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Sibling rivalry in myth, legend, and literature is another archetypal theme. Rivalry of any sort presents the climatic point of dramatic structures. From movies to writing, most story lines contain nemeses. Batman has the Joker, Captain America has Red Skull, Hamlet has uncle Claudius, and God has Satan. Most of these conflicts are over good versus evil. Sibling rivalry, on the other hand, includes basic elements that distinguish it from other forms of feud. The biblical story of Abel and Cain is the epitome of the archetypal theme of sibling rivalry. Kenneth Branagh recasts the myth of Abel and Cain in his feature film, Thor. In the movie, Loki and Thor are brothers in competition for the love of their father, Odin. A closer look into the biblical story and movie blockbusterillustrates elements key to the archetype of sibling rivalry.

The concept of sibling rivalry derives from psychotherapist Alfred Adler. In The Birth Order Factor, Lucille K. Forer and Henry Still discuss Adler’s ideas on individual psychology. Adler states, “The position in the family leaves an indelible stamp upon the style of life. Every difficulty of development is caused by rivalry and lack of cooperation in the family” (Forer & Still, 6). Alfred believes parents treat their children differently according to birth rank. In turn, this greatly affects a child’s personality. His research on birth order shows firstborn children tend to be aggressive, jealous, serious, and competitive. Such qualities fit the characterization of Loki and Cain. Loki’s lack of interaction with his family shows how reserved he is. Rather than the social persona Thor is, Loki lurks in the shadows. Moreover, his vicious nature manifests when he wreaks havoc on planet Earth. As for Cain’s character, the Bible does not offer much description. Chapter four of Genesis mentions one trait of him. A verse states “Cain was very angry” (Genesis 4.5). The degree of his anger highlights Cain’s negative personality. Unable to control himself, Cain expresses his rage through aggressive behavior. Genesis 4:8 demonstrates his temper through the words “Cain rose up against his brother Abel.” Ultimately, Cain kills his brother. Thus, Cain and Loki’s violent nature prove they are the ‘bad child.’

The sibling rivalry archetype not only includes a ‘bad child,’ but also a ‘good child.’ The duality of this relationship explains why Cain and Loki do not get along with their brothers. Abel is a “keeper of sheep,” a position of less prestige than Cain’s role of “tiller of the ground” (Genesis 4.2). Despite Abel’s less prominent role, this does not prevent him from presenting the best offering to God. Contrary to Cain’s sacrifice, the Bible mentions Abel “brought the firstlings of his flock” (Genesis 4.4). In doing so, Abel’s action implies humility. Likewise, Thor is the direct opposite of Loki. Thor strives to serve his father to his fullest potential. He never puts his personal interests above others. His servility identifies him as the ‘good child.’ The duality of the good child/bad child is one of the basic elements of the archetypal theme of sibling rivalry.

The root of the conflict between siblings is parental favoritism. When Cain and Abel give their gifts to God, “the Lord has regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he has no regard” (Genesis 4.4-5). Although Adam is the genetic father of both brothers, God is the fundamental paternal figure. The phrase “in the course of time” indicates that Adam and his family regularly gave God offerings (Genesis 4.3). Jeffrey Carter in Understanding Religious Sacrifice states religious offerings are a form of worship. Hence, these public acts emphasize God’s supremacy over Adam. God is the rightful father figure and as such he deserves the best from all his children. For this reason, the Lord favors Abel over Cain due to the discrepancy in the value of their offerings. In the movie Thor, parental favoritism also exists. Odin’s decision in naming Thor heir to the throne (despite Loki being the firstborn) shows he is preferred over his brother. Odin never throws festivities in Loki’s name. He is cast aside and forgotten. The movie clip above depicts Loki’s disdain for his father’s preference of Thor. The parental favoritism in part of God and Odin show this is the cause of sibling rivalry.

Corollary to parental favoritism is the need for approval. Cain’s anger toward Abel highlights his need for God’s approval (Genesis 4.5). Instead of calming down, Cain allows his jealous rage to escalate. Adler explains this jealousy comes from the firstborn’s need to regain praise from the father figure (Forer and Still, 15). The birth of another sibling threatens the oldest child. According to this perspective, Cain views Abel as a competitor. God’s preference over Abel merely sparks Cain’s anger. Unfortunately, he sees the elimination of Abel as the only solution. This same need for approval is present in Thor. When Loki tells his father “I could have done it for you, for all of us,” he shows his desperate need for fatherly love (Branagh, Thor). He is willing to take any measure necessary so that Odin views him the way he does with Thor. In both the biblical story and movie hit, the need for approval results in catastrophic consequences.

80s Aerobics video to the tune of Rob Zombie's Dragula.