A coy Tom Hiddleston played it safe when asked point blank if his trickster demigod really perished at the hands of Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War.
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“Listen… I’ve heard some amazing theories about this. I was in a park in London a couple of weeks ago, and some guys came and said hi, and they asked me the same question,” Hiddleston said in response to a fan inquiry at ACE Comic Con Sunday.
“They said, ‘Hey, listen, we need an answer to this question. All the other times Loki‘s died’ — there’s been a few — ‘he stabs with his right hand. And now he’s stabbing with his left hand.’ I was like, ‘That’s incredible attention to detail.’”
Asked by his Avengers co-star Elizabeth Olsen if he was aware of that detail, Hiddleston admitted he wasn’t. Then, mulling over how to answer, Hiddleston said simply: “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Loki likely struck with his left hand to conceal his blade from Thanos’ children-slash-enforcers, who were stood on his right. The attempt on Thanos’ life failed, resulting in the Mad Titan strangling the god of mischief to death in front of his helpless adopted brother Thor (Chris Hemsworth).
Suspicions have long persisted that the Loki who died may have been a duplicate, with fan theories emerging and pointing to Loki entering the scene from off-screen as a sign that Loki, who has always operated prizing his self-preservation above all else, utilized his magic to craft a decoy and escape unscathed, despite the Asgardians’ ship being obliterated by Thanos moments later with the Power Stone.
“When I came to shoot the scene in Infinity War, I think it’s very powerful he calls himself an Odinson, and that closes the whole journey of Loki and what he can do,” Hiddleston said during a previous convention appearance over the summer.
“[Loki’s death] set the stakes up emotionally. It takes the stakes up dramatically. You know that Thanos is someone who’s more dangerous than anyone we’ve seen before.”
Spoilery set photos captured during Avengers 4 filming revealed Hiddleston will reprise the role he originated in 2011’s Thor in the Infinity War sequel, which will revisit the Battle of New York from 2012’s The Avengers — likely by way of time travel or the result of meddling with the Quantum Realm as seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Hiddleston is expected to play Loki in a television series reportedly being developed by Disney for its streaming service, which could take place before the events of Infinity War. Also getting a big-budget series is Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.
Avengers 4 opens May 3.
