Where the Marvel Cinematic Universe is concerned, there are a lot of sibling rivalries to go around. Thor's and Loki’s might just be the most popular as this dynamic has been around for more than a decade. Despite being adoptive siblings, the two have been closer than biological brothers on many occasions.
However, there’s also the fact that Thor and Loki have been against one another plenty of times, with Loki being the main antagonist in Thor and The Avengers. Even then, fans have loved Thor and Loki’s relationship and it can be considered to be both wonderful and very much flawed.
Worst: There's Litte Trust Between Them
No matter how many times Loki and Thor may team up, there’s no doubt that the latter can’t trust his brother. Due to Loki’s many betrayals, Thor can never be around his sibling and feel comfortable since Loki’s patented stab in the back could happen at any moment.
Loki himself can’t be at ease around Thor due to Thor’s refusal to stoop to dastardly means, something Loki prides himself upon. All things considered, the brothers are wary of one another even when they’re allies.
Perfect: They Have A Classic Older-Younger Sibling Dynamic
It doesn’t make a difference how many times Loki may betray him or anyone else, as Thor is the ultimate big brother who will forgive his younger sibling time and again. In Thor: Ragnarok, he confessed he thought the world of Loki simply because he was his brother and continued to look out for him.
Loki also has the classic mannerisms of a younger sibling, prone to playfully teasing Thor and making his elder brother laugh. Despite being Asgardian gods, the two exhibit the kind of older-younger sibling dynamic in all its classic and heartwarming ways.
Worst: Their Preferences Are Too Dissimilar
Thor and Loki don’t have anything in common, with Loki even lamenting that they don’t share the same biological parents. Where Thor loves the warrior lifestyle and has a sense of honor, Loki is more interested in magic and trickery.
Their days before the conflicts shown in the MCU comprised of Thor leading his friends into various battles while Loki usually indulged in increasing his knowledge of lore and magic. Due to this, the two didn’t have much in common and it resulted in Loki often feeling left out.
Perfect: They Accept Each Other As Brothers No Matter What
For most of their time in the MCU, Loki and Thor were at odds over one thing or another. What’s interesting is that while Loki kept insisting that Odin wasn’t his father, he didn’t claim that he and Thor weren’t brothers. Apart from one angry moment, Loki continued to call Thor his brother even when he saw him as an enemy.
Thor was the same, as he argued with the Avengers that Loki was still his brother when they called the latter insane. This may have stemmed from their mutual admiration of their mother, but it’s clear the two always saw their relationship as two brothers squabbling.
Worst: Loki Spent Most Of The Time Feeling Inferior To Thor
It wasn’t until Thor: Ragnarok that Loki stopped trying to prove he was better than his brother. Before that, he had the tendency to be intimidated by the popularity Thor enjoyed and was particularly contemptuous of the attention Thor received from Odin.
What makes this a weak aspect of their relationship is the fact that Thor didn’t realize that he was contributing to Loki feeling this way. As shown in their first appearance, Thor told Loki to “know your place,” confirming that he thought of Loki as his inferior.
Perfect: They Have Their Own Fight Strategies And Inside Jokes
The mark of a strong sibling relationship is when they can communicate with one another without the need to actually speak. Thor and Loki were very much this way, having their own attack stances and fight synchronization that they geared up for the moment conflict came their way.
Their jokes usually comprised poking fun at each other, such as Loki’s knack for teasing Thor about being so gullible and Thor’s jabs at Loki’s style and dress sense. Neither of the two took these jabs seriously, which is how many siblings behave. Then, of course, there's their "Get help!" strategy, which was obviously the result of their games during childhood.
Worst: They Were Happier When They Were Apart
It’s a shame to realize that Thor and Loki’s best times were when they weren’t together. For Loki, his happiest phase in the MCU was when he was under the guise of Odin, during which he erected monuments in his own honor and lived a lavish lifestyle by ensuring Thor was always away.
This was Thor’s best time as well, as he was granted permission by Loki disguised as Odin to retire from Asgard to stay with Jane and the Avengers on Earth. It’s also clear that neither of the two missed the other’s company.
Perfect: They Find Themselves Together Somehow Anyway
Despite Loki’s supposed absence from Thor: Love and Thunder and Thor’s from the Loki series, it’s still a good bet that they might show up. This comes down to Thor and Loki somehow finding themselves back together.
It was best seen in Thor: Ragnarok, where the two happened to fall into Sakaar and be reunited. It went further in the film’s climax when Loki returned to Asgard to aid Thor despite their falling out. They were also together for Odin’s passing when neither had known of their father’s whereabouts prior to that.
Worst: Their Relationship Is Mostly Based On Conflict
Since the MCU is adapted from the comics, Loki’s antagonism toward Thor was retained. This remained the basis of their relationship as the brothers were either against one another or reunited due to a conflict taking place.
Their reconciliation in Thor: Ragnarok was a result of Hela’s takeover of Asgard and even their escape together was necessary due to Asgard’s destruction. Their team-up in Thor: The Dark World was due to the Dark Elves’ attack and even then their relationship was based on antagonism.
Perfect: They Were Willing To Die Together
When Thanos arrived to claim the Tesseract, it was the best moment for Loki to hightail out of there. However, he chose to stay on the Statesmen due to Thanos’ capture of Thor. In the end, he died in a last-ditch effort to kill Thanos and save his brother.
Although Loki’s plan was in vain, Thor made no attempt to escape himself after Thanos left to blow up the Statesman. Instead, Thor remained by Loki’s body and hoped he would die alongside his brother. Despite all their previous antagonism, the two were willing to go down swinging together.