'Loki': All Marvel movies you need to watch before Tom Hiddlestone's spin-off show

The MCU's third show Loki, about the God of Mischief is finally out! The brother of Thor and the first super-villain of the MCU, the character had an interesting redemption arc by the end of Phase three. While our favourite heroes like Wanda Maximoff and The Winter Soldier have gotten their own shows, this is the first tv show featuring a technically negative character in the lead. 

The spinoff show will see Loki's tryst with the Time Variance Authority, an agency that deals with maintaining various timelines of the universe. However, before watching Loki, there are few films in the MCU that fans must keep themselves updated with. Here's the list - 

What Marvel movies/shows to watch before Loki?

Thor

Thor is the origin story of Marvel superhero and God of Thunder Thor Odinson. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston and is about Thor being banished to Earth by his father Odin. The film shows Tom Hiddleston's Loki's journey to becoming the first supervillain in the MCU, with his brother's ignorant attitude towards him and him constantly having to live in Thor's shadow. 

The Avengers 

The Avengers features Loki as the main villain. The God of Mischief makes a deal with the Titan Thanos, and unleashes the Chittauri, a mechanical army, on Earth. The Avengers fight the army and eventually save the world. However, Loki's capture in the film is extremely important since it comes up in Avengers: Endgame, ultimately leading to the spin-off series. 

Thor: The Dark World

The second film of the Thor franchise sees Thor battle the Dark Elves, an evil force powered by an infinity stone. In this film, Loki is a prisoner on Asgard for his crimes on Earth. However, Thor soon requires his help in defeating the Dark Elves. The film also explains Loki's backstory a little and is also the beginning of his redemption. 

Thor: Ragnarok 

The best of the three Thor movies (so far), Thor: Ragnarok sees demi-god brothers Thor and Loki fighting Hela, their evil big sister. The two end up on an unknown planet called "Sakaar" and hilariously try to make their way back home, in order to defeat Hela. The film also shows Loki's love for his brother, as he eventually gets over his selfish needs and decides to help. 

Avengers: Infinity War 

Avengers: Infinity War picks up right where Ragnarok ends. The final cut scene in Thor: Ragnarok showed the Asgardians running into the Titan Thanos' ship. The movie picks up with Thanos capturing the Asgardians along with the Hulk, who partnered up with the brothers in the previous film. Loki's contribution to the battle, however short-lived, is extremely significant. The character proves his worth, finally winning his brother's heart. 

Avengers: Endgame 

Avengers: Endgame takes place five years after the battle with Thanos. As the remaining Avengers try to find a way to restore the universe, they travel back in time to collect the Infinity Stones before Thanos can get them. The film is probably the most important one to watch for the new spin-off show, since the mixing of these timelines leads to Loki escaping with the Tesseract. The spin-off show Loki, picks up exactly where Avengers: Endgame saw Tom Hiddleston's Loki last.  

Image - Still from Loki trailer