Minute Seventy: From A Cold Stroll to An Icy Reception

Joining us to discuss Loki’s solo visit to King Laufey is Bryon Lockhart, host of the Marine Corps Movie Minute and Co-Host of the Marvel Events Timeline Podcasts.

In the seventieth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• It’s very difficult to figure out where we are here in Utgardhall. Has Jotunheim just continued crumbling to pieces? Because other than the tower, none of this really looks like something we’ve seen before.
• For instance, where’s the crevasse caused by Thor’s lightning?
• It’s possible the vast quantities of snow covering everything just make the landscape look different.

Loki is brought forward to speak with Laufey. Loki and Laufey talk.

• What did Loki say to get this audience in the throne room? Earlier, Laufey seemed fine addressing them from above with them below in the plaza.
• Laufey’s first words are “Kill him,” but no one moves. Is that a sign of Laufey losing control over his Jotuns?
• Why doesn’t Loki reveal his nature as a Jotun right away? As Laufey’s son?
• Is Laufey ineffective or is it that the Jotuns are so weak with the loss of the Casket?
• Do we get any sense from this conversation that Laufey was in on the Jotun invasion in Odin’s Vault?
• With the line “There are traitors in the house of Odin,” does that mean Laufey assumed it was Loki? Does he now Loki is the trickster god? Does he know other Asgardians are witches and can cast magic?
• We finally hear that the Jotuns in the Vault was all something Loki put together just for fun, “to ruin his brother’s big day.” Does that change any thoughts on what’s happened since?
• Loki plans to have Odin killed. Should Laufey be more wary of Loki’s plan, knowing he’s the trickster god?
• To that end, is there any surprise that essentially Loki is plotting killing both his real father, not Odin?
• Laufey did leave Loki to die as a child. Perhaps this is why Loki wants to kill him.
• But was Loki abandoned? Was he left somewhere during the war and Odin assumed he’d been abandoned?
• We feel it’s intentional that there’s not a clear emotional throughline for Loki in the film.
• Laufey may feel this is a trap, but he may recognize that this is his last chance, right?

We compare the script of this scene between Loki and Laufey.

• Wow, much more interesting. Loki reveals his origins to Laufey.
• Laufey also reveals that Loki was abandoned.
• It’s interesting hearing the plan put in place between Loki and Laufey, that it seems like they put a plot in place to get the Jotuns ruling the nine realms. This plays so much better and gives reason for Laufey to trust Loki! Why did they cut this back?
• Matthew prefers Loki remaining more obfuscated with his motivations, but Andy and Bryon really like this scripted bit.
• But is there something to Matthew’s point that it works better not having Loki ever acknowledge Laufey as his father?
• Or is it even more Shakespearean if Loki reveals his heritage then kills his father? That could’ve been quite powerful.

Why is Loki here? Will he reveal his heritage? And what have the frost giants been doing since we last saw them? We dig in with Bryon Lockheart today. Tune in!

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