Loki’s Take on Freedom
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has always been a love-hate situation for me. I for one, love that comic book or graphic novel stories are getting the justice of adaptions they deserve but I am also sick of how boring they feel. At some point, I talked to a group of mates saying: “Marvel will get boring and die”
But, not matter how I decided that its the end. The MCU has ways to just pull me back. So, I recently watched < Loki > which follows Loki Laufeyson (Duh), who recently suffered a humiliating defeat after the invasion of the Chitauri in New York City. We pick up during the events of < Endgame > where something seems to have interrupted the sequence of events that lead to Loki escaping but was caught on time by a group of people called the [Time Variance Authority (TVA)]
Following his arrest, he caught the attention of a certain agent who believes that his knowledge and behavior on manipulation and deceit, could help their cause. There is a lot of love to hate about Tom Hiddleston's portrayal of the Norse god of mischief. After watching all six episodes, I’ve decided to have a little chat.
- Time Travel Never Looked This Fun -
First of all, let’s cover how Marvel has handled time travel so far. They made it Fun! Upon watching and recounting Loki’s greatest hits in episode one, we learned that he was involved with various events that is significant to mortal history. From the fun fact that Loki is DB Cooper (No, its not a spoiler because its in the trailer) to being involved with Pompeii very briefly.
The show doesn't make time travel complicated. The rules are basically, if it happened. It can be rewritten or be branched out and the TVA’s duty is to prevent the spiral of these “unintended branches” from happening.
This is the strength of the series. With time travel in shows, its often times played for a what if scenario. [Insert show here] where the villain won and took over the world or a what if scenario in < Doctor Who > where the hero ceased to exist or that events altered to a dark path. One very popular version of this that comes to mind is < Kim Possible > where Shego managed to take over the world and a future Rufus was sent to seek the aid of past Kim to fix the timeline.
Since finishing the series, I’ve been told by several people that < Loki > is the best adaption of time traveling stories because even though the episode itself may feel like something has changed. The changes are never felt in their own respective timeline. Hence, it becomes a branch. As Loki’s new found friend says it;
Because Loki is also a rather narcissistic character. The TVA never ceases to show the various versions of the god of mischief under different circumstances. From a Hulked out Loki to President Loki, to Loki as a traditional 90s villain via [Richard E Grant]. Every Loki shows a different variant of events that transpired and no Loki is the same.
What the creators have done to time traveling stories is that they tear down the selling point of altering main events in MCU but rather, < Loki > strays away to its own insane branch that doesn’t affect the movies at all.
- Burdened with Glorious Purpose -
Since episode one, we’ve noticed the many trigger words that sets the tone of the show. Words like trust, purpose, lies, time (because of course) reason and words that could make philosophers lose their minds and theorise for hours but the word I’m looking for and noticed plays an important role overall is; Freedom.
When it comes to subjects of freedom. It often times falls under the notion that the characters are restricted or controlled in some way. A video essay from [Wisecrack] used the works of the prolific German author; [Franz Kafka] and dissected that like the characters in Kafka’s books. Loki is stuck in the infuriating bureaucracy system of the TVA for crimes that he has yet to understand but is doubtful of the intentions of the so-called [time keepers] The Bosses of the TVA.
In that process and for the sake of not spoiling. Loki uncovers a deep rooted, lie about the TVA and realizes that what he does as a being who is “Burdened with Glorious Purpose” to only be burdened with the harshness of his insignificance and of everything. In a sense, Loki has not only realized that he’s lied and hurt others, but he has also lied to himself thinking that he is bigger than others when in actuality, he is but an insect in the universe he is trapped in.
The show constantly hammers this idea that our freedom to decide is nothing more but a delusion made by the weak to feel better about themselves. Even after the discovery of the TVA’s conspiracy. Some of its agents still cling onto the idea and the intention of their agency to have some form of significance that is for a good purpose. With that said, the show breaks down every important moment of the MCU as nothing but an intended script authorized by the one who is in charge it is definitely not Loki. However, with the existence and explanation of the TVA. The show seems to suggest that we are entering Alternative Universe territory in future MCU movies to come.
In the end, when given the choice to finally be free from the shackles of the intended paths paved for him. Loki abandons that quest to be the hero or back to being the villain he once was but rather, accepts his role to the system and live it to his fullest. On the other hand, the other Loki’s didn’t take it as well.
- I Don’t Want The Throne -
So, what does this have to do with us fable mortals?
Well, it doesn’t take a time traveling police to know that in the grand scheme of things. Nothing matters. In real life, I’m in that stage of losing passion for being a creative because, with how soul crushing the system is made against us. Over a year of starting Tumblr, I’ve found a lot of like minded people who wishes to speak to the void with their passions.
My intention was to use this platform to develop an audience with the aspirations to be a creative of a different caliber. I never bother too much with the likes and reblogs because I was well aware that those are but small victories for bigger things to come but even that reward has dwindled over the last few posts I’ve made which, not going to lie. Really bummed me out.
Some say its called a [Creative Burnout] some called it a [harsh dose of reality] but personally, I think, as my late 20s rolls to the other side. I may have suffered an episode of [Existential Mid-life Crisis] For too long, I was highly praised and supported by family and friends that I can be the creative I wanted to be and be like the heroes I grew up with on social media. Later in life, I realized that the world still doesn’t understand creatives like us and even worst, they undervalue us with every chance they had.
At this point, I just can’t see myself doing anything else as a job aside from just, graphic design. I hated the fact that for all my rebellious nature of not wanting to end up in a cubical. I have hilariously ended up in a cubical made of cardboard and painted with bright colors. Even if I want to leave this cubical, Like Loki, I felt like there is nothing else for me in this Kafkaesque cycle.
We as a society have made a good enough maze among ourselves that no matter where we go, we still end up becoming the very cogs of society we vow to reject for the sake of our survival without even realizing it. What I’m trying to say is, for all its fantastical elements. < Loki > has showed us that even though we think we are free to chose and be what we want to be, the cogs will always exist to keep things turning with no way out. Its our choice to either break out into the great unknown or to accept the illusion and be free WITHIN it.
Thanks for Reading
- Caw4B -
