Warning: Spoilers for Loki episode 4, "The Nexus Event"

In Loki episode 4, Mobius tells the titular God of Mischief he can be a good person if he wishes, and his reaction paints Odin as an even worse father than before. Throughout its run so far, Loki has done much to pull back the curtain on the inner workings of Tom Hiddleston's titular trickster. Whether it is contemplating his feelings on love or questioning if he truly derives pleasure from hurting people, no part of Loki's psyche is going untouched. Yes, Loki is an MCU show, but it's also a thoughtful character study.

Over the course of his MCU journey up to this point, Loki has fluctuated between a villain and an antihero. His actions in the first Thor and 2012's The Avengers firmly establish him as a twisted madman (albeit one who earns some sympathy because of his backstory). However, by the time Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok roll around, Loki finds himself aiding his heroic adoptive brother (Chris Hemsworth) more than he hurts him. All of this is to say that Loki is in fact capable of doing good things.

Related: Loki: Every MCU Easter Egg In Episode 4

And yet, when his solo series begins, he is in a far more damaged place. Having come straight from his failed invasion of New York from The Avengers, this Loki is one grappling with whether he is a monster or not. From his perspective, he is; in Loki episode 1, he calls himself a villain, and it's only Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) who says otherwise. In fact, Mobius has shown more faith in Loki than the God of Mischief has in himself. This is highlighted in Loki episode 4, when Mobius says, "You could be whoever, whatever you wanna be. Even someone good. I mean, just in case anyone ever told you different." Loki's answering look of surprise, then the bright grin on his face, shows he really hasn't heard that much.

Mobius and Loki watch Loki’s future life in Loki

This is where Odin's (Anthony Hopkins) shortcomings as a father come into play. Loki's mother Frigga (Rene Russo) has always been supportive of him. She taught him magic and told him he could do anything, as mentioned in Loki episode 3. At the same time, Loki has always had to work to earn Odin's approval. It's why he concocted his scheme in Thor, to please Odin. Despite this, Odin didn't offer Loki the same support as he did to Thor. Loki's surprise at his father's declaration of love in Thor: Ragnarok already indicated as much. Odin saw Thor as a good, noble hero; Loki, not quite.

Mobius, meanwhile, actually takes the time to tell Loki he can be someone good, something Odin might not have done, not to mention the role the TVA forced Loki into. Mobius' parting line hints he knows this as well. Whether it's because of some deep-seated prejudice he had towards Frost Giants or simply because he didn't believe Loki had any capacity for goodness, Odin didn't believe in Loki the same way others do now. As a result, resentment grew within Loki, and he began to see himself as a villain. This becomes yet another mark against Odin when it comes to his parenting skills, but at least Loki is learning otherwise now.

More: Loki Episode 4 Post-Credits Scene: 4 New Variants Explained

Loki releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

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