WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki Episode 3, “Lamentis,” streaming now on Disney+.
Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite acting like he doesn’t care for others, Loki can be sentimental and vulnerable, from how he reacted to the truth about his parentage, to his breakdown over Frigga’s death, to sacrificing himself in an attempt to save the Asgardians and Thor. However, Loki just gave the titular God of Mischief a surprisingly sentimental scene, revealing that he is not as selfish as others think.
While trying to escape from the doomed Lamentis-1, Sylvie reveals the Time Variance Authority agents are Variants; however, they are unaware of this. That means their identities and memories have been manipulated, with a new persona implanted so they believe their whole life has been dedicated to the TVA and Time-Keepers. This is jarring since Loki and audiences have seen how dedicated to the Time-Keepers agents like Mobius are, devoting their entire existence to the organization without question. Now, it appears that dedication and purpose is all a lie.
With how the TVA treated Loki, one would expect him to write them off now that he escaped alongside Sylvie; however, he seems concerned. There could be a few reasons for this, one being that Loki realized he may have been subject to the same fate if he stayed there any longer, and being stripped of his identity and agency is one of the worst things that could happen to him. Knowing this, Loki may feel sympathy for the agents, especially since they’ve been lied to about who they are, just like Odin lied to him about his identity for centuries.
He could also be worried because it appears Loki and Mobius developed a genuine connection, with the analyst standing up for the trickster, acknowledging his pain and being honest with him when so many others have not. This bond even led to Loki opening up to Mobius early on in the series, recognizing that he is often the villain, but that doesn’t mean he likes to hurt people.
This is contradictory with what’s been seen throughout the MCU, especially when it comes to The Avengers; however, from Loki’s perspective, the pain he causes is often because it is a means to an end, whether he likes it or not. If hurting someone does not benefit him in some way, then there is no point to it, and while the TVA is a threat, the individual agents are technically not at fault as they’re victims of the agency as well.
The notion that Loki does not like to hurt others reappears later in the episode when Sylvie and Loki attempt to get to the Arc. With five minutes till launch, Loki sees that whoever is in charge is willing to let countless people die. He does not do anything about this, but he reacts very differently from when he was having fun moments before Pompeii’s destruction. This could be because Pompeii was the past for Loki, so it’s destruction was inevitable, but this is the first time Loki’s learned about Lamentis’ demise, so he may be holding onto hope that things can still change.
Loki’s expressed he is not fond of the notion that everyone’s past, present and future are already charted out, and now he watches first hand as the TVA and the Lamentis elite let thousands die instead of using their resources to help. While Loki used vile and questionable methods to try to achieve power in the past, once he had it, he wanted to be a good ruler, one who would not let innocent people suffer. That was his justification for his attack on Earth, and when he was briefly Odin, Asgard was fine, even if the other realms were not.
These two scenes stand out because Loki’s expressing concern for those who are not a major part of his life. Other moments in the MCU where Loki is more vulnerable tend to be about those directly connected to him, particularly Frigga. While he and Mobius do have a bond, the time they’ve spent together is nothing for a being that can live thousands of years. Plus, there is nothing endearing the other TVA agents or those on Lamentis-1 to Loki; however, he expresses worry for them, even if it is brief.
These moments of vulnerability prove that Loki was being honest about not enjoying it when he hurts others, especially when it’s not a part of his plan. Actions speak louder than words, but it is a glimpse into the good person the God of Mischief could be if he changed his ways.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane, and Eugene Cordero. New episodes air Wednesdays on Disney+.
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