WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki Episode 3, "Lamentis," streaming now on Disney+.
One of the most common stances in superhero movies is the kneeling pose following a dive from a lengthy height, also known as the "superhero landing." The landing was made famous in 2008's Iron Man and quickly gained traction as the character's signature move. However, the term was coined in 2016's Deadpool, where the Merc with a Mouth called the move out toward the climax. Since then, it's now nearly impossible not to call out the stance when seen in TV or movies, and even Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has unintentionally developed his own version of the landing.
Rather than landing with a heroic pose, punching the ground, Loki often lands square on his stomach with the top half of his body propped up by his elbows. The trend was picked up by fans, who revealed that the moment is first seen in Thor: Ragnarok when Loki and Thor visit Doctor Strange. Because Loki is a threat to Earth, Strange immediately transports him to a realm where he continuously falls. The interaction between the Sorcerer Supreme and Thor continues without Loki returning until it's time for them to leave. Strange quickly opens the portal with Loki landing on his front and proclaiming, "I have been falling for 30 minutes!"
The next time the landing is seen isn't until Loki Season 1, Episode 2, "The Variant," where he finally encounters another version of himself. In typical Loki fashion, his variant chooses to stay hidden, controlling civilian bodies to communicate with the God of Mischief. A fight ensues with one of the stronger host bodies, and Loki is thrown across a Roxxcart. Rolling, he lands face down on the ground, annoyed at his lack of control over the situation.
In Season 1, Episode 3, "Lamentis," Loki and his variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), are taken to Lamentis-1, where they sneak onto a train to try and escape the planet before its destruction. While on the train, Loki blows their cover and a fight takes place between the two gods and the guards on the train. At first, they seem to gain the upper hand, but Loki is quickly thrown off the train. Rolling down a hill, he lands in his now-signature superhero landing.
Most superhero landings evoke a sense of control by the heroes who use them. They understand the situation and have the skills to stop the threat. However, Loki's landings evoke the opposite of that. Whenever Loki lands on his face, he is being tossed around by someone else, often signifying the moment that he loses control. It creates irony because he naturally craves power and control but never keeps it.
Loki's superhero landings are a funny connection discovered by fans. However, it also ties into the character's nature. Loki isn't a hero, and he only serves himself. As a result, he will always fall as he flies too close to the sun. Naturally, it makes the most sense that his "superhero landings" are anything but heroic compared to his peers.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane, and Eugene Cordero. New episodes air Wednesdays on Disney+.
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