And I have a bone to pick.
Let’s set aside here everything that Loki has done, and focus on how he was raised. People probably think “So, Odin didn’t tell Loki he was adopted. So what? That happens”. But think about this…Odin kept Loki’s true parentage from him his whole life, all the while raising him to believe that the frost giants were evil monsters. Odin knew Loki was a frost giant. He knew that was in his blood. And still he drilled into Loki that they were disgusting, vile, evil monsters who deserved to be overthrown.
Odin also raised him with the notion that he would be a king someday. When Odin said that, he never meant the King of Asgard…he meant the King of Jotunheim. Using Loki as pretty much nothing more than a bargaining chip for their games. Instilling the beliefs of Asgard into Loki, so when Odin felt it was time, he could push Loki into Jotunheim, ruling it under the belief system of Asgard.
Which means that Odin knew eventually he would have to tell Loki who he really was. There was no way he could put Loki in Jotunheim without Loki discovering he too was a frost giant. So Odin took this child…this innocent child…and brainwashed him into believing horrible horrible things about a race of beings, full well knowing that eventually Loki would learn he was bred from that race of beings.
I mean…what did Odin really think was going to happen? I don’t know if I truly buy Odin’s whole “I love both my sons as equals.” I personally think that is a crock of shit.
Odin enforced beliefs into Loki that in turn made Loki racist against himself. Beliefs imbedded so deeply that Loki went as far as to attempt to destroy his entire own race…which still meant absolutely nothing to everyone around him. So Loki was punished and nearly exiled all for doing something that he was was raised to believe was right. No matter how hard he tried to gain respect by doing what he was taught, he was still emotionally neglected. A failure. And Odin, who could have truly reached out to Loki at his breaking point, instead decided to show disdain and contempt.
So why were Thor and Odin(or anyone) so surprised when Loki covered up his feelings of self resentment and diminished worth with malicious and desperate behavior? His whole life Loki had been told the frost giants were heinous, inferior monsters. So based upon the beliefs that Odin enforced into Loki’s mind that too meant he was a heinous, inferior monster.
So yes, Odin, why didn’t you tell Loki from the beginning? Because it sure as fuck wasn’t to protect him…
*This is all just my personal opinion, and everyone has a different take on the actions of each character. Which I respectfully accept*
