Loki (Marvel Comics)
Loki Laufeyson is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby, he is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Although a version of Loki first appeared in Venus #6 (August 1949), his characterization as the adoptive brother and nemesis of the superhero Thor, which has persisted to the modern age, was not introduced until Journey into Mystery #85 (October 1962).[5][6]
For the Marvel Cinematic Universe character, see Loki (Marvel Cinematic Universe).Loki
- Venus #6
(August 1949) (Golden Age) - Journey into Mystery #85[1][2]
(October 1962) (Silver Age)
Loki Laufeyson
Jotunheim, Asgard
- Frost Giants
- Dark Council
- Cabal
- Mighty Avengers
- Acts of Vengeance
- Young Avengers
- Astonishing Avengers
- Genius-level intellect
- Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, agility, durability, reflexes, healing, and longevity
- Asgardian sorcery granting:
- Energy projection
- Astral projection
- Illusion casting
- Transmutation
- Shapeshifting
- Teleportation
- Telekinesis
- Hypnosis
In his comic book appearances, Loki is depicted as the Asgardian God of Mischief, a cunning trickster, and a master of Asgardian magic and sorcery. After learning of his true origin as a Frost Giant from Jotunheim, Loki grows jealous of Thor and frequently plots to take the throne of Asgard for himself. His schemes of conquest ultimately reach Earth and inadvertently lead to the formation of the Avengers. While usually portrayed as a supervillain, Loki has also been an antihero at times, working with heroes if their goals align and if it benefits him.
Loki has appeared in several ongoing series, limited series and alternate reality series, including the 4-issue series Loki in 2004 and 2006, being the main character of Journey into Mystery from issues 622 to 645, appearing in new issues of Young Avengers in 2013 and receiving four more solo series, Loki: Agent of Asgard in 2013, Vote Loki in 2016, Loki in 2019 and Loki in 2023. The character has been adapted in various media incarnations, having most notably been portrayed by Tom Hiddleston in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise.
Powers and abilities[edit]
Loki is a member of the race of Frost Giants of Jotunheim, although not a giant in stature. He possesses physical attributes equal to a fit member of his race, such as, enhanced strength, stamina (their Frost Giant metabolism grants him superhuman levels of physical stamina in practically all activities), speed, durability (enough to withstand high-caliber bullets without harm) and immunity to all known diseases and toxins as well as resistance to magic and aging.
Loki possesses genius-level intelligence and has extensive training in magic, and possesses the ability to manipulate magical forces for a variety of purposes: energy projection, creation of force fields, temporarily increasing his own physical capabilities, granting superhuman abilities to living beings or inanimate objects, flight, hypnosis, illusion casting and inter-dimensional teleportation.
Loki's magical abilities have been described as equal to those of Karnilla, the most skilled sorceress of Asgard.[107][108] His illusion casting can fool cities,[109] and powerful entities such as Surtur.[110] He has been able to break free of Celestial technology in the possession of Apocalypse.[111]
Loki possesses extrasensory abilities and is capable of astral projection and casting his thoughts across great distances—even across dimensional barriers, like that between Asgard and Earth—even if he is unable to move. He cannot read the minds of other beings, although he can influence their actions, and once briefly hypnotized Thor, and controlled a flock of birds. However, he could not coerce Thor to give him Mjolnir.[20] If someone has evil thoughts, Loki can influence their actions (even if they are in Asgard and the subject is on Earth),[28] and can influence other events to some degree, such as diverting a missile from its path,[112] or redirecting a radio signal.[113]
Loki is an adept shapeshifter and can change into animals (examples include transmogrification to a salmon, horse, etc.) or impersonate other people, such as Thor or Captain America. However, he does not necessarily gain the abilities of whatever or whoever he turns into, although minor natural abilities such as flight in bird form tend to work. Loki may mimic the abilities of some supernatural beings if they turn into such creatures. Loki has also turned clouds into dragons, and animated trees to attack Thor.[114] After his rebirth, his shapeshifting abilities are more limited. He explained to Lorelei that, "I can turn into anything, as long as it's me", which he demonstrates by transforming into the female Lady Loki and a lupine form.[115]
Loki has imbued himself with magical abilities that enables him to withstand injuries that would prove fatal to another Asgardian, such as being beheaded by Balder. He has also been shown to be immune to the Controller's control disk,[116] the mental influence of the Voice, and the power-sapping abilities of Rogue.[117]
Loki crafted a method of cheating death, being reincarnated upon any "death" through an arrangement with the various incarnations of Death that his name be erased from the books of Hell.[73][74]
Loki possesses a brilliant intellect, with some knowledge of technology, as illustrated by the time when he created a machine to amplify Iceman's powers,[118] and when he attached devices to the Twilight sword to tap into its powers.[119] Loki is an expert manipulator and schemer, frequently using pawns in his plans. He is sometimes armed with a sword, a whip, or a three-pronged spear and has used magical items (such as the Norn Stones) to enhance his powers.
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Laura Bradley of Vanity Fair included Loki in their "Stan Lee’s Most Iconic Characters" list.[120] The A.V. Club ranked Loki 1st in their "28 Best Marvel Villains" list.[121] George Marston of Newsarama ranked Loki 4th in their "Best Marvel Supervillains" list, writing, "Loki is one of many popular villains who has moved into being more of an antihero, or even out-and-out superhero, repositioning himself not as the god of lies, but as the god of stories."[122] IGN ranked Loki 8th in their "The Top 100 Comic Book Villains" list,[123] and 4th in their "Top 25 Marvel Villains" list.[124] Riley Bocchicchio of Collider ranked Loki 8th in their "10 Most Powerful Marvel A-Force Members" list.[125] Jason Serafino of Complex ranked Loki 12th in their "25 Greatest Comic Book Villains of All Time" list, writing, "Leave it to Jacky Kirby and Stan Lee to take a character from Norse mythology and turn him into one of the great comic book villains of all time."[126]
Screen Rant included Loki in their "20 Most Powerful Marvel Villains" list,[127] and ranked him 7th in their "25 Greatest Comic Book Supervillains Of All Time" list.[128] CBR.com ranked Loki 3rd in their "10 Most Fashionable Marvel Villains list,[129] 5th in their "13 Most Important Marvel Villains" list,[130] 6th in their "10 Most Popular Marvel Characters" list,[131] and 8th in their "10 Marvel Gods With The Highest Kill Count" list.[132]
Other versions[edit]
Avenger Prime[edit]
In an unidentified alternate reality, Loki lost his brother Thor when his attempt to tame a runaway Mjolnir sent him into the Sun. After Odin wasn't the same after that, Loki sold him into slavery to the Frost Giants. Loki sought counsel with his alternate counterparts which always ends with them attacking him. He then witnessed a fight between an alternate version of Loki who lost to Captain Carter and her team of Avengers. Then he saw other Earths who each had a Loki that was responsible for the formation of their Avengers. After returning to his reality, he had Mjolnir chained up, Captain America's frozen body sent to Jotunheim, had Tony Stark locked up, sacked Wakanda, slaughtered every human/Kree offspring, sent all the Ghost Riders to the Brimstone Mines of Muspelheim, and obliterated anyone who planned to "avenge". He found that it wasn't just Lokis that were responsible for the formation of the Avengers, it was also God Butchers, World-Eaters, and Mad Titans. He fought them off at the cost of his Earth. After attempting to throw himself into the Sun, Loki found himself in the God Quarry where he underwent a penance for not letting his world's Avengers form. Loki proceeded to build a version of Avengers Tower in the God Quarry so that he can form the Multiversal Avengers. After eons of being visited by different versions of Avengers, Loki became Avenger Prime had established the Deathloks as his soldiers where most of them were killed by the Multiversal Masters of Evil. He had worked to form ways of preventing other demises of alternate Avengers.[133]
Avenger Prime later visited Mephisto at the time when the Avengers and the Prehistoric Avengers were fighting the Multiversal Masters of Evil as Avenger Prime states that Mephisto is going to lose. As Avenger Prime goes on the offensive, Mephisto summons the Council of Red to aid him.[134]
Avenger Prime showed up during the fight between the Mutltiversal Avengers and the Doctor Doom variants that work for Doom Supreme. Ant-Man of Earth-818 and the Granddaughters of King Thor learn of his identity.[135] As the fight against the Doctor Doom variants rages on, Avenger Prime summons the Winds of Watoomb from Earth-818, Earth-4559, Earth-93748, and Earth-199452 to decimate them. When the Granddaughters of King Thor ask why they should trust a Loki, he starts to explain only to feel the pain of the wound he got fighting the Council of Red. As more Doctor Doom variants show up, Avenger Prime gives a gift to the Multiversal Avengers by summoning more Avengers to help them.[133] When Doom Supreme turns the air inside Agamotto into acid, he is confronted by Avenger Prime as Namor shows up and knocks down Doom Supreme. While Namor states to Avenger Prime that he is not a true Avenger like him, they work together to fight Doom Supreme.[136] Avenger Prime fights Doom Supreme as Ant-Man of Earth-818 informs him about what a Celestial-sized Mephisto did to the Carol Corps' Omni-Carrier. Breaking off his fight with Doom Supreme, Avenger Prime proceeds to summon Ka-Zar who managed to bring along the Galactus of the time period that Iron Inquisitor sent him to. Additional reinforcements come in the form of Gorilla-Man, Ursa Major, and the Progenitor which has been modified with Deathlok technology as everyone makes one final push against Mephisto and Doom Supreme.[137] With the powers of the ancient Multiverse unleashed, Avenger Prime states that they must work to seal the breach. He proceeds to use the Deathlok-enhanced Progenitor to hold back the ancient Multiverse energies. After Ghost Rider sacrifices himself to seal the breach from the other side, Avenger Prime states that they must now decide on what to do with those whose worlds are lost. This led to an argument on if each of those worlds can be restored. Sometime later, Avenger Prime is still operating in the God Quarry with the Multiversal Avengers as he dispatches the Howling Commandos and the Carol Corps into doing reconnaissance works on the worlds that were restored to normal. With Avenger Prime in the presence of Ant-Man of Earth-818, Moon Knight of Earth-818, Vision of Earth-818, Wonder Man of Earth-818, Infinity Thing of Earth-818, Star Panther, and Thor of Earth-56377. As Ant-Man of Earth-818 states that Firehair and Star Brand went through a lot of trouble to reset the worlds, Avenger Prime states that they will never have to wait to long for "a day unlike any other" as he mentions that Ghost Rider is currently rebuilding his car in the "sea of darkness" so that he can take the long ride home.[138]