[Spoiler alert: This article contains mild spoilers for the third episode of Loki.]
The lack of LGBTQIA+ representation has always been a point of concern with characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) – even Deadpool’s canonical pansexuality in the comics have yet to be carried over to the silver screen – but that’s (hopefully) about to take a turn for the better.
Following the release of Loki‘s third episode on Disney+, series director Kate Herron confirmed on Twitter that the God of Mischief is canonically bisexual, making him the first openly bisexual character in the history of the MCU. This comes after earlier reports that he identifies as genderfluid, which was revealed in a promotional video before the show’s premiere.
In the episode “Lamentis”, the Tom Hiddleston-portrayed character makes his orientation known through a friendly exchange with Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), a variant of the titular trickster. On the topic of love, she asks Loki, “How about you? You’re a prince. Must have been would-be princesses. Or perhaps another prince.” The trickster responds, “A bit of both. I suspect the same as you. But nothing ever…” “Real,” Sylvie says, completing his sentence.
In fact, Di Martino herself later responded to Herron’s tweet, lauding the use of “beautiful lighting” that reflects the colours of the bisexual Pride flag: purple, pink, and royal blue.
The latest revelation has unsurprisingly incited mixed reactions from the crowd. While some are grateful with the LGBTQIA+ representation, others are not in favour of the characterisation (which honestly isn’t out of touch with Loki’s depiction in Norse mythology, who by the way, is pan/bisexual and genderfluid), highlighting a preference for a well-written story instead:
Moving forward, the MCU is expected to welcome more LGBTQIA+ representation, with Eternals star Haaz Sleiman announcing that the film will feature the franchise’s first same-sex kiss that happens between his character and Phastos (Bryan Tyree Henry).
The road to inclusivity is a long, slow one, but it’s nice to see that progress, however small, has been made on this front.
Loki will drop new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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