Cunning, Sneaky, Mischievous, Yet Equally Brilliant: Loki

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17 Jan 2024

Cunning, Sneaky, Mischievous, Yet Equally Brilliant: Loki

Hello dear Bulbapp readers. In this article, I will talk about Loki, one of the beloved mythological characters. How is Loki portrayed in Norse mythology? How is he depicted in the Marvel universe? How do authors like Neil Gaiman and Rick Riordan handle Loki in their books? I'll cover all of that. If you're ready, let's get started.

Loki in Norse Mythology

In Norse mythology, Loki is known as the god of mischief and evil. Loki's full name is Loki Laufeyson, and he is the child of a frost giant, making him half Aesir and half frost giant. Among his powers are shape-shifting (including changing gender) and the ability to create illusions. In mythology, he is often depicted as tall, sharp-chinned, and with orange hair. Sometimes he is seen with horns, and other times without.

Loki assists the gods in a war between Aesir gods and frost giants. After the war, Odin declares Loki as his blood brother in return for his help. Contrary to popular culture, Loki is not Odin's adopted son.

Loki has two known marriages. The first is with Sigyn. Loki and Sigyn have two children named Vali and Narfi. However, this marriage doesn't last long. Loki's second wife is the giantess Angrboda. From this marriage, Hel (Queen of the Realm of the Dead), Fenrir (Giant Wolf Fenrir), and Jormungandr (Midgard Serpent) are born. Due to their nature, the gods consider these children ominous. Indeed, Loki's children play a significant role in bringing about the end of the gods during Ragnarok.

A Troublemaker or a Helping God?

Although Loki is cunning and mischievous, he also helps the gods as much as he causes trouble for them. He is careful to rectify all the disasters he creates with his cleverness.
For example, Loki makes a grave mistake by cutting off Thor's wife Sif's hair just for fun. However, facing Thor's anger, he negotiates with the Elves and replaces Sif's hair with real gold. Moreover, he returns with valuable gifts, including Thor's famous hammer, Mjolnir.

While Loki is often blamed for problems, whether he is the source of trouble or not, he is also the one who solves the problems. For instance, when Thor realizes that his hammer Mjolnir has been stolen, he immediately accuses Loki. However, when it is revealed that the giant Thrym stole Mjolnir, Thor seeks Loki's help. In exchange for returning Mjolnir, Thrym demands Freyja as his bride, leading them into a dilemma. Yet, Loki's cleverness prevails, and Thor, disguised as a bride, retrieves Mjolnir. Thrym, upon discovering the true identity of the bride, is not pleased, to say the least.

Symbol of Evil? Loki?

What elevates Loki to a prominent position among the gods is his nimble intellect and mischievous character, allowing him to cleverly navigate through troubles. Although he never holds back his words, his answers are often condescending and sarcastic. This characteristic contributes significantly to our affection for him.

As you can see, Loki is a complex character. He is not a very reliable friend, but we can understand from many of his stories that he does not engage in trickery just for the sake of evil. Loki is more like a spoiled child. The situations he creates are sometimes to save himself and sometimes just to stir up chaos. Yet, in most cases, he is the one saving the gods. Therefore, labeling Loki as the symbol of evil is not entirely fitting.

Loki in the Marvel Universe

In Marvel, Loki is adapted to the cinematic universe as Thor's step-brother and Odin's adopted son, even though the reality is different. But let's continue as if it were so.
In Marvel films, Tom Hiddleston portrays Loki. (At this point, I would like to express that I admire him and think he beautifully embodies the role.) In the Marvel universe, Loki, although overshadowed by Thor, is undeniably loved as much as Thor. He is presented as an anti-hero in this universe. Despite this, we have seen him help the gods and especially Thor many times. Moreover, there is no rule stating that anti-heroes will always be villains.

Despite Loki's selfish side in Marvel, emotional connections do not hold much importance for him. What matters is always benefiting himself. However, despite this, he also has an emotional side, especially highlighted in the film "Thor: Ragnarok." Thus, as time passes in the Marvel universe, we began to see Loki less as the "bad guy." (Wishing the same for Hades...)
We've examined Loki's characteristic features in Norse mythology and the Marvel universe in the first part of the article. We also made a small comparison. Next, let's explore how Loki is portrayed in books. Let's see from which perspective our beloved authors view this elusive character.

Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman, a beloved author, gives plenty of space to Loki in his book "Norse Mythology." Gaiman remains true to Norse mythology in the book, narrating famous myths one by one. Even though I thought I would be bored reading the book due to my interest and knowledge of mythology, the author taught me what storytelling truly means by slamming this book in my face. Thank you, Neil Gaiman. I enjoyed every second of Norse Mythology.

Neil Gaiman never portrays Loki as the "bad guy." On the contrary, he depicts him as being with the gods from the beginning. Although Loki is often the cause of many problems, whenever there is trouble, it is Loki who comes to the aid of the gods. Since the book is written as a general overview of Norse mythology, it is not entirely focused on Loki. Nevertheless, this doesn't diminish the pleasure we derive from it.

Despite Loki's deviousness, we can clearly see why he is an indispensable god in this book. The Loki portrayed by Gaiman is almost the same as the Loki in the actual mythology, but Gaiman brings Loki to life using storytelling. Even if you have no interest in mythology, I recommend reading it.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard – Rick Riordan

Now it's time for my personal favorite author. Rick Riordan explores the adventures of Magnus, the son of a Norse god, in the series "Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard." In the series, we travel through the World Tree, follow Einherjar, Loki's daughter, and even a character who is both a giant and a Muslim. Rick Riordan knows no bounds in tolerance.
While we don't encounter Loki in the first book, we personally meet him in the second and third books. Rick Riordan, true to mythology, portrays Loki with red hair and sharp facial features. We even see that his face is scarred due to the poison that drips on it (a punishment given to Loki in mythology).

In this series, Loki is in the role of the bad guy. But I can't say I'm sorry about it because, as anyone familiar with Riordan's storytelling knows, he has a humorous side that can make even the ugliest creatures seem cute. Reading Loki through Riordan's pen was a great pleasure for me.

The Gospel of Loki – Joanne M. Harris

What sets this book apart is that we hear the events from Loki's own mouth. And I find this quite exciting. Joanne M. Harris, in "The Gospel of Loki," tells the story of the most mischievous god emerging from Chaos and how he became blood brothers with Odin, caused troubles for Thor and other Norse gods, and, in the process, how "innocent" he actually is, all in a humorous way, through Loki's own mouth.

Thus, we see the other side of the stories we have heard so far from Thor, Odin, or other narrators. Harris's successful writing style does not leave newcomers to mythology in the dark, nor does it bore mythology enthusiasts.

In the book, Loki often talks about how he can't be trusted, justifies himself with his cunningness, and can't refrain from being witty. Loki's humorous narrative style suits him so well that, as readers, we wouldn't accept it any other way.

The Witch's Heart – Genevieve Gornichec

This time, we hear Loki's story from Angrboda, a witch and frost giant, his wife. Genevieve Gornichec, in "The Witch's Heart," tells the story of Angrboda, the overlooked but crucial frost giant witch in Norse mythology, who gave birth to Loki's three extremely dangerous children, Fenrir, Hel, and Jormungandr, and how she, for the first time, gets the opportunity to write her own saga in the world of these arrogant gods.

As mentioned in the section on Norse mythology, Angrboda, who gave birth to Loki's extremely dangerous three children, is among the lost women characters in mythological stories.

In this story, Loki is as we know him. Cunning, sneaky, mischievous, and causing troubles for the gods as much as solving them. But in addition to that, unlike other books, Gornichec presents us with an emotional Loki. In this book, we see Loki more as a father, a husband, and a character who cannot find his place among the gods.

Thank you for reading.

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