#Surtur is coming

[vertigoartgore]

2021's Beta Ray Bill Vol.1 #4 pages 16-17 by Daniel Warren Johnson (script and art) & Mike Spicer (colors). Source

[delaber]

Firestarter (Loki x Reader)

Summary: After having been granted safe passage to the Avengers’ head quarters, Loki’s delighted to learn that he can pass the time by toying with the hate of the newest recruit.

Tropes: Enemies to lovers.

Words: 4.2K

Warnings: smut, mentions of battle injuries

Find part 2 here

They would all be fools to trust him. They know it. Loki knows it. Hell, even the specs of dust floating around know it!

The only one that seems eager to patch up the growing rift between the opposite sides of the room is the meathead of his brother who is blabbering away, trying hard to ignore the cold air coming from the other Avengers.

He's persistent, you'd have to give him that. They must really love Thor to grant Loki safe passage in their home like this.

- The stab of a thought hits Loki straight in the chest. Sticks to his ribs as he contemplates the sharp hate radiating off of the cotton-clad team opposite him. They don't look the least bit threatening in their oversized casual wear, but they've still granted his brother the upper hand so graciously, and for the first time in a while, he feels the balancing scales tip. It was easier when it was just the three idiots Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg who were fawning over his brother - Sif on occasion too, though Loki had had her in multiple ways Thor could never even wrap his pea-sized brain around.

The thought alone makes the tar on his ribs slowly drip away.

He must've drifted off, lost in thought of Sif with her bare ass in the air because the next thing he registers is Thor's meaty hand between his shoulder blades. "You all know my brother..." he chuckles awkwardly and pushes Loki forwards. Adds his name for clarification when nobody answers. Idiot.

The room's almost dead-silent. Stark scoffs theatrically loud and that Barton fellow turns a lovely shade of plum as he immediately races out of the room without uttering a single word - not that Loki can really blame him; he's killed for less.

Even the newbies on the team are staring daggers at him, though Loki doubts he's ever met any of them before; Captain Rogers' brooding siamese twin, the beefed up action figure beside him and that... woman - the pretty one - her eyes ablaze with a certain kind of hatred that he can physically feel down his spine as she scowls in his direction.

Loki cocks an eyebrow, amused that his reputation precedes him so much that her hate is tangible, and she huffs and pushes through the crowd while the one with the metal arm - the siamese twin - grabs her shoulder to prevent her from stepping too close. It only angers her even more and she shakes off the vibranium hand but stands her ground with her head lifted in cool arrogance, her eyes never wavering from Loki's.

Oh, she really hates him!

The look on her face reminds him of the tales he's heard of Muspelheim. Of Surtur and flames shining brighter than the sun; all of Asgard burning while the glass of the shattered rainbow bridge glistens in the flames and sticks to his skin, covers his hair. With her, there's fire in the air. He feels it immediately and it draws him in.

***

He spends his days in the shadows, observes the dynamics of the Avengers, gathers information in case he has to do something... drastic. He's not exactly planning on betraying the trust his brother's placed in him, but it's never unwise to have a plan to overthrow the Avengers - just in case. So he learns what he can from afar; their likes, their dislikes, their routines. But mostly, Loki just observes her.

She really loathes him which only makes it all the more fun. She storms off whenever he comes close. Flares her nostrils, squares her jaw, stamps away like a petulant child - and he must admit that he does love it! He enjoys having her wrapped around his little finger, that his mere presence can pull such a sincere reaction out of her. It makes the seidr in his veins feel electric; like pure voltage in the palm of his hand as it begs him to show off - show her - what he can do with it. He wonders if this is what Thor feels like when his eyes turn bone-white and arctic blue with lightening.

"I wish you would stop with that."

Loki glances towards his brother, tries to look as bored as possible as if he really doesn't know what he's talking about. "Stop with what?"

Thor gives out a long sigh and Loki is reminded of the first time Thor was disappointed with him; even though it's almost a thousand years ago, he can still smell the sweetness of the stolen tarts he'd hidden underneath his pillowcase and the empty hole in his chest where he knew he should be feeling shame but didn't.

"You know what I mean... It's not nice."

"In case you haven't noticed; I don't care about being nice."

"You're taunting her."

"She's an easy target," Loki hums with remnants of a chuckle, places his hands on the back of his head as he looks over at her. Even as she does something as mundane as drinking her morning coffee, she keeps a wary eye on him. It's entertaining. "You really can't blame me."

"It's not as if she's dangling bait, brother. You hurt her."

"I hurt her?!" Loki snaps, offended, "- when?"

"You really haven't realised?"

"Realised what?"

Another sigh. "Can't you tell she's from New York?"

Loki stops replying after that. Settles on picking an imaginary crumb from off his chest; thin crusted and rhubarb filling. He avoids Thor's gaze. He doesn't feel empty now and they both know it.

***

He'd come running through the compound with the rest of them as soon as the strangled war cry had met his ears.

Half-hiding behind one of the huge stone columns, he takes her in; she's covered in blood from head to toe, panting harshly as she stands in the middle of the hall, daggers still clutched tightly in both hands as her friends surround her. She looks fiery, evil, war ready - like the Valkyries from back home with their spears and their feminine hands skilfully wringing death out of anyone who crosses Asgard.

There had been a time where Loki had been afraid of them, and then, as he grew a little older, completely mesmerised by their raw beauty and the smell of battle as they rode towards the Royal Palace to report back to Odin and his ravens. He remembers standing in the hallowed halls of Valaskjalf with Huginn and Muninn circling above him as the Valkyries take off their helmets and look towards his brother. What he wouldn't have given to have one of them stab him, let alone notice him. Five hundred years later and it still hurts...

Steve Rogers is standing right by her side, not covered in as much blood as she is but still looking relieved to be back home. He sends a nod in Stark's direction and throws an electronic device across the room with a defeated sigh. It doesn't take a genius to see that even though the mission went well, they'd been ambushed.

Rogers takes a step closer to her, puts his arm around her shoulders as to hug her, and for the first time since they appeared in the entrance hall, she howls in pain, collapses on the floor and wrings her face in the most horrible way.

Loki notices the hole in her suit first. Sees how the red comes in pulses and flows down over her shoulder and chest. She's been stabbed, and by the looks of the dark red tissue in the gap, it's deep.

Steve Rogers yelps in shock, throws himself down on the ground beside her and instantly starts pressurising the wound with his bruised hands while his two companions are by her side immediately, ready to scoop her up in their arms and carry her to safety.

Loki takes in the scene unfolding before him; the three frantic men, the spurting blood, her panicked face as she cries. Swears he can hear Hel whisper her name.

"Leave her," he suddenly hears his own voice booming through the echoing hall and it drowns out the whisper.

They all stop dead in their tracks. Look around for him.

He's not sure exactly where all of this is coming from; he really couldn't care less if she died, but he finds himself stepping around the column, and he comes out with his arms raised as if surrendering. "She's gonna bleed out before you reach a doctor."

Action figure-man is on his feet almost immediately: "And what do you suggest?," he hisses angrily, "that we leave her be? Let her die here on the floor without even trying?"

Loki raises his arms a little higher and takes another careful step towards them. "I can help."

"You can help? And why should we trust you?"

"First of all, you shouldn't," he states as he simply cannot help himself. "- But it's your only chance of saving your friend."

"You're not serious!" Tin-man hisses and looks towards Loki while helping Steve Rogers putting pressure on the gaping wound, "as if we're supposed to believe you suddenly care."

Loki wants to bite back but a painful sound from her makes him hold his tongue.

"- We're not gambling with her life!"

"Are you sure?" Loki retorts and it finally makes Captain Rogers look up. "- Because it looks to me as if you are."

Loki cannot see Thor who's standing behind him, but he imagines the slow nod of approval he gives the Steve Rogers trio, because suddenly the Captain gives out a heavy sigh, his eyes downcast. "Alright then," he says in defeat and waves Loki closer while clutching her tight.

"Steve!" Tin-man appeals but his best friend has made up his mind.

All eyes turn to Loki.

He's surprised to learn that he doesn't enjoy it as much as he'd imagined he would. He supposes it's because the main difference between him and his brother has once again been underlined so cruelly.

"If you try anything," action figure man warns and Loki bites back: "What? You'll kill me? As if I haven't heard that before. Now get out of my way, mortal."

He steps forwards, squats down beside her and summons the green sparks in the palm of his hand, looks her in the eye for the first time since the day they'd been introduced. There's fire behind her colourful irises; mistrust, chaos and fear. She leans towards him and with all her strength grabs his wrist. "What - are - you - doing?" she pants and wrings him tightly.

"Saving you," he mumbles and turns his palm around, directs the sparks at her gashing wound.

She gives out a small painful hiss as the wound closes up immediately but her eyes never leave his face. They transgress from pain to panic to relief. He's there with her for the whole ride and it does absolutely nothing to drown the embers inside of him.

"Oh my god," Captain Rogers mumbles and runs his fingers over the newly-formed scar on her front as he stares in disbelief.

Her doubting eyes are still carefully watching Loki, her small fingers still wrapped tightly around his wrist. Her mouth goes slack and she finally lets go of him, looks towards the closed up wound, then back at him. "Thank you," she whispers apprehensively.

It makes his seidr glow fluorescently green in his veins and he gets the sudden urge to fall to his knees and lick her clean.

Had Huginn and Muninn only still been alive, he would've made them watch this up close so they could report it back in detail to all of Asgard.

***

The Avengers are not as cold after that. Still wary of him - as they should be - but the hatred and constant fear is gone. And when she comes back from her bed rest, it tickles him that the first thing she does is to seek him out.

"Thank you," she says slowly, almost controlled, and extends her hand as a peace offering, "- for saving my life."

"You already said that."

"Well, I meant it."

He looks up at her. Her mouth is formed to a pout, her body poised in vigilance, her eyes carefully watching his every movement while her hand extends into dangerous grounds. She's still not sure what his motives are and it gives him the opportunity to toy with her a bit. "...I'm honoured?"

A short-lived flame of annoyance flashes across her features as she retracts her hand back to safety with a huff.

"Did I say something wrong?" he quips in the hopes that he can keep her attention.

"You're trying to rile me up."

"How dare you!" He says in mock offence. "I would never!"

She crosses her arms underneath her chest, "I'm trying to offer you an olive branch and all you do is ridicule me. Are you really that desperate for attention?"

It amuses him. He loves when she shows him bits of the real her. "Are you calling me desperate for attention because I don't care I saved your life?"

“Then why did you do it?”

“It was merely strategic,” he shrugs and hopes she doesn’t detect the lie that tastes bitter on his tongue. Why did he save her? The question’s been nagging him for days now. “- it’s never unwise to have an Avenger owe you their life.”

“Wow,” she blinks and shakes her head in disbelief. "I don't know why we all listened to Thor - he said you'd changed but you're clearly still a conniving snake.”

"A snake?” he smiles, relieved that his lie has her convinced, "is that supposed to hurt me? Trust me, darling, I've been called worse."

"Just a gentle reminder that you'll never be anything but a villain."

"I suppose every villain is a hero in their own mind."

She takes the bait and narrows her eyes. "You absolutely destroyed my hometown. All the places I loved. And you have the nerve to call yourself a hero?!"

"Would you prefer a god?"

She flares her nostrils in frustration, "is everything a joke to you?"

"...Mainly?" he smirks "in case you haven't noticed, I'm the God of Mischief - it's in the job description."

She takes a few angry breaths. "Life is always a performance for you, isn't it? Whether it's an endless need for attention, a humorous quip, or the unfolding of another of your great plans, it's always just for show!"

He's excited to feel that the full-blown anger's back and she's seeing red. And to think he was almost disappointed in her?!

She grinds her teeth. "Just so we're clear, I'm not doing this to imply we're even or to make you feel just the slightest bit better about yourself for what you did. Trust me, I'd still rather see you rotting away in a prison cell. You-"

"I must admit," he drawls, gives himself some time to enjoy her undivided, flaming attention as he so impolitely interrupts her, "I like you much more when you're honest with me. When you admit you want to watch me burn! This front of niceties you just put up? This so-called olive branch while you so uncharacteristically give up control? It doesn't suit you."

She wrings her arms in frustration, narrows her eyes into slits. "You're goddamn insufferable!"

***

She's not more intoxicated than the rest of the Avengers, but she is drunk. Agent Romanoff keeps handing her clear liquor in small glasses that they down in a single second, followed by strings of laughs when the alcohol burns in their throats.

He remembers being drunk like that; fresh, sweet-smelling mead from oak barrels in the hundreds, wine in golden carafes on every table. He used to love the parties him and Thor threw; the chaos, the abundance! A heavy flow of alcohol was always a neat little excuse for his erratic behaviour, but the best part was always when the mead was extra good and strong and he could get Thor to follow his lead. Oh, how they used to cause rampage! They would've been unstoppable, had they only been on the same side.

Loki turns around the brown glass bottle in his hand so he can read the blue label; five percent...

He misses the lightheadedness, the parties, him and Thor being on the same side, Asgard. He's never longed for a taste of home this much before. He looks back at her.

"You're being unusually quiet this evening," Thor says from layers away, "should I be worried?"

"Hmm?" Loki snaps out of it, turns his head towards his brother who's sitting with an annoyingly smug expression plastered on his face. "No, I'm just contemplating this piss they call beer. How can they drink it?" He gives the bottle a sniff and winces. "I never thought I'd hear myself say it but I miss Asgard."

"Is that sentiment I sense in you, brother?"

"Absolutely not," he scoffs and looks back at her and Romanoff as they give out a loud laugh. "I'm glad it burned."

Her eyes scan the room, land on Loki's for a split second too long to pretend they didn't register him. For some reason, it satisfies him. She's aware of his presence.

"You like her," he hears Thor's chuckle from beside him.

"Bite your tongue!"

"I notice you stare at her a lot," he chuckles again.

Loki wants to say something. Wants to make Thor pay for what he's implying, but he doesn't really have a great comeback to that.

***

It's later that same evening when she finally approaches him. Toned legs walking towards him, wide hips swaying up the small set of stairs, shoulders pushed arrogantly back as she determinedly stares him down. She only has eyes for him. Finally.

He can't help but meet her halfway; he leans forwards, balances his elbows on his knees, impatiently waits for her to spit on him.

"Loki," she hums with fire in her eyes when the syllables hit her tongue.

"Yes, little dove?" he quips, excited to see her riled up and finally talking to him again.

"I want to talk to you," she scans the room for unwanted attention before her sharp eyes find his again and he feels the bone-white and arctic blue. "This little game you're playing?" She says harshly, "It ends now."

He almost gives in. Almost. "What game?"

"Don't play stupid," she huffs. "I can't do anything without you keeping an eye on me. Tell me what it is you want."

He cannot help the smirk that appears on his lips and he leans a little closer, spreads his knees apart.

"Answer me," she demands, her chest heaving.

"You haven't asked a question," he says calmly as if he truly didn't notice the way her eyes lingered on his crotch.

"You want me to be sincere," she states and takes another step towards him. "-I want the same thing from you."

She's so close he can smell her; sweet, salty, tang on the back of his tongue. She's ripe like a fucking goddess!

He absentmindedly rubs his thighs. "Darling, I assure you; this is me being sincere."

Her chest is heaving in heavy pants. She's annoyed. "Then tell me exactly what you want from me."

She holds his gaze in an insane power play while he ponders for a second. Should he tell her his intentions? String her along for a little while longer and make her second-guess everything? He is the God of Mischief, he supposes, but she looks so sweet, so damn fuckable as she angrily stares down at him. So he gives in and tells her what he wants. After all, why shouldn't he? What's he got to lose?

***

A decent man would've probably kept her at an arms length, tucked her into bed and told her she was way too drunk to make decisions like this, but Loki's not a decent man. He'll take what he can get and leave the decency to team Cap.

With a flick of his wrist, they're back in his bedroom. She's naked in his lap, pushing her lovely tits up against him as she pulls him closer. "You like me," she whispers and licks the shell of his ear. Moves her pelvis against his leather clothing, "you like watching me."

"Shut up," he groans and pulls her flush against his chest, pushes his tongue past her teeth as he grinds her bottom against his crotch.

Her hand comes down between them, slides down over the trail of hair underneath his navel before her fingers find their way to the buttons of his leather pants, unleashes him without a single touch. She eyes him hungrily but keeps her hands to herself, nonverbally insists she has the power to control him. The way she looks at him: he's so hard, it's verging on torture.

"Tell me you like me," she pulls harshly down on his hair, bites him; draws blood from his lower lip.

"Ah!" he hisses though he likes it! "Careful!"

She yanks his hair again with an evil smile and Loki swears, he almost comes.

"You're a devil, aren't you?" he hears himself say as he smacks her ass and bites her nipple, takes advantage of her little jump to push two fingers inside her pulsing heat. She's gushing already, soaks him all the way down to his knuckles as she rides his hand, pinches her own nipples.

"Say my name," he pulls on her earlobe with his teeth. "Spit on me!"

She finds his eye, gives him the same evil smile as before and whispers a short "no," as she arches her back and pushes her nipple back into his mouth. Cheeky little thing.

He curls his fingers and strokes her g-spot, enjoys the sounds she's making for him. Only for him, he reminds himself and feels his chest expanding with something unfamiliar that makes him want to melt into her. He pushes it away; concentrates on the tangible pleasure and not how it makes his head dizzy.

As if on cue, her hands finally find his aching cock and she starts stroking him slowly. He's harder than ever and leaking already.

He looks down between them; small feminine hands caressing him so sweetly is a fantastic contrast to all the biting and pulling. He feels his chest expanding again. "Fuck!" he hisses and pushes himself into her hand to feel something else. Focus on the pleasure, he tells himself and stutters his hips upwards again and again.

Her fingers are running through his hair and she's sucking on his tongue while her hand sets the pace, runs over his stained head. "You want this?" She whispers, bites the thin skin below his jaw.

Fuck yes he wants this! Wants her! He groans.

"You want to save my life?," she bites him again, pulls on his hair. "You want me to spit on you? Are you so desperate to fuck an avenger?"

He hisses at that, grabs her jaw tightly. "I hate the Avengers!"

"Are you sure?" she smiles devilishly and points at the scar on her shoulder. "Are you sure you really hate us?”

He groans in defeat and releases her pretty face with a hiss and positions himself at her entrance, finally pushes himself inside with the same pace as she lowers herself down towards his hips. “Ah! Fuck!”

It's an immediate collision of universes, Loki is seeing stars and needs a second to come down to earth, to savour the feeling, but he hardly has time to get used to the warm wetness squeezing him tight before she starts moving in long, warm pulses.

He's captivated, enchanted! He bites her neck, holds her down, desperate to keep her bouncing in a speed that makes him flex his toes without making him explode. He wants this to last. He wants this memory of her hatefucking him into oblivion. This beautiful, vengeful woman who's mounting him like a stallion and riding him like a valkyrie riding to battle. "Goddess!" he hisses against her neck and she finally finds his mouth and without the use of teeth, presses silky lips against his, makes everything inside of him glow green with desire. It’s desire, he tells himself though it feels like something else.

"Loki," she finally moans in his ear and he's never heard anything sweeter.

He pulls her closer, fucks into her and smells her skin. Kisses the scar below her shoulder.

He saved her.

His seidr runs crazy, tingles throughout every limb, makes him see everything clear: he wants her to want him and only him!

That’s why he saved her.

His last thought before he completely lets go is of the disaster he knows this will bring upon him; his own, personal Ragnarok visible on the horizon. She has the power to make him crumble, to make him burn brighter than the sun and turn to ash. He feels it already and there's no stopping it.

He thinks of Valaskjalf. Of molten gold and flames licking his father’s throne.

She speeds up, moans his name, fills his chest with fire.

Valhalla, I'm coming home.

Find part 2 here

[sweetdreamr]

if everyone in ragnarok had been in character

*Surtur scene*

Thor: Wait, is this a thing I do? Talk to myself? Have I always done this? It seems rather unhealthy.

Peter Parker: WOW, that’s judgey.

************************* *The Tragedy of Loki scene*

Loki as Odin, lounging around eating grapes: And that, my subjects, is how a total dipshit would impersonate me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have actual ruling to do.

**************************

*Tragedy of Loki Part 2*

Thor: Nothing will stop Mjolnir, even your face.

Loki as Odin: That would be terrifying if I didn’t know how to do this *fucking vanishes*

Thor: Fuck, I forgot he can do that.

**********************

Sidewalk scene:

*portal opens up underneath Loki*

Loki: *turns into a bird and flies above said portal*

Dr. Strange: Fuck, I forgot he can do that.

***********************

*Odin’s death scene*

Odin: I love you, my sons.

Thor: ....are you telling me, Father, that you made no plans in the event of your death? Which was inevitable, because as you yourself once said, “We are not gods. We are born, we live, we die.”????

Odin: *fucks off into glitter no that is seriously what happened*

Thor: That’s very pretty, Father, but I’m still angry.

Loki: Now I’m REALLY not sorry I sent him to Shady Pines.

**************************

*after elevator scene*

Thor: Hey, what’s that on your back?

Loki: Oh come on, that’s the oldest trick in the---

Thor: Never mind, it’s just your hair. *picks it off Loki’s shoulder*

Loki: For a moment I thought you were going to attach an obedience disc to my back and leave me convulsing for the Grandmaster to find and presumably melt.

Thor: That greatly offends me! Only a complete ass would do such a thing! The only way it could be worse is if I made a self-aggrandizing speech about heroism and change while engaging in an act of torture!

Loki: That would indeed be nonsensical. Nearly as bad as me plotting to betray you for mere coin. And confessing to it, before I am safely out of the way of your inevitable counterattack.

*both stare at the camera like on The Office*

**************************

*Hulk turns back into Bruce*

Bruce Banner: *completely freaking the fuck out* Wait, what do you mean I’ve been murdering slaves for the past to years? The whole reason I left Earth was to keep from hurting anyone else! Are we going to address this at all? At any point? Ever?

Thor: No, apparently we are to engage in ten minutes’ worth of jokes about the anal cavity of one called the Devil.

Bruce: .....wHAT?

****************************

*after being promoted to Executioner* Skurge: Um, my queen?

Hela: Yes?

Skurge: Why does the Goddess of Death need an Executioner? I mean, you can pretty much kill with a touch, right? You rule over the realm of the dead?

Hela: ...you know what? I’m honestly not sure.

Skurge: I mean, if having a fuckton of swords makes you the Goddess of Death, does that mean that if I  go to CostCo and get a cartload of drain cleaner, I’m the God of Death?

Hela: .....

*********************************

*Surtur destroys Asgard*

Korg: Whoops there goes your foundation.

Asgardians: Who the fuck is this asshole can we just grieve for our entire civilization in peace for ten seconds

[anonymousewrites]

Portal to My Heart (Book 1.5) Chapter Ten

Loki x Reader

Chapter Ten: Upon Arrival

Summary: In Norway, Thor and Loki face their father, and then they and (Y/N) face their sister.

            (Y/N) hung back as Loki and Thor stepped towards their father as he gazed out over the cliffs, sea, and sky stretching out into the horizon. This felt a significant moment, and (Y/N) wasn’t going to ruin the moment by intruding on the family.

            “Father?” said Thor hesitantly, a bit confused at how Odin stared out at the world once more.

            “Look at this place. It’s beautiful,” said Odin.

            “Father, it’s us,” said Thor.

            “My sons,” said Odin.

            Loki’s eyes flicked up to Odin’s face. I…am your son? After everything?

            “I’ve been waiting for you,” said Odin.

            “I know. We’ve come to take you home,” said Thor.

            “Home, yes,” said Odin, nodding vaguely. “Your mother, she calls me. Do you hear it?”

            “Loki, lift your magic,” said Thor sternly. Loki shook his head, quietly showing this was nothing he’d done.

            Odin chuckled. “It took me quite a while to break free from your spell. Frigga would have been proud.” He turned to the fallen log. “Come and sit with me. I don’t have much time.” The three sat down.

            “I know that we failed you,” said Thor. “But we can make this right.”

            “I failed you,” said Odin. “It is upon us. Ragnarok.”

            “No, I’ve stopped Ragnarok. I put an end to Surtur,” said Thor.

            Odin shook his head. “No. It has already begun. She’s coming. My life was all that held her back. But my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer.

            “Father, who are you talking about?” said Thor.

            “Goddess of Death, Hela,” said Odin. “My firstborn. Your sister.”

            “Your what?” breathed Thor.

            “Her violent appetites grew beyond my control. I couldn’t stop her, so I imprisoned her,” said Odin. “Locked her away. She draws her strength from Asgard, and once she gets there, her powers will be limitless.”

            “Whatever she is, we can stop her together. We can face her together,” said Thor.

            Odin shook his head. “No, we won’t. I’m on a different path now. This you must face alone. I’m proud of you both.” He looked at Thor. “You have become a worthy god and a far better man than I could ever be.” He turned to Loki. “And you are finding peace with another.” He gazed out at the sky. “I love you, my sons.” Loki and Thor’s eyes softened. Odin pointed out. “Look at that. Remember this place. Home.”

            And in the peaceful silence as the wind gathered, Odin’s body turned golden. He glowed, and bit by bit the light flew into the air as the god let go of his life and left to return to the stars and his wife. Thor and Loki stood and watched the light fade into the distance.

            Thunder rumbled overhead as Thor’s anger and grief started.

            “Brother,” said Loki as storm clouds rolled in, dark and billowing.

            “This was your doing,” said Thor, glaring at Loki. Sparks flew around his fists.

            (Y/N) saw the anger building from where she stood and ran forward. “Hey!”

            Loki and Thor’s heads turned to her, bodies tensed and ready for a fight.

            “He wouldn’t have wanted you to try to kill each other after whatever family moment he tried to have with you,” snapped (Y/N). “Do you want the first thing you guys do after he dies to be disappointing him?”

            Thor and Loki paused as the words sunk in. Before they could come to an agreement, however, a green and black swirl appeared out of nowhere.

            Thor and Loki stepped forward, Loki moving in front of (Y/N). Thor slammed Mjolnir on the ground, and it transformed back into a hammer and lightning struck the ground, giving Thor his armor and cape back. Green light flitted around Loki, giving him his green armor back. (Y/N) stood beside them in her jeans.

            From the green and black light, a woman stepped out. She had a black suit on, ripped in places, with green lines running over it. Her hair was wild and fell in a black mess over her face. Smudged eyeshadow surrounded piercing green eyes. The portal disappeared behind her.

            “So he’s gone,” she said, voice commanding. “That’s a shame. I would’ve liked to see that.”

            “You must be Hela,” said Thor. “I’m Thor, son of Odin.”

            “Really? You don’t look like him,” said Hela.

            “Perhaps we can come to an arrangement,” said Loki cautiously.

            Hela smirked. “You sound like him.” She cocked her head at (Y/N). “And you…a Midgardian.”

            “I have no idea who you are, but I already don’t like you,” said (Y/N), straightforward as ever.

            “I am Hela, Goddess of Death, Odin’s firstborn, and heir to throne of Asgard,” said Hela, holding her head high as she looked condescendingly at (Y/N). “So kneel. Before your queen.”

            “Loki can already tell you that I don’t take orders very well. And I don’t kneel,” said (Y/N). She had a smile on her face, but the look in her eyes spelled a different story.

            Hela’s gaze darkened. “Kneel.” A sword appeared in her hands.

            “I don’t think so.” Thor threw Mjolnir at Hela.

            She put out a hand and caught it.

            (Y/N)’s eyes widened. No way!

            “It’s not possible,” breathed Thor.

            “Darling, you have no idea what’s possible,” said Hela with a smirk. She clenched her hand, cracks spread across the hammer, and it exploded into lightning and debris.

            Thor braced against the power, and Loki covered (Y/N) from the explosion. As the smoke cleared, the remnants of Mjolnir fell into a heap on the ground. Hela pushed her hands over her hair, and it collected into a headdress of sharp horns. Both her hands held swords now. She stepped towards them.

            “Bring us back!” shouted Loki to Skurge.

            “No! She’ll bring Ragnarok!” shouted Thor. But it was too late, the Bifrost activated and drew them up into it.

            “Loki!” warned Thor.

            Loki looked down with (Y/N) and saw Hela coming after them as they were transported through the rainbow bridge. Loki’s eyes widened as Hela reached up for (Y/N) and she kicked her away. He grabbed (Y/N) and pulled her to him, throwing a dagger at Hela. She blocked it with her sword and threw her weapon up at them. Loki jerked back, but it clipped them, and they were knocked from the Bifrost.

            (Y/N) screamed as she hit the side of the Bifrost and fell through it, and Loki’s grip tightened on her. She squeezed her eyes shut as they fell through space in a dizziness blur of teleportation.

            “I’ve got you,” swore Loki. “I’ve got you.” It was nearly lost too the blur, but the words came to (Y/N), and her heart skipped a beat.

l

            “(Y/N)?”

            (Y/N) groaned and opened her eyes. She lay under a bright sun and blue sky. Piles of random items, junk and heaps of debris, lay around her. Loki leaned over her, gazing at her with worry(?).

            “(Y/N)? Are you alright?” said Loki.

            She sat up, and Loki guided her up. “I think so. My head isn’t spinning.” She rubbed her temple. “I mean, anything is better than being dead. And I thought we were goners when we fell out of the Bifrost.”

            “We’re definitely alive,” said Loki.

            (Y/N) looked around them. “Yeah, but where?” There was a city in the distance, tall and very futuristic, brightly colored with shiny skyscrapers. “This isn’t Earth or Asgard.”

            “No,” agreed Loki. He stood and offered a hand to (Y/N).

            She took it and got up. “What’s our plan?”

            “I’ve seen ships with strange beings flying around, but they’ve been fighting with each other and…eating each other,” said Loki.

            “Okay, so definitely avoid them no matter what we do,” said (Y/N). “Well, I’m not going to argue with not dying as a plan. Seems like a good start.”

            “We should head for the city and learn how this place is run in order to avoid trouble,” said Loki.

            (Y/N) shielded her eyes from the sun and peered at the city. “Tallest tower always has the ruler in my experience. I think I can get us to it.”

            “You can?” said Loki in surprise.

            “I don’t sit on my ass all day doing nothing unlike some people,” said (Y/N). She scowled. “And I found that training let me get out my annoyance at stupid politicians and nobles.”

            “Well, focus on your annoyance at Hela and being stuck here all you’d like,” said Loki, encouraging whatever it took to have (Y/N) get them out of the junk heap and away from cannibals.

            “Gladly.” (Y/N) raised a hand and flicked her wrist. It took a moment to spin into a human size, but a portal appeared in blue light.

            “You’ve become quite skilled,” said Loki fondly.

            “Thank you,” said (Y/N) with a smile, and she stepped through. Loki followed.

            They stood at the city center before a tall skyscraper that scraped the clouds. People of all different races milled around them, not even humanoid at times. Whatever this place was, it was outside of any precise realm.

            “…What now?” said (Y/N), looking at Loki.

            “Uh…” Loki frowned as he considered. “I’m not sure. We need a reason to get inside.”

            “Let’s not beat around the bush then,” said (Y/N), walking up to the guards at the door.

            “Wait, (Y/N)!” said Loki, running after her.

            “Hey, hi,” said (Y/N) to the guards. “I want to meet whoever’s in charge of business here.”

            Loki slapped a hand over his face. For all the good that (Y/N) had done diplomatically on Asgard, she lost every one of her manners and tact as soon as she was given a chance.

            “…What?” said the guard in confusion.

            The other shoved him. “They want to see the Grandmaster.”

            Anyone calling themselves that has to be crazy. Fantastic. “Yeah,” said (Y/N).

            Loki quickly interjected. “If it’s no problem, of course.”

            The guards exchanged a look. “They’re new.” Apparently that was a big deal.

            “He’ll want to see them,” confirmed the other. “See if they’re…worth something.”

            Uh-oh. (Y/N) exchanged a glance with Loki.

            “Come with me,” said one.

            Loki and (Y/N) didn’t break away, and they followed him in, taking an elevator to the top floor of the building. A party was raging within. People, clearly higher-ups favored by the Grandmaster, milled about, smiling and laughing as techno played in the background.

            The guard guided them through, standing out in their Asgardian and Earth outfits. He brought them to a small clearing where the band was playing. An older man in a gold robe was playing a keyboard-like instrument. He paused when a snake-like humanoid was wheeled up in a chair.

            “Ah, Adderson!” said who (Y/N) figured was the Grandmaster.

            “Sssir,” said the snake person.

            “It took us a bit of time to find you! You rascal,” said Grandmaster with a grin. “What were you up to, trying to free my…uh…” He looked at the burly woman next to him. “My…?”

            “Slaves?” said the woman.

            “I don’t like that word!” whined Grandmaster.

            “…Captives who work for you?” said the woman.

            Grandmaster contemplated. “We’ll workshop it.”

            Alright, he has a slaves, don’t like him, no way, thought (Y/N), already plotting his downfall.

            Grandmaster turned back to Adderson. “Anyways, you tried to free my captives who work for me!”

            “I’m sssso ssssorry,” said Adderson. “It wasss a missstake.”

            “I know. And I know exactly how you can make it up to me,” said Grandmaster.

            “Really?” said Adderson hopefully.

            “Yes! I’m going to free you.” Grandmaster picked up a strange staff with an orange sphere at the top. “From life!” He pressed the staff to the snake person, and Adderson melted into goo as they cried out.

            (Y/N) and Loki’s eyes widened. They officially knew they had landed in a really not great land.

            “Ewwww,” said Grandmaster, hoping out of the way of the sludge. “Can we get someone here to clean this?” He threw the staff to a worker and turned away.

            “Grandmaster,” said the guard stiffly. “We have new arrivals.”

            “Huh? Don’t they usually come in a chair or something?” said Grandmaster in confusion.

            “Uh…they came in through the city,” said the guard.

            Grandmaster sighed. “My scrappers are slacking…” He turned to face Loki and (Y/N) and paused as he looked at them. “Huh.”

            “Should I send for shock disks?” said the burly woman eagerly.

            “…Are you two fighters?” said Grandmaster.

            “No,” said (Y/N), lying.

            “We’re better with words,” said Loki with a polite smile.

            “Well, that’s good, I’d hate for those pretty faces to get messed up in a fight,” said Grandmaster brightly, grinning at them.

            Oh boy/dear… thought (Y/N) and Loki.

            “So, who are you two?” said Grandmaster, leaning forward over his keyboard.

            “I am Loki,” said the god of lies.

            “I’m (Y/N),” said the woman.

            “Hmm,” said Grandmaster, peering at them as if deciding what to do. “How did you come to be here?”

            “Rainbow portal,” said (Y/N) matter-of-factly. “And a history of bad luck.”

            “Family disagreement,” said Loki.

            Grandmaster grinned at their answers and chuckled. He gestured to them while looking at the burly woman. “Funny and good-looking! I like them already. You’re definitely staying with me. Wouldn’t want to miss this entertainment by sending you guys to fight.” He eyed them. “I would hate to lose such attractive faces from my parties.”

            Loki decided he didn’t like Grandmaster’s look at (Y/N) and put a hand around her waist. “We are honored to be your guests, Grandmaster. Aren’t we, my dear?” He looked at (Y/N).

            She stared at him in surprise as she felt the chill of his skin against her hip where her shirt and jeans left her skin exposed. “Uh, yeah.”

            Grandmaster grinned. “Ooh, I love young love.” He winked. “And I love to get involved in it.” He snapped and pointed at the guard. “You there, get them to a nice room, like a honeymoon suite~”

            Oh, no.

            “And you.” He looked at a servant. “Get them some proper clothes. You know the type I like.” Grandmaster looked back at Loki and (Y/N). “You two enjoy yourselves. I have a party tonight, and I expect everyone to have a great time.”

            “I’m sure we will,” said Loki, smiling and holding (Y/N) closer.

            “Welcome to Sakaar, then!” said Grandmaster.

            Welcome indeed…

Taglist:

@alexpangender

@technikerin23

@kikster606

@neenieweenie

[toshisurtsdottir]

Rape and Retribution - Chapter 2

Toshi is in court, ready to be sentenced. What will Turpin do? Warning: mentions of rape, murder and other bad stuff lol (we all know you're here for that anyway, so it's more of a promise)

“Toshi Vernier. You are charged with the murder of your father, Surtur Vernier. How do you plead?” Turpin’s voice boomed through the courtroom. Toshi didn’t know how the law worked, but she knew that the judge was corrupt and that no matter the jury, he would have the final say in one’s fate. She eyed the few men sitting by his side nervously. None of them seemed overly interested in what was happening here, only Turpin on his seat and the Beadle below were even looking at Toshi.

It was just over a month ago when she told Turpin about Barker. Barker had since then been executed and the lady owning the meat-pie shop below his barber shop had been right after him. Toshi was confident that Turpin would not have forgotten her, but ever since her trial had begun, everything seemed like he was to sentence her to death as well. Still, she had a tiny sliver of hope left in her. “I plead not guilty, your honour.” She said quietly. The Beadle was glaring at her from below, having recognised her by now. She wished she had killed Bamford right after killing her father. Seeing the disgusting man made her want to throw up. Toshi tried to keep her eyes on Turpin then. He leaned back in his seat, taking an agonisingly long time to make a decision. His eyes then burned into her as he leaned forward again, a small smirk on his lips. It didn’t seem sinister though, Toshi felt like it was simply him holding back a genuine smile. “Not guilty, then. Dismissed.”

Toshi almost didn’t hear him at first. She just stood there, eyes wide, frozen in place. The Beadle was saying something then, speaking to Turpin. But Toshi didn’t listen to what he was saying. She was free to go, he had spared her. The coldest, most cruel man of London had shown her mercy. Swaying slightly, she spun around and hurried down the wooden stairs and out of the courthouse, tears flowing. She was free, it had all worked out after all. She was finally free of her father, free of all the horrors he had put her through. She stood on the sidewalk outside of the courthouse and watched the people pass by, a wide, manic smile on her face. The world around her seemed so vivid, so colourful all of a sudden. She could already imagine her life now, working in a small shop if she could find work, perhaps being able to afford a nice meal every now and then. But most importantly: she would no longer be touched and raped by men every single night. It was over.

Just as she was about to walk home, a hand landed on her shoulder, gripping her tightly. She was spun around and faced none other than Beadle Bamford. He pushed her away from him, bringing his cane up under her chin roughly.

“I do not know what you little whore did to gain the good judge’s favour, but be sure that this is not over.” His slimy voice made her want to cut her ears off. She remembered him moaning disgustingly as he rammed into her from behind. The instant rage this memory evoked almost got the better of her, as she instinctively clenched her fists.

“For now..” he drawled, his beady little eyes glistening angrily. “Judge Turpin wants to have a word with you, whore. Come.” He rudely grabbed her by the wrist, dragging her back inside the courthouse. They didn’t go into the courtroom, however. Bamford instead brought her to a different door. He knocked twice and stepped back, pulling her with him. Before the door opened, he leaned in to speak into Toshi’s ear quietly. “Cheer up. If all goes well, I’ll soon be fucking you again as I please. Your father dying doesn’t mean anything needs to change about that.” He took the opportunity to lick her earlobe, causing her to flinch and move as far away from him as possible. She glared at Bamford and was about to say something, when the door swung open.

Now in the doorframe stood Turpin, towering over both of them. His head raised high as he looked at Toshi. “Miss Vernier.” He stepped back a little, signalling for her to come in. Toshi didn’t have a choice as Bamford pushed her into the room. She stumbled past Turpin, coming to a halt in front of the desk that stood in the middle of the tiny room. She spun around to face Turpin and the Beadle, who was about to follow into the room. Turpin stepped in the doorframe again, denying him entry. “You’ll wait outside, good friend.” His dark voice filled the room. Bamford nodded and scurried away, leaving the two of them alone. The judge slowly closed the door to the small room and turned around to face Toshi, who stood awkwardly by the desk, dark eyes staring at him.

Turpin didn’t speak at first. He walked up to her, getting dangerously close, and then went to sit behind the desk. He opened a small drawer and retrieved a glass and flask, pouring himself a big swig of whiskey. He took a sip, letting Toshi wait and wonder what he could possibly want from her.

Finally, he put the glass down and leaned forward, eyeing her up and down. “I must say..” He began “you look a lot more like a woman if you wear a dress.” He smirked, waiting for Toshi to show any kind of reaction. In her head, thoughts were still running wild. So much had happened in the past two hours. She had thought she’d be sentenced to death all morning, then she got the news that she would be free, all while having to look at a man who (as did many others) once fucked her in her own bed. And now she was in a small room in front of Turpin, scared out of her mind that he would change her sentence or do her any other kind of harm. His words completely slipped past her, as she was thinking about all the things he could possibly want from her now.

“Don’t you want to thank me for sparing you?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Yes! Yes, Sir. Of course, my Lord. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for having mercy on me.” She stammered out. She’d do anything to make sure he would keep it that way.

“Hm. That’s better.” He hummed, nodding and leaning back in his chair. “Excuse me, my Lord, but why have you called me here? Is anything wrong?” She asked cautiously.

“Indeed. My friend, you know him quite well I’ve heard, has told me more about you.” He eyed her, a small smirk on his face again. Toshi didn’t know what to answer to that, she still wasn’t sure where Turpin was going with this.

“He has asked for me to keep you, so that he can have you whenever he pleases. How do you feel about that?” Turpin smirked, taking another sip of his whiskey.

Toshi hated that idea. If that would happen, Bamford would be dead to her feet soon. She was sick of enduring these men. She had killed her father and gotten away with it. She might not get away with murder a second time, but that wouldn’t stop her. If she had to, she’d kill every person in London. Her feelings must have been written on her face, because Turpin chuckled darkly, breaking the silence.

“I take it you wouldn’t like that idea, girl.” He raised his eyebrows again, awaiting an answer.

“I’m afraid not, my Lord.” She tried answering as calmly as possible.

“Good. I find that looking at you is quite pleasing to the eyes. I’ve decided that, since the Beadle is so keen on having you again, you must somehow feel rather good. He’s never had a whore more than once. So here is my offer: you are in need of a new home, are without money and have no food. You will either end up back in court for theft or die on the streets. I offer you to stay at my home, please me when I call for you and do whatever I ask of you. In return, I’ll feed you and keep you warm and clean. How is that for an offer, girl?”

Toshi frowned at his offer. “I would rather find out on my own whether I can make it or not, Sir.” Her tone was less formal now, her anger becoming obvious.

“I am a free woman now, and I will serve no more men. I’m declining your offer. Sir.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. A devilish smile formed on Turpin’s lips then.

“Oh, you’ve misunderstood. Your freedom doesn’t matter here. It is either me or Beadle Bamford. If I give you to my friend, he is free to use you in ways I assume you are already familiar with. I’m merely offering you to be mine instead.” Turpin sipped from his whiskey smugly.

Toshi glared at him angrily, walking up to the desk and slamming her flat hand down on it. She was about to say something she might regret, but thought better of it. What were her options? If she chose to run, he’d probably hunt her down and get her anyway. He was right, she had no money and no food. She didn’t know how to do any work and would soon have to steal food or money to get by. She leaned down to face him, still glaring angrily at the smug judge.

“I’ll be yours then.” But don’t think for one second I’ll do anything you want me to, she thought.As soon as she said that he downed his drink and got up, a wide grin on his face. “Good girl.”

[woodelf68]

LOKI 2.4

I don't see why they can't keep Dox in Holding forever; they had no problem pruning Lokis into the Void for forever. >.>

Dammit, Sylvie, it would have taken OB and Victor five seconds to sign each other's copies of the TVA Guidebook; could you not let them have their brief moment of fanboying joy?

OB's explanation of the Loom is very helpful here; it reminds me of the Doctor on Doctor Who explaining sciencey things to his companions on screen so that the kiddies (and adults, lol) at home could understand what was going on. (Okay, so the TVA as a TARDIS, discuss. Look at all those long corridors its got for running in!) I loved OB's "...the backlog of branches that was created when someone...*looks accusingly at Sylvie* ...killed He Who Remains and released all those branches and ruined my life." (Aw, come on, OB, you're out of the basement now! You're making friends and meeting admirers of your work!)

Loki claiming that the little figure in the model was clearly not him so why did he have to be the one to 'hoof it' and lob the throughput multiplier into the Loom? Well, Loki, you have very long legs and can run fast, also tradition has been established that your character is the one who gets sent to do the hard jobs for others; just be glad you're not being asked to steal Surtur's flame and doom Asgard this time around. (Of course, your decision to abscond with the Tesseract has already caused the TVA to erase the Asgard of your timeline, people and realm both, so...uh, never mind, pretend I never said anything.)

MOBIUS AND HIS PIE AGAIN. I SWEAR TO GOD THAT THE TVA LACES THE PIE WITH DRUGS TO KEEP ITS WORKERS DOCILE AND HAPPY WITH HAVING NO LIFE OUTSIDE OF WORK AND POSSIBLY ACTS AS A CONTINUAL DOSAGE OF SOMETHING THAT KEEPS THEM FROM REGAINING THEIR MEMORIES? MOBIUS CAN'T GO TOO LONG WITHOUT ANOTHER SLICE OF PIE BECAUSE HE'S EXPERIENCING THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS OF AN ADDICT. I was so happy to hear Sylvie call him out on his pie-seeking habits and his refusal to try to find out any information about the timeline he was pulled from. Like sure it might hurt to remember a family whom he'd lost, but I'd rather honour the memories of loved ones by remembering them than being too cowardly to do so.

I have to agree with the point I saw raised in another post of 'WHY do they have to fix the Loom? Surely all the multiple timelines managed to exist just fine on their own before it was created?' Also, hoo boy, did Loki's speech about how you can't free a people and then leave them to look after themselves remind anyone else of Asgard's justification of being the ruler of the Nine Realms? Keeping a military presence on those conquered worlds? AND NO, LOKI, YOU'RE NOT A GOD, YOUR DAD TOLD ME SO IN A BIT OF THE SACRED TIMELINE YOU DIDN'T GET TO EXPERIENCE. Although this time at the TVA is Loki's post-Thanos period when he was claiming the same thing in the Sacred Timeline, wanting to be a 'benevolent god'. So...that actually ties in.

Um -- do we all agree that Miss Minutes looked orgasmic watching everyone (except Brad) be crushed in the cube thingie?

(Was Loki pruning himself related back to the time slipping thing? I still don't really understand what the point of that was.)

OB: But if I reboot Miss Minutes, we'll lose the magic dampeners in the TVA!

Loki and Sylvie: THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF A PROBLEM!

Oh hell yeah, Bradley, prune that bitch! I HOPE YOU END UP IN THE VOID WITH A HUNGRY ALLIGATOR, RAVONNA.

Kudos to Timely for sensibly asking if it's safe before sticking his head inside some alien machinery and not just blindly following instructions.

LIGHT! BEAUTIFUL LIGHT IN THE TVA! I don't care what this means as long as I can properly see what's going on!

Oh. Oh shit. Spaghettification is what's going on, huh. *Salutes Victor Timely* May you get the afterlife you hoped for, sir, you died a noble death. Guys. Guys, stop staring into the blinding radioactive light; I'm sure that's not good for your eyes.

And...what a cliffhanger; it's like FINALLY all the pieces are falling into place and the story is getting to someplace exciting. That was a good episode; I hope it keeps up this pace next week and something good happens if the Loom is going pear-shaped. I gotta try to remember to watch this on Thursday for a change.

@delyth88 -- finally felt inspired to make a long reaction post! (And my stupid computer glitched about 2/3 of the way through and I had to rewatch what I'd already seen to remember what I had been commenting on! I blame the TVA.)

[where-theres-smoak-2]

Sylvie Nexus Event Theory

When they showed the recap on ep 2x3 I got really excited because it showed a clip from season 1 where Sylvie asked Renslayer what her Nexus event was, so I thought we might learn what it was that caused Sylvie to be arrested by the TVA. Sadly that wasn't revealed in this episode and is still a bit of a mystery but it did get me thinking about what it could have been.

I recently rewatched season 1 so that it would be fresh in my mind when I went into season 2 and I do have a theory as to what Sylvie's Nexus Event was. It's probably a theory everyone has already thought of, I was late to the party with season one so wasn't following any of the tags or theories, but anyway.

We know from Loki's own capture by the TVA that they react pretty darn quick to a nexus moment, its within minutes of Loki taking the tesseract and escaping that they show up. In episode 4 we get a flashback showing us Sylvie's arrest, which is pretty shocking as she is just a child playing with her toys at the time. Going with the fact that we know the TVA show up within minutes of a Nexus Event that would mean, as innocent as the scene seemed, something in this moment was what caused Sylvie's nexus event. I do think there are a lot of clues in this moment that tell us what that nexus event was.

Right before the TVA show up Sylvie is playing with a dragon and a Valkyrie toy. But what I think is important is what she says whilst playing with these toys.

The dragon swoops towards the palace, but Valkyrie flies over, defeats the dragon and saves Asgard.

I think there are two really important parts of this story. The first is the mention of Valkyrie. It's clear that Sylvie is imagining herself as a Valkyrie in this moment, maybe this is even the moment she decided she wanted to be a Valkyrie, which being born a woman would allow her to do unlike her male counterparts.

But another important part of this story is the 'saves Asgard' part. As she says this the TVA show up and arrest her, as they drag her away they zoom in on the other toys she was playing with.

The first thing that caught my attention was the toy of what appears to be a giant wolf, which instantly reminded me of this lil fellow:

Hela and her pet wolf Fenris. Hela who has a connection with the Valkyrie as she is the one that pretty much wipes them out, which is a point I will come back to in a moment.

So I actually think this scene with the toys that they zoom in on are suppose to represent the battle that takes place on the rainbow bridge during Ragnarok. The viking ship represents the evacuation spaceship that Loki shows up in, I think the little figurines actually represent people, the ones that are toppled over, being the ones that fell during that battle, and of course the wolf toy represents Fenris who was present on the bridge during that battle.

I think had the TVA not arrested her this is how it would have played out for Sylvie, she would have grown up to become a Valkyrie, and maybe when the Valkyrie are sent after Hela instead of them all falling, Sylvie is actually able to defeat Hela. In doing this she ends up either preventing, or at the very least changing how and when Ragnarok happens.

I also think there is some significance to the dragon toy she was playing with, although it wasn't a dragon that brought about Ragnarok, Sutur is a fire demon, so maybe the dragon, a creature of fire, was a subtle nod to Surtur.

When Sylvie is arrested she drops the dragon and Valkyrie toys and they fall out of our view, the camera then zooms in on the ship and wolf toys. I think this is to show that the timeline where Sylvie saves Asgard from Ragnarok has now been erased and the 'correct' timeline is once again what will happen.

So TLDR version Sylvie's nexus event was that she was going to be the hero that saved Asgard from Ragnarok. Thoughts?

[poparthuriana]

You know it's late at night when you get to thinking about how Clancy Brown and Jeff Goldblum's characters in Thor: Ragnarok are perfect contrasts to their characters in Buckaroo Banzai.

But hear me out...

The TaoBBatED characters are heroic sidekicks, the Marvel characters authoritative villains. Rawhide is down-to-earth, loyal, and not apparently ambitious beyond his current position; Surtur aspires to destroy Asgard itself. New Jersey is well-meaning, naïve, happy just to be included, and surprisingly insightful; Grandmaster is an entirely self-centered, enjoyment-focused tyrant and it creates blind spots for him. Both Surtur and Rawhide have some form of resurrection, and neither New Jersey nor the Grandmaster is in any real danger, in one case due to immortality and in both cases due to it not making sense within the structure of the plot. Their arcs mirror each other in reverse, with Banzai HQ as Muspelheim and Sakaar as the Red Lectroid nest, because let's face it, there's not much difference between Sakaar and a Lectroid nest writ large with the roof ripped off.

Was this intentional? I would be absolutely shocked. Is it fun to think about at 12:21 pm? For me, yeah.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[classicmarvelera]

John Byrne and Walt Simonson: The Unmatched Legacy in Fantastic Four and Thor

When it comes to the world of comic books, there are certain iconic names that instantly come to mind. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the creative geniuses behind characters like the Fantastic Four and Thor, are undoubtedly among the most revered figures in the industry. Their groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the Marvel Universe and set a high standard for storytelling. However, it's essential to recognize that the legacy of these characters didn't stop with Lee and Kirby. Two other legendary creators, John Byrne and Walt Simonson, took the reins and left an indelible mark on the Fantastic Four and Thor, ensuring that their contributions would remain unmatched for generations to come.

John Byrne's Fantastic Four (1981-1986): Redefining Marvel's First Family

In 1981, John Byrne had a mission: to redefine the Fantastic Four. Byrne's run on the series is often regarded as one of the most significant in the history of the team. He brought a fresh perspective to the characters and their dynamics, breathing new life into Marvel's First Family.

Byrne's artistic talents were on full display as he not only wrote but also illustrated the series. His attention to detail and ability to convey emotions through his artwork added depth to the characters. Byrne's run gave us memorable storylines such as "The Trial of Reed Richards" and the return of the iconic villain, Galactus. He also introduced new characters like She-Hulk, who would become a fan-favorite in her own right.

What made Byrne's run truly exceptional was his ability to balance character development with epic storytelling. The Fantastic Four faced personal challenges while also tackling cosmic threats, creating a perfect blend of drama and action. Byrne's work on the series is a testament to his storytelling prowess and his dedication to preserving the essence of these beloved characters.

One of the key aspects of Byrne's run was his exploration of the dynamics within the Fantastic Four. He delved deep into the relationships between Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing). The interpersonal conflicts and growth of these characters made the series not just about super-heroics but also about family, a theme that resonated with readers and set the stage for future interpretations of the team.

Walt Simonson's Thor (1983-1987): The God of Thunder's Epic Journey

Simultaneously, over in the realm of Asgard, Walt Simonson took up the mantle of Thor in 1983. Much like Byrne, Simonson's run on Thor is celebrated as a defining era for the character and the series. He brought a mythic grandeur and a sense of epic adventure that elevated Thor's stories to new heights.

Simonson's Thor was a masterclass in world-building. He introduced iconic elements like Beta Ray Bill and the mystical weapon, Stormbreaker. Simonson's writing delved into the rich tapestry of Norse mythology, creating a sense of wonder and authenticity in Asgard's portrayal. His artistic style and intricate panel layouts added to the epic feel of the series, making every issue a visual masterpiece.

One of the most memorable arcs of Simonson's run was "The Surtur Saga," a sprawling epic that saw Thor facing off against the fire demon Surtur. The impact of this storyline resonates even today, and it remains a benchmark for epic storytelling in comic books.

Simonson's take on Thor was not just about battles and grand spectacles; it also delved into the character's humanity. He explored the burdens of godhood and the responsibility that came with wielding the power of Mjolnir. Thor's inner struggles and his unwavering sense of duty added depth to the character, making him relatable on a personal level.

In Conclusion, the creative endeavors of John Byrne on the Fantastic Four and Walt Simonson on Thor are nothing short of legendary. While Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's contributions are undeniably classic and groundbreaking, Byrne and Simonson's work brought these characters to new heights. Their storytelling prowess, artistic talents, and deep appreciation for the source material ensured that their runs on these series would remain unmatched for generations to come. The legacy of these four creators, Lee, Kirby, Byrne, and Simonson, continues to shape the Marvel Universe and inspire fans and creators alike, proving that the world of comic books is a rich tapestry woven by many hands.

In the end, what sets Byrne and Simonson apart is their ability to not only build upon the foundations laid by Lee and Kirby but also to leave an indelible mark that would define these characters for years to come. Their contributions to the Fantastic Four and Thor are a testament to the enduring power of storytelling in the comic book medium, and they shall continue to captivate readers and creators alike for generations to come.

Get John Byrne's Classic Marvel Collection here

Get Walt Simonson's Classic Marvel Collection here

[doomerpatrol]

Comic Log: Kieron Gillen's "Journey into Mystery"

Journey into Mystery #622-645 (2011-2012)

I'll keep this one short because I want to dedicate my writing energy to stuff that I'm more excited about and that warrant longer analyses, like Hickman's Fantastic Four, Aaron's Thor, and Ewing's Immortal Hulk.

The first half of this is really good. It basically follows a precocious tween version of Loki wheeling and dealing his way through the fantasy side of the Marvel Universe, playing various death gods, devils, fire giants, undead cannibalistic shieldmaidens, and fear gods against each other in order to advance the cause of his heroic older brother. It's effectively a much stronger version of the "Fear Itself" event (which I also read - it is boring and you get a much better narrative from this arc). We follow a version of Loki who is at a nadir of respect by virtue of both having recently pissed everyone off AND being comparatively disempowered to his older self, as he uses every scrap of influence he can get to turn the tide, all from behind the scenes. Each issue is also very thematically tight, and the art and narration really capture the tone of the title: it all has a very mythic quality to it.

It also has a cute little epilogue issue with a murderous hellhound puppy:

The second half is meant to pay off a lot of those risky deals and betrayals that Loki made in the first, in a "chickens coming home to roost" kind of way, but unfortunately it's largely unsatisfying. The main problem I have with it is the plots, which are just not very compelling and feel a lot like filler, even if they are technically advancing the main cause of Kid Loki's development. These arcs are especially frustrating because they keep ditching their own premise (Loki being blackmailed by the Asgardian All-mothers into being their secret weapon) and the previously established mythos in order to weave into crossovers with the New Mutants (?), Captain Britain (??), and Daimon Hellstrom (????). Plus, the artists that take over from Doug Braithwaite and company largely can't match his sense of tapestry-like grandeur and instead go for a more conventional, clean, "comic-book" look that feels very out of place (minus Stephanie Hans, who pencils the genuinely great conclusion of the run).

That's ultimately the real disappointment of this second half. I actually really like this character arc for Loki! It concludes very strongly, wrapping up the character's development across the run while setting things up for his next adventures, and has a nice metatextual layer about storytelling, change, codification, and deception. Every moment - even in the second half - that lets us focus on him and his relationships to Thor, Leah, Hela, the Disir, and others, I really enjoy, they're very strongly written. But the journey of getting there requires reading flabby New Mutants and mind-numbing Thor crossovers (uh-oh, fighting Surtur again!) that lack the sense of wonder that the first portion of the run had.

[tyrannuspitch]

oh. hang on. in thor: ragnarok, when thor says to surtur "i've been having these terrible dreams", is that *only* meant to reference AoU? are we *not* giving thor independent prophetic dreams in reference to balder's dreams of his own death in the run-up to ragnarok? :(

i guess that would explain the lack of expansion on that idea, but it IS kind of disappointing, especially when frigga having some level of prophetic ability IS, iirc, still implied later on...

it also leaves us with the question of why thor's vision in aou was prophetic at all. no-one else's was - they were just dreams.

considerations:

as far as i know, as someone who has not seen wandavision, wanda being psychic means telepathic, not clairvoyant, so it's unlikely to be because of her.

the mind stone is an infinity stone, and they're incredibly versatile despite their theming, so it could just be something the mind stone can do.

it could also be to do with some kind of information being transmitted along the connection between the infinity stones. what, exactly, thor is meant to be perceiving isn't clear.

it could also be unmagical - thor, as an asgardian, already knew of the infinity stones, and he was just coming to a realisation of something he already subconsciously knew.

not one of these is as fun as thor having prophetic dreams, so i honestly might just stick to that. not technically canon, not technically not canon, and fully plausible, so... fair game? very sad it's not as securely True as i thought, though :(

[doctorstrangereview]

0074: Doctor Strange #178

Cover Date: March 1969 On-Sale Date: December 5, 1968

Thus we begin phase two of The Sons of Satannish arc. After casting the spell of fire and ice just before dropping dead, the stakes are higher than ever. I said Doc would need help to wrap this up. Here he'll recruit The Black Knight. For the final show, he'll have even more sidekicks.

After the title of the story takes an entire, multi-panel page, we delve into a multi-page recap of the previous story. Asmodeus/Benton sneaks into The Ancient One's pad disguised as Doc. The real Doc arrives disguised as new Doc. Both get into a slap fight. The Ancient One holds back. Asmodeus/Benton is about to attack with all he's got and drops dead. As he dies, he casts the spell of fire and ice to release Surtur and Ymir. Four pages later we get into the story proper.

I gotta say, while Colan doesn't give The Ancient One the hot, mature, bearded daddy vibe that Ms. Severin did, he looks might fine in that lovely green ensemble. We see Doc without his mask for the first time since the redesign. I'm not particularly enamored of the changes, but the slight reshaping of the collar is a positive.

While going over their options, we learn that Asmodeus banished his fellow cult members to Tiboro's Sixth Dimension. Not seen since just after Doc got his red cape.

Tiboro seems to have dyed his costume new colors. Perhaps editorial felt he didn't have enough green for this series. Anyway, the Sons may be the only way of reversing a spell invoked my someone empowered by Satannish. Guess he's got to go rescue the naughty boys. Trouble is, he needs a mystic on Earth to help him come and go. Despite numerous mystical allies having been revealed throughout the run of the series, he feels he's got only one person he can turn to. Yes, he must once again endanger the life of Ms. Victoria Bentley. Doc goes ghost and travels to England.

Even though Vicky's been through severe mental and physical trauma she still finds time to through a raging, sexy costume party. Conveniently, Dane Whitman, The Black Knight is attending the party and showing off his, um, sword! Having recently met at the Van Dyne/Pym wedding, Doc recognizes his, uh, sword.

Doc makes all the guests that aren't Vicky and the Knight disappear. He introduces himself and Vicky is horrified at the new look. Doc must be relieved that he's found a way to give Vicky the brush off and can full concentrate on his main side-piece, Clea. Doc explains to Dane the he needs him and his, uh, sword.

Doc tells Dane they need to get going and tells Vicky her party will soon be raging again. Vicky promises to keep in mental contact. Dane's winged horse appears out of nowhere and they're off. Gene gets to draw weird stuff again!

Tiboro is waiting to meet the pair along with the Sons of Satannish, whose cult robes have turned a boring grey. After calling himself invincible, Tiboro presses his attack on the magician and the knight. It's so awesome it takes two pages to depict it.

Tiboro conjures a mystic wall which the Knight shatters with his, uh, sword. Tiboro throws a mystic bolt at the pair that seems to miss and the Knight is like "that was lame" but monsters suddenly start growing out of the ground. At first they seem easy to strike down, but each hit causes two more to pop up.

Doc causes the air around the demons to crystalize. Tiboro himself re-enters the fray. He and Doc have a short dick measuring contest. Tiboro attacks Doc. Doc turns it aside with a psychic shield.

Tiboro prepares to keep repeating the attack until Doc weakens. The Black Knight reminds Tiboro Doc isn't alone and Tiboro refocuses his attack on the Knight. Tiboro blasts the ground under the Knight away and he starts his eternal fall. Doc manages to rescue him. Tiboro is about to strike Doc down while his back is turned. The Knight sees what's about to happen and throws his sword, destroying Tiboro's wand. Tiboro is mostly powerless without it and the pair claim victory. Doc doesn't banish Tiboro into nothingness. He just wants the cultists. "I can do that," responds Tiboro. Doc, The Black Knight and the Sons of Satannish leave the Sixth Dimension.

I think the story was a bit spartan which caused an extended recap of the previous issue. Very much like a show that's short a few minutes and we see way too much of the previous episode in the opening. Even using five pages for flashbacks and several more for Doc and The Black Knight to team up things drag more than any previous Roy Thomas story. It does establish Dane Whitman and Victoria Bentley as friends and neighbors which will play into a future storyline. Sadly, it's the last we see of Vicky for a long time. I liked Tiboro's return, but the colorist made him look bland with all the earth tones. He really needs the purple from his previous appearance to make that costume pop. The battle seems to take too long with not much happening. Roy seems to be relying on Gene to extend the meager story with lots of crazy panels. It's not quite as bad as a Dan Adkins stretch, but it takes its toll. The penultimate tale of The Sons of Satannish is a middling affair. Hopefully the conclusion picks things up.

[daybreaksys]

Hello! We are the Daybreak System. Someone who is from the Daybreak System is a Daybreaker.

We are governed by the four seasons ❖ (they are headmates): if you read the names Winter, Dawn, Vera or Surtur, they are big and important.

Winter and Dawn are also our main gatekeepers.

There's also a royal family, all Wintersons are royal (most famous ones are Chronos, Kairos and Ƿynn, but there's also Ontari, Rhaidos, Darhkus, +). Then there's also Atlas, the last King of the old human Kingdom and uncle of the Wintersons, he's also royal. And Spessartine, our precious Remnant prince. Winter, obviously, is also part of the royal family.

There is some culturally relevant mysticism around the Primordial Remnants, the first alters to ever form in our system, they are: Eiwør (currently Winter), Spessartine, Pendragån (currently Winter) and sometimes Hearty is counted as a secret fourth primordial.

Other important figures are Ontari, our current gatekeeper, and the former Kalwaischian Cardinals: Wyvern (currently Winter), Aether and 'llūmina (the Cardinal is like the president of Kalwaischians).

(if you didn't get it yet, Winter is very important)

Konshu and Anubis is a deities as well, of the Hybrit people.

The rest of us are silly little civilians, and there are millions upon millions of us, there are different peoples, with their own cultures and history, some with their own languages and/or writing systems.

Nonhuman races in our system are actually racialised and suffered a shitton of prejudice and attempted genocide in previous eras (of our system). All our humans are considered a single race (the human race, or Daybreaker human) because we don't have a history of human-to-human racism inside the system and because different human phenotypes don't come from different origins and cultures.

Our different (mostly nonhuman) cultures actually did naturally develop through time, through all our history and its events, in partial or complete isolation from the outer world (the front), they are legitimate cultures.

[therese-lokidottir]

There one (actually many) thing that make me want strangling Thor.

In dark world thor just leave loki 'dead' nody in dessert and leave Asgard without make sure his father is well enough to rullo g again and refuse take responsibility then in ragnarok Thor have nerve blame loki for all shit , I meant where was he?. From thor words he not inside nine realms for 2 years, I meant the reason he know odin on earth it was because surtur.

And thor said loki make nine realms into chaos (give them freedom form odin's tyranny) but that not enough of him back to Asgard months before. So basically he not really care about nine realms self, I meant of he before heard that nine realms got into chaos then why he was not go to osin and asking? I know he search is important but did he can't check his own home?

I find hilarious narrative keep saying Thor is rightful King and leader but he showing it that he keep stay away and throw away his responsibility. And of course loki being good and care take that responsibility but of course Thor keep saying lokiis a thief and betrayer.

And in love and thunder is very proff of that

Ugh, it's very frustrating about Thor.

Well, never coming back for Loki's body can be partially be blamed on the revised ending. The original where Loki did die Thor and Odin both express more thanks and acknowledge his virtues more. But then we got the twist ending.

I've talked about Ragnarok before and how nothing about the nine realms being in chaos but nothing is ever done and there is no follow. After TR and IW there is no way this chaos could be fixed. There's no bifrost and Thor has become a depressed recluse. So how bad could all this chaos be if it's never relevant. If Waititi and Feige are to lazy to come up with actual reasons why Loki was a bad king other than just saying "he was doing a bad job" with no specifics. I'm gonna interpreted Loki as a good king that demilitarized and funded the arts and Thor was just mad Asgard loosen it's iron grip.

Thor doesn't prove himself a good king or leader in Ragnarok. If anything he's shown to be a pretty bad leader and just barely gets buy on being lucky.

[illyanarasputinfan]

My favorite Magik moments of 2023!

Dark Web: Finale #1 (2023) MARVEL - Illyana is frustrated when Cyclops interrupts her in battle to execute the next phase of his plan.

X-Men #23 (2023) MARVEL - Illyana single-handedly destroys a Stark Sentinel that nearly kills the entire team.

X-Men Unlimited Infinity #90 (2023) MARVEL - Jean Grey, Magik, and Spider-Girl put an end to Armageddon Girl’s murderous rampage.

Captain Marvel #49 (2023) MARVEL - The X-Men come to Captain Marvel’s aid during a battle with the Brood.

X-Terminators #5 (2023) MARVEL - Magik is gifted a baby demon by Wolverine and Jubilee for assisting them with her teleportation ability.

Bishop: War College #5 (2023) MARVEL - Earth-63 Illyana is introduced during a sparring session with Lucas Bishop on Krakoa.

Strange Academy Finals #5 (2023) MARVEL - Magik expresses her displeasure over Emily Bright’s villainous turn.

Sins of Sinister #1 (2023) MARVEL - Illyana uses Surtur’s Twilight Sword to send Asgard spinning into the void.

X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1 (MARVEL) - Magik carries Curse against her will to safety during the exodus of Krakoa.

Realm of X #3 (2023) MARVEL - Illyana faces her greatest challenge yet….talking sense to a teenager.

[lokiinmediasideblog]

I hate the way people pat TW in the back for "calling out colonialism" in TR when the extend of the movie's commentary on colonialism is basically "colonialism is a thing. that exists." the one character calling out the colonialism is Hela, who's portrayed as irredeemable and unsympathetic, and she's not even calling out the colonialism itself, she's calling Odin's hypocrisy. Odin is still portrayed as a wise figure worth emulating by Thor, with the implication that his colonizer past was just an oopsie, an error of judgement. It implies that colonialism is solved by having the colonizer have a come to jesus moment, and no matter how much people try to twist Asgard exploding as a reckoning it rings hollow if neither Thor or the current Asgardians know what Asgard has to reckon with.

I will preface saying I like aspects of TR, such as Hela, Valkyrie, the whole possibility of space adventures, the Revengers, Asgard's bloody past. BUT TR definitely gets too much credit on the "anti-imperialism" department.

On top of Thor STILL looking up to Odin at the very end, the colonizing Asgardians get to rebrand as "refugees" and get to squat on another planet.

There's no indication they've actually changed their ways. The imperialistic past was treated as a family squabble and "died with Hela/Surtur/Asgard".