2. The Relationship Between Thor & Loki
The first Thor film introduced Loki to the MCU with a strong dose of energy and charisma. He made the perfect villain for Thor, because he's Thor's opposite and a devious villain for the Avengers themselves. His ability to stretch the very manifolds of every hero's abilities is a strong testament to just how great a villain he truly is. But what happens when you put him back into Thor's world, powerless and unable to become the king he was destined to become? What happens when you kill his adopted mother, only to unlock a rage deep within him that he wants revenge? You pair both him and Thor up for a brotherly team-up, which is a nice contrast from the Avengers, where Thor is in good company. With Loki, he's surrounded by the very brother who took the lives of hundreds of human lives, and murdered Agent Coulson (as far as Thor thinks, at least). So pairing both brothers up for The Dark World is a nice moving of the pieces for the story and the MCU itself. Throughout the film we're given slight hints that Loki will turn on Thor, which is the point that all the fans are waiting for. Loki is just clever and sneaky that way, always doing things for himself and his own gain and not caring about those that consider him a teammate. Over the course of the MCU, he has become obsessed with power and control. After being let out, there's no telling when Loki will break the shackles that bind him and betray those who know they'll eventually be betrayed. The Dark World explores that captivating relationship between Thor and Loki; the constant alert of betrayal is always on the high, and their banter back and forth shows how far they've come and how much they know each other. Of course, that relationship isn't the highlight element of the film....