As one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Loki has been memorable on numerous planets across the galaxy. However, his actions on those planets and in those movies aren't always memorable in a positive way.
In time, though, Loki has shown himself to be more than a petulant problem child. His anger comes from a real place, and subsequent movie appearances have shed light on his complexity. But it was with Disney+'s Loki that audiences got to see who he is deep down, and he just may be a hero.
When Loki Is The Optimistic One
"I Assure You, Brother, The Sun Will Shine On Us Again."
One of Thor movies, Loki shows the most growth in Ragnarok. But it's his faceoff with Thanos that leads to his ultimate moment of heroism.
Of course, there's also a moment of doubt (at least on the part of the audience and Thor). But when he turns to his brother and says "I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again," everyone knows that Loki has, in fact, turned a corner.
When Thanos Chokes Loki To Death
"You... Will Never Be... A God."
Of the worst things to happen to Loki, his death certainly ranks towards the top. Thanos gets the upper hand and nearly breaks the egotistical tyrant in two.
But Thanos is the real tyrant, Loki was just pretending to be one to bolster his own self-worth. When he chokes out "You... will never be... a god," it's almost an ission of guilt. He sees a bit of himself in Thanos and knows that his pursuit of power is an exercise in futility.
When Loki Justifies His Past To Mobius
"I Don't Enjoy Hurting People. I Don't Enjoy It. I Do It Because I've Had To."
When Loki is forced to analyze and for his misdeeds, he doesn't like all that he sees. Sitting through a slideshow of unethical behavior, he becomes naturally defensive.
However, he's not yet at the point of accepting his actions, much less making amends. His denial, directed towards Mobius M. Mobius, comes in the form of stammered self-defense: "I don't enjoy hurting people. I don't enjoy it. I do it because I've had to." It's a poor rationalization for trying to take over Earth (among other things), but even just itting he didn't enjoy it in a clearly honest way is a step in the right direction.
When Loki Understands The World Is Gray
"No One Good Is Ever Truly Good, And No One Bad Is Ever Truly Bad."
Mobius' conversations with Loki are enlightening in more ways than one. Mobius is seemingly a boring bureaucrat, and he is that, but he's also being lied to. He thinks he and the TVA are on the side of good, but they're really just on the side of fabrication.
"No one good is ever truly good, and no one bad is ever truly bad" serves as foreshadowing just as much as it serves to indicate Loki's mentality at the time. But digging into it deeper reveals confusion, and later episodes would reveal a willingness to change.
When Loki Is Honest About His Past
"I Betrayed Everyone Who Ever Loved Me."
No MCU character reaches quite as many emotional revelations or alterations to their personality as Loki. He feels victimized and unloved, so he lashes out.
But Loki was always loved, and part of him knows that. But the audience would be forgiven for thinking he didn't prior to his eponymous series, so "I betrayed everyone who ever loved me" comes as one of his more shocking issions throughout the first six episodes. It shows that he's aware, and the concept of remorse doesn't dwell so deep within him after all, it's right at the surface.
When Loki And Sylvie Make A Good Team
"I Think We're Stronger Than We Realize."
Loki has always been a loner. It wasn't until the eponymous Disney+ series that he managed to even barely break that habitual way of life.
At first, it was begrudgingly. And learning the traits of his variant peers didn't help dissuade him from isolation. But Sylvie allowed him to look at himself objectively, and he came to the realization that camaraderie can be a good thing. "I think we're stronger than we realize" represents a shift in Loki's personality, as it's something he never would have vocalized in previous MCU appearances.
When Loki Is Self-Aware About His Nature
"Because You Can't Trust, And I Can't Be Trusted."
Loki is responsible not just for some of the MCU character's funniest quotes, but some of his saddest as well.
One of his variants, Sylvie, is the one to fully make Loki see the light within himself. Lady Loki is a mirror image of the one audiences have grown to know and love, which means she's susceptible to many of the same flaws. She can't trust anyone, so when Loki says "Because you can't trust...and I can't be trusted," he knows what he's talking about. It's also indicative of an increasing amount of self-awareness.
When Loki Finds Strength In His Grief
"Trust My Rage."
When Frigga, Queen of Asgard, is killed by Malekith in The Avengers, and complex in The Dark World.
Hey may have been openly resentful towards his adoptive parents, but it's clear that he did have room in his heart for his mother. This kind of internal turmoil makes for more interesting characters, and Loki is interesting. He's also got a good heart if he'd only show it.
