The Subtle Nod to Loki’s Bisexuality That You May Have Missed
The latest episode of “Loki” officially confirmed what many fans had been speculating (or at least hoping) for years, that our God of Mischief is bisexual. Amidst the excitement, however, you may have missed the episode’s more subtle acknowledgement of our hero’s sexuality, despite it being right in front of our eyes the entire time.
Picking up directly after the cliffhanger from last week, episode three is set exclusively on a planet called Lamentis, which is saturated in vibrant pink, purple and blue hues. On the surface, the color scheme appears to serve merely as a visual departure from the comparatively drab halls of the TVA. However, following Loki’s admission that he’s had “a bit of both” would-be princesses and princes in his day, the aesthetic of his current setting takes on a whole new meaning.
Pink, lavender and blue are the colors that comprise the bisexual pride flag.
Web Archive
Given its frequency throughout the episode, it seems very likely that the color grading’s resemblance to the flag is no coincidence.
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Although film scholars have long pointed to lighting’s ability to highlight a character’s innermost desires, the term “bisexual lighting” entered the pop culture lexicon circa 2017 in response to the growing popularity of neon pinkish blue lighting in queer media. Popping up in everything from “Moonlight” to the “San Junipero” episode of “Black Mirror” to Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” music video, the colorfully futuristic look is often employed alongside bisexual characters and artists.
Although you can argue that the bisexual lighting in “Loki” is yet another example of Disney’s brand of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it representation, plenty of viewers expressed their excitement over the aesthetic Easter egg on Twitter.
#Loki damn near gave us an entire episode of bisexual lighting. Iconic.
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) June 25, 2021
New episode of LOKI is blast, and not just because it takes place entirely on a bisexual lighting planet.
— Jacob Hall (@JacobSHall) June 23, 2021
#loki
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the colors of the bisexual flag in the third episode of loki pic.twitter.com/j1R0pEASN6
— ツmariii (@lokiiusreligion) June 23, 2021
i just think that bisexual lighting pic.twitter.com/ObuwsJ3o4W
— blue ✪ nik's day! (@buckysmemory) June 24, 2021
#Loki EPISODE 3 SPOILERS
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as soon as we saw the first visual for the planet i legit said "omg bisexual lighting love it" NOT IT BEING FORSHADOWING WE WONNNNNN pic.twitter.com/WwLR7EeZgj
— mitty's Loki era ४ // BLM (@itsnotmitty) June 23, 2021
loki and sylvie two bisexual besties on a bisexual planet <3 pic.twitter.com/iA4AZ70JVF
— chloe, a mirrorball | loki era (@bettyscardigann) June 25, 2021
the fact that during this entire ep there was bisexual lighting too…yeah #loki pic.twitter.com/ew8fTn7OBS
— ashley (@loislaneswife) June 23, 2021