How Possibly Did Loki Exile Odin?

At the end of Thor: The Dark World, we learn that Loki, the God of Mischief, has usurped the throne of Asgard and is masquerading as Odin. Later, in Thor: Ragnarok, it’s revealed that Loki had exiled Odin to Earth in order to get him out of the way.

But why did Loki do this? And how was he able to trick everyone, including the all-powerful Odin?

Loki wanted to rule Asgard and saw a prime opportunity to do so when Thor released him from prison during The Dark World. Loki faked his own death and enchanted Odin, who had become vulnerable to Loki’s illusions due to old age and grief.

Why Did Loki Exile Odin?

Throughout his time in the MCU, Loki repeatedly shows that he is a power-hungry trickster. In Thor, he even attempts to kill Thor, his adopted brother, so that he can rule Asgard in his stead.

Later, following the events of Thor: The Dark World, Thor declines the throne of Asgard, telling his father, Odin, that he will protect Asgard, but that he “cannot do so from that chair.”

As Thor leaves the throne room, however, Odin is revealed to be Loki in disguise. Loki, who supposedly died earlier in the film, had used his trickery to exile Odin and usurp his throne.

Why did he do this? Because he wanted to rule Asgard.

Loki had never been on the best of terms with Odin or Thor. He had always felt that he grew up in Thor’s shadow, and his attempts to gain Odin’s favor led him to take increasingly brutal measures.

After attempting to conquer Earth during the events of The Avengers, Odin arrested Loki for his crimes. However, Thor secretly released Loki, needing his help to stop Malekith and save Jane Foster.

Loki saw his opportunity, and he took it. He fought loyally alongside Thor, then faked his own tragic death in the battle. He returned secretly to Asgard in the form of a guard, shapeshifted into Odin’s form, and spent the next few years masquerading as his adopted father.

Finally, he had accomplished his goal of becoming a ruler.

How Did Loki Exile Odin?

So, it’s easy to see why Loki exiled Odin; but how did he do it?

There isn’t a clear-cut answer, as the movies only provide indirect hints. But we know that Loki was the God of Mischief–he was a master of trickery and enchantment, and he could easily shapeshift into other forms.

It is likely that, after faking his death, he returned to Asgard in the form of a guard, then used trickery to make Odin forget who he was. He then sent Odin to a long-term care facility on Earth, shifted into Odin’s form, and masqueraded as him for the next few years.

Odin’s own comments in Thor: Ragnarok suggest that Loki enchanted him somehow, making him lose his memory.

And yet, Odin was the Allfather; arguably the wisest and most powerful being in the MCU universe. Some fans find it a little hard to believe that he would fall so easily for one of Loki’s tricks.

However, others have pointed out that, by the time Odin appeared in the MCU, he was already quite old, and his own powers had been declining for some time.

He tried to make Thor king before the latter was ready, indicating he may have felt he was no longer fit to rule.

Asgard faced numerous threats in a short period of time after experiencing centuries of peace during Odin’s prime. It is unlikely these threats would have arisen if Odin had not been growing weaker.

Finally, just before Loki usurped the throne, Odin’s beloved wife, Frigga, was killed, leaving him emotionally vulnerable.

In other words, Odin was at his weakest when Loki struck. He had become old and frail, and he was grieving as well.

When you consider all of these factors, it’s easy to see how Loki was able to trick even someone as powerful as Odin.

How Did Loki Pose as Odin?

As the God of Mischief, Loki was a master of tricks and illusions. He showed this again and again throughout the Infinity Saga.

One of his most notable powers was his shapeshifting ability. He could assume any form he wanted, acquiring the powers, abilities, and characteristics of that form in the process.

We see a humorous example of this as Thor attempts to clandestinely sneak Loki out of Asgard in Thor: The Dark World.

Given this ability, it was easy for Loki to shift into Odin’s form, take on his voice and powers, and fool Asgard into thinking he was the Allfather.

How Did Thor Figure Out Loki’s Trick?

At the end of Thor: The Dark World, Thor speaks to Loki, who is posing as Odin, and is clearly fooled by his brother’s trickery. If he’d had any suspicions, he would not have been absent from Asgard over the next few years.

However, Thor began to realize something wasn’t right during Thor: Ragnarok, when Surtur told him that “Odin is not on Asgard.”

After defeating Surtur, Thor returned to Asgard in search of his father. He found several things that fueled his suspicions.

For one thing, a large statue had been built to commemorate Loki. Though Thor had told Odin that Loki died honorably, Thor knew his father would not honor Loki in this way.

Additionally, “Odin” was behaving out of character when Thor arrived. He was idly watching a theater production depicting Loki’s “death”, surrounded by young women despite the relatively recent death of his love, Frigga.

The theater production itself contained details of Loki’s death that Odin could not possibly have known, such as Loki’s final words, “I didn’t do it for [Odin].”

Finally, “Odin” acted nervous when Thor revealed himself. He seemed anxious to get rid of him and did not respond to Thor’s questioning as Odin would have.

Thor knew his father as well as anyone, so he easily saw through Loki’s illusion at this point. He forced Loki to reveal his true identity in front of all those at the theater production, effectively unmasking him from his own illusion.

Conclusion

Loki exiled Odin to Earth so he could rule Asgard in his place. He was able to do this because Odin’s own powers were diminished with his advanced age, and Frigga’s recent death left him even more vulnerable.

Though Loki used his shapeshifting ability to fool Asgard for several years, Thor eventually figured out what was going on and forced Loki to reveal who he really was.

Sarah Hood

Sarah Hood is a freelance content writer and editor with a love for all things Star Wars. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking, singing, and spending time in the great outdoors.