Sylvie (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Sylvie | |
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Marvel Cinematic Universe character | |
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Adapted by | Asgardian |
Sylvie Laufeydottir (born Loki) is a fictional character portrayed by
Di Martino has appeared as the character in Loki (2021–2023). Her portrayal was received positively among critics and fans despite initial confusion over her identity. For her performance as Sylvie, Di Martino received several awards and nominations.
Development
Concept and creation
Sylvie is an original character created for the MCU with inspiration taken from
Casting
Di Martino auditioned for the role with Hiddleston under the
Characterization
Creator Michael Waldron's intent with Sylvie was to have her play a role in Loki's self-actualization and redemption from the villainous depiction in previous movies with Waldron commenting that "in meeting Sylvie and having a mirror held up to him, for the first time he feels [affection] about himself...in Sylvie, he sees things to admire in himself."[15] In the show, Sylvie is Loki's love interest, an idea formed in the earliest pitches of the show from Waldron, who wanted his reluctant relationship with her to develop his character in "the hope that maybe that it's also about him learning to forgive himself."[16][17][18] Waldron also added: "Sophia is amazing such a tremendous actress... I guess, you know what makes her a great foil for Tom...[is seen throughout]."[14] To misgivings about the romance between Loki and Sylvie, Hiddleston praised that character thread by explaining: "I don't think Loki's relationship with himself has been very healthy...it was satisfying to see him face aspects he's on the run from...also, Sylvie's not Loki. Sylvie is Sylvie. That's interesting, too." Herron also found her being his romantic interest to be unique: "...[there's] kind of fun thing about it. She is him, but she's not him. They've had such different life experiences. So just from an identity perspective, it was interesting to dig into that."[19] She added: "The look that they share, that moment, [it started as] a blossoming friendship. Then for the first time, they both feel that twinge of, 'Oh, could this be something more? What is this I'm feeling?' "[20]
Rachel Paige of
Like Loki, she is
Fictional character biography
This section needs to be updated.(October 2023) |
Origins
Similarly to
Bombing the Sacred Timeline
After killing several teams of TVA Minutemen and stealing their
Lamentis-1 and bonding with Loki
At the
Confronting the Time-Keepers
With the TemPad broken, Sylvie and Loki come to peace at their impending deaths. After the pair form a romantic bond which spawns a Nexus Event perpendicular to the Sacred Timeline,[18][19] they are arrested by the TVA, with Hunter B-15 secretly taking Sylvie to RoxxCart in 2050 to learn the truth about herself and her life before the TVA. Loki and Sylvie are taken to the Time-Keepers, accompanied by Renslayer and a group of Minutemen. Hunter B-15 intervenes, freeing them of their collars, and in the ensuing fight, the Minutemen are killed whilst Renslayer is knocked unconscious by Sylvie. Sylvie then beheads one of the Time-Keepers, who turn out to all be androids. Renslayer regains her consciousness and erases Loki from existence.
The Void
Sylvie demands the truth from Renslayer, who is just as unaware of the creation of the TVA as she is. Telling her that Loki was not killed but sent to the
Confronting He Who Remains
Upon entering the
Retreating to Broxton
Free from TVA pursuit for the first time in her life, Sylvie enters a branched timeline in Broxton, Oklahoma in 1982, and visits a McDonald's restaurant. After Loki briefly encounters a future version of Sylvie while time-jumping, Loki and Mobius try to find her, turning to a renegade hunter living as a famous movie actor called Brad Wolfe, in London, UK in 1977. Loki, Mobius, and Wolfe travel to Broxton where Sylvie is working as a McDonald's cashier. Loki tells Sylvie that the TVA is in danger and that he met her in the TVA's future, asking for her help to figure out what happened, but Sylvie is happy with her new life and wants nothing to do with the TVA. Wolfe proclaims that they are all in mortal danger, so Sylvie enchants him, revealing Hunter Dox's actual plan to simultaneously bomb and destroy all the branched timelines. Loki, Mobius, and Sylvie travel to Dox's location and launch an attack to stop her ongoing operation, but most of the timeline branches were destroyed by then, via reset charges and modified TemPads. Sylvie declares that the TVA is rotten for failing to defend the branched timelines, and leaves for Broxton with He Who Remains' Tempad in her possession.
Appearance
Di Martino, Herron, costume designer Christine Wada and hair designer Amy Wood designed her look to be as practical as possible while acknowledging the character's life being a "dirty job" so as to stray away from stereotypical feminine costumes in film such as high heels. The look was meant to reflect that "this character [being] on the run... [is] not a comfortable existence" according to Di Martino and exhibited that through her initial disheveled appearance.[30] Her helmet's broken horn, inspired by Lady Loki's headpiece in the comics, illustrated how rough her life had been and how she is practically "broken" inside.[31][32] Because Di Martino had recently given birth, her costume was given hidden zippers so she could nurse her baby between takes.[33] Of this, Martino said: "Little (big) things like this that made it possible for me to do my job & be a parent...[I'm] forever grateful" and that '...it was just the little things and it's just saved a lot of time. Practically, it was a godsend."[34][25]
Screen Rant wrote that unlike previous MCU costumes that were uncomfortable or unnecessarily sexualized, Sylvie's garb showed that studio leaders were coming to the conclusion that "wearing revealing outfits while fighting crime just doesn't make sense, and it's good that Marvel acknowledges that [this] is a great start, so it appears the studio is at least trying to save its heroes from bad costumes".[35]
Di Martino said she and Hiddleston found ways to incorporate her native accent to contrast with Loki's while keeping the Asgardian accent.[11] She said, "Little things like keeping more of my regional accent, and not trying to sound too posh or too well spoken [were incorporated] because it just wouldn't suit the experience that Sylvie's had."[11]
Reception
Critical response
The character was received positively among critics and fans despite initial misgivings due to confusion over her identity.[36][37] In a review of "Lamentis", Nola Pfau took note of how "Sylvie has given up a lot on this path...her insistence on not being called a Loki is interesting", adding that it paints "the picture of a person who knows herself, despite what or who others may think she is...she has had to fight just to live as herself" and called her tragic but also likable.[38] Writing for IGN, Simon Cardy wrote that Di Martino "play[ed the role] beautifully, bringing a touching sense of humanity" in a scene between her and Hiddleston in "Journey into Mystery".[39] Lauren Puckett-Pope of Elle wrote, "Sylvie, like the love for which she waxes poetic, is complicated."[40] Empire wrote that the character was "an instant new favourite".[41] Time's Eliana Dockterman deemed Sylvie a "nuanced and compelling" character, adding that "it will be a real bummer if everything that goes wrong in the MCU for the next decade will be 'Sylvie's fault'" because of her actions in the Loki episode "For All Time. Always.".[42] Simon Cardy of IGN wrote that Sylvie's choice in the episode "makes complete sense for her character development,"[43] while Rolling Stone wrote that she was driven by revenge.[44] Brady Langmann of Esquire opined that Di Martino's turn as Sylvie "has already blown far past many of Marvel's depictions of women."[45]
The character was also popular among fans, with Di Martino being number one on IMDb's "STARmeter" during season one's airing.[46] Screen Rant wrote that this was "a real testament to how Marvel can cast a relatively unknown actor and launch them into immediate stardom by way of the MCU".[46] Deseret News wrote that Sylvie was the "MVP" of the show because she "did more than any other character in this show" and "drove most of the story. She was the one who wanted to bring down the Time Variance Authority and end the Sacred Timeline. She wanted to create free will. And she got all of that done."[47]
Relationship with Loki
Critics were intrigued by Sylvie's relationship with Loki. Waldron wrote that it was necessary to further their character development and self-love.
Accolades
Year | Work | Award | Category | Result | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Loki | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Superhero Series | Nominated | [52] |
MTV Movie & TV Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance | Won | [53] | ||
Best Team (with Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson) | Won | ||||
Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama | Nominated | [54] | ||
2024 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | [55] | |
Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Superhero Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie | Pending | [56] |
In other media
Video games
- Sylvie Laufeydottir appears as a playable character in Marvel Strike Force.[57]
- Sylvie Laufeydottir appears as a playable character in Marvel Future Fight.[58]
Merchandise
- In 2022, Hasbro released a Sylvie Laufeydottir action figure based on Loki as part of the Marvel Legends action figure line.[59]
See also
References
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{{cite web}}
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{{cite web}}
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External links
- Sylvie on Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, an external wiki
- Sylvie on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki