TheChessmaster: Effortlessly manages to rewrite history, in a scheme which involves the odd spot of murder, and lying to a younger Odin.
485* DidntSeeThatComing: Neither Loki redefining their own purpose, or the imminent end of all existence were something this Loki prepared for.
486* EvilCounterpart: To Ikol, which makes sense since they are basically a future version of Ikol turned evil.
487* EvilIsPetty: Massacred everyone on Earth simply to spite Thor.
488* FallenHero: Was actually heroic in their past. But in the end, they couldn't take everyone calling and treating them as the God of Lies, and snapped. If you ask them, it was the Asgardians playing AllTheOtherReindeer and them being ReformedButRejected; but it's perfectly natural to feel that their RedemptionFailure is at least partially caused by them being HisOwnWorstEnemy (they never ever stopped to ponder what ''God of Lies'' means for one).
489* ForTheEvulz: When asked by King Thor as to how they could kill off everyone on Earth, their response was that because they could was all the reason Thor needed.
490* FutureMeScaresMe: The teen Loki is horrified at the thought of becoming this person, and quite rightly. King Loki's well aware of this, and enjoys it, since they're convinced that they're inevitable.
491* GenderBender: Averted. Unlike their younger self, they stick solely to a male form, and even identify as male on several occasions. It's not from lack of ability, since they've been shown turning into a magpie on at least one occasion.
492* GenreSavvy: They've still got a talent at it. For example, when telling a younger Odin to make the box to contain Gram, they inform him he'll eventually forget who told him to and why, dryly noting "I know how these stories go".
493* HeroKiller: Murders Balder and cuts off his head. For fun. And because for a proper ''Ragnarök'' Balder needs to die.
494* IJustWantToBeLoved: At the heart of it all, they just want to be loved and accepted, and are completely mad that they aren't. Though they'll deny it, unless there's a LivingLieDetector around.
495* ItsAllAboutMe: Even young Loki's apparent death only concerned them as far how it might affect them and their future. How dared the runt just die on them?! Now they have to destroy Asgardia all alone!
496* ItAmusedMe: Decided to go mess with Bucky Barnes just 'cause. It wasn't part of their grand plan, they just had time to kill.
497%%* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk
498* LargeHam: When they get going, they're prone to ranting, shouting, mad laughter and more ranting. Lampshaded, after a particularly long bout of rambling.
499-->'''King Loki''': And I am dreadfully prone to histrionics. Do excuse me.
500* LaughablyEvil: Believe more in quantity than [[EvilHasABadSenseOfHumor quality]] when it comes to jokes, but they're this trope, by basically subjecting people to the cruelest type of trolling.
501* ManipulativeBastard: At one point manages to manipulate an entire family into killing one another, and nearly gets a young Odin killed for it, just so that Odin will owe a debt to them.
502* MediumAwareness: Once walked right off-panel. And later jumped out of a panel and sat around between panels for a while. Generally this is how [[OurTimeTravelIsDifferent their "time" travel magic looks like]], some even suggested that they might {{Intrepid Fictioneer}}ing the comic itself.
503* OmnicidalManiac: In their [[BadFuture timeline]] they're the '''King of Midgard''' meaning they killed off every living being on Earth and ''ruled'' on the rubble. They claim it was a MercyKill (ala HumansAreTheRealMonsters), but as they plan to do this to Asgard too they aren't that convincing. And all this [[EvilIsPetty just to spite Thor]]. After obtaining the All-Black symbiote, they declare they're going to destroy everything in existence.
504* OrcusOnHisThrone: Ludicrously powerful, skilled and dangerous, but they're quite content to kick back in a cell in Asgardia and watch events unfold... until the urge to meddle hits them.
505* PlanetDestroyer: After bonding to All-Black, they effortlessly rip Ego the Living Planet to shreds.
506* SealedEvilInACan: Do you remember the shiny thingy on Loki's sceptre in Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}? In the comics that's not an infinity stone, but King Loki's soul/story, because Teen Loki felt that forgetting the cautionary tale about them would be a bad thing. Verity has to ask if this is a good idea or might become a LeakingCanOfEvil later, but Teen Loki assures her that it wont be a bad influence on ''them''.
507* ShadowArchetype: King Loki represents everything that both Kid and Teen Loki fear and want to avoid becoming. He is essentially what they could have become had their bitterness towards the people's treatment of them got the better of them.
508* ThenLetMeBeEvil: The reason for their descent back into villainy like the original was that they came to the conclusion that they can never change who they are or rather what people think of them.
509* {{Troll}}: Very much so. It just makes them that much more unpleasant.
510* VillainousBreakdown: Undergoes a massive one when [[spoiler:Teen Loki arrives. Story!Loki's presence alone drives them over the edge as it essentially means that Story!Loki has succeeded in what King!Loki had tried and failed long ago.]]
511* WalkingSpoiler: It is difficult to talk about ''Agent of Asgard'' without mentioning this one in the slightest, given their impact on the plot.
512[[/folder]]
513
514[[folder:Loki the God(dess) of Stories]]
515!!Loki the God(dess) of Stories
516[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tumblr_inline_oe7x48yvf41qldhit_540.png]]
517
518!!! '''First Appearance:''' ''Loki: Agent of Asgard'' (vol. 1) #13
519
520-> ''"Me? I'm the '''God of Stories'''. I'm '''Loki'''."''
521
522The '''God of Stories''' (or Goddess of Stories; they're not fussed), is the latest of Loki's reincarnations, who so far appears to be something of an aged up version of Teen Loki. This Loki is still new, so their full personality is yet to be fleshed out (and they're still catching up with everything), but has decided to escape the inherent evil associated with being the God of Lies by rechristening themselves the God Of Stories, which is essentially the same thing but far nicer, and with more importance, given the Gods' nature as creatures of story.
523'''Note''': Unmarked Spoilers for ''ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard'' #13 onward.
524----
525* AmbiguousGender: Doesn't really care for which form they assume, and so changes gender whenever they feel like it, even mid sentence. As they see it, as they're the God of Stories, they have to be more than one thing in order to personify all stories.
526* AntiHeroSubstitute: They served as a temporary replacement to ComicBook/DoctorStrange as Sorcerer Supreme, and are more unscrupulous than the doctor was. It's later revealed Loki did not actually become Sorcerer Supreme, they just made Strange believe they had in order to enact a plan to jump-start magic on Earth.
527* ArtEvolution: In later appearances, they're drawn somewhat older with longer hair and more modestly dressed in contrast to his earlier CarpetOfVirility.
528* BadassLongcoat: Wears a distinct, green and gold coat that goes down to their knees and is a powerful god. It's often drawn with a torn hem for extra coolness.
529* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: After Donald Blake is finally defeated, Loki is out in charge of punishing him. As Blake had wanted to be a god, Loki gives him his old role as the God of Lies, with the attached sentence of being chained down while a snake drips poison into his eyes.
530* BreakThemByTalking: Somewhat ambiguous; since becoming the God of Stories, Loki has been able to effectively talk is way out of many situations, by weaving a story to the listeners. [[spoiler: Just after the collapse of the multiverse, Loki was able to make the Those Who Sit Above in Shadow flee by forcing them to question their own existence by telling a story that implied that they were made by the Asgardians so they had something to believe in.]]
531** Later during the buildup for the [[spoiler: War of the Realms, when his actual father Laufey attempted to have him killed by a gang of frost giants, Loki told them a story. We aren't told what he said, but the results had all the giants except one killed each other and/or themselves, and that sole survivor was maiming himself in an attempt get the story out of his head.]]
532* BroughtDownToBadass: In an attempt to break up a fight between Loki and Dr Strange, Zelma temporarily prevents them from casting spells. Unfortunately, while Strange without his powers is just a human, Loki is still a ''god'' and immediately uses their innate super strength to send the hero flying.
533* CarpetOfVirility: His Male form has this, something he's pretty happy with.
534* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Compared to when he first appeared at the finale of ''Agent of Asgard'', Story Loki has a completely different personality after ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015''. A lot of his CreepyGood and introspective tendencies are gone and he seemingly reverts back to when he was Teen Loki - though hints of the God/Goddess of Stories sometimes emerge...
535* CloudCuckooLander: Has NoSocialSkills and has very odd priorities. World ending? Not a big deal, let's talk about your life story! Oh, and I hope you don't mind that I [[YourSoulIsMine turned your true being into a bracelet]] to save you. At that point they legitimately crossed over to NightmareFuelStationAttendant. We could say they are still MadGod, just got from a depressed and kind of schizophrenic phase to a manic one.
536* ColdBloodedTorture: When Thor spares Blake rather than killing him for his crimes, Loki is asked to deal with the punishment. Loki then proceeds to sentence Blake to being chained to a table with a snake dripping poison into his eyes. It's bad enough that Loki refuses to tell the God of Thunder, saying he'd have to lie.
537* CrypticConversation: This Loki is not prone to outright lying but good luck getting a direct answer from them. They talk almost exclusively in "might"s, "maybe"s, metaphors, [[DoubleMeaning terms open to interpretation]], with possibly important bits left out. ''If'' you get a direct answer that's probably either important or you somehow made them angry.
538* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: Basically just talked smack to "Those Who Sit Above In Shadow", and it ''worked''.
539* DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent: Trying to figure out their allegiances likely to result in headache. Dark council (Laufey, Malekith, or who)? Asgard (Odin or Freyja)? Hel? Themselves?
540** At the very least, they're keeping their options open, with Cul (who has a certain insight on the evil point of view) noting that [[spoiler: their stabbing Freyja in the back with a poisoned dagger without killing her meant that they were either a very bad poisoner or a very, very good one]].
541** Cul seems to be right on the money with this one, with Loki later telling [[spoiler: the comatose Freyja that it was the only option they had that wouldn't have resulted in one of Malekith's allies killing her.]]
542* EeriePaleSkinnedBrunette: Her female form looks like this, giving her something of a PerkyGoth type look
543* {{Fanservice}}: Walks around shirtless when first introduced, though puts on a shirt when they turn female. Really, what did you expect given their last form?
544* TheFriendNobodyLikes: Loki is no longer trying to takeover Asgard or kill Thor, but that doesn't mean people actually want to be around them. Given their idea of helping tends to be near-indistinguishable from sabotage, one can't exactly blame anyone for not enjoying their presence.
545* FurAndLoathing: Loki is almost constantly seen wearing a green coat with a fur collar, though unlike their previous iterations, is more of an antihero than a villain.
546* TheGadfly: It really wouldn't be Loki if they weren't. The trickster god loves taking any and all opportunities to annoy the hell out of everyone around them. In ''ComicBook/TheUnbeatableSquirrelGirl'', they shapeshift their head into Cat Thor per Nancy's request, and keep gradually enlarging it just to piss off the two Thors.
547* IgnoredAesop: Under Jason Aaron's run, Story Loki has completely forgotten the CharacterDevelopment that they had undergone throughout ''Agent of Asgard'' and has resumed playing the role as the villain/AntiHero. Or just chose to play that role to keep the story going. [[spoiler:They actually temporarily erased their memories to become their future prime counterpart, eventually regaining them]].
548* MagicFeather: When he and Iceman face a [[ItMakesSenseInContext fusion of their fathers]], the latter is too afraid to fight while the former is without his magic. Loki lends him his power with his crown and staff, allowing Iceman to defeat the monster. After, Loki reveals the items did nothing and it was just a ploy to boost Iceman's courage.
549* MagicStaff: Gained one in the last issues of ''Agent of Asgard''. Technically it's Freyja's StaffOfAuthority transformed by King Loki into the shape known from ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}''. Later completed by Story!Loki who added the [[SealedEvilInACan jewel]] to it... as in the soul (story) of King Loki.
550* MediumAwareness: They survive the [[ComicBook/SecretWars2015 incursion]] by effectively ''telling themselves out of the story''. They also just ''love'' to [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall lean on the fourth wall]].
551* MesACrowd: By channelling their previous selves no less. Given how Loki [[OtherMeAnnoysMe normally]] [[FutureMeScaresMe relates]] [[IHatePastMe to]] themself the wisdom of this was quite questionable.
552** Issue 24 of [[ComicBook/Thor2020 Thor (2020)]] reveals that [[spoiler: the original, [[ComicBook/LokiAgentOfAsgard Agent of Asgard-era]], God(dess) of stories is still around and arrived at the TVA following the end of their series.]] Interestingly, [[spoiler:they imply that the post-Secret Wars Loki isn't them. Referring to themselves as "The Ghost of Christmas Past" and post-Secret Wars Loki as "what comes next."]]
553* KlingonPromotion: After Laufey swallows them during the War of the Realms, Loki uses their magic to hold their body together and carves Laufey open, escaping and killing the giant in the process. However, due to Laufey having been the king of the frost giants, Loki is now forced to become the new ruler.
554* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Some time after returning to the world, Loki erases their memories in order to become the Loki prime of their multiverse, thereby linking their ''Agent of Asgard'' incarnation to their current one. However, at a certain point in the future, their memories return.
555* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: As the God(dess) of Stories, this comes with the territory. Loki is capable of utilizing narrative like a weapon and on occasion speaks in narration boxes. However, they do not acknowledge they are in a comic.
556* LosingYourHead: When the new Thor smacks his head off, his expression is more 'unimpressed' and 'slightly bored' than anything else.
557* ParadoxPerson: Outside of the next two contradicting tropes, they were also born out of a TemporalParadox. They would not exist without the meddling of King Loki but also their existence means that Teen Loki never becomes King Loki in this universe.
558* PartialTransformation: Loki can shapeshift individual parts of their body.
559* PermaStubble: They have one in the new Thor's book, where they primarily stick with a male form.
560* Really700YearsOld '''AND''' ReallyWasBornYesterday: Technically both and lampshaded. As Loki, they're a being who has existed for centuries, but in different forms. The latest form was only recently created so they're essentially new. As they put it:
561-->'''Loki:''' Oh, '''I''' don't know! I'm either half an '''Eon''' old or half an '''Hour''' old! Or '''Both!''' Or '''Neither!'''
562* ReallyGetsAround: For someone almost universally hated across the multiverse, he's been with a ''lot'' of people. In a Pride comic, he's captured by a horde of angry exes including Sigyn, Cyril, Hepti, Mr Cluck, Fede and James, Angerboda, Svadilfari, Isidore, Jeph, Queen Sindr, Lorelei and Leah. Afterwards, Loki counts himself lucky that Morgan le Fay and Hercules didn't decide to show up.
563* ReluctantRuler: After becoming the king of Jotunheim, Loki doesn’t actually enjoy it very much due to having exceptionally little in common with the other giants and frequently runs off. Thor has to drag them back at one point and another time, Loki even leaves a snow man in charge.
564* SitcomArchNemesis: Loki becomes one to ComicBook/DoctorStrange in the aftermath of the ''Loki: Sorceror Supreme'' arc when he claimed the latter's title as Sorceror Supreme [[spoiler:by tricking him into forfeiting it]]. Strange never really forgave Loki for it, and whenever the two meet they would make smarmy remarks at each other's expense.
565* StoppedCaring: They claim that they won't ever become like King Loki because for ThenLetMeBeEvil to happen they should care what anybody in Asgard thinks and they stopped doing that.
566-->'''King Loki:''' ''Nothing''[='s=] changed, ''carpet stain''! Nothing that ''matters''! They'll ''always'' hate you! You can change ''however'' they ''want'' and it'll ''never be enough''! You'll always be the ''liar''! The ''trickster''! The ''villain''! Never ''accepted''! Never ''wanted''! Never--\
567'''God of Stories:''' If you say so. So I probably shouldn't care what they ''think'', then, should I? I mean, ''"King Loki"''? Come on. Who wants to be ''[[TheChainsOfCommanding king]]''? I'm ''done'' with that. No more ''ego games''. No more ''jealousy'' games and ''revenge'' games and ''"make me king"'' games. I don't ''need'' the whole of Asgard to love me--
568** This seems to have faded somewhat in post-Secret Wars stories. Not only are they shown placing a lot of weight on their relationships with Freyja and Odin, but the Agent of Asgard-era God(dess) of stories is shown to be outright distraught at [[spoiler: Odin's death]] despite their open contempt and apathy towards him and his wife back in the final issues of their series.
569* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Blue Marvel's reaction when he realizes he's going to be stuck with Loki on the Defenders.
570* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Unlike the last incarnation, who was relegated to only to forms that represented them, this Loki is capable of shapeshifting into whatever they want. Loki mostly uses this power to present as whatever gender they happen to be or get a rise out of people.
571* WildCard: Sort of. As they put it, "I don't '''do''' sides." They do seem to be semi-consistently inclined to help the heroes, helping Thor in his new book and as T'Challa points out when Tony Stark assumes they've gone bad again (after the "emo anti-hero phase"), he actually orchestrated the formation of a new Avengers team (and destruction of [[spoiler: the Final Host]] in the process) by playing the villain. Despite that, it’s probably best to keep one’s guard up around them - after all, a storyteller is first and foremost only loyal to the tale…
572[[/folder]]

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