Since its inception in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced us to many villains. One thing most of them have in common is the fact that they don't get the chance to stay on screen for more than one or two movies. They either die or are captured by heroes.
One of the few exceptions is Loki, everyone's favorite villain—or antihero. He starts out as a villain in Thor and Avengers, but that changes after Thor: The Dark World. Still, despite his fascinating growth as a character, most of Loki's life rotates around constant failures and his neverending desire to fix what can't be fixed.
10 Loki Sabotages Thor's Crowning But Destroys His Own Life In the Process
Loki knows that Thor isn’t prepared to be the King of Asgard, so he sabotages Thor’s brother's crowning by helping a group of Frost Giants sneak into the Asgardian Weapons Vault. Everything goes according to plan as Thor loses his temper enough to warrant a delay in his crowning. But the scheme ultimately lands them on Jotunheim, where a Frost Giant's touch breaks the spell on Loki's skin.
Thor is banished to Earth, but at the same time, Loki learns he is adopted in the worst possible way. When he confronts Odin, the All-Father admits that Loki is actually the son of King Laufey of Jotunheim, then falls into the Odinsleep. Left with no anchor, he embarks on a mad plan to prove he is worthy of his father's affection.
9 Loki Is Defeated By The Avengers After Trying To Invade Earth
Loki's villainous scheme in Thor doesn't work, but things don't improve for him in Avengers. Despite having the Mind Stone in his possession and an army of Chitauri at his disposal, Loki is defeated by the newly assembled Avengers with a little extra help from the nuclear missile Iron Man directed into the wormhole.
Some theories argue that Loki he wanted to lose all along, as he had no desire to serve Thanos. Even if that is true, he most likely didn't expect being smashed so badly by the Hulk, or imprisoned for life by his father upon his return to Asgard.
8 Loki's Inability To Draw Alioth's Attention Forces Classic Loki To Intervene
While in the main timeline, Odin punishes Loki in Asgard for his crimes. But, there is a version of Loki that escapes this fate in 2012. During the Avengers' Time Heist, the Tesseract accidentally lands at Loki's feet and he uses it to run. In the Disney+ series Loki, he is captured by the Time Variance Authority, now an anomaly against the Sacred Timeline. Throughout the rest of the show, he seeks freedom from the TVA and the strange force controlling it.
In his quest, he runs into unlikely allies—including several versions of himself. His main partner is his female version, Sylvie, who also becomes his love interest. But once in the Void, he also meets variants like Classic Loki and Kid Loki. It is Classic Loki that saves him and Sylvie when they challenge the monster Alioth. Loki's attempt to distract the creature fails, forcing Classic Loki to intervene. The massive illusion he casts gives the duo the chance to defeat the monster, but it costs Classic Loki his life.
7 Loki Is King Over Asgard Twice And It Doesn't Go Well For Anyone
Loki becomes King of Asgard twice, once legitimately, and once by impersonating Odin. The first time, he's distracted by his personal tragedy and betrayed by his friends and subordinates. It leads him to send the Destroyer after Thor, an act which indirectly returns Thor his powers.
The second time, he takes the throne from the ailing Odin but does very little to prepare Asgard for the threat he knows is close. Loki couldn't have done anything to protect the Asgardians from Hela, but his apparent decision to focus more on entertainment rather than practicalities seems short-sighted at best.
6 The Spell Loki Casts On Odin May Have Hastened Odin's Demise And Hela's Release
After taking Odin's throne, Loki casts a spell on him and places Odin on Earth in a nursing home. The idea may have amused him and given him a degree of entertainment, but it may have helped hasten Odin's death and through it, Hela's release. Of course, it's hardly Loki's fault that Odin didn't think things through. Odin must have known for a while that he was approaching the last years of his life, but he did nothing to prepare a better prison for Hela or help his children deal with the aftermath. Still, Loki may have had a hand in Hela's freedom, and it's yet another burden to bear.
5 Loki's Attempt To Commit Suicide Lands Him In Thanos's Hands
Most of Loki's problems originate from Odin's inability to tell him the truth about his adoption and to raise Loki properly. Loki's attempted suicide is similar, as it is Odin who urges Loki to let go of the spear while dangling over the abyss on the Bifrost bridge. Loki fully expects to die, but that doesn't happen. Instead, he lands in the hands of Thanos, who tortures him, enslaves him, and uses him in his mad quest for the Infinity Stones.
4 Loki Gives Information To Kurse Out Of Spite And It Leads To His Mother's Death
After being sentenced to life imprisonment, Loki isn't happy. When a dark elf spy infiltrates the dungeons, Loki welcomes the chance for revenge. He gives Kurse inside information on how to navigate Asgard. Unbeknownst to Loki, his words take Kurse to his mother Frigga. She tries to protect Jane Foster and the Aether, but in the ensuing battle, she is killed. Loki is never even able to make amends with her.
3 Loki Takes The Tesseract From Asgard And Leads Thanos To His People
The battle with Hela seems unwinnable until Thor comes up with a mad scheme: to use Surtur's power and cause Ragnarok. The task is entrusted to Loki, and he fulfills it, resurrecting the fire demon with the help of his crown and the Eternal Flame. But before leaving the Weapons' Vault, he takes the Tesseract with him. It's been argued that this is what draws Thanos's attention to the surviving Asgardians in the first place.
2 Loki Can't Keep Sylvie From Killing He Who Remains
After he and Sylvie make their way past Alioth, they find the Citadel at the End of Time, which is where the architect behind the TVA is hiding. He Who Remains explains that he enforces the Sacred Timeline so that alternate versions of himself can’t run amok and cause a war in the multiverse. He warns them that killing him would ruin the balance he'd been preserving until then.
Loki believes him, but he fails to convince Sylvie. They kiss and she pushes him into a Timedoor, then kills He Who Remains. The multiverse fractures and 2012 Loki lands in a TVA led by He Who Remains. It's Sylvie's failure as much as it is Loki's, and it's one that may have an effect on everyone in the MCU, whether they realize it or not.
1 Loki's Final Greatest Illusion Fails And It Leads To His Death
After Thanos's attack on the Statesman, the God of Mischief attempts one last trick. He approaches Thanos by pledging undying loyalty but secretly plans to kill him. A dagger may not have done much considering the fact that even the Hulk failed to harm Thanos, but Loki may have been working with a different agenda.
Considering the words of Classic Loki in the Disney+ series, he may have intended to cast an elaborate illusion that would trick the Mad Titan. While Classic Loki succeeds in this task, Loki either fails in his spell or doesn't come up with the idea in the first place. The confrontation with Thanos leads to Loki’s death.