Gender Fluid Loki Matters
Al Ewing put a close to the amazing story arc started by Gillian for Loki. This amazing ending finally gave genderfluid people a character who was beyond the binary role they were placed at birth who came above it. Cut to only a few months later and Jason Aaron makes a terrible Loki design and writes Loki back as the wicked “man” that she had just escaped being. Now this Loki could not be the Loki that became goddess of stories escaping fate. This Loki could indeed be a new Loki created to fill the gap when 616 was remade. That said they sure do act like it is the Loki that had escaped their fate.
It’s like they are proud of the story but not of the results. With Loki 2016 announced, the Mighty Thor’s look at Loki, and Marvel’s editors constant refusal to address Loki as gender fluid. Now these could all come around and be good things but I just somehow doubt it (More so Marvel constantly needing to refer to Loki as different genders as different people). Loki’s story and evolution started from Kid Loki from Journey into Mystery is a powerful metaphor for what many genderfluid/non binary people experience in their lives. This metaphor made Loki a powerful force for the community if only they had know it existed. Loki Agent of Asgard works hard to remind people Loki is non binary although Marvel never really helped people be aware of these facts.
Many non binary people are told they must make a choice, they were born this way and must live out life as this way they were born. Loki’s journey is the attempt to escape this in metaphor while allowing Loki to also be gender fluid in actuality too. Were often give a metaphor for being trans like X-men but without any kind of character that actually represents the group. We had finally in agent of Asgard see Loki flip genders, we see real representation with a very distinct visual. We also had it made clear with Odin as well as Loki that this isn’t just flipping forms like a shapeshifter. Loki says it’s still them in whatever state and Odin says “My child who is neither my daughter nor my son.” to clearly state Loki is neither gender. This is a very important part of making a metaphor also treat the marginalized group well.
So when Loki makes their escape from the fate of being Evil Loki becoming the goddess of stories we see how Loki finally won. Loki had never really been fighting Thor, Odin, Asgard, but fate itself. We see as Loki overcomes their struggle with having to chose who they would be, when Loki decides I am the goddess of stories, that’s who I am not taking the choices they were dealt before it’s an insanely important moment. Loki making this happen is able to escape the end of reality, is able to save good and evil, is able to scare away the oldest gods, is able to defeat evil Loki. This freedom shines in a moment that made me go, “That’s me, this is my hero, this is the person I want to see more of.”
Loki is my hero because Loki represents more than just tricks, quips, Tom Hiddleston’s career, Marvel’s best baddie but Loki represents a community of people who have long been told they don’t have the right to exist. Loki much like the god in Norse mythology truly is only bad because the others want them to be that way. Loki as a person who has gone beyond that, who has gone beyond a binary morality, who has gone beyond a binary gender, that has gone beyond what we’re told. Loki gets to create their own story, Loki gets to give Loki the agency Loki needed. It’s stunning and wonderful and I feel like non binary people need this character. This is a character who deserves more books, this story arc matters, it’s the most interesting character I’ve ever had the pleasure to read and Loki is truly my hero. I can only hope one day my dream will come true.
Want more stuff like this check out #TransComicsMonth or check out my blog.
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