At one point during The Avengers, Black Widow points out that Loki has “killed 80 people in two days”, to which Thor responds, “He’s adopted.”
That exchange has drawn the ire of the adoption community and they’ve launched a petition demanding an apology from Disney.
“Sooo..according to your scriptwriter, the fact he was adopted is the reason he is a bad guy!” they say in the petition. “Being adopted is NOT something to use for the butt of jokes! Marvel, immediately cease using adoption as the butt of jokes AND issue a public apology to the adoption community!”
Tim says
Oh, please…
Grow a sense of humor, people.
Sean D. Evans says
Oh please is right. Quoting those two lines alone are also taking the entire scene out of context. It started with Thor arguing that Asgard has no quarrel with Earth, to which Black Widow responded with Loki has killed 80 people.
Samuel Sloan says
Please, can we just put the friggin’ PC on the shelf. This world of lillie-waists we have created is really turning my the end point of my gastrointestinal orifice into a tight pucker.
Mark B says
Amen to that Samuel!!!
Michael Natale says
This really makes me want to punch a baby. I hope Disney grows a pair and instead of a public apology tells the “adoption community” that they aren’t entitled to an apology for something a fictional character said in a movie, and they should just STFU.
John W says
There will always be groups who will try to use things to garner attention for their cause. I’d like an apology for the negative portrayal of Loki my designated deity.
Mich67 says
Ridiculous…seems as though everyone is demanding an apology from someone about something…people have no sense of humor these days.
Valentine says
Please tell me this is an Onion article because this seems like such a silly reason to get attention for their group.
L5 says
So lets all go sign the anti-petition to that:
http://www.change.org/petitions/thor-and-loki-brothers-in-favor-of-adoption
not me says
I didn’t even realize there was an “adoption community”! Are there also “outie (or innie) belly button”, “extra toe”, “half dollar-sized nipple”, “big nose hair”, etc. communities also?
Sheesh!
Tom from Peoria says
Wait! I missed that..and I am adopted…Gimme a second. I’m working on getting offended by a line that had me laughing my butt off!
Really? Really. They are upset about this? (shakes head, walks away…)
Skiznot says
Yeah! And ‘Once Upon a Time’ needs to Apologize to Step-mothers! And Game of Thrones need to apologize to, well. . . everybody!
Summer Brooks says
So, if I used to wish I’d been adopted (I’ve known since I was a child that most of my relatives are crazy), does that mean I should figure out how to be offended too?
Fer cryin out loud, seriously? Don’t we have enough things in this world that honestly need fixing, and you choose to waste your time and energy on this crap?
scottieJoe says
great another special interest group outraged when I’d bet 99.9999% of adopted people aren’t even upset about this.
also;
I believe the lines were more like Thor defending loki at first by saying “He’s my brother”… “he killed 80 people”…. “he’s adopted”.
which would mean thor was just trying to prove crazy doesn’t run in the family, not that loki is evil because he was adopted.
Grow some thicker skin.
Laith Preston says
I’m an uncle by adoption and I can see the issue with this dialog myself.
To my mind it isn’t the grown up adoptees that are where the concern is, they should be old enough to understand the context and intent of the quote.
It would be younger ones who would hear the line as stated which is a bit offensive and implies bad things about someone being adopted.
Laith Preston says
My brother wanted to weigh in with his thoughts on this, however he ended up writing something a bit long for the comments thread.
So here is the post over at my blog.
http://laith.wordpress.com/2012/05/11/adoptors-assemble-guest-post-by-vince-preston/
k9 says
Hello,
As an actual adoptee I have to say that as a kid you have to deal with a lot and adoption is just another tool that could be used against you IF YOU ALLOW IT!!!. I created a response when I was very young to these other idiots- My mom picked me and yours got stuck with you- Childish yes but then that is what I was at the time and it was effective.
Mike H says
I think Marvel should respond to these over-sensitive whiny ass babies with a list of everyone adopted in the US that has been convicted of murder with a large cover sheet that says “Shut the F*&k up”
Jason says
That line was totally taken out of context.
Just before that line was spoken, Thor was defending Loki a bit by telling one of the other characters to becareful what you say about Loki. “He is my brother”. The Black Widow thensays her 80 people line and Thor used the “He’s adopted” line, not to use that as an excuse/reason, but to back off the Loki defense stance a bit.
It was not saying Loki killed these people because he was adopted.
Summer Brooks says
I call shenanigans on their tactics, and their targets.
How many movies depict step-parents and step-children as evil or damaged simply because they are “step”? For how many decades? I’ve never once heard of any call for apologies to people of blended families, or whatever the “I want a label because I want to feel special not just regular like everyone else” lip service is they’re using these days.
How many movies out there show siblings killing each other, or showing a father or uncle as sexual predators preying on his own kin? Where are the people calling out for an apology, because it tarnishes fathers and uncles?
How many hundreds of episodes of Law & Order SVU depict adopted kids and step-kids as sociopaths and psychopaths simply because of the convenience of the label to help the audience make a leap for the sake of a stupid TV script?
Until this group calls for apologies from Dick Wolf’s production company first, I call this one like I see it, a blatant shameless self-serving ploy for media attention because of the movie’s popularity. 22 years of Law & Order franchise shows and not once do they make a peep?
Also, the movie was playing overseas for nearly 10 days before it opened here… I don’t recall hearing about any indignant outcry from the many international groups that help place children from their countries with adoptive families here and elsewhere around the world, assuming they thought that one line would hurt their chances of placing children in new homes.
Shenanigans.
Laith Preston says
Yeah, tactics and targets maybe. However the whole thing was started by 1 person who was offended and decided to do something about it.
I think you will find that even within the “adoption community” that the opinions are varied on this topic.
Do I feel that those offended by the comment have the right to be so, yes. Do I think that a public apology is needed, maybe. Do I think that the line could be considered in poor taste, yes. Do I think that some of those ranting here about this are out of line in their comments, yes.
Do I think some people on both sides of this discussion are taking things too far, YES.
And honestly I can shenanigans your “for how long” argument. How many things were considered “acceptable” for years but get outrage or at least grumbling now?
For example, I bet that if Black Widow crashed a vehicle in the movie and Stark cracked a joke about women drivers you know that there would be people complaining all over the place about that.
“It’s always been OK before” is not automatically a valid argument.
Be it gender, race, disability or whatever at least here in the US things are not always “its been that way” and you have the right to complain about that which offends you.
Also this is a DISNEY movie and there are certain expectations from that, SVU is a different target audience than a movie based on a comic book franchise so not exactly germane to the discussion. Also this is genre based site so news about a genre movie will obviously be noticed but complaints about non-genre may just not be on our radar.
This is what I would have liked to see here from the start. Reasonable adult conversation on the topic. Not what some of the comments above have been, that reflect poorly on the members of OUR community.
Summer Brooks says
The point is, it’s a FICTIONAL movie, just like SVU is a FICTIONAL television show. It should never have been an issue for either side.
And don’t get me started on the whole PG vs PG-13 thing. PG-13 should never have been created, but there you have it. Most people don’t even pay attention to the difference anymore, and therein lies much of the problem.
Vince Preston says
You all are looking at this as adults… not as parents, and certainly not as parents of an adopted person.
Society needs to be better educated about adoption to be sure and mainstream media is doing nothing to further this cause. If the writers had a better idea of the psychological difficulties that many young adoptees go through, they’d understand why some people are upset by this. The media often oversimplifies adoption to the point that the general public does not understand what is truly involved and the added difficulties in raising an adopted child when compared to a biological child. There are pages and pages of research and discussion that can be found with a little effort that express upset and dismay about how adoption, adoptees, birth-parents, and adoptive-parents are portrayed in the media.
Please take a look at the link that Laith has posted above for a deeper explanation of the thoughts of an adoptive parent on this subject.
Kini says
OMG Really? Anyone can be insulted by a line or two of dialog in any given movie. Geeze give it a rest.
Samuel Sloan says
The Grimm Brothers have contacted me from beyond the grave & wish to formally apologize to all step mothers, step sisters, misunderstood werewolves, shape-shifters, midgets, woodsmen, Wiccan societies & mischievous children, as well as, any other person, thing or group they may have singled out and offended.
Oh, BTW – this YOU ARE human box is pissing me off. I’m I the only one, cause it has yet to be proven I am 100% human & I feel like I am perjuring myself every time I post a comment.
jddennis says
I’m in a similar state of mind as Laithe is. I’m the oldest of five kids, and two of my siblings are adopted. They’re also much younger than me — my sister was brought home just after my 21st birthday, and she was a few months old. She just turned eight, and I just turned 29. In addition, I occasionally go to adoptive agencies with my mom to discuss with prospective adoptive parents about our experience with a failed adoption. So I have a much closer perspective on this than a lot of people.
I laughed like crazy at the “he’s adopted” line. It was hilariously done. But I can see how it can be problematic. Adoption is, for some, a huge identifier in their lives. In some cases, adoption is not something that can be hidden. My siblings come from a different ethnic group, and it’s very easy to tell. My parents and us older three have always been very frank about their adoptions with them. But I do know people who were adopted and were not told about it until later in life. Like Loki in THOR, it completely changed their self identity.
My brother is ten years old and is enthralled by super heroes. He really wants to see “The Avengers.” Probably, when he’s older, he will. But that exchange about Loki being adopted will be thorny for him, especially since he’s very literal. That statement can cause rifts in his own self-image.
In terms of answering Summer, I think you have to look at the target audience “Avengers” versus “Law and Order.” Avengers is meant to be a family choice for entertainment, by dint of the PG-13 rating. I know that the audience was chock full of kids both times that I saw it. The Law and Order franchise is supposed to be for adults. They put a disclaimer in front of the episodes, saying it’s not appropriate for sensitive audiences. Adults should be able to handle a more sensitive issue like this. Kids are still trying to figure out who they are. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Law and Order action figure at Target, but I can buy my brother a Loki toy quite easily.
TallGrrl says
If a kid knows about Thor and Loki, especially if they saw “Thor”, they know what the deal is with Loki finding out that he was a Foundling and having “Dad Always Loved You More” issues.
You can even see it in Hiddelston’s performance that Loki isn’t just a bad guy doing Evil because he’s…well…Evil. He’s HURT to his very core and no matter what Thor or Odin or anyone tells him, he isn’t having it.
In The Avengers, when Loki wreaks havoc Thor defends him. “He’s my brother.” When Thor learns that people were killed, he wants people to know that “adopted.” It was quick, almost sotto voce and it broke a very tense moment that built up and then it backed down a bit with Thor deflecting any blame or association.
And the problem with that was…*what*, exactly.
I hate hearing people bleat “P.C.!” when OTHERS NOT THEM are hurt/insulted/whatever. Believe me, as a Female Black Geek, there are times when I…but that’s for another discussion.
That having been said, I am torn between “Really, people? An apology for something that was TRUE?” and “OK. They have a right to feel how they feel and let people know that it’s not cool to cast a negative light on this situation, etc.”
People just need to fall back.
Some people need to pick their battles (Adoption Awareness could be a very cool thing to come out of this) and *some* people need to STFU and let some people express an opinion about something that affects *their* lives. If they need to do that, it’s no skin off of *your* nose. Either be compassionate, commiserate or move the Hell along if it doesn’t really concern you.
Peace, out.
Dave from New Bern says
Give me a frakin break….
k9 says
Really- There are people of all ages, races, gender, non gender that will be offended by everything that is said if you look hard enough. There is obviously no hidden agenda. Get Over this already
As an actual adoptee I know I was told as soon as I was old enough to understand. This was very important to my Mom especailly. My parents, and yes they are my parents in my mind and not my “adopoted” parents, were as open and instructive as they were able. As I said above in repsonse to another my comments as a kid were always that my parents picked me and yours are stuck with you. I also realize that older kids may have issues of abandonment but at a very early age I realized that life sucks some times and you move on. I have never felt in my life like I have missed out on not having my birth parents as my real parents. In fact I am glad that my birth mom was either smart enough or forced to put me up for adoption as she was only 17 at the time. This was in 1961 and she was Catholic!!!! What a sin that must have been. In fact if not for the religous crap my life would have been very different, maybe better but I serioulsy doubt it. My wish is that people who should not have kids give them to people who want and deserve them and they need our support and not worrying about stupid movie lines that are not aimed to hurt anyone. Any animal like us can spawn but a good parent is critical to a good future.