thorrs

#friendly reminder that this is actually Loki speaking

hxcfairy

The best bit of parenting Thor has ever got and it’s actually Loki.

foundlingmother

Thor chooses a life that flies in the face of every expectation Odin had of him. He refuses the throne. He means to live on Midgard with a mortal woman. That’s why this moment means everything to Thor. Odin expressed a vague sense of pride at the end of Thor. This is different because it’s specific. This is his father telling him that, despite any disapproval or disappointment he may feel, he sees Thor and he is proud of the man Thor’s become. Allowing a child to be their own person and make their own choices, and validating them when they do so, is good parenting (the real Odin would never). Thor needed that, on some level, even if he’d already made up his mind without it.

I don’t know when I think Thor learns this wasn’t Odin. He knows Loki disguised himself as Odin, but that doesn’t mean he knows the timeline. I headcanon the reveal comes after Odin’s death because I think that makes the loss of this that much more devastating for Thor, and I adore the angst.

Of course, Loki’s also a part of the conversation, and there are layers of meaning and motivation to explore here. A fair analysis of Loki acknowledges that, in this scene, he grants Thor everything Thor wants and more, in part because he loves Thor. He permits him to go live the life he’s chosen, and he gives Thor this heart-to-heart with Odin, saying the words he himself longed to hear from their father. These are not selfless acts because Loki benefits from Thor refusing the throne and leaving, but they’re not entirely selfish, and they’re definitely not villainous (unless one wants to argue that deceit is always villainous).

Peeling back a layer, I believe Loki is speaking from the heart. Loki ruined Thor’s coronation. He orchestrated a set of circumstances that revealed Thor’s faults. Loki meant to use Thor’s fall as a springboard for his rise (though he didn’t anticipate the specific situation he found himself in), but he intended for Thor to learn a lesson by being brought low. Thor in TDW isn’t perfect. There’s work to be done. However, Loki must be aware of the difference. Through multiple layers of obfuscation Loki can admit that he’s proud of the man Thor’s become.

lokihiddleston

“You, your lawless nature.”