Loki admits that he has always been very jealous of Thor.
It was fine when they were children. Back then, their father would hold his and Thor's hands and tell them that both were born to be kings.
But as time passed, he was clearly neglected by his father. Thor was their father's obvious favorite. As for himself, he always lived in Thor's shadow.
Obviously, it was both he and Thor who led the Asgardian warriors to quell the rebellions across the Nine Realms. Yet after their victories, the one who received their father's praise and the adoration of the Asgardian people was always only Thor.
Obviously, both he and Thor were qualified to lift Mjolnir, the symbol of Asgard's next King of Gods. Yet, his father bestowed upon Thor the Divine Authority of the God of Thunder, while he only received the Divine Authority of the God of Fire!
He didn't know why, but he seemed to be born rejecting the Divine Authority of the God of Fire. It was a kind of resistance and rejection from his subconscious. So back then, he even pleaded with his father—even if he couldn't get the God of Thunder's Divine Authority, could he exchange it for Sif's Divine Authority of Earth and Harvest? But in the end, his father harshly refused him.
It seemed that from that time on, the gap in combat power between himself and Thor grew wider and wider.
To be honest, Loki didn't hate his father. After all, the Divine Authorities of the God of Fire and the God of Thunder were of the same rank, both being advanced Divine Authorities. And like Thor, he was an heir of his father, the All-Father Odin. They both possessed the supreme bloodline of the Aesir Gods. If his combat power wasn't as good as Thor's, it must be due to his own innate limitations.
His mother must have realized this too, which is why she taught him magic, allowing him to become the number one Sorcerer in the Nine Realms. However, on battle-hardened Asgard, sorcerers were not respected by the people like Thor was.
Perhaps that was why, even though he was the number one Sorcerer in the Nine Realms, he still preferred to wield two daggers and engage in close combat. He wanted to tell everyone that he was also a qualified commander of Asgard.
It's just that his father became more and more partial to Thor. Since there was no way to surpass Thor in combat power, he would start with strategy. But when he repeatedly relied on tricks and wisdom to lead the Asgardian warriors to defeat their enemies, it seemed he still didn't gain the kind of respect he imagined, the kind Thor received. Instead, he earned the titles "God of Lies" and "God of Mischief."
Ah... Who didn't know that on Asgard, the title God of Lies and Mischief was more of a mockery? The majestic Second Prince of Asgard had actually become the God of Mischief in Asgard, a nation of the martial Nine Realms' Asgardians. What a mocking title!
Watching Thor once again successfully deliver Asgard's "judgment" and return triumphantly with the Asgardian warriors, the trace of jealousy in Loki's heart could no longer be suppressed. Especially when his father praised that fool Thor in front of everyone, Loki felt his jealous flames could melt all matter in the Nine Realms.
Why? Why could this arrogant guy gain the worship of the Asgardian people? Why did this reckless, stupid, and belligerent guy receive such favor from his father? Clearly, he was no worse than him. Clearly, he was smarter than him. But why were his father's eyes always unwilling to look at him?
The flames of jealousy burned fiercely in Loki's heart. Especially when he heard that his father was preparing to hand over the position of Asgard's next King of Gods to Thor, Loki's jealous flames reached their peak.
Looking up at Thor, Loki's face was expressionless. But in his heart, he was thinking that he must find a suitable opportunity to frame Thor, to make his father realize that Thor was a stupid fool. This wasn't for anything else, let alone for the high throne. He just wanted to prove to his father that he was no worse than Thor, that he was also worthy of his father's love.
Perhaps, Thor's upcoming coronation ceremony would be a good opportunity. After all, Heimdall's eyes claimed to see every slight change within the Nine Realms, but they couldn't see the passage leading to Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants! Well, he needed to design it carefully. With Thor's reckless and arrogant character, once the coronation was ruined by the Frost Giants, he just needed to subtly hint... then Thor would definitely take the bait.
At that time, all he needed to do was force himself to become king at the critical moment. Then his father would surely see that he was more reliable than Thor.
Everything was planned perfectly. Now, he just needed to go back and work out the details.
But just as he was silently planning in his heart, the next moment, Loki was stunned.
What's the situation? Why were his father and Thor having a violent argument? Weren't they just harmoniously complimenting each other a moment ago? Why did the two of them start quarreling so intensely just because he zoned out for a bit?
Even an enraged Thor began accusing his father of being a fatuous king? No, could someone tell him what happened? Had he just been distracted for a moment?
And usually at a time like this, shouldn't his mother step forward to stop the two's anger? Why this time, not only did his mother not speak up for Thor or comfort his father... Instead, she stood silently by his father's side. Even when she heard his father say that Thor was not a qualified crown prince, to strip him of his divine power and banish him to Midgard (Earth), Mother didn't plead for Thor?
What's the situation? Was this still the gentle, kind mother he knew, the mother who acted as the glue between father and Thor?
And... just banish Thor? Seeing his father's rage, he actually used his divine power to strip Thor of his powers! And when he opened the Bifrost to exile Thor and threw Mjolnir down, he even said that whoever was worthy of lifting the hammer would gain the power...
Loki was truly dumbfounded. This time, Dad was actually playing for real? He literally stripped Thor of his powers and exiled him! And until Thor disappeared under the light of the Bifrost, his mother did not intercede. This made Loki even more confused!
This... A wish come true? But... he hadn't even set Thor up yet!
"Father... Father..." Seeing this scene, Loki stepped forward dazedly and called out to his father.
But the next second, he saw his father glare at him angrily: "Shut up! Don't plead for Thor!"
After speaking, Odin seemed to be out of breath, leaning on Gungnir, the Eternal Spear, and "fell" over.
"Father!"
Seeing his father faint, Loki, forgetting his own daze, hurried forward to support him. But he saw that his mother seemed prepared, directly supporting his fainted father.
"Loki, your father was truly enraged by Thor this time. I'm afraid he will need to enter the Odinsleep to recuperate for a while."
"During the time Thor is exiled, you will temporarily exercise the kingly authority of Asgard and manage Asgard for your father!"
After speaking, she hurriedly supported the unconscious Odin towards the Asgardian recovery chamber.
Only Loki was left standing alone, somewhat dazed and stupefied.
He didn't know how long he stood there. When Loki walked outside the palace, he sat alone on the steps of Asgard and gazed into the distance.
Even now, Loki hadn't quite processed it.
For the first time, Loki, the so-called God of Mischief of Asgard, felt like his brain wasn't enough.