The Avengers
When Tony Stark called Loki “ Reindeer Games ” inThe Avengers , he missed the chance to give the villain a more meaningful cognomen . The gag is based solely on Loki ’s iconic golden tusk helmet and it ’s a throw - away moment , but it does n’t correspond Tony ’s common wit .
Throughout the MCU , Stark give nickname to a number of type , include make Thor " Point Break " and " Lebowski " , Hawkeye " Legolas " and Spider - Man " Underoos " . All may seem like surface - level joke , but all of them have another layer to them , usually focusing on some insecurity ( or perceived weakness ) of each of the characters . Thor ’s is based on his intellect , Hawkeye ’s on his limited acquirement and Spider - Man ’s on him being a tiddler - well-disposed bomber . But Loki ’s nickname does n’t quite fit out that good example .
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While the gag is rather short - lived and is only mentioned during the single scenery when Stark help Captain America ( Chris Evans ) in the gaining control of Loki after he terrorized a museum gala affair in Germany and force a chemical group of bystanders to bow to him , the nickname “ Rudolph ” might ’ve been a better running joke that compares Loki to another antlered character : Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer .
When Tony Stark gives Loki the nickname “ Reindeer Games ” upon gather him , apart from the canonical comparison of Loki ’s horns to reindeer antlers , the nickname appears to have some meaning . The term “ Reindeer Games ” mention to the strain “ All of the other Reindeer/ Used to laugh and call him names/ They never let poor Rudolph/ Join in any Rangifer tarandus games " from theChristmassong “ Rudolph , the Red - Nosed Reindeer , ” written by Johnny Marks . Since the term has become a colloquial say for intimidation , Stark may have called Loki “ Reindeer Games ” because he was catch bullying some citizen on the street of Germany . If Tony Stark had called Loki “ Rudolph ” rather , however , the nickname would not only have made a better insult but would ’ve foreshadowed Loki ’s case arc .
While it may seem unorthodox to equate the two characters , both Loki the God of Mischief and Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer have a few strange similarities , specifically in their parentage . Since Rudolph was yield with a glowing reddened olfactory organ that made him stand out , Rudolph was often treat as an castaway by Santa ’s other Rangifer tarandus . Similarly , Loki finally moot himself an Ishmael within his own family , after Loki notice inThorthat he was really the son of theFrost GiantLaufey ( Colm Feore ) and that Odin ( Anthony Hopkins ) adopt him after the end of the Asgard - Jotunheim War . give Rudolph and Loki ’s similar insecurity , calling Loki " Rudolph " would ’ve offend Loki ’s pridefulness and attacked his inferiority complex .
Loki ’s character spark throughout the MCU also bear some similarities to Rudolph ’s own journeying from Ishmael to hero . InRudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer , Rudolph make unnecessary Christmas once it is expose that his brilliant red nose can serve light up the course of Santa ’s sledge through a wintertime storm on Christmas Eve . Similarly , Loki begins his passage into a zep when he get to reconcile with Thor after their female parent Frigga ’s ( Rene Russo ) death inThor : The Dark World , help Thor attempt to kill Malekith ( Christopher Eccleston ) and assists Thor in confronting theirsister Hela ( Cate Blanchett)inThor : Ragnarokdespite his many opportunities to abandon him . While Loki could ’ve genuinely pledged his loyalty to Thanos ( Josh Brolin ) and saved himself in the commencement ofAvengers : Infinity War , Loki instead attempts to belt down Thanos in club to deliver Thor , which caused him to die a hero , bringing his story full roach fromThe Avengers .
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