The Abyss Gazes Also – Chapter 16: An Impressive Cage – Philosopher_King – Marvel Cinematic Universe [Archive of Our Own]

philosopherking1887:

seidrade:

philosopherking1887:

foundlingmother:

philosopherking1887:

Fic summary: “I imagine you’re wondering how I survived my fall into the Void to eventually arrive on Earth, looking like death warmed over (but a very stylishly attired death, I might add). It’s a fairly interesting story, if not a pleasant one, so I’m perfectly willing to tell you. I do, after all, have rather a lot of time to kill.”  After his fall, Loki finds his way into the criminal underworld of the Andromeda Galaxy, where he makes a name for himself with his unusual skills and attracts the attention of Thanos.

Chapter summary: Loki is brought as a prisoner to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier… and begins to have serious doubts about his mission.

(…or do I merely exist?)

This is by far my longest hiatus between updates: it’s been 13 and a half months since I posted the previous chapter. I’m really sorry, guys. I’ve had a lot going on in the year since my last update: I finished and defended my dissertation; I applied for a crap ton of jobs (more than 60); I finally(!!) got a job… a 1-year postdoc, which means I’m already on the job market again; I moved to Canada for this 1-year job, which has presented a variety of administrative hassles; and now I’m teaching my own class for the first time (not just TAing for a professor).

I’m also sorry that, in addition to being a year late, this chapter is shorter than usual and not much happens. Well, not much happens externally… most of the action is going on in Loki’s head. And while, as you all know, I was not on the whole pleased with Ragnarok, it did provide me with an interesting mechanism for introducing some of Loki’s doubts.

Tagging people who are/were reading: @angrymadsygin, @foundlingmother@fuckyeahrichardiii, @iamanartichoke (I don’t know if you have been reading, but you expressed interest in the excerpt), @iamhisgloriouspurpose, @ikoliholic@illwynd, @loxxxlay, @nursejoh53, @seidrade, @starrynight35@writernotwaiting… and I’m sorry if I forgot anyone. Let me know if you want on or off the tag list.

Guys, if you ever speculate what Loki experienced after falling, how he ended up with Thanos, what happened to him when imprisoned by Thanos, and what Loki’s thoughts were during Avengers, I’d highly recommend this fic. @philosopherking1887 builds off of the hints we’re given in the movie and creates something very compelling.

Reblogging with kind blurb… which does a better job of explaining this sprawling mess of a fic than my non-summary does.

Coming across @philosopherking1887’s masterful writing— and then getting into some incredibly interesting, long conversations in her AO3 comments— was what prompted me to finally join Tumblr fandom close to a year ago. Just sayin. Big ups to Phil.

The Abyss Gazes Also is seriously SO much fun— sometimes the opposite of fun for Loki, but well, you know…

Like @foundlingmother said, if you want a truly fantastic, incredibly unique and introspective read through Loki’s eyes of his misadventures after the end of Thor— with sharp, clever writing that makes you go OOOHHHH every chapter with a brilliant missing piece that just snaps everything unexplained by canon right into place— you’ve come to the right fic.

Seriously, can’t recommend enough.

I’m going to keep reblogging this with the rave reviews. Tacky? Maybe. Not as tacky as that big ugly… building in the middle of New York.

The Abyss Gazes Also – Chapter 16: An Impressive Cage – Philosopher_King – Marvel Cinematic Universe [Archive of Our Own]

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