Too Much Garlic
Master Member
Seems right on the money. At several times during the movie, the heroes questioned Loki's motivation. He just didn't have his heart into what they saw was the purpose of the invasion. Coulson saw it, Stark saw it... can't remember if Black Widow sensed it too, Banner certainly did, if maybe only on a feral level.Very Good Writing – Why Loki Won in The Avengers « The Mask of Reason
Brilliant hypothesis.
There was always just that overall sensation that he truly was just there for the mayhem rather than the end result and no matter how it turned out he would be the winner, because he was there for the mayhem. Having the other "win options" with putting him back in Asgard with access to the gauntlet and still working with Thanos - explaning HIS little smirk at the end - is just added bonus to that win/win scenario he's set up for himself.