Oh goodness, anon! You didn’t make this easy! I love it!
I’m not sure how much character growth exists in each individual scene I’ve come up with, but these are my favorite scenes that are part of their overall growth, imo. I can’t really order them, so I’ll just over-explain my thoughts about scenes from each movie.
Thor
The “Give Us a Kiss” Scene
The scene that sets up their brotherhood. And it was deleted. Fucking… Anyway, this scene shows their pre-Thor dynamic well. Loki loves his brother. Thor clearly loves him, too, but there’s so many issues with communication. And I really like that it’s made clear Thor enjoys Loki’s magic, even though he belittles it (in an effort to big up himself, I might add, whilst he’s feeling uncertain about his impending coronation). And, of course, my Thorki heart can’t help but scream when Thor doesn’t just drag Loki into a kiss right then and there. I love how a lot of post-IW time travel fics take Thor back to that moment and have him snog Loki senseless. More of that, please!
The Table Flip Scene
The extended version! They sit closer together. It’s made much more clear how surprised Loki is that Thor talks about shared glory, not just glory for himself. The way Loki plays Thor like a fiddle, but also seems to be genuine in a lot of ways (like the line about how Thor’s day will come–he really just wants to improve Thor and prove to everyone how great his own abilities are, not destroy Thor). Loki looking so fucking happy standing up next to Thor and the way they walk off together. They were so young! They had no idea!
Thor’s Apology Scene
I’ve talked at length about this apology. I love it. I love that Thor’s tries to initiate communication the only way he knows how. He wants to fix whatever’s gone wrong between them. But, of course, it’s not about him. So it doesn’t do anything. No communication occurs. It’s endlessly frustrating and perfect for that reason. Also, it’s great to have Thor in this position where he must talk down the “enemy”.
The Bifrost Fight Scene
*cries* Thor doesn’t even know what’s going on! But he doesn’t want to hurt Loki! asdfghjkl;’
Avengers
The Cliffside Reunion Scene
I feed off the miscommunication in this scene, both purposeful and accidental. Thor misunderstanding Loki’s perspective and anger. Loki’s accusations. Thor dismissing both, even though one is legit. Just… how it shows that they’re both such a mess. That they’re coming from different places. Also the neck grab. The conflict within Loki. The way he leans away, but doesn’t actually try to escape Thor’s hold (at first–he does shrug him off when he actually wants to). And Loki being a little shit at different points. The way the humor and emotion blends. Perfect way to summarize what’s up with their relationship and their characters (for those who haven’t seen Thor). Loki isn’t usually like this (Thor believes someone must be controlling Loki). They’re both terrible communicators. They love each other so much. They’re both deeply hurt and their wounds are fresh.
The Stark Tower Fight Scene
Thor reaching out. Loki hearing him. Loki wanting to accept. Loki knowing he can’t. Because it’s too late. The moment Thor decides he can’t get through to Loki. He comes so close, and yet… Plus, there’s yet another big hint that Loki doesn’t want to be doing this…
Thor: The Dark World
Thor and Loki’s Escape Scene
I will never not enjoy the way Loki’s a little, excited shit the entire time they’re committing treason. The shapeshifting. The spicy neck grab. The backseat driving. “Well Done. You’ve Just Decapitated Your Grandfather.” Loki being impressed with Thor outsmarting him. The way he lights up when he’s driving them through the pathway between realms. You can tell Loki’s slipped back into old behaviors, waiting for Thor to start behaving the way he used to when they went on unsanctioned adventures. Thor, on the other hand, is trying to remain detached/serious/focused. Though there are moments where he can’t help but treat Loki like an obnoxious little brother. Great balance.
The Brothers on the Boat Scene
Loki’s concern being for Thor’s happiness. The way their grief gets the better of both of them and they lash out. The way Loki effortlessly offers comfort. The way Thor looks when he realizes it’s worked, that it did comfort him. That there’s some part of Loki that’s still Loki, not just a selfish, cruel madman. The way Loki looks at Thor! There’s no scene that does better with their post-Thor/post-Avengers dynamic, imo. They both have a voice. No one’s condemning Thor for being upset, but it’s also crystal clear who Loki really is. Their communication problems are also a big part of the scene. Ugh! It’s amazing!
The Confrontation with Malekith and Loki’s “Death”
Thor trusting Loki not only to carry out the plan, but to protect Jane. The way Thor protects Loki. The way he holds him and cries while Loki “dies”. This scene makes me cry. It’s so wonderful. It shows how deeply Thor cares about and trusts Loki, even when he’s angry with him and trying to distance himself. Thor’s loving and protective and conflicted. And heartbroken. I know lots of people get upset about Thor leaving Loki’s body, but I don’t hold that against him. He just committed treason. He can’t take Loki’s body to Asgard. Anyway, this scene is a pretty clear example of character growth. It’s meant to be the moment Thor realizes he gave up on Loki too quickly. And it’s a moment of redemption for Loki (this isn’t negated by the fact he survived–Loki’s illusions are canonically unable to be touched without disruption).
Thor Returns to Face “Odin’s” Judgement
So, I think this scene often gets written off as Loki being evil because of the line at the end, but I don’t see it that way. He offers Thor the throne. He offers Thor the freedom Odin refused to grant him. He lets Thor leave with supportive words from Odin. That’s… all out of a deep love for Thor. Yeah, he benefits from some of it, but what’s he getting out of making Odin look like a good, supportive father? That’s just Loki telling Thor he’s proud of him. And he should be. Thor’s line in that scene really shows how he’s grown through the movies. No longer the child proclaiming himself king. Able to admit that others possess skills he does not. It’s great. I wish this scene were addressed more in fics. I think there’s so much to play with here, and always love seeing people tackle it.
We are our own worst enemies, anon. We can be so hard on ourselves, so critical and merciless, especially when it comes to something as inconsequential (and yet so important to us) as our outside appearances. I wish there was some way we could physically look into our bodies and see them for the amazing tools that they are. Complex networks of capillaries, tendons and ligaments holding our muscles together and keeping them attached to our bones. Limbs that transport us with barely a thought, appendages that allow us to touch our world and interact with it, to feel and taste and smell and interpret… it’s incredible. And we really have no idea of it—or perhaps we do, but we forget. Again and again. Sometimes we need to be reminded of it because we are so forgetful, and if we’re lucky, we’ve got a special person or people in our lives who will do that.
I think that Loki is canonically self-conscious in the MCU, perhaps to the point he has a serious inferiority complex. I can see him staring into the mirror and beginning The List. We all know it. The List of Things We Hate About Ourselves.
I hate my hair. It’s so thin and oily. My forehead is too wide. My nose is huge and crooked. My lips are thin. That scar is showing up again—I need to find a longer-lasting spell…
He starts from the top and goes all the way down, until he is feeling so low and miserable and worthless that he can’t even stand to look at himself anymore.
This only gets worse when it’s revealed that he’s a Frost Giant.
As if he weren’t ugly before, now he has to deal with being an actual, real monster.
Once he learns how to manipulate the illusion of his Aesir form (a tricky process that takes him many hours of practice), the first thing he does is strip naked and take a good long look in the mirror.
Oh, it’s so much worse than before. Worse because this is what’s real. These rheumy red eyes. The lines and creases on his face, his leathery skin—so greasy in Asgard’s warm, dry climate—with its corpselike blue hue. There isn’t an inch of him that is even faintly attractive. There never was. He’s an ugly misfit. Even the Frost Giants would consider him pathetic, so small and weak, possessing none of the qualities of a worthy jötunn.
Because I am worthless, he thinks. Not only am I ugly, but I’m a failure as well. I can’t do anything right. My plans always fall through. No one truly loves me. They love the illusion I’ve had cast over me all this time. After all, who in their right mind could love this? I am a horrible, ugly person with no friends and nothing to offer except parlor tricks and silly little—
“You’re beautiful.”
Loki jumps at the voice and turns, covering himself with his hands.
Thor has been standing in the doorway for the last five minutes, watching Loki study his reflection with his face twisted in disgust, wiping away his tears, muttering quiet, distressed utterances with every new flaw he found.
“I know you don’t think it,” says Thor, “but you are. You’re amazing, Loki.”
“I am not,” Loki utters, throwing on a robe but remaining in his jötunn form. He wants Thor to see this hideousness for himself. Maybe that will stop the lies he’s spewing. “I’m awful. I look like an ogre or some sort of demon.”
“But you’re neither ogre nor demon. You’re a prince. You’re a sorcerer. You’re my brother, and I love you.”
Loki glowers. “That makes one of us, then.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Thor walks forward and puts his hands on Loki’s shoulders, guiding him back to the mirror.
“You don’t have to look,” he says softly, “and I’m not going to make you look. But I want you to know that you are more than this body, Loki. The you in here”—he touches Loki’s temple—“and in here”—he touches the center of Loki’s chest, just above his beating heart—“is still the same. That is the you I will always love, no matter what your outside looks like.”
Loki scoffs bitterly, his head bowed. “Even if that outside is your enemy?”
“Your skin is not my enemy, Loki. Nor is it yours.”
“Isn’t it? Am I not a Frost Giant? Am I not a member of that race of monsters all Asgard despises, including you?”
Thor goes quiet, his expression reflecting his shame. “I have been forced to do a lot of thinking since Father told me of your true parentage. I have changed my mind about many things.” He looks at Loki’s reflection and gives him a small smile. “So can you. That is the beauty of it. We can change the way we think and see others, even ourselves.”
Loki finally raises his head and looks at himself in the mirror.
Standing beside Thor, his handsome and perfect brother, he thought he would look uglier than ever before. But he doesn’t. He looks… not attractive, but something about their skins beside one another, pink and blue, and their hair, gold and black—even their eyes, sky-blue and fire-red—looks nice somehow. Complementary. Diverse yet harmonious.
Or maybe it’s just the way Thor is looking at him, his heart and his hopes—and his love—showing clearly in his eyes. That is the most beautiful thing in this mirror. Not them. Certainly not Loki.
“I’m afraid it’s going to take a long time to do that,” Loki murmurs. “Much longer than it took to change yours.”
“That’s alright. I will help you. I am here for you, Loki. I will always be here for you.” Thor gives him a squeeze and leans forward to plant a kiss in his hair—his oily, stringy, smelly jötunn hair, as if it doesn’t bother him at all.
…maybe it doesn’t.
Loki reaches up and grasps Thor’s hand. A thin veil of frost spreads across his warm fingers, but he doesn’t recoil, doesn’t pull away. No, he smiles and moves even closer.
Tears sting Loki’s eyes.
Maybe someday he’ll love himself as much as Thor loves him. It seems unlikely. Impossible, even. How does one learn to un-see this much ugliness? Who could look at this face and think that it—or anything beneath it—could be beautiful?
“I bet you can conjure some impressive ice weapons in this form,” says Thor, turning himself and Loki away from the mirror. “Has your sorcery been affected at all?”
“You should. Perhaps they are even stronger now that your true form is no longer being suppressed.”
“I sincerely doubt that.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out,” says Thor cheerfully. “Come on, let’s go to the training yard. I’ve never been stabbed with an ice dagger before. It’s probably quite refreshing.”
Loki can’t quite keep his mouth straight; it curls up at the corners despite his best efforts. He rolls his eyes. “You’re an idiot, brother.”
“I’m your idiot brother, forever and ever. Never forget that.”
“I’m already trying as hard as I can.”
Thor grins and pats Loki’s back. “I’ll leave you to get dressed. Meet me in the yard in ten minutes. Oh, and Loki?”
“What.”
“Bring your best game.” Thor wags his eyebrows as he leaves the room. “I don’t want to walk away from this without a scratch.”
Loki smiles at last. He doesn’t even wonder what it looks like on his jötunn face. “You’ll be lucky to walk away from this at all, you pompous fool.” He finishes by putting on a scowl and sticking out his blue tongue as far as it will go. Not exactly mature, but somehow it feels appropriate in this moment.
Thor laughs heartily and points at him warningly. “We shall see about that, little brother!” he declared. “We shall see!”
Loki’s face is a mixture of fear and HOPEFULNESS. Thor has been exhibiting surly disregard ever since their return to Asgard. Now at last, he’s touching Loki, looking DIRECTLY into his FACE, and TAKING HIM SERIOUSLY. Classic “negative attention is preferable to no attention.” Since Odin conditioned Thor and Loki to be helplessly codependent, in a scenario in which Loki is fated to be thought the “bad” and “losing” half of a dichotomy, Loki has decided in THOR’S CASE ALONE, it is worth being the bad guy to not be forgotten utterly. Better to be hated than erased, even in a dysfunctional relationship.
Look how goddamn eager his face is. “Yes hit me, rage at me. Anything, I’ve finally got your attention again.”
And not an ounce of that is manipulation. it’s desperation.
Just realized, Thor has Loki’s helmet engraved on his vambraces in the Avengers, because he believed Loki dead, and had it done as a mark of mourning and respect and all my feels have just exploded </3
Loki is the Philosopher King 