If you are a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, things are about to heat up. Fans have not gotten anything new since Doctor Strange came out last November. But that is about to change. On May 5th, Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2 will be coming to theaters.
That is just the start of the fun for 2017 however. For the first time, Marvel Studios will be dropping three films in a single calendar year. So while I am super excited for Guardians, as well as Spider-Man: Homecoming, it is the MCU’s third film of the year I am most looking forward to. For those of you that are unaware, that film is Thor Ragnarok.
Before we get into the heart of this article, let’s just watch the films trailer. Because it is freakin awesome.
Ok, do I have your attention now? If you want to watch the trailer another time or ten, by all means, feel free. I know I have. But now it is time to get down to business.
There is going to be a lot going on in this film. Mjolnir gets blown up. Hela is hellbent on destroying Asgard. Thor gets banished to Sakaar and goes head to head with Hulk, gladiator style. Doctor Strange makes an appearance. So where exactly will Loki fit into the grand scheme of things?
Well, let’s start with what we do know. That is the fact that Loki was the one sitting on the thrown in Asgard the last time we were there. That was also the last time we saw the mischievous half-brother of Thor. The God of Thunder left not knowing this fact however, as the God of Mischief had disguised himself as Odin.
The next layer we add in is the fact that the last time we saw Thor (not counting the credit scene with the Sorceror Supreme), he was flying off to Asgard. At this time, he was still not aware of Loki’s presence on the throne. Keep all of this in mind as we continue on.
In the trailer, we are can spot Loki three times. Let’s run through these before piecing some things together.
First off, if you look close enough, you can see someone standing next to Thor when the energy blows him backward following the demolition of the mighty hammer. That person is very likely to be Loki. This scene appears to take place in a New York alleyway, and based on what we learned from Doctor Strange, Loki is in New York at the same time Thor visits.
The second time we see our favorite villain he appears to be on Sakaar. He is flipping his daggers while wearing an iconic helmet. It are the characters in the background that signal this scene will take place on the planet that is home to the gladiator battles.
This makes sense, since the next time we see him he is most certainly on the planet. After the true son of Odin shouts in excitement after seeing Hulk as his opponent, we get a look at a long couch. On one side, The Grandmaster looks puzzled. On the other, a concerned looking Loki.
When piecing all of the clues together, I feel like I have an inkling of where Loki may play into this movie. And it all starts with him back on the throne following the events of Thor: The Dark World.
Since he is in charge, he can do whatever he wants. As a result, he could very well set some prisoners free. One of those prisoners will turn out to be Hela. Immediately, Hela will set out to destroy Asgard. This will be because it was Odin who had her put away. Hence, she will be out for revenge.
Loki will immediately see the threat to his power. As a result, he will head to New York. That will be because that is where he banished Odin. And he realizes Odin is likely the only one who can take down the powerful villain.
During all of this time, Thor will have ventured to Asgard. He will have realized what Loki has been up to, as well as see Hela’s initial destruction. He will then chase Loki to New York, as he too would like to find Odin. This is where he will come across Doctor Strange.
I do not think his appearance will be more than a glorified cameo. He will help the step-brothers find Odin and be on his way. Upon finding Odin, they will have a scene in which the Thor and Loki explain the situation to him. He will reveal his secret to defeating Hela. The key will be that it will be Thor, and only Thor, who will be able to take her down. Before he can fully explain, something happens: Hela shows up.
This is where we will see Mjolnir get blown to smithereens. This is also where Odin meets his maker. Hela will kill the true king of Asgard before banishing Thor to Sakaar. Loki will manage to escape.
So from this point on, Loki now knows he needs Thor in order to defeat Hela. And the real reason he wants to defeat her is because he wants to get back to ruling Asgard. This will put the character who tends to play a baddie on the side of the good guys, in a sense.
He will set out on a mission to rescue Thor from Sakaar and bring him back to Asgard in order to defeat the big bad. The scene where he is flipping his daggers will come when he arrives on the planet. He will not be greeted with open arms, but instead, must fight his way to the coliseum.
Here is where he will come across The Grandmaster.He will bargain with the Elder. They will agree to a deal in which Thor is free to go if he wins his next battle. But if he loses, Loki needs to step in and go against the Hemsworth Brother.
After the Hulk and Thor fight to a draw, The Grandmaster is not willing to let anyone go. So it will be Loki, Thor, Hulk and Valkyrie that team up to escape. They will continue on to Asgard where they will all team up to take down Hela.
So when all is said and done, I see this film as Loki’s transition from true baddie to a bit more of a middle man. He will still have his agenda. But he will be a key person in saving Thor from Sakaar.
What role do you see Loki playing in the third film in the franchise? Tell us in the comments!