Loki: Which version of the character will we see in the Disney+ series?

Loki is one of a handful of main characters that have stuck around since the first phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hiddleston first portrayed the trickster god in Thor in 2011, before appearing in four more films. He has been beloved by fans since that very first appearance, so it’s exciting to see him get a series of his own on Disney+.

But who exactly is the titular character of the Loki series? He’s not the redeemed anti-hero that we saw in Thor Ragnarok or Avengers: Infinity War. He has yet to lose his parents or come to peace with his brother and his Frost Giant heritage.

This Loki of the new series comes from an earlier point in the timeline. When the Avengers traveled back in time to the Battle of New York in Avengers: Endgame, it was that Loki who absconded with the tesseract.

We’ll be seeing a Loki who has just tried and failed to take over Midgard, waged a battle in New York, and attempted to turn the Avengers against each other just after they were called together for the first time.

Which version of Loki can we expect to see in the new series?

The Loki that we’ll be seeing has been working with Thanos and the Other who promised to make him a king in exchange for securing the tesseract. Marvel’s official website has confirmed however that the scepter they gifted him was influencing him as well.

But the Loki that we know and love in the MCU has been through a lot of character development over the years that his series counterpart will be without. What are some of those highlights?

Losing His Mother

In Thor: The Dark World, Frigga was killed by a Dark Elf after Loki unknowingly gave him directions to her location. While he might have issues with his father, Loki’s always had a soft spot for his mother and her death weighed heavily on him.

Teaming Up with Thor to Take Down Malekith

Later in the same movie, Thor frees his brother from the prison that his father put him in post-Avengers. The two of them discover that they can work together well as they take down the leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith.

Losing His Father

While Loki’s relationship with his father Odin has always been complicated, in Thor Ragnarok, he was able to come to an understanding with him before his father passed.

Before his death, Odin told his son that Frigga would be proud of his magic and said, “I love you, my sons” to him and Thor.

This acceptance as a son of Odin, though he was adopted from the Frost Giants, arguably played a large role in his eventual turn from villainy.

Finding His Older Sister

In Thor Ragnarok, Loki discovers that he’s not the most dangerous of Odin’s children.

In fact, that title would belong to his older sister Hela. Once again, he and Thor must team up to try to prevent Ragnarok, the fated end of Asgard.

Doing “Get Help!”

Okay, was this really an important moment of character growth? Maybe not. But it was a great moment for audiences to see the more fun side of Loki’s relationship with his brother.

Especially because it comes after Thor telling him, “Loki, I thought the world of you.”

Coming to an Understanding with Thor

Towards the end of Thor Ragnarok, Thor and Loki finally find some peace in their tumultuous relationship and leave Asgard together to find a new home for their people post-Ragnarok. It seems like the beginning of a new era for the brothers.

Getting Killed by Thanos

And then Avengers: Infinity War came along and snatched that glimpse of a bright future for the brothers away. Getting killed by Thanos, the man he’d once worked for against the Avengers, while trying to protect his brother was proof that Loki is no longer the villain that he once was.

But all of that growth for Loki has been wiped clean as we’ll see him in the new series. The Loki we’re about to see still has two living parents, a difficult relationship with his brother, a chip on his shoulder about being a Frost Giant, and a hatred of the Avengers.

In some ways, this frees the trickster to have an entirely new character arc. Will he make the leap from villain to anti-hero once again? Will he learn how to put aside his tricks to help a greater cause? Will he learn to form a genuine bond with someone (maybe Owen Wilson’s Agent Mobius)?

What do you think will happen to Loki in the new series? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.