Fan theory establishes fascinating link between Loki and Hela

Thor films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been somewhat hit or miss over the years, but there is near-unanimous agreement that 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok certainly landed in the ‘hit’ camp. 

Among many other pieces of the tapestry, Cate Blanchett’s portrayal of the malevolent Hela was a standout element that wove this fan-favorite movie together, with a commanding presence in every scene she appears in. It’s almost a shame she was a one-movie villain, particularly after a fan theory reshared by Reddit user u/JWJulie connected the villainess a lot more closely to Loki.

In short, we know Loki can peer into the memories of those he comes in contact with. Odin’s first-born proverbial black sheep has very distinct features – pale skin, green eyes, and flowing jet black hair. The theory suggests when Loki first came into contact with Odin as an infant, he changed his appearance to match that of Hela so as to form a more instant connection with the Allfather.

Fans well-versed with the comic books point to a number of contrarian factoids from the source material which pick this theory apart a little. Firstly, Odin used his magic to transform Loki into an Asgardian. Secondly, Hela is Loki’s daughter in the comics. 

While these are interesting bits of source material trivia, it’s become relatively common knowledge and somewhat expected for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to deviate from the comic books here and there and not adapt to each story beat on a one-to-one basis.

Another point of discussion attempting to debunk the theory is Loki’s magical abilities being handed down to him by Frigga, however it is pointed out that Loki’s ability to shapeshift is an inherent trait of a frost giant, as seen in What If?.

Odin recounts Loki’s predicament at the moment he found him as such: small for a giant’s offspring, abandoned, suffering and left to die. So, it is entirely feasible to believe suffering, infant Loki’s unconscious survival instinct kicked in and he changed his appearance to fit the offspring of Odin, who was providing him with warmth and safety when he was found on Jotunheim. 

Thor: Love and Thunder wasn’t as universally loved as its predecessor, however one hot take we found on social media may have made the film a lot better, or at the very least, much more interesting. 

Meanwhile, Loki will be returning to our TV screens for a second season, and Tom Hiddleston recently shared a few nuggets of information about what we can expect at D23.