Shin Megami Tensei V daily demon vol. 193 – Loki

Leading up to the arrival of Shin Megami Tensei V on Switch next week, Atlus has been sharing videos every day showcasing all of the upcoming title’s demons. The latest daily demon video offers a closer look at the Tyrant demon Loki. Check out the video with some additional lore details from the Megami Tensei wiki below the break.

Loki was the trickster god who was also known to be a god of mischief, magic and fire in Norse Mythology. His mischievous nature was such that he even managed to slither his way into becoming one of the Norse deities. He is son of Fárbauti, a jötunn, and Laufey, a lesser known goddess and is the blood-brother of Odin, with his two biological brothers being Helblindi and Býleistr. With the onset of Ragnarök, Loki is foretold to encounter the god Heimdallr and kill him, dying in the process.

Loki, as the son of a jötunn as well as a goddess, straddles the two warring factions, a trait which plagues his character throughout his mythology. His jötunn heritage does aid in explaining the complexity of his character, as the jötunns once went to war against the Aesir and are considered, in many ways, their enemies. He marries the minor goddess Sigyn, but has many affairs, his most notable with the giantess Angrboda, by whom he gives birth to Hel, the queen of Niflheim; Fenrir, the oversized wolf who is fated to kill Odin at Ragnarök; and Jormungandr, the World Serpent banished to the seas. It is unknown how Loki reacted to his children’s fate though it can be assumed he was none too pleased with it but could not go against Odin.

The trickster god also, interestingly enough, is the mother of Odin’s great eight-legged steed Sleipnir, as Loki was impregnated by the powerful male stallion Svaðilfari while disguised as a mar. As his parentage and his progeny are all outside the normal state of affairs even in the godly world, scholars believe that there must have been pertinence to his connection to so many dark and powerful figures in the Norse pantheon.

Interestingly, Loki’s portrayal as a scapegoat in the Norse tales surprisingly mimic the portrayal of Jesus and the biblical scapegoat.

Shin Megami Tensei V is slated to arrive on Switch on November 12. Earlier coverage for the game, including all previous daily demon videos, can be found here.