Vicky Greer
This article contains spoilers for Loki episode 3
This week marked an important moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The third episode of Loki, the latest Marvel series on Disney+, revealed that its titular character is bisexual, having had both male and female lovers. Loki is the first LGBTQ+ leading character in the franchise, 13 years after it began in 2008.
The new episode saw Loki working with Sylvie, who was recently introduced as one of many Loki Variants. After spending a lot of the episode trying to kill each other, he eventually starts to trust her more as they talk about their past, their family, and most crucially, their love life.
Sylvie: How about you? You’re a prince. Must’ve been would-be-princesses or perhaps, another prince.
Loki: A bit of both. I suspect the same as you
Loki, Episode 3: ‘Lamentis’
And there it is: the single moment of dialogue that became the representation that LGBTQ+ Marvel fans have been waiting for for over a decade. Where LGBTQ+ characters have barely been background characters in the past, we are now seeing bisexual representation in one of their most pivotal characters, who has been a part of the story since the antihero debuted ten years ago.
A history of vague representation
We’ve come close to having canon queer characters in the MCU before. Cut scenes from Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther are said to have referenced same-sex relationships for main characters Valkyrie, Okoye and Ayo but ultimately did not make it to the final cut of their respective films. The LGBTQ+ representation in Avengers: Endgame , which was presented as an important milestone for the franchise, later turned out to be an offhand comment from an unnamed character. Good intentions? Sure. Disappointing? Absolutely.
Fans also recently picked up on a reference to ‘tiger selfies’ on Tinder when Bucky talks about his failed experience on dating apps in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The reference to a trend in which people, primarily men, pose with tigers on their dating profiles was interpreted by fans as a sign that perhaps Bucky was exploring his sexuality, but showrunners have said that it wasn’t the intention of the scene.
Finally, though, it seems they have come through. Now, we have a main character who has spoken about his bisexuality.
Comics and mythology
The episode’s revelations are in line with the character of Loki, throughout mythology and comic books. In 2015’s Young Avengers #15, Loki says in conversation “my culture doesn’t really share your concept of sexual identity. There are sexual acts, and that’s it”. In Norse mythology, Loki is a shapeshifter, taking on both male and female forms, implying that he could also be considered genderfluid. The comic books frequently reference this, for example, when Odin refers to his children as ‘My son, my daughter, and my child who is both’, and more recently in the MCU in a Time Variance Authority file noted his sex as ‘fluid’. Director Kate Herron spoke about how important this representation was in the new TV series:
Fans react
Needless to say, reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. Fans took to social media on Wednesday to praise the cast and writing team for their work on the new series, noting that it was a relief to finally have explicit bisexual representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Others looked at the episode through a more critical lens, wishing for a more direct depiction of same-sex relationships instead of just a passing comment. Many would have preferred the terms ‘bisexual’ and ‘genderfluid’ to be used in the show, although showrunners have used these descriptions in reference to the character.
Hopefully, this is the first step in a more diverse representation of sexuality and gender in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios have previously mentioned that upcoming projects The Eternals and Thor: Love and Thunder are to feature LGBTQ+ characters in a more prominent way. As for Loki, it’s hard to say whether the show will further explore his sexuality; a lot could happen in the next three episodes. For now, long-time fans of the show will be celebrating the representation that they have been waiting for.
Loki is streaming now on Disney+
Featured image courtesy of Anton on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to the image.
Vicky Greer
Vicky is a freelance entertainment journalist and modern languages student from Northern Ireland. Her greatest love is alternative music in all its heavy forms, and spends more time at gigs than anywhere else.