Most people know that Loki's Marvel father is Laufey - he was a fairly prominent character in the first Thor movie, so this should extend to even casual movie fans as well - and that, as a result, Loki is actually a Frost Giant and not an Asgardian at all, but most people aren't aware that the fact Laufey is a man is somewhat strange. You see, in the mythology from which the likes of Loki and Thor are taken, Laufey is actually female and is therefore Loki's mother. The mythological version is also know as Nal, which translates as "needle", because she was so slender and weak - a far cry from the powerful brute of a male giant that the Marvel version of the character is.
