A/N: So, this is the companion Character Questionnaire for Loki (to match the one I did for Sigyn). Answering these questions for Loki was way harder than I expected, for many reasons (not the least of which is that there are so many appropriate answers for a number of them). The answers I've settled on can really only be said to be true for my version of Loki within the context of Illusion. Your mileage may vary. ;)
Also – I completely forgot to address a really wonderful guest review I received a few weeks ago: noelwing – your review was one of the most heartfelt and detailed I have ever received. You touched on some of the characteristics of these characters that I've really tried hard to capture – namely, Sigyn's individuality as a person (despite her desire and love for Loki), and Loki himself being a prince, not a terribly abused/neglected/innocent naïf. I dislike that kind of characterization of him almost as much as his far too common portrayal as a bloodthirsty-for-the-sake-of-being-evil-psychopath. He's neither, and that's what makes him so much fun (and exasperating). ;)
Character Name: Loki Odinson. Laufeyson? Um, let's just go with Loki.
Age: The Midgardian equivalent of between 28 and 32 years old.
Appearance: Tall and lean. Handsome in a way many would consider nearly feminine. Thin lips. High cheekbones. Patrician nose. In his Aesir form he has pale, almost translucent skin, and enormous green eyes, the color of a meadow in springtime. In his jotun form, he has bright blue skin, symmetrical ridges that cover his entire body (yes, even there), and crimson eyes. No matter his form, his hair is as black as his soul.
1. What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn't yet know? That the fates will have some measure of comeuppance in the matter of his long-term happiness. [And wow, that sounds way more ominous than I intended.]
2. What is this character's greatest flaw? Hmmmmmm – where do we start? ;) Probably his complete unwillingness to concede to having any flaws.
3. What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit? He admires and respects his big brother way more than he would ever let on.
4. What is this character's greatest asset? The intelligence and cunning of a chess grand master. Also, the ability to rock black leather like nobody's business.
5. If this character could choose a different identity, who would s/he be? THOR. THORTHORTHORTHORTHOR.
6. What music does this character sing to when no one else is around? There is a song his mother used to sing to him as a child that plays in his head in times of stress. He doesn't like to sing it out loud, especially when others might hear (though you can probably catch him singing it to Ari, if you can get close enough). Those few that have had the pleasure of hearing him sing, however, would say he has a soothing, melodious voice.
7. In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith? He has the greatest faith in himself – that he will extricate himself from the worst situations through sheer intelligence and willpower alone.
8. What is this character's favorite movie? If he had access to movies, I think he would certainly gravitate to those of victorious underdogs and revenge. Though, I don't think he would be much fun to watch movies with particularly – he would spend the entire time quite vocally picking apart plot holes, poor character development, and moments that require too much suspension of disbelief.
9. Does this character have a favorite article of clothing? Favorite shoes? Sigyn's undergarments, crumpled and discarded on the floor of his bedchamber. ;) For himself, anything black and menacing will do. His favorite shoes are his tall black boots – perfect for the conquering and subjugation of lesser beings.
10. Does this character have a vice? Name it. Pride. Envy. Wrath. He is the walking embodiment of mischief and mayhem. I think the better question would be to ask if he has any virtues. ;)
11. Name this character's favorite person (living or dead). Most of his life, his answer would have been either his mother, or his big brother Thor (even if he has always harbored an unhealthy amount of jealousy toward him). Now, he would add his wife Sigyn and their son Ari.
12. What is this character's secret wish? His secret wish is that he could separate his happiness from Odin's approval.
13. What is this character's proudest achievement? Even though he wasn't planned (and Loki's first reaction upon learning of his existence was less than pleasant), he would say his son Ari is his proudest achievement.
14. Describe this character's most embarrassing moment. As an adult, being dragged home in chains and a muzzle after being defeated on Midgard by The Avengers. (As a youth, his most embarrassing moment was when Thor accidentally walked in on him masturbating, and proceeded to tell all their friends. In revenge, Loki placed an enchantment on Thor that caused his hand to become stuck the next time he touched himself. Thor remained confined to his rooms until Frigga forced Loki to remove the spell, and Loki learned very quickly to lock the doors to his chambers when he needed time alone.)
15. Describe this character's most devastating moment. Discovering the truth about his heritage – the fact that he is not truly Odin and Frigga's Aesir son, but rather a jotun runt abandoned as an infant, left to die but rescued by Odin and brought to Asgard, his true nature hidden by an enchantment he generates upon himself.
16. What is this character's greatest fear? Appearing weak. Being forgotten. Also, that no matter how hard he tries, he will never be "good" enough to warrant Sigyn's continued love and support.
17. What is this character's deepest regret? He regrets any actions he's taken that have hurt his mother or Sigyn – but he will never voice those regrets, for fear they make him appear weak (see #16).
18. What is this character's greatest achievement? His continued survival against all odds. Also, convincing the mother of his child to marry him in a disgusting prison cell.
19. What is this character's greatest hope? That he will be able to earn his freedom and make a life with Sigyn and their son.
20. Does this character have an obsession? Name it. Odin's respect and approval. Even now, after all he's done – if Odin were to show him any kind of kindness or pride in him (and though Loki would feign absolute indifference if he did), Loki would hoard that moment like a precious jewel. [On a slightly less serious note, Loki is also obsessed with the noises Sigyn makes in the bedroom. She has a proclivity toward being quite vocal during sex, belying her more conservative public persona. The fact that he alone can bring about those reactions in her amuses and arouses him like nothing else.]
21. What is this character's greatest disappointment? That he was not present for Sigyn's pregnancy or the birth of their son.
22. What is this character's worst nightmare? Injury or death befalling those he loves most dearly (Frigga, Thor, Sigyn, or Ari).
23. Whom does this character most wish to please? And why? His entire life, the answer would have been his father. For Loki, pleasing Odin was like attempting to climb a mountain, only to find Thor had beaten him to the summit every time. While he would still secretly like to please Odin (though Loki would never admit to it), it is becoming a far less essential part of his life. He is now finding great satisfaction in pleasing Sigyn, even if he is painfully aware that he has failed to do so far too often.
24. Describe this character's mother. Frigga, Queen of Asgard. Adores both of her children, but has an especially strong relationship with Loki. Recognized Loki's innate gifts and sensitivities even in his infancy, and has taken great pains to nurture him in ways Odin never could. Knew within a week of Sigyn's appointment as her handmaiden that she would play an integral part in Loki's life – though it took him much longer to accept it.
25. Describe this character's father. Odin Allfather, King of Asgard and ruler of the Nine Realms. Battle-hardened and emotionally unforgiving, he has never had an easy time bonding with the son he rescued from Jotunheim – finding it far easier to communicate with his older son and heir Thor, who is exactly like him in every way Odin finds essential. In their warrior culture, Odin finds Loki's penchant for cunning and strategy admirable but less worthy of praise than Thor's ability to smash things with Mjölnir. If we were to plumb the deepest parts of Odin's mind, we would find that he's never fully trusted Loki, simply because of his jotun heritage.
26. If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character prefer to live? With Sigyn and Ari, as far away from the Asgardian dungeons as he could get.
27. Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have? He is the younger of two sons, both of them princes of Asgard, the most powerful of the Nine Realms. Has lived in the shadow of his universally loved older brother, and has been made to feel (intentionally or unintentionally) inferior in every way. This, along with his own superiority complex, has caused nothing but grief and heartache for him.
28. Describe this character's siblings or other close relatives. One brother – Thor Odinson, heir to the throne of Asgard. The epitome of the "golden son", he is adored and praised by (almost) everyone in Asgard. The very definition of a warrior in a culture that holds them higher than all else. Honorable, impetuous , honest to a fault, charismatic, physically imposing and ruggedly handsome – he is the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be an Aesir…and Loki's opposite in every way.
29. Describe this character's bedroom. Describe three cherished items. Before prison, his bedchambers were large, spacious, and opulent, as befitting a prince of the realm (roughly described in Chapter Nine). Three cherished items would include his library of books (he would consider that one item), his stuffed rabbit Skoppa from when he was a child (that he continues to keep hidden from everyone), and the hairpins he took from Sigyn the night of his mother's birthday celebration.
30. What is this character's birth date? How does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign? He isn't from Earth, so this doesn't apply; but the stereotypical traits of the astrological sign Scorpio – passionate, magnetic, jealous, resentful, exciting – fit him perfectly.
31. If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring? He's experiencing this right now, but not by choice. If he were to have more control over his current situation and choose to live in isolation, he would take the following: the braid of Sigyn's hair, a small portrait of Ari, and four of his favorite books.
32. Why is this character angry? Too many reasons to list here – but chief amongst them would be the fact that his "parents" lied to him his entire life about his true nature, along with the fact that he's always felt second-best to Thor in every way.
33. What calms this character? Reading. Studying magic. Watching Ari sleep. Sigyn running her fingers through his hair or gently scratching his back –preferably in their bed and naked.
34. Describe a recurring dream or nightmare this character might have. That he is still on that desolate planet with The Other and the Chitauri – chained to a rock, tortured, starving, and weak.
35. List the choices (not circumstances) that led your character to his/her current predicament. Terrible Choice #1 – thwarting Thor's coronation by arranging for a party of jotuns to attack Asgard. A seemingly endless variety of increasingly desperate and awful choices have been made as a direct result of this (see: the entire plots of Thor and The Avengers). Loki is an expert at making terrible decisions that he feels are completely justified, and then blaming others when everything goes to shit.
36. List the circumstances over which this character has no control. The fact that he is a Jotun by birth, not Aesir. The admiration and love heaped upon his brother Thor. Sigyn's continued insistence on asserting her autonomy by making decisions independent of his wishes.
37. What wakes this character in the middle of the night? A yearning for his wife that is almost crippling in its severity.
38. How would a stranger describe this character? Aloof. Intimidating. Charming and magnetic. Contradictory. Enigmatic. Harshly beautiful.
39. What does this character resolve to do differently every morning? He resolves to not let his envy and bitterness control so much of his life – something he is very rarely successful at achieving.
40. Who depends on this character? Why? Thor, for his calculation and cunning intelligence. Frigga, for his company and devotion to her. Sigyn, because he is the father of her child and her one true love, the man who has irrevocably claimed her heart, her body, and her soul.
41. If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would she do? He would want to cause as much mayhem and chaos in the Nine Realms as possible, while also ensuring Sigyn is forever ruined for other men by ravaging her in as many ways and in as many locations as she would allow. He would probably just settle for the latter, however – while simultaneously searching for any means of survival and writing letters to Ari detailing why he should never trust Odin ever.
42. How would a dear friend or relative describe this character? Thor would describe him as such: Terrifyingly intelligent. Too clever by half. Their mother's favorite. More untrustworthy than he'd like him to be, but a vital part of his life. Sigyn would describe him as: Cruel when it isn't warranted. Envious and emotional. Full of potential but dead set on making terrible decisions. Devastatingly handsome. Completely irresistible. Fantastic in bed. Capable of displaying an incredible amount of tenderness and love, but only in private. The greatest love of her life.
43. What is the character's most noticeable physical attribute? His face. Elements that taken separately should not work – too-large eyes, a prominent nose, thin lips, and sharp cheekbones – but when put together combine into a strangely alluring package, at once earnest and forbidding. More beautiful than handsome.
44. What is this character hiding from him/herself? That he still cares what Odin thinks of him.
45. Write one additional thing about your character. When he was first learning to summon knives with his magic, he accidentally clipped his upper lip in a rare moment of clumsiness. As with most of his scars, instead of eradicating it with a healing spell, he keeps it to remind him of how far his skills have come.