Originally posted on tumblr
In response to this post on ONTD in regards to some controversy surrounding the "He's adopted" line in the Avengers.
I’ll be open. I am adopted, and it’s one of those touchy subjects that I like to think doesn’t bother me actively, but yes, sometimes, it does in fact really bother me a lot thanks to my relationship with my family and overall history. Growing up I had older siblings, WHO KNEW I WAS ADOPTED WHEN I DID NOT, crack jokes about how weird I was and how it’s because I was secretly adopted or the kid left on the door step. They still do it to this day. That was hurtful before I knew I was adopted because I have always been the odd one out in my family who never really felt like I belonged and they liked to rub that in my face, and it’s hurtful now because they use it like it’s some perfect explanation for why I am myself and not like them.
I will admit going into the movie I was spoiled on the line but didn’t know how it was delivered, and I was apprehensive about it. I was apprehensive because it’s always been the foundation of the entire Thor and Loki relationship, that no matter what shit Loki pulls, no matter how much Loki claims to hate him and abuse him, no matter what shit Odin says, no matter what the actual circumstances - be they half brothers, adopted siblings, step brothers, Loki knows, Loki doesn’t know, Loki orchestrates his entire adoption himself through complicated time magic, whatever - Thor views Loki as his brother. End of story. It is one of his indelible truths. To have Thor renounce that relationship would have pissed me off beyond belief.
However, having actually seen the exchange in question, I wasn’t bothered by it, especially since we were treated to Thor repeatedly affirming that 1.) Loki is his brother, 2.) Thor really fucking missed him and is emotional over this, and 3.) He wants him to come home as his brother during the scene on the mountain. I really don’t see how anyone could watch that scene and think Thor felt nothing. There’s a couple of moments where he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Yes, Thor says some shitty things during that scene, especially the dig about Loki forgetting his imagined slights, but you know, Loki says some really shitty things too, like his revisionist history concerning what happened on the Bifost. No sir, Thor did not toss you off. You let go when he was trying to hold on to you. They can both be awful to each other and still love each other.
Thor is not diminishing his and Loki’s relationship by stating Loki is adopted. He was responding to a statement someone made in a situation where he was clearly uncomfortable and feeling defensive. He’d just told Bruce to essentially shut it with the talk of Loki being a nutbag. Natasha says Loki has killed 80 people in 2 days. I am more than convinced that Thor himself has killed more than 80 people in a much smaller time span, and there is a high likelihood Thor himself was the aggressor and started it. The rest of the people there are not going to understand any of Thor’s worldview or his and Loki’s history. So, he quietly says something that may tritely explain part of why Loki is fucked up in a way they may understand.
I’ll be open. I am adopted, and it’s one of those touchy subjects that I like to think doesn’t bother me actively, but yes, sometimes, it does in fact really bother me a lot thanks to my relationship with my family and overall history. Growing up I had older siblings, WHO KNEW I WAS ADOPTED WHEN I DID NOT, crack jokes about how weird I was and how it’s because I was secretly adopted or the kid left on the door step. They still do it to this day. That was hurtful before I knew I was adopted because I have always been the odd one out in my family who never really felt like I belonged and they liked to rub that in my face, and it’s hurtful now because they use it like it’s some perfect explanation for why I am myself and not like them.
I will admit going into the movie I was spoiled on the line but didn’t know how it was delivered, and I was apprehensive about it. I was apprehensive because it’s always been the foundation of the entire Thor and Loki relationship, that no matter what shit Loki pulls, no matter how much Loki claims to hate him and abuse him, no matter what shit Odin says, no matter what the actual circumstances - be they half brothers, adopted siblings, step brothers, Loki knows, Loki doesn’t know, Loki orchestrates his entire adoption himself through complicated time magic, whatever - Thor views Loki as his brother. End of story. It is one of his indelible truths. To have Thor renounce that relationship would have pissed me off beyond belief.
However, having actually seen the exchange in question, I wasn’t bothered by it, especially since we were treated to Thor repeatedly affirming that 1.) Loki is his brother, 2.) Thor really fucking missed him and is emotional over this, and 3.) He wants him to come home as his brother during the scene on the mountain. I really don’t see how anyone could watch that scene and think Thor felt nothing. There’s a couple of moments where he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Yes, Thor says some shitty things during that scene, especially the dig about Loki forgetting his imagined slights, but you know, Loki says some really shitty things too, like his revisionist history concerning what happened on the Bifost. No sir, Thor did not toss you off. You let go when he was trying to hold on to you. They can both be awful to each other and still love each other.
Thor is not diminishing his and Loki’s relationship by stating Loki is adopted. He was responding to a statement someone made in a situation where he was clearly uncomfortable and feeling defensive. He’d just told Bruce to essentially shut it with the talk of Loki being a nutbag. Natasha says Loki has killed 80 people in 2 days. I am more than convinced that Thor himself has killed more than 80 people in a much smaller time span, and there is a high likelihood Thor himself was the aggressor and started it. The rest of the people there are not going to understand any of Thor’s worldview or his and Loki’s history. So, he quietly says something that may tritely explain part of why Loki is fucked up in a way they may understand.