‘Loki’ on Disney+: The importance of male narratives (and a sad cry for feminism behind the camera)
A/N: This is being written after the first two episodes of ‘Loki’ have streamed. I haven’t seen the whole series yet, but the themes and ideas are appropriate to the content currently available on screen and will be edited if needs be.
There’s been a growing awareness for a woman’s narrative in film and television and that’s such a good thing (duh); I love that we’re witnessing this upward trajectory. Is it equal? No. Not by a long shot. And ongoing crimes and outrageous behaviour being revealed through the #MeToo movement is just one more reason to Valar Morghulis our way out of this mess. But feminist and more diverse voices are (slowly) being offered more space.
Quick note on the above: In 1993 there was a TIE for the ‘Palme D’Or’ so Campion had to share the honour with a man. Of course. So, still quite an issue there… The work is hard. deep breath
What does this have to do with our favourite God of Mischief?
Firstly, a note on the show’s production crew. Using IMDB for reference, there are 12 producers (executive, assistant, co-, supervising… It’s all a much of a muchness). And how many of them are women? (*Making assumptions on their names, and not because I know the individual gender or personal identity of each listed) Just 4. A third. And 3 out of 4 of those women are only listed as producers on the first 3 episodes. So… Yeah.
In terms of production and careers for women and POC voices in the film industry, it’s severely lacking in diversity.
There are some notable positions credited to women:
Music by: Natalie Holt who has also composed for TV series’ such as ‘Victoria’ and ‘War and Peace.’
Cinematography by: August Durald who has a list of 33 cinamatography titles on IMDB including ‘Palo Alto’ and ‘The Sun is Also a Star’.
Casting Director: Sarah Finn who is just THE casting director in the Marvel business, it seems. Absolute icon. (With Krista Husar for one episode)
TOP TIP - If you really like a series, go check out what the casting director has listed in “post production” for more things to add to your watchlist
It does become a more level playing field the further down the credits you get. But isn’t that the way? Those few big-boss CEO type positions… Mostly men. And then it gets much better until you hit something particularly “male” in assumption (for instance, special effects) and then it becomes a total sausage fest.
Uh, shout out to Trish ‘The Dish’ Stanard from production who also has a nickname listed as ‘Fo' Flats Trigger’. (Please please please tell me that this fact was listed with some form of consent, and same goes for how the nickname was bestowed).
I could write a whole academic research paper on women working in film production… But that’s not what we’re here for. Today it’s about the end product, the story, that we see on screen. So. About ‘Loki’…
I love Loki. He’s such a fun character, but what I think a self titled series shows is just how much of an instrument he’s supposed to be. He is an antagonist, an anti-hero, a means to an end, a plot point. He was never the main character.
What I adore most is that in ‘Loki’ we see him challenging this narrative.
The first couple have episodes have a strong male focus. Between Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) there is a lot of male energy on screen. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I think as an active feminist I can be quite sensitive to these kinds of storyboards, where cis male heteronormative characters are the centre of attention.
(Is Loki heteronormative? Answers on a postcard please, but I’m leaning towards “not really”)
So what’s the big deal?
Look, it’s no longer a big hush-hush shut-up-and-deal-with-it secret. The patriarchy is a woman’s biggest enemy. And also, for some men, it is their biggest adversary too. The pressure on men, or male presenting people, to embody a socially acceptable masculine energy is a big factor on how someone may act or “show up to the party”.
Misogynistic, or toxic male behaviour, can only begin to be eradicated if we start teaching our boys and young men that they don’t have to live up to an impossible standard. We can’t all be Thor, and neither should we want to be.
Enter Loki. The lost boy. The weaker, less successful, less powerful son. A brother in the shadow of a larger and heroic male. Is it any wonder that his attempts to live up to that image ends in pain and suffering for everyone involved?
Men can often be made to repeat history if they are not offered a different path. They will continue to revisit and relive past mistakes and trauma over and over, even when they know the outcome.
*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT*
So Loki becomes quite a literal metaphor for this scenario. When he witnesses his own conclusion in the timeline he sees how empty and unsatisfying it is (understatement), but with that knowledge, he now has the potential to change his destiny.
The exchanges between Loki and Mobius are important male-to-male conversations regarding personal narratives and how different “variants” are possible (but ultimately the same outcomes will remain if a fundamental change isn’t made. The patriarchy ensures the timeline holds true. Patriarchy = Time Keepers).
But how can a male narrative also be feminist?
Because we need to reserve a space for men at the table. I hate men. But only in their current uniform. But we can’t begin to make any progress if we don’t invite men to talk about their own damage under the crushing boot of the patriarchy.
It’s interesting that within this storyverse it seems that women have been positioned in places of power. Ravonna Ravenslayer and Hunter B-15 very much take charge within the bureaucratic TVA (Time Variant Agency) and I think that is a really interesting dynamic.
If you’ve been on TikTok for more than ten minutes then you’ll have seen at least half a dozen Loki edits. We get suckered in by his hands (always the hands) and his walk (always the walk) and this is something that is fetishised over and over (see: Mr Darcy). I think there’s an androgynous freedom to the God of Mischief and trickery, free from the bonds of societal expectations we can explore something other than vanilla sex and not be judged or labelled a “slut”.
A/N: Excuse me, Marvel, but we know *you know*… You know? But first giving us Bucky on his knees in ‘The Falcon and The Winter Solider’… And now Loki? Goddammit. This gif lives in my head rent-free:
If you could share one night with Thor or Loki… Who are you picking? Thought so.
Classic bad boy syndrome, a walking red flag, but I think we can see his struggle, we can appreciate the position he’s in. He’s not “evil” but a product of a toxic patriarchal upbringing. It is no surprise that he wakes up and chooses violence.
I think it’s incredibly beneficial to allow these kinds of conversations to happen. Mano a mano.
I’m really enjoying ‘Loki’, I adore the art style choices (vintage S.F. vibes which could be a whole other conversation of subversion of gender and society) as well as such a fun and balanced storyline… It’s good stuff so far.
Written by Sarah
