loki and the grandmaster – Loki is the Philosopher King

fuckyeahrichardiii
replied to your post “I attribute the sparcity of Ragnarok criticism to tumblr’s obsession…”

I also have no idea why the movie hasn’t been savaged by tumblr for its frankly awful queer-baiting. We’ve got a regressive case of textbook villainous queer-“coding” (though it’s barely even coded) with the GM, who despite everyone’s obsession with JG, is a really vile person (imperialist, slaver), and the FIRST almost open depiction of same-sex relations in the MCU (Loki/GM) is characterized by suggestions of frankly horrific power dynamics. Like, really Taika?

(2) And Valkyrie being bi was barely a whisper in the movie compared to the joke that was the GM’s sexuality. Even so, Taika had the tired trope of the dead lesbian in operation as part of Val’s backstory which honestly gets him 0 credit as far as I’m concerned.

But god forbid anybody critique the movie on these grounds because OMG JEFF GOLDBLUM SQUEE + benevolent racism (a great term!).

@fuckyeahrichardiii, you are entirely correct about the stereotypical villainous queer-coding – involving Loki, inasmuch as he is a sometime villain, as well as the Grandmaster. I will admit to being amused by Jeff Goldblum’s schtick – especially the use of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – but now that you point it out, I should be suspicious of the characterization. And you’re also right that it’s a serious problem that the only semi-canonical queer relationship in the MCU is basically a sugar daddy/ sugar baby situation, where the “sugar” is not so much money or luxury (though that is involved) as survival, i.e., exemption from being forced into gladiatorial contests or melted.

I’ve been having some fun with Frostmaster as kind of a crack ship, because the Thorki fandom’s obsession with the Burgundy Jacket of Sin from AOU revealed to me my susceptibility to daddy kink. And I absolutely do have a thing for relationships with fucked-up power dynamics – IN FICTION, not in real life. I think it’s hot to read/fantasize about, but NOT a good model for real-life relationships. I kind of don’t get people who seem to ship Loki with the Grandmaster seriously and think they would be happy together. Loki is clearly not satisfied with the situation, as indicated by his suggestion that an “accident” might befall the Grandmaster and he and Thor could take over. I think he’s lying back and thinking of England, so to speak.

Holy shit, I did not even catch the dead lesbian thing. You are so right.