Ugh, some scenes just should never be cut, no matter what they do to a movie’s pacing. This bit that was pulled out of Thor: The Dark World shows Thor and his mother talking about Loki (right after her conversation with her younger son in his cell), and it’s gouging all our wounds wide open.
Stop making us feel things.
The scene also offers some helpful continuity cues that were unclear in the film—Frigga vanishes from Loki’s cell not because she’s done speaking with him, but because Thor has snuck up on her, and she’s not supposed to be in contact with him.
She admits to Thor that she taught Loki her magic because Thor and Odin cast big shadows over the younger prince, and she wanted him to have “some sun of his own.” So basically, she taught Loki magic so he would feel special. And she still doesn’t regret having done so.
Which basically makes us feel like this:
Also, we now know that one of the scenes they shot in post-production was the scene between Loki and Odin, which apparently wasn’t in the original script. Whoa. Kinda weird imagining how the movie would have read with that never shown.
You’re right — that’s an awesome scene and they should’ve kept it in. I was really confused whether that was really Frigga in his cell or just an illusion Loki conjured. It would’ve made things a lot clearer to hear that line about her being the source of Loki’s talents. Plus the emotional substance of the scene is really effective, no question.
I knew it was her, because when the illusion crumbles, HIS FAIS!
His face reveals that he thought she was truly there. That she had defied Odin’s decree that he would never see her again, and came to his cell. And when he discovers that it was a projection from her own powers, oh, all the feels.
And Thor mentions that Loki has “mother’s tricks”, so it’s not like the audience didn’t know she could do it, especially as she uses those to protect Jane.
There’s a deleted scene from Thor that was cut, and I’m glad they did, as nice as the scene is, because in it, Frigga gives Loki the sceptre, which contradicts her statement later at Odin’s bedside that they are just waiting for Thor to get back to be king.
This one doesn’t have that issue, IMO, of contradicting the themes of the movie.
@2: Yeah, Frigga did use illusion powers later in the film, but that took me off guard because I’d believed her appearance in the cell was Loki’s creation. Leaving this scene in would’ve been a good setup for that later scene.
Do they ever explain why Frigga gets stabbed in the chest and dies faster than you can say Agardian and Loki gets stabbed in the chest and walks away?
Loki wasn’t actually stabbed, it was all illusion.
@5: Which doesn’t actually resolve the question, since he learned his illusion power from Frigga in the first place. Which means she should be even better at using it to avoid being stabbed.
But she was using her illusions to save Jane.
Plus, IIRC Loki got his ass kicked, so needed his illusions to escape. Frigga was winning that fight until the Dark Elf Berserker showed up.
This should definitely have been retained in the final cut. It adds quite a bit to the emphasis of the relationship between Frigga and Loki.
I contend that Loki actually was stabbed and it was something in his frost giant nature that saved him. (I think he was just as surprised as anyone that he survived and then decided to use his apparent death to his advantage.)
Frigga and Loki aren’t the same species, so it makes sense that one could survive what the other could not. I also think this is why when Loki is stabbed he turns that weird blue/gray color. He’s reverting back to his original frost giant state.
@mandy, there is an interesting article on Tor about Loki and Thor’s appearances. Based on what can be derived from the movies(and moreso the comics), Loki has complete control of his appearance, as his armor and clothing change with his whims, while Thor’s armor is merely made of lightning.
So what was more likely, was that the shock of the attack made him lose momentary control of that power. Loki presents as Asgardian, not Frost Giant, because that is how he percieves himself.
So I wouldn’t say he’s reverting to a frost giant, more that he lost control of the magic that allows him to present himself as he wishes.
Your point that, outside presentation aside, they have different anatomies, is a good point.
@10: The problem there is that Loki didn’t know he was half-Frost Giant until the events of the first movie. So his Asgardian appearance is his default form.
All I want to know is how is Loki even in this movie? Didn’t he die at the end of the first movie?
@12: As we saw in The Avengers, Loki was rescued from his fall into oblivion by the Other, servant of Thanos.