Was Someone Going To Tell Me Loki Was Genderfluid?

Or was I just supposed to find that out for myself??

So, as everyone knows, San Diego Comic Con just happened.

And the new Marvel cinematic and television universe additions were announced, much to every comic fan-person's excitement.

Amongst said announcements was Loki's very own series!

Naturally, the internet lost it's Odin-damned mind.

maskofanartist (Tumblr) / Via maskofanartist.tumblr.com

Rightfully so. Tom Hiddleston's performance as the Norse god of Mischief is pretty much universally praised.

The entirety of Hall H started chanting the god's name, for Asgard's sake.

lucianalight / Tumblr / Via lucianalight.tumblr.com

(Are my Norse-centric puns grating on you yet?)

And as with any expansion of a cinematic character into a series, people were curious.

How were they going to expand on the half-Jotun deity? Especially since, well...

The comics were doing hella legwork.

Comixology / Via comixology.com

No, seriously, have you seen the comics revolving around Loki lately? Because as far as I was concerned, the Marvel-ized version of the Norse God was a swoon-worthy, but cis-het, character. But oh, no, friends, I was wrong. And with this new announcement, the Internet was poised to inform me about the real intricacies of comic-Loki.

First of all, 'ya boy' ain't a boy.

WGN America / Giphy / Via giphy.com

Yes, really.

Loki's been known to shapeshift, that's nothing new (looking at YOU, Loki-as-Odin in Ragnarok). But obviously, the one one looks does not a gender-identity make. So just because Loki can shift into a female-presenting form, doesn't mean he identifies with that femme body, right?

Wrong!

(Note: from here-on-out I'll be using the gender-neutral "they" to refer to Loki, for the sake of uniformity).

Loki identifies as a "fair maiden" in Original Sin: Thor and Loki: The Tenth Realm.

Marvel Comics / Tor.com / Via tor.com

In this particular storyline, Loki infiltrates the femme-hierarchical system of Haven, presenting female bodied and going as the "Mistress of Strategies".

Which is cool and all, but what makes that different from any other time Loki's lied their way into a position of power?

Well, for one, it's that Loki refers to themselves as a 'maiden' in a private conversation with Thor. Not around officials. Not in front of an audience. In front of their brother, one-on-one.

Thor and everyone around Loki use feminine pronouns whilst they are in this feminine form. They accept Loki as "her", which implies that Loki very specifically told them to refer to them (her) as such.

(You can read more about Tor.com talking about this particular storyline here.)

There's also that period of time in Loki: Agent of Asgard where Loki identified as solely feminine and the "Goddess of Stories"

Marvel Comics / Twitter / Via Twitter: @timaeuststified

That's in issue 16. They identify using solely female pronouns for the storyline and also stay in this feminine form.

They also referred to both a masculine and feminine form as "me". So, there's that.

Marvel Comics / Via cdn.discordapp.com

"I can turn into myself, that's no problem. I can turn into anything as long as it's me."

Don't mind me, I'll just be over here. Fangirl-crying.

Also, they literally called themselves genderfluid in Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

Marvel Comics / Twitter / Via Twitter: @timaeuststified

You know, casually, as you do.

(This is from issue 27, by the way!)

Odin even refers to Loki as his "son and daughter".

Marvel Comics / Via themarysue.com

I mean... You don't really get more cut and dry than that, do you?

Yeah, it's referring strictly to flip-flopping between two sides of the supposed gender-binary, but hey. Odin is thousands upon thousands of years old (and Marvel's now owned by Disney), so it's a start.

(Also, hi, yes, if someone could point me to which specific issue of Agent of Asgard this is, that would be sweet!)

Oh, also, Loki's not straight, either. And it's writer confirmed!

Mackenzi Lee @themackenzilee

Here is what I can say: Loki is a canonically pansexual and gender fluid character. So. https://t.co/frNftnhNHa

09:44 PM - 07 Dec 2017

Writer for Loki: Agent of Asgard Al Ewing literally said: "[y]es, Loki is bi". And Loki: Where Mischief Lies writer Mackenzie Lee said that Loki is a "canonically pansexual" character.

Now, pansexuality and bisexuality can be two totally different things, but people also have considered pansexuality under the bisexual umbrella (wherein "bisexuality" is an umbrella term for having sexual attraction to more than one gender).

But either way, Loki's definitely queer in some capacity!

Which is rad, since apparently Asgardians don't abide by the typical "concept of sexual identity".

Marvel Comics / Via tor.com

This is from Young Avengers, which is even before Ewing or Lee started writing for Loki. So they've been hinting at their queerness for a hot minute.

So, hey, Marvel. I know that Loki is going to be picking up right after the first movie and all...

Giphy / Cheezburger / Via giphy.com

So, not the best time of their timeline...

But I think it'd be really rad to possibly explore these traits of Loki within their new series. Now, obviously we can't change Tom Hiddleston as Loki's more masculine persona; he's already entrenched in the character and Marvel lovers all accept his face as Loki's claim.

But perhaps Marvel can also cast a female or non-binary individual for when Loki presents as feminine? Heck, cast multiple actors for a more femme-looking Loki, an androgynous Loki -- the possibilities are endless!

And hey: Valkyrie is bi, Thor's gonna be female. I think it's time the God of Mischief gets their time to shine not only with new character development, but with their full, canon identity.

tomhiddles / Giphy / Tumblr / Via giphy.com

Especially because, in the comics, Loki is more open about their gender identity and sexuality the more "good" they become. this is a direct antithesis to how many (MANY) villains are queer-coded throughout history. (See Ursula in the Little Mermaid being inspired by drag queen Divine, for just one example).

So, how incredibly dope would it be to see Loki shift, over time, to be a better person whilst also accepting themselves as genderfluid and not-straight?

Now, if you need me, I'll be over here happily drowning in further queer research about comic book characters.

tomhiddles / Tumblr / Giphy / Via giphy.com