He should have taken the Tesseract and ran. Stolen an escape pod, something, anything. Even used the power of the stone itself--that would have brought Thanos on him fast, like sending up a signal flare, but maybe he could have kept a few steps ahead. Instead, he thought he could use it to bargain for time, forgetting how ruthless the Mad Titan could be. Or, no. No, he never forgot how ruthless Thanos could be, but Loki relied too heavily on his own ability to fake indifference to those around him.
Thor was always going to be a weak spot. So, too, would have been some of the others aboard that ship (the Valkyrie cut apart and rebuilt like Nebula, Heimdall with his eyes torn out...there are things that are indeed worse than pain) though perhaps not quite as glaringly weak.
Loki gambled and lost, and witnessing these twice-orphaned children makes him wonder if he could have made the gamble for himself alone, without the remnants of Asgard at stake. This is the danger of sentiment.
"Less than a year ago," he says, "that little girl I was carrying just now was painted blue and pretending to be my infant self on the stage in Asgard. I sent her mother a gift when her little brother was born."
Of course, they're talking different dimensions; it might not be the same here as in Loki's own world of origin, but still.
"I am the closest thing they have to a leader until Thor comes. If he does come."
He's quiet for too long a moment, then shakes himself and says, "Thank you. I...they will need places to stay. My own safe houses will not accommodate children well, for the most part."
no subject
Thor was always going to be a weak spot. So, too, would have been some of the others aboard that ship (the Valkyrie cut apart and rebuilt like Nebula, Heimdall with his eyes torn out...there are things that are indeed worse than pain) though perhaps not quite as glaringly weak.
Loki gambled and lost, and witnessing these twice-orphaned children makes him wonder if he could have made the gamble for himself alone, without the remnants of Asgard at stake. This is the danger of sentiment.
"Less than a year ago," he says, "that little girl I was carrying just now was painted blue and pretending to be my infant self on the stage in Asgard. I sent her mother a gift when her little brother was born."
Of course, they're talking different dimensions; it might not be the same here as in Loki's own world of origin, but still.
"I am the closest thing they have to a leader until Thor comes. If he does come."
He's quiet for too long a moment, then shakes himself and says, "Thank you. I...they will need places to stay. My own safe houses will not accommodate children well, for the most part."