Since the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, countless villains have stood their ground against its heroes – some more memorable than others. One of the best is without a doubt Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the Asgardian God of Mischief who has become a fan favorite among long-time viewers of the MCU. He starts out as a villain in Thor and Avengers, but grows into an incredibly likable anti-hero.
Loki’s personality has become more and more nuanced with every release and gained further complexity with the Disney+ series Loki centering on the 2012 version of the character. While Loki is in many ways unique, he does have several things in common with other figures in the MCU. The most recent example is Eternals’ Sprite (Lia McHugh). The childlike Eternal is reminiscent of Loki in more than one way, from her abilities to her character arc.
10 SIMILAR: They Are Both Incredibly Long-Lived Aliens Associated With Gods
Loki is by birth a Jotun, a Frost Giant originating from the planet Jotunheim. While not much is known about the biology of Jotnar, they seem similar to Asgardians in terms of lifespan. According to a conversation between Loki and Odin, Asgardians can live up to five thousand years or more. Just like Loki, Sprite is an alien being. She has lived seven-thousand years, having first arrived on Earth around 5000 B.C. Because of this, both the Eternals and Loki’s Asgardian family have been called gods.
9 DIFFERENT: Sprite Is An Immortal Synthetic Being Whereas Loki Ages
Loki may be long-lived and has been deified by myths, but he is, in fact, mortal. He ages, as evidenced by the appearance of his older self – Classic Loki – in the Disney+ series. The same cannot be said about Sprite. That is because she isn’t a natural being. She is a synthetic creature, crafted by Arishem in the World Forge with the specific purpose of hunting down deviants.
8 SIMILAR: They Can Create Powerful Illusions And Favor Knives In Combat
The most obvious similarity between the two characters is the realm of their abilities. Both characters can create highly advanced illusions, become invisible, and shape-shift. One of Loki’s trademark skills is creating duplicates of himself, which he uses to great effect to distract his opponents. Sprite does something similar in Eternals, crafting an illusion of Ajak to take Sersi by surprise.
She also uses her powers for more benign purposes, and it’s because of her abilities that fellow Eternals like Gilgamesh, Thena, and Ikaris are deified in human legends. Both Loki and Sprite favor knives in combat, as Loki has many times pointed out his preference for his daggers. Sprite stabs Sersi from behind during their confrontation, a scene that may remind viewers both of Loki’s attack on Phil Coulson and of his numerous conflicts with his brother.
7 DIFFERENT: Loki Is A Better Sorcerer & Fighter Than Sprite
While some of their abilities are similar, Sprite’s main weakness is that her cosmic powers don’t actually provide her with many offensive skills. The same cannot be said about Loki. He has shown himself to be a highly versatile sorcerer, using telekinesis and a form of hypnosis in the Disney+ series. His fighting skills far outclass Sprite’s, something perhaps understandable considering how much Sprite’s physical form weakens her.
6 SIMILAR: They Suffer From Body Image Issues
Sprite’s childlike body places her in the horrible position of having her mind and her physical shape constantly at odds with each other. She has the desires and dreams of an adult woman, but can never hope to achieve them due to being stuck in her perpetually youthful form.
Meanwhile, Loki is raised as an Asgardian and taught that the Jotnar are a species of monsters. When he finds out the truth about himself, he plunges into an abyss of self-hatred and internalized racism, which is a huge part of his original motivation as a villain.
5 DIFFERENT: Sprite Never Lacks Acceptance Or Emotional Support
Despite her difficult emotional struggles, Sprite fares better than Loki in terms of emotional support. Whereas he is slighted and sneered at for his use of magic, she is appreciated as a strong part of the team. Her fellow Eternals value and respect her. She even has a close friendship with Sersi. Meanwhile, Loki’s strongest supporter is his mother Frigga, but her loyalty to Odin shatters their relationship. He and Thor eventually mend their bond, but not without a lot of pain on both their sides.
4 SIMILAR: Their Experience With Romance Isn’t The Best
Sprite’s inability to grow clashes most heavily with her romantic feelings for Ikaris (Richard Madden). Ikaris does value her, but he can never see her as more than a friend. Even if he hadn’t been married to Sersi, a relationship between him and Sprite wouldn’t have been possible.
Loki tests the boundaries of romance as well. His sexuality has always been eccentric, and the MCU doesn’t quite capture that as well as it should. However, it does match Loki with a female version of himself, Sylvie. The relationship ends poorly, and the Disney+ series even hints that Loki is doomed to always be alone.
3 DIFFERENT: Sylvie Seemingly Reciprocates Loki’s Feeling Unlike Ikaris With Sprite
While Sprite’s feelings for Ikaris are unrequited, Sylvie actually loves Loki. Their unexpected closeness even creates a nexus event while they are on Lamentis together, something which ends up saving their lives. It is Sylvie’s thirst for revenge that causes them to be separated. Sylvie chooses to kill He Who Remains, despite Loki’s attempts to persuade her against it.
She pushes him through a Timedoor, back into the headquarters of the Time Variance Authority. In the aftermath of He Who Remains’ death, the multiverse fractures and Sylvie is left alone in The Citadel at the End Of Time.
2 SIMILAR: They Both Become Enemies Of Their Lifelong Loved Ones
Because of her feelings for Ikaris, Sprite chooses to take his side during the conflict between the Eternals. She supports him in his quest to obey Arishem’s will and ensure the Emergence of the Celestial Tiamut is successful. This is what puts her at odds with her fellow Eternals and leads to her confronting Sersi. Loki also becomes the enemy of his lifelong loved ones. After he finds out the truth about his adoption, he becomes the King of Asgard.
When the Warriors Three seek to reach out to the exiled Thor, Loki attacks his brother using the Destroyer. The incident doesn’t end well, as Loki ultimately attempts to commit suicide by letting himself fall into the void. The enmity between the two brothers remains pronounced in Avengers and only begins to vanish in Thor: The Dark World, after Frigga’s death.
1 DIFFERENT: Sprite Is Never Truly Punished For Her Actions
Despite the fact that Sprite attacks her friends, she is never punished for her actions. Sersi forgives her and even uses her remaining power to turn Sprite human and help her achieve her dreams. Loki, on the other hand, is arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment in the dungeons of Asgard.
This may make sense. Sprite may have been motivated by her feelings for Ikaris, but she does attempt to fulfill the task given to her by Arishem. It is the other Eternals that are the rebels and go against the Celestial’s orders, therefore earning his anger and judgment.
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