Is Marvel's Loki Accurate?

Dr. Crawford's Poetic Edda: www.amazon.com/shop/religionforbreakfast

The real Loki probably didn't have a British accent

Thanks again for having me, Andrew! I had a great time talking to you.

I once read a book, sadly forgot the name, where loki goes to a small village and asks if he could get a bed for the night. The next day, as reward, he pays them with a golden coin, which is far more valuable than anyone there ever had. He places it on a rock in the middle of the village and says its for everyone, and one guy is a protector to guard to coin so nobody takes it for themselves. Then later in the story he comes back and the village is wiped out, and the golden coin, completely smooth from everyone taking it, lays in a dead mans hand. That story always felt like a more accurate depiction of a trickster god.

One thing you forgot to mention is that in Norse mythology, Loki is not Thor's adoptive brother, he's Odin's blood-brother. That is, they did a little ritual that's still sometimes done in Scandinavia even today where you cut your palm or a finger, and mix blood with someone else, symbolically making them your brother or sister. Loki and Odin were childhood friends, but for whatever reason, Marvel decided to make Loki much younger than Odin and have him be adopted by him instead.

I choose to imagine the Lokesenna as an epic rap battle between the gods

Salmon Loki can't hurt you Salmon Loki: 8:34

Sees loki video: "its lit" Sees Dr Crawford: air horn noises

Hel, the goddess suffers the same as Hades. As "Hades" is both the name of the god and his realm.

Me, when I see the title: Odd that this is a ReligionForBreakfast video and not a Jackson Crawford video. Me, one minute in: Epic crossover!

I actually grew up in a part of a residential area called "Lokes hage" ("Lokis pasture") in Sweden in the 1980s. But the name was given during the 1970s. It was not in any way an ancient name. There was also "Tors hage", "Balders hage", "Frejas hage" and "Odens hage".

Insults in poetic form? Was this history's first recorded rap battle?

Thanks for delving into this. Hel Lokisdotter was done so wrong in the movies. She was a benevolent and compassionate figure in the old stories, wanting to care for those misfit souls who were forgotten or left behind. Not everyone gets to go to Valhalla, so what happens to those people? Hel takes care of them as best she can.

We talked about Loki in my Mythology and Folklore class in college. My professor was unsure how much Loki’s “evilness” was post Christian and a need for a devil like figure which I thought was interesting. Since Snorri and others who were writing were writing in a very Christian context and “trickster” was not a part of the pantheon. Lol. Even if Snorri was faithful in many ways, he had to make sure the Church didn’t see it as “anti-Christian,” it was a fine line to walk I am sure. Great video!

“And a half corpse woman” why is this literally the way I described Hel to my friends

Brilliant crossover!

I've been waIting for this crossover

I know this is pure speculation on my part, but what if the reason Loki seems to be invisible in rituals and location names is that the people believed saying his name or invoking his image risks drawing his attention. So they would want to avoid acknowledging him as often as possible otherwise he'd show and bring wrought and ruin upon them. He'd show his face and be like, "Hey. Did you know there are some really awesome apples outside? I'll show you."

When reading the eddas, I always pictured Loki as an agent of chaos. Good, bad, it didn't really matter, but when he showed up, you knew things were about to get escalated. Also, wasn't Odin's manliness also called into question, mainly through practicing the feminine magic saidr? He was another very interesting character, who was recognized as being brave and wise but whose main drive seemed to be to acquire more knowledge and power, no matter what the cost to himself. He sacrificed himself to get access to the runes, I can completely see him breaking taboos to see the future.

The depiction of Ragnarok is grim, but I love the very end when Thor's sons return and find the golden chess pieces of the Aesir in the grass, leading to the rebuilding of humanity.