Can someone puleeze explain something in Thor II to me?

[WorseBeforeBetter]

Thor the Dark Side or Dark World or whatever it was! I'm not really a fan of these types of films, but watched I and II because 1) I wanted to see what all the fuss was about; and 2) will watch pretty much anything with Tom Hiddleston in it.

OK...

Thor, Loki and Natalie Portman are walking towards Malachai (?). Thor removes Loki's handcuffs, and Loki proceeds to stab him in the gut, then cuts off his hammer hand. Next thing, Loki is fighting WITH Thor and saves his life. I feel stupid asking this, but what triggered the 180?!

[NV Whino]

1. Been a while since I've seen it

And there are probably better people than I to explain it, but I think it was blackmail. One should never trust Loki to do the right thing on his own.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

3. I get that Loki can't be trusted...

his inevitable "betrayal" was tossed around between two characters, but I don't remember which two.

I even sort of get the end, where Loki is the new King and we don't really know what happened to Hannibal Lecter, I mean Anthony Hopkins. Odin.

It's just that one scene where Loki is in handcuffs, out of them, then stabbing and slicing Thor. Oh, well. More important things to dwell on in life...

Thanks for the reply!

[Goblinmonger]

2. Him hurting Thor was a ruse to make the plan work.

Loki is a master at that.

And, yeah, never trust Loki.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

4. OK, we're getting closer.

This I follow (from Wiki):

Thor reluctantly enlists the help of Loki, who knows of a secret portal to Svartalfheim, where they will use Jane to lure and confront Malekith, away from Asgard. In return, Thor promises Loki vengeance on Malekith for killing their mother. With Volstagg and Sif stalling Asgardian soldiers and Fandral assisting their escape, Thor, Loki, and Jane head to Svartalfheim.

I missed the trick:

There, Loki tricks Malekith into drawing the Aether out of Jane, but Thor's attempt to destroy the exposed substance fails.

Makes sense again:

Malekith merges with the Aether and leaves in his ship as Loki is fatally wounded while killing Algrim. Thor, cradling Loki in his arms, promises to tell their father of his sacrifice.

I'm not getting the ruse. Why did Thor need to be hurt to make the plan work? What was Loki able to do that an uninjured Thor couldn't have done? Loki's the brains, and Thor's the muscle?

[Goblinmonger]

5. It was to trick Malekith

Loki convinces Malekith that they can work together by cutting off Thor's hand and convincing Malekith that Loki isn't on Thor's side. Then, believing this, Malekith begins to draw the aether out of Jane. At that point the plan was to have Thor destroy the aether with the power from his hammer but they found out that wasn't going to work.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

6. I must have blanked out during the *convincing* part, but that makes sense.

But immediately after the handcuffs were removed, Loki stabs Thor, and IIR, Thor went tumbling down the hill. Jane followed. I guess all that was for show? They didn't pre-arrange the stabbing, did they? It wasn't a big knife, and Thor was wearing a lot of armor, so who knows if he was even wounded.

[Goblinmonger]

7. It's been a while, but I seem to remember thinking

that everything up to the hammer not being able to destroy the aether was planned. Loki faking his death was only a plan that Loki knew about.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. Well, I appreciate your replies.

These flicks aren't really my cup of tea, but I gave it a go! And will likely watch -- and not fully understand -- the next one.