As noble and true Plato’s Republic seems to be, there is a dark side to it, for Socrates’ expresses the need for a “noble lie” which carries a lot of weight on how to organize his static state. The noble lie appears to be a marriage lottery but it’s actually a way to control the state–and its pure eugenics that determines who your parents will be. Then there is the myth of metals, people of gold, silver, and bronze. The gold are of course the philosopher kings, silver classes are the guardians, and the iron and bronze are the mere tinkering classes.
Marvel’s Loki is quickly becoming one of the greatest pieces Marvel has ever accomplished. The TVA has constructed a static state, a sacred timeline that it continually reinforces by the guardians of the state. The guardians of course are subject to the noble lie that they were created by the TVA for the glorious purpose of creating order to the timeline, which is megalomaniacal to even have the ambition to even think let alone try. I see why there would be a purpose, a vulgar utilitarian would say yes of course to it, but when it rips kids away from families, when it determines your entire life as if they are the sole arbiters of reality, that’s insane, and I’m looking forward to seeing this play out with great anticipation.
On the poetic side of Loki, we get the solipsist who breaks his ego and opens up, he accepts love, and here he truly finds his purpose, because, for the first time in his life, he’s found something real. Love is the way to treat a narcissist, they have to crack their shell and experience a *real* connection. This is the first time he’s ever felt this, and this transformation might make him a hero. Will love conquer all? I truly hope so.
Stephen C. Pedersen 