As an expert in the field of mythology and popular culture, I can provide an explanation for why Loki, the Norse god of mischief, is often depicted as looking like a human.

In Norse mythology, the gods were said to have the ability to shape-shift, which means they could change their appearance at will. However, their default form was typically humanoid, reflecting the human-centric nature of the myths. Loki, being a member of the Aesir, the principal pantheon of gods in Norse mythology, would naturally take on a human-like appearance as his default state.

Additionally, when Norse mythology was adapted into modern media, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the decision was made to portray the gods as humanoid to make them more relatable to a contemporary audience. This is a creative choice rather than a strict adherence to the original myths, which were more fluid in their descriptions of the gods' appearances.

In the MCU, Loki is portrayed by the actor Tom Hiddleston, who is, of course, human. This portrayal has become iconic and has influenced how people imagine Loki, even in contexts outside of the movies.

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So Odin intentionally changed his look and then adopts him. His real look appears when he's attacked by a Frost Giant's freezing touch. There is no explanation of Loki's small size as compared to Frost Giants but in comics Laufey kept him hidden from his people, ashamed of his son's small size.read more >>