Loki Season 2 Finally Mentions Thor's OTHER Brother - But Who Is Balder The Brave?

As the TVA's star employee continues to jump through time and try and put it (or at least variations of it) back in line, it's easy to forget that Tom Hiddleston's Loki was once the Asgardian god of mischief caught up in the thick of it all. This week, we got a reminder of that, thanks to an observation from Mobius (Owen Wilson) on their mission to retrieve Victor Timely (Jonathan Majors). During a trip to the fair, our favorite buddy time cops come across a diorama displaying Norse gods: Odin, Thor, and a third deity that has only now been mentioned in the MCU, much to Loki's annoyance.

"Why'd they include Balder? No one's ever heard of him," Loki says, to which Mobius quickly corrects him: "Sure they have, Balder the Brave!" But skimming over the aforementioned Norse god would suggest that Balder does exist in the MCU and did, for a time, hang around with his adopted brother. So, who is he, and might there be a chance Balder could find himself back in Loki's life in the future?

Inspired by Baldr from Norse history, Balder was the half-brother to Thor and Loki and just as beloved in Asgard as our hammer-wielding hero. In keeping with the mythology, Balder was linked to Ragnarok in that his death would mark the first sign of the end of all things. To dodge that bullet, Odin blessed his son with invulnerability, leading him to grow up and be a noble and heroic prince, even taking over as ruler of Asgard at one point when Thor had to clock off briefly to find their missing father.

Having played such a significant part in Marvel Comics history for Thor's stories in the past, it is quite surprising that Balder has never been referenced until this point in the MCU. Such a fleeting namedrop does seem strange. Still, it may not have stood out as much had things gone according to plan regarding "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" when Balder was offered to an actor known for handling the iconic role of superspy James Bond.

Fans see a collection of cameos in "Multiverse of Madness," but one member who failed to make the Illuminati guest list was Balder the Brave. Marvel Studios originally had Daniel Craig in mind for the role. Artist Darrell Warner even sketched out concept art, and storyboards from Soren Bendt show the character dying by his own sword thanks to Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen). Of course, this never came to pass, but Balder's inclusion would've made the Illuminati sequence all the more impactful.

But just because Balder hasn't made an appearance so far, it could still happen in the future. It does seem strange that he's been mentioned at all without planting a potential seed for a future role. If Balder does drop in, as Daniel Craig or not, it would make for an interesting addition to the MCU and provide a new potential dynamic that could fill in where Thor and Loki left off. We'll have to see when "Loki" continues next week on Disney+.