Having bad parents has plagued people across many universes, more than one would like to admit. Sometimes the parents are killed, resulting in a tragic back story. Other times, the fathers or mothers are written as either wholly good or wholly bad, resulting in kids who are raised in a wholesome and beneficial way, or unfortunate children of evil which can result in a villain origin story.
In the world of superheroes, one unfortunately doesn’t escape the curse of having horrible parents. And one of the most well-known fathers in the MCU franchise is Odin of Asgard — the father of Thor, the God of Thunder, Loki, the God of Mischief, and Hela, the Goddess of Death, among others. Odin is undoubtedly a powerful man himself, possessing the Odinforce, which is one of the most powerful abilities in all of existence, as well as other strengths and abilities that can defeat even some of the strongest rivals. But, being strong or having incredible powers doesn't make someone a good or bad parent.
Indeed, no character is all good or all bad. While Odin is notorious for his bad parenting (and ruling sometimes), some might argue that he is misunderstood thanks to his unconventional parenting methods. He did, in a way, raise powerful gods that end up doing more good than Odin ever did. And perhaps, towards the end of his life, Odin's parenting wasn't always bad. Here are five ways that Odin was a bad father — and five ways he was a good one.
Article contains spoilers for events related to Odin, Thor, and Loki
Failed: Banishing His Children
To some people, Odin exiling his daughter is an act of punishing a general of his army, rather than an act of parenting (which might be true to some degree). And stripping Thor of his powers and banishing him to Earth may be seen as a form of strict parenting — but the effect shows that, in both cases, it's more a lack of accountability than anything.
In Thor's case, Odin reacts to Thor's defiance of his orders with anger and arrogance, rather than actually good parenting. Odin's decision in this instance divided fans into thinking if he was doing this for Thor's or his own good. The latter argues that Odin banishes Thor to Earth so that he doesn't have to deal with the arrogant, bloodthirsty soldier he raised.
Odin exiled his daughter Hela after he had used her savage nature for his own personal conquest of many worlds. Once she served her purpose for Odin, he banishes her into a pocket dimension where he doesn't have to deal with her ruthlessness and her overpowering desire to fight. With his power and authority, Odin neatly paints over her entire existence, and positions himself as the righteous ruler of Asgard. Both instances caused immense anger in Hela and Thor, for which the people of Asgard had to pay the price.
Succeeded: Giving Encouragement
On the other side of the coin, with Odin's act of banishing Thor, he also encouraged his son to gain independence and control over his destiny. Thor was exiled to Earth due to his arrogance, but eventually, he learned the lessons he needed to learn, and grew into the better person he is today. Of course, it doesn't happen overnight, but Odin's act of leaving Thor defenseless on Earth with only his Mjölnir began the path that Thor needed to grow worthy of such power.
The effect is also relevant in Thor: Ragnarok when Thor gets separated from Mjölnir, leaving him directionless and feeling stuck. Though Odin doesn't have hands-on strings in this instance, at this point, he has kickstarted Thor's strength and resourcefulness to navigate the unfamiliar environment and be reunited with Mjölnir again. This event is vital in Thor's character development, since it puts him in touch with his inner strength as the God of Thunder.
Failed: Letting Loki Down Repeatedly
The truth of Loki’s origins is revealed in the first movie about the Asgardians, Thor, where we learn that Odin stole baby Loki from the Frost Giants (the Jotun) as a baby — and basically a war hostage — not to save him, but to raise him to be a bridge to build peace between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants. Or to use him if war threatened them again. The plan was for Odin to shape Loki to become a ruler of Jotunheim, eventually uniting the two kingdoms.
Odin’s first mistake was keeping this truth from Loki — when he discovers it for himself, everything blows up, and Loki goes from being a trickster to one of the greatest villains in the MCU.
As the powerful leader of Asgard, Odin carries massive responsibility to ensure peace and tranquility — which, ironically, proved to be difficult thanks to his own wrongdoings. Raising Loki alongside Thor was a good effort, but Loki could always sense that he wasn't Odin's true child like Thor was, which gives him a serious inferiority complex. Not only that, but the moment any of his sons display too much of the violence they were taught, Odin steps aside and does nothing to fix his mistake. Ultimately, most of what Odin did with his children was, at best, great plans with extremely poor executions, and the young paid for it.
Succeeded: Raising His Sons Together
Though we all know Odin failed in parenting in so many ways, in the beginning, he did try to raise his sons properly. To balance his lack of emotional support for them, Odin trained them and provide them with anything he could to make sure they became powerful. It’s shown in several instances — such as banishing Thor to Earth to teach him restraint — that Odin put both of his sons first to ensure they become great gods, and in a way, they did.
Although Odin is deeply flawed as a father, he made an attempt to raise Loki as his own son, alongside Thor, when he could have treated Loki less as a son and more as a hostage. With hard work, Thor and Loki manage to become great gods who possess positive Asgardian qualities, such as courage and a sense of duty — yes, even Loki. It may not have been the easiest or best path, but Odin’s partial contribution pushed them to become the gods they are.
Failed: Emotional Wreck
It’s not unusual to see an emotional wreck of a parent, and while the consequences are just as dire, it’s elevated to the next level in the superhero realm. Among the long list of Odin’s horrible parenting to Loki, this instance in Thor: The Dark World may be one of the most painful ones. After lying to Loki about his past, which in part leads to him destroying New York in The Avengers (2012), Odin pulls out his large ego and blames the destruction in New York on Loki. Somehow, this math justifies Odin rubbing salt into Loki’s wounds.
Odin tells Loki that if it weren’t for Frigga, his loving mother, Odin would’ve killed him right there. There’s no justifying that what Loki did in New York is good, but Odin's actions are what drove him to be so bitter and thirsty for his father’s approval in the first place. In their already strained relationship, Odin emphasizes that the only string connecting the two of them is Frigga. In just that instance, Odin adds more to Loki’s pile of wounds while also cutting ties between Loki and the one person he wanted love from, who now wanted to kill him — his own father.
Succeeded: Preserving Asgard’s Legacy
If there’s one thing that Odin is adamant about, it’s to make sure Asgard is taken care of. Ever since Thor was young, Odin ensured that Thor would eventually become worthy of inheriting his powers and crown, including preserving Asgard’s legacy. Despite Thor spending more time outside Asgard, he still has strong ties to his home, thanks to Odin who instilled it from early on.
When Asgard is on the brink of destruction thanks to Hela, Odin reminds Thor again of the importance of keeping Asgard alive — saying that it’s not a place, Asgard is a people. Odin guides Thor through his fundamental understanding of Asgard to ensure the continuity of Asgard’s legacy even after the physical place is destroyed. Odin’s commitment to guarding Asgard, at times, goes beyond his commitment to being a good father. But, through building a sense of belonging in Thor for Asgard, he kills two birds with one stone, preserving Asgard’s legacy and shaping Thor to be a great leader.
Failed: Unequal Treatment of His Sons
Even before the truth of Loki’s origin surfaces, Odin treats Loki and Thor differently. Odin views Thor as a worthy, noble, powerful god capable of taking the throne, though at that time Thor is bloodthirsty and careless, while Loki is a damaged, foreign child who is never good enough in his eyes. Raising the two together also deepens the issue within Loki, making him grow resentful — causing a feedback loop that only ends up making Loki into a power-hungry villain.
Odin repeatedly has expressed his disappointment towards Loki, such as in Thor: Ragnarok, where he points out his disagreement with Loki’s deceptive nature. While in reality, Odin is the one being secretive and manipulative towards Loki from the beginning, which undoubtedly has an effect on Loki's ability to trust and not deceive others. Odin’s unfair treatment towards Loki and Thor always puts Loki as the loose end, setting him up for failure in the eyes of the world. Loki’s feeling of being "burdened with glorious purpose" stems right from his childhood, from Odin himself.
Succeeded: Accepting of Humans
At times, Odin views humans as inferior to Asgardians — such as when Thor brings Jane to Asgard, and Odin wants her removed immediately, then imprisoned. However, as time passes, Odin’s view of humans changes, and he starts to become more understanding. Perhaps it’s because of Thor spending so much time on Earth, or Odin’s realization that both Asgardians and humans live and die.
By shifting his view of humans, Odin, in a way, supports Thor in his endeavors, such as being with Jane and wanting to protect Earth. By doing so, Odin teaches Thor (and, at times, Loki) that they can learn many things from humanity and absorb what’s good for their own people. This adds morality and humanity to the gods, allowing them to embrace both Asgardians and humans as equal.
Failed: Running Away From Problems He Created
There are a number of issues stemming from Odin; among them are his lack of accountability when it came to how he stole Loki as a baby, and not telling him about it, to his brutal and violent conquering of other worlds which remain resentful towards him, to not warning Thor and Loki about Hela, leaving his sons to fend for themselves against her, which results in the Asgardians' eventual deaths in space, as seen in Avengers: Infinity War.
Odin’s unaccountability for exiling Hela is especially consequential. Giving Thor and Loki such short notice (only moments) before they must face her is shockingly irresponsible, and his treatment of Hela, combined with his knowledge of her inevitable return, makes the resulting chaos and destruction all the more shameful. Odin's actions made Hera filled with (justifiable) revenge, and her desire to rule Asgard peaks.
With her return, Odin knows what comes after: destruction. Instead of making it right, as Asgard's leader and most powerful man, he dies and leaves his two sons unprepared against Hela. The domino effect starts, and the only way to stop Hela results in the destruction of Asgard itself, an act which Odin also saw coming. Asgardians are forced to flee to space, which sends them straight to their deaths when Thanos ambushes them. In the end, Odin’s unaccountability leads to his own people being slaughtered.
Succeeded: Defending Family Values
Nearing his demise in Thor: Ragnarok, Odin reunites with his sons, Thor and Loki, and tries to give them a proper goodbye. Odin expresses that he’s made mistakes, both as a father and a leader (don't we know it), but it shouldn’t tear them apart further — he emphasizes that Thor and Loki are brothers, reminding them of their love and familial bond and giving them the strength they needed to face the ruthless Hela.
Nearing his death, Odin realizes the complicated state of his family's relationship with one another, and he tries to bring his sons together by emphasizing that their family is stronger together than apart. It’s his final attempt at bringing the family together, especially through Thor and Loki, eventually leading to the two having a genuine sibling relationship with honor and honesty — and leading Loki to having the moral conviction and inner strength to save all of existence.
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