Loki Star Tom Hiddleston Addresses His Awful “Love Is a Dagger” Metaphor

The third episode of Marvel Studios‘ Loki is officially out into the world, and it’s safe to say that the installment has given viewers a lot to chew on. In addition to beginning to answer the previous episode’s shocking plot twist — and introduce a number of new twists — there were some meaningful character moments along the way, especially with regards to Loki (Tom Hiddleston) himself. One scene, in particular, brought about a metaphor that already has inspired memes among the series’ fans, and it looks like Hiddleston himself is acknowledging it. Major spoilers for Episode 3 of Loki, “Lamentis”, below! Only look if you want to know!

The episode saw Loki and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) stranded on the planet of Lamentis-1, which was on the cusp of being destroyed in an apocalyptic event. The two find their way onto a train housing the wealthiest residents of Lamentis, and eventually start divulging into aspects of their similar — but wildly different — personal lives. Ultimately, the topic turns to their romantic experiences, and what they regard “love” to truly be. After Sylvie suggests that “love is hate”, Loki eventually (after a few drinks) decides on another metaphor entirely.

“Love is a dagger,” Loki explains. “It’s a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. You can see yourself in it. It’s beautiful until it makes you bleed. But ultimately, when you reach for it, [it isn’t real.]”

Sylvie suggests to Loki that the idea of love being “an imaginary dagger” is a “terrible” metaphor — something Hiddleston didn’t disagree with in an interview with Marvel.com.

“It’s one of those things that Loki comes up with spontaneously,” Hiddleston explained. “They were having a talk about love and trusting other people, and not being able to either love or trust for whatever reason, and Loki thinks he’s come up with something profound.”

“[This] is Loki’s experience of love, I suppose,” Hiddleston continued. “He certainly feels like it’s not been something he’s been close to. It has been some sort of illusion that he has trusted and been let down by.”

Showrunner Michael Waldron also spoke about the unconventional line, revealing that it was partially influenced by how close his own wedding was.

“I wrote that really, really quick,” Waldron explained. “I remember I was revising Episode 3 in the two weeks leading up to my wedding. It’s interesting because that’s probably the most romantic episode. At that point, Loki is a little bit drunk. That freed me up, where it was just like, ‘Don’t think too hard about it,’ which is sort of my first thought that Loki would think here.”

“I just ran with it, ‘Love is a dagger,’” Waldron added. “And fortunately, like many of Loki’s metaphors, it almost works.”

What did you think of Loki’s “love is a dagger” metaphor? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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