Marvel Theoriser And Headcanoner

In the Netflix series Marvel’s The Defenders season 1 episode 7 around 7:30 Matt puts on his glasses after they’ve been cracked because of an attack.

(Sorry for the poor quality, picture from 7:56) but you can see what you need to. The crack in his glasses is in the shape of a sideways cross. At first I thought this might’ve been a coincidence but then I realised that this is Marvel we’re talking about here. They don’t do coincidences. I think this is foreshadowing.

We already know that Matt is very religious that’s like a defining part of his character

His Catholicism drives a lot of things about him as Daredevil like his name for instance which is both irony because of how devout he is and insight into his character because he at least partly believes he’s some incarnation of the devil

The colour red is really important: it’s the most prominent colour in his church, the colour of his suit, of his dad’s wrestling outfit, and of his glasses if you look hard. In general red symbolises anger, violence, and evil. It also represents blood a lot.

In the picture if you look you’ll notice the red hue is more noticeable in the glass that’s cracked. That places those emelemts of what red symbolises into the plane of that one glass as a symbolic realm.

Now onto the crack itself: it’s in the shape of a cross, yes, but one tilted on its side.

While a cross itself is meant to be good and holy, an upside down cross is a sign of evil and the devil (kind of like red but more cursed)

An upside down cross is meant to install the same fear as a pale child with long black hair crawling towards you with unnaturally fast flailing movements while shrieking and chanting backwards in Latin at 3 am

Matt’s cross isn’t upside down but it’s on its way. It’s tilted more down that up.

That combined with the more prominent colour of red in the background foreshadows Matt’s turn to the more evil side of things either in a potential second season of The Defenders or in Daredevil S3

Just looking at the Daredevil S3 trailer seems to confirm this with the narrative following his thought process of “you can only defeat darkness with darkness” to some extent (not a direct quote) and the imagery suggesting loss of innocence in exchange for darkness

(If you want a more in depth analysis of the preliminary and Netflix trailers I can do that)

(POTENTIAL DAREDEVIL SEASON 3 SPOILER) The official Netflix trailer for S3 gives a different idea that Matt thought about turning to evil, decided against it, and someone else dressed as Daredevil enacted the evil that Matt had been considering

It’s also kind of significant that the GLASSES crack and not anything else since the glasses are a hallmark of Matt Murdock and not Daredevil. Matt may be considering doing some questionable things but as long as the glasses remain on Matt, Daredevil shouldn’t act on them.

Basically we all know Tony Stark and Robert Downey Jr are beautiful gods. I was doing some googles to get *inspired* for some theories as one does and I was honestly kind of shocked to find out that rdj is 53??? He doesn’t look in his 50’s to me especially considering everything he’s been through in his life.

So then I was considering the similarities between Tony and Rdj in general and I was like. What if I take this age shock and investigate it?

So I give you a frankly UNGODLY amount of research to support that our favourite genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist is a lot older than he looks:

Tony Stark first appears as Iron Man in a comic published in 1963. Unlike most comic stories where time in history isn't an issue, making for them to be replicable in the MCU in 'modern day' whenever that happened to be, Tony is tied to a stationary point in history due to Howard's link with Captain America. WWII is an unmoving point in real time and marvel time (comic and cinematic universes). Howard is an adult in 1944 when he works with Steve, Steve becomes a Capsicle, Tony is born, and then many unspecified years later after a ton of other events, Iron Man is born and the events of the MCU proceed.

Howard in The First Avenger seems to be in his 20's or early 30's, which with other dates given for points would mean that he was in his 50's when he had Tony. That isn't super probable. If you shift Howard's age back about twenty years from the point of assumption that he had Tony in his 50's, you get his 30's, which is a lot more reasonable. That also would make Tony about twenty years older, in his 70's if we’re going off rdj’s irl age in his 50’s. I placed his birth year in 1946, making him 71 because two years after Cap 'dying' seemed like a fair amount of time for Howard's life to get settled and for him to have a kid.

Do you think Loki’s homicidal urges stem from suicidal ones cuz I definitely do

Dropping off the Bifrost in Thor 1 was absolutely a suicide attempt this is fact he definitely thought he was gonna die and after finding out what a hated monster he was he really wanted to

Then the chitauri give him the option to do something dangerous (invade earth and take it over with the chitauri) or be tortured “he will make you wish for something as sweet as pain” something like that. So he wants to die not live and feel even more pain than what emotional trauma he’s already dealing with so fuck it why not slaughter everyone? These guys just gave him a motive PLUS it’s dangerous? And he plans to die anyway so that makes for no lasting physical or moral repercussions.

But then he doesn’t die he just gets locked up.

And then somewhere between A1 and Thor tdw that ‘I don’t care who or what I kill as long as it includes myself’ turns into ‘well I’m obviously not gonna die so I might as well just kill other people’ hence converting suicidal to homicidal actions

Until Odin dies in Ragnarok which I believe is the turning point for him. When Odin says “I love you my sons” and Loki gives that look of ‘you just called me your son even though we both know I’m a monster and you told me you love me in the same sentence as Thor this including him and making us equals and that is all I ever wanted’ And then his attitude changes.

He’s still a conniving little shit cuz thats just his personality but from Ragnarok on I really think he doesn’t want to die or kill anyone he doesn’t have to (cuz not killing ANYONE is not an option in superhero movies everyone does it) so by infinity war when he seems to suicidally fling himself and a fucking butter knife at Thanos it’s not entirely out of character because it represents suicidal urges, but it must be taken into account that he feels a lot better mentally now and isn’t a dumb fuck. He doesn’t want to die for once so why wouldn’t he at least TRY not to die?

I didn’t mean for it to take this turn but I suppose this is somewhat evidencing the fact that Loki is still alive.

It’s theory time let’s go let me know if you think it adds up:

So briefly some background cuz it happens in comics from the 70’s and ain’t nobody got time for that— Loki has Sigyn’s husband-to-be killed and then disguises himself as the now dead fiancée and goes through with the wedding before revealing himself as Loki after the ceremony is finished. Odin is mad af but Sigyn is like actually he’s my husband so I’m duty-bound to him now. Odin is like “damn you’re really gonna put up with Loki? Props to you.” Then he makes her the goddess of fidelity. Likely as per mythology but I’m focusing just on Marvel.

So anyway Sigyn sticks by Loki’s side throughout the comics but suddenly disappears after the Ragnarok event in Thor II. We assume she died.

So bringing that over to the MCU...

Ragnarok happens obviously there’s a whole movie on it but Sigyn is never mentioned or shown in the movies. Possibly because the movies always follow Thor and not Loki. And I know the movies are hardly detail for detail to the comics and I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t have another piece of evidence but I’m gonna make the claim that Sigyn dies in Ragnarok the movie like we can assume she died in the comics.

This isn’t the ‘another piece of evidence’ I mentioned before but take a look: Loki gets significantly softer in general after the Ragnarok event. He’s on the ship with every last Asgardian and has probably seen that Sigyn isn’t there. He doesn’t outwardly grieve because he’s Loki but the sadness does soften him up enough that we get that ‘I’m here’ scene with Thor and a little smile.

Now here’s my evidence that in the MCU Loki and Sigyn were married and she did die in Ragnarok however circumstantial it might be. Anyway. Loki specifically uses the word fidelity when talking to Thanos and I know that’s just a fancy word and Asgardians talk fancy but still if all of The Hounds Of Baskerville (Sherlock) can be based off of the fact that this guy said hound instead of dog or wolf or something then I can use this wording as solid evidence. Especially since Loki is known to choose his words carefully and deliberately. He emphasises “undying fidelity” both as a signal to Thor than he doesn’t plan on dying right then and for himself in memory of Sigyn, the goddess of fidelity, who had died no more than an hour previous.

Loki: *without gen z humour, genuinely suicidal* me too

Tony: nO PETER NO Jarvis put him on suicide watch immediately SON COME ILL GIVE YOU HUGS AND LOVE AND MONEY LOTS OF MONEY BUT MOSTLY LOVE

Bucky: oh uh are you okay? I mean I see the appeal of death but.. are you okay?

What people think of Loki: evil villain, trickster, never to be trusted, just wants to kill and rule the world

What Loki thinks of Loki: darkness, fear my wrath, but I’m not as bad as you think, I just want equality and acceptance but I’ll do what I have to to get that, I’m not afraid of you

-Notice that you’ve never actually seen Loki eat

-It’s because he sees eating in front of someone as a show of weakness or mortality and it makes him vulnerable since he’s preoccupied with his food instead of brooding and plotting

-He’s already been made to feel weak and powerless so he can’t risk any more of that and he refuses to eat in front of the Avengers

-Not that they even invite him to eat.  He’s always just standing lurking in corners menacingly in his outfit watching them so they assume they should just leave him there and be thankful that he’s not doing anything more than looking creepy.

-They don’t even think about him having to eat it’s not something they imagine a super villain would need to do which is exactly how Loki wants to keep it

-But he does actually need food

-At first he plans to sneak something while everyone is asleep but he was not planning on having a live guard staring him down 24/7 so he doesn’t really get a chance

-He gets very hungry after the first four days and lurks a little further away cuz his stomach is rumbling and they can’t know that he experiences such a weakness as hunger

-He doesn’t dehydrate as fast as Midgardians and despite not having his powers he is still a frost giant (don’t ask me why he doesn’t dehydrate it’s just a thing)

-He sleeps but only as a power move to show that he isn’t afraid to be left exposed even though he actually is, and only every other night so they still think him some divine being.

-A week and a half passes and Loki ceases his pacing and corner-standing only because he’s getting too weak to keep it up.  He finds the most menacing position he can and sits in the darkest corner he can find.

-The Avengers are more or less used to Loki’s presence as disturbing as it is.

-They’ve given up on trying to talk to him since he either doesn’t respond just glares, or gives some unhelpful and spiteful response.  Both of which are warranted since he’s basically in prison.

-Two weeks have passed and Loki 1. gets very bored 2. gets very very hungry.  His vision is blurred at the best of times and spinning full of black dots at the worst.  He tries to entertain himself with thought but finds his mind slowed.  It’s difficult to stop himself from physically shaking.

-No one even notices 

-Three weeks and they start to notice.  They assume he’s attempting magic but isn’t able to do it.  Now when they speak to him instead of intentionally ignoring them he seems not to even register what they say.

-A month and he’s certainly lucky that he isn’t human.  He hasn’t gotten any better and now looks visibly thinner.  Honestly, Thor starts to worry.  He tries to talk to Loki to ask him if he’s okay or needs anything and Loki spits an “I’m fine” into his face which is more of a response than he’s given for a while.

-Really Loki is rather disgusted that his brother would ask what was wrong because he knows better than the humans about Jotun and what Loki needs but apparently doesn’t care enough to notice.

-At a month and a half Thor’s concern spreads surprisingly to Tony.  Tony dismisses his own fears since it’s Loki they’re talking about.  Thor isn’t too happy about this.

-Two months and all of the Avengers agree that something is up.  They assume he’s plotting an escape.

-Reality is far from that; he’s just trying to figure out how to stay alive without damaging his reputation.  He decides that dying of starvation just because he didn’t ask for a sandwich was worse than asking for a sandwich.

-Still the situation isn’t that dire to him yet.

-Or it isn’t until Thor is chosen to shake Loki up a bit (literally) to get him to talk.  Thor starts by lifting Loki up by the shoulders so he’s standing which isn’t even the shaking up part but it’s too much to Loki at this point.

-As soon as he’s upright Loki’s vision goes completely black and his body flops unconscious.

-Thor think’s it’s a trick so he drops Loki to try to get him to stand up but Loki is completely unconscious and just drops to the floor.  Thor tries to pull Loki back up or convince him to get up but he soon realizes that Loki is not faking.

-He calls everyone in and Bruce gives him a short once over

-”Um, Thor?  Has Loki always been this thin?”

-Thor is pretty sure that Loki was not this thin when they took him in.

-Another realization from this “Has anyone ever seen Loki eat...?”

-They immediately know what’s wrong.  Thor feels like a damn idiot which isn’t entirely untrue in this particular case since he just didn’t pay attention.

-Bruce makes sure that Loki is okay other than extreme malnutrition and carries him to the room they actually made up for him before they saw that he just wanted to be a creepy bastard 

-Loki eventually wakes up and everyone decided it would be best if Thor was the one to talk to him.  Thor also offers Loki a peanut butter sandwich as soon as he wakes but Loki takes it and puts it at his feet.  He’s ashamed to be seen in a bed as ridiculous as that sounds but even more so at the idea that someone had had to carry him here.

-Thor explains that Loki passed out and that everyone knows he’s not eating but don’t know why.  Thor honestly assumes it’s his escape plan; a suicide attempt.

-”I just... don’t want to look weak.”

-Thor laughs and Loki is more embarrassed than anything

-”Brother, you are weaker now than you have ever been for your lack of nutrients.  Now eat.”

-Loki does and Thor makes sure he finishes it.

-Thor tells Loki how they had the room ready for him (sounds to Loki like a prepped cell) and didn’t expect him especially without his magic to be superhuman.  And Thor reminds him that neither of them are human anyway but all beings even gods have basic needs.

-Loki takes a few hours to get the hell over himself which is record time.  Thor explains to the others who all think Loki must really be more insane than they thought to do something like that.

-Loki comes the next day for breakfast and assumes that the reason no one remarks on this is because Thor asked them not to and he’s grateful 

-He’s still weak but less shaky and dizzy so that’s good

Loki can canonically ‘lift’ (or do something akin to lifting to) up to 50 tons and press about 30. The greatest feats of strength seen by Thor can be analysed to have been ‘lifting’ not even 2 tons.

So consider this hc:

After getting bored of trying to figure out how to pick up Mjolnir Tony decides to challenge Thor to an arm wrestling match that only ends up lasting a second at most. Almost two seconds when his arm is in iron man mode.

Unfortunately he’s started a trend.

Steve tries Thor next and at the very beginning it looks like this short game might be over but then Thor crushes him and the table breaks a little bit.

Natasha tries just for fun but strength isn’t really her thing. Thor doesn’t try too hard on her cuz that would hurt but she loses immediately.

Peter tries just for fun cuz he can pick up Mjolnir maybe he’ll be able to beat Thor? No not at all that’s not how that works he gets squashed like a spider.

Loki sits and watches passively but Thor invites him to come try.

“You know brute strength is not my area of expertise, brother.”

“Still, you are not one to back away from a challenge.”

Thor is right Loki’s gonna take that challenge and he knows he’s gonna win and hurt Thor’s ego but that’s Thor’s problem now.

Loki slides into the chair opposite Thor casually and holds his arm up somehow looking like he’s holding a champagne glass instead of about to fight Thor.

“You might surprise yourself and make a worthy opponent, as neither of us are of Midgard like my previous competitors.”

Loki doesn’t say anything but Thor takes his hand and they’re evenly matched for a few seconds (which is Loki basically taunting Thor) until Loki slams Thor’s hand down. The table falls apart.

Loki didn’t put all of his effort in but a lot to be fair.

His face would’ve been a little pink had he not put up a guise to hide that.

“You forget, brother, that despite what we call each other I am not of Midgard or Asgard, and those of Jotunheim are stronger than both combined.”

Loki: I named one after you

Thor: aww which one

Loki: Dummy

Loki: he’s a stupid idiot just like you

Thor: did you name one after yourself

Loki: yes

Loki: her name is Deeply Wounded Due To Centuries Of Neglect And Emotional Trauma

Thor:

Loki: Anger for short

Thor: