The MCU Confirmed Odin Was Just As Bad As Thanos In 1 Key Way

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Loki season 2.

To say that Odin isn’t the most moral character in the MCU is putting it mildly; in fact, recent events in Loki suggest he’s just as bad as Thanos. As the ruler of Asgard, Odin took a more Machiavellian approach to power than his firstborn son and successor, Thor. Though his compassionate side shone through in certain moments, he was always far from virtuous. This is evident in his adoption of Loki, ostensibly due to his unwillingness to let him die, only to admit that he hoped Loki would be Jotunheim’s King and presumed ally of Asgard – and that’s not to mention Odin’s questionable treatment of Loki in later life.

For that matter, Odin’s treatment of both of his sons hasn’t exactly been MCU father-of-the-year material. From repeated instances of gaslighting both brothers to willingly condemning them both to banishment and eternal imprisonment, respectively, Odin has shown that familial ties won’t prevent him from ruling how he sees fit. While his decisions could be argued to be firm but fair, however, Odin’s overall sense of morality is inexcusably muddied further by the introduction of his two other Asgardian children and the implications their presence (or lack thereof) carries.

Thor’s Missing Brother Makes Odin’s MCU Story Darker

Balder the Brave was finally introduced into the MCU in Loki season 2, episode 3, as Loki and Mobius attend the Chicago World Fair in search of the He Who Remains variant Victor Timely. The problem is that he was introduced only in the form of an effigy, and simply used in the narrative as a jab at Loki, who found himself overlooked in a diorama that depicted Asgardian gods. With this unceremonious MCU debut, however, comes some pretty dark connotations when considering where Balder is currently, and why it took so long for his name to even be uttered.

While it was evident in the scene that Loki was familiar with Balder, going so far as to state the obvious “no-one’s even heard of him,” the details surrounding his absent brother were frustratingly omitted. According to the comics, and the myths on which Marvel’s Asgardians are based, Loki had a pretty significant relationship with Balder insofar as he successfully circumnavigated the charm that should have kept Balder from harm. While this knowledge puts Loki’s relationship with Balder in an explicable albeit precarious state, the same can’t be said of Balder’s own father, Odin, who had conspicuously never so much as acknowledged his existence.

While Balder’s MCU story is still a mystery, the fact that it took an effigy on Midgard, not Asgard, to make his presence in the MCU known raises eyebrows. Odin has been somewhat ruthless in his treatment of Thor and Loki, but the fact that he seems to have wiped Balder from memory entirely is on a different level. If it is the case that Odin, for whatever reason, decided to bury Balder’s existence entirely, it speaks volumes that this isn’t even the only child to find themselves swept under the historical rug by him, as was also the case with his supposed favorite child, Hela.

Why The MCU Odin Is Just Like Thanos

When it comes to terrible parenting in the MCU Thanos probably takes the crown, although there is disturbingly fierce competition. His treatment of Nebula and Gamora saw them both turn on him pretty severely, lending a pretty big boon to the Avengers with their in-depth knowledge of their father. Their upbringing was unsurprisingly filled with strife as their ruthless father figure pitted them against one another in his efforts to harden their resolve and benefit his grand designs. This is familiar ground for Odin, who did something similar to Loki and Thor, thereby triggering in Loki the evil streak that saw him attempt to impose his godhood on Midgard.

Not only that, but Odin playing favorites with his children was something that Thanos would go on to unknowingly emulate with Gamora. When Hela overstepped the bounds that Odin was willing to stop at, he then proceeded to turn on his child, banishing her to Hel. Banishing his children and turning on them is something that Odin proceeded to make a habit of, something that Thanos would later do with Nebula in particular. Thanos also turned on Gamora, though it was out of perceived necessity, proving that he was, like Odin, willing to use his children as pawns as part of a larger plan.

Needless to say, neither father is among the best in the MCU. Even with Odin’s eventual redemption in the eyes of his sons, the sympathetic nature of Thanos would match this, as he was visibly pained by his ultimate treatment of Gamora. Their relationship, however, would go on to create some of the most nuanced and compelling characters in the MCU, who no doubt strive to do better than their respective fathers in every way.