Here we are, with episode 2 of Loki. We learn more about the TVA, time travel, and of course, who’s really pulling the strings. Things are moving quickly, so let’s not waste any more time and hop on in.
Oh, and of course, there will be spoilers.
1. Exposition Time
Last episode had Loki just as confused as the rest of us about the TVA, the buzzwords they toss around, and the reset charges they use. Well, this episode catches us up with Loki, as he gets a pop quiz or two. This is how we learn what the redlines in Nexus Events represent (the point of no return that could signal the end of everything), how the TVA can’t travel back to before a Nexus Event and must respond to them in real-time, and how the reset charges work.
More importantly, we get more from Miss Minutes as she talks to Loki directly as part of this exposition. She’s somewhere between a hologram recording and a living being, who Loki can swat at with a newspaper and who can hop into machines. Personally, I love it. More Miss Minutes, please.
Either way, this clears up some questions viewers might have, as we learn alongside Loki.
2. Loki, Mobius, and the TVA
Episode 2 also gives us more in the way of character interactions. We see how Loki and Agent Mobius work together (or not), and how the rest of the TVA feels about Loki.
The chemistry between Loki and Mobius is pretty good; they have nice banter, and it’s clear that Mobius is torn between wanting to believe he can work with Loki and his own responsibilities, not to mention the risk he’s taking upon himself. When we get to see them working together, and Mobius motivates Loki with a wager where the only thing at stake is pride (something very important to Loki), it builds on their working relationship. There’s some back and forth at play as they work each other out, but it’s good stuff.
We even get a nice scene developing Mobius as they talk about belief, free will, and jet skis. Once again, Loki’s focus is on free will rather than pre-set destinies determined by the Time Keepers, whereas Mobius is happy with his role in life.
On the other hand, the rest of the TVA is a little less willing to work with Loki. Ravonna Renslayer (who does have a comic book counterpart, but with a significantly different role), doesn’t believe Loki will work with them, but is willing to give Mobius a chance. Hunter B-15, meanwhile, gives him a jacket with “Variant” on the back to “remind him that he’s a cosmic mistake.”
Harsh.
3. Apocalypse When?
Of course, Loki is still very clever. In his research, he found a blind spot for time travelers to avoid the TVA, and it’s quite a clever one.
Basically, the TVA detects Nexus Events, which occur when a Variant sets off a chain reaction of changes that can set the course of history off in small but important ways. Basically, a Butterfly Effect. Loki realizes that a Nexus Event can’t possibly happen if everything is destroyed before it has a chance to change anything. So an apocalypse event is basically a “safe space” for Nexus-free interference.
Every scene related to this is fantastic. We have Loki’s “Yes, very sad” reaction to literal Ragnarok, then his use/destruction of Mobius’ salad (and Casey’s drink) to poorly illustrate his point about how everything will be destroyed anyways, culminating in a glorious scene where Mobius wants to try testing very small changes at disaster points, only for Loki to shout to all of Pompeii “We are from the future and you’re all going to die!”
Not only does it explain things nicely within the context of time variances, it’s just purely entertaining to see unfold.
4. Lady Loki?
In last week’s review, I dared Disney to give us Lady Loki. Well, they did. Maybe.
Early in the episode, Mobius established that Loki variants (and the TVA has dealt with a lot of them) are often quite different, including visuals that show everything from a blue-skinned Loki to “swole Loki.” (Are any of these Lokis easter eggs or references? That would require delving through more comics than I own, so let me know if you spotted any, oh eagle-eyed readers!) So this hooded figure could be or look like anything.
Continued belowWhen the hood comes back, we see a woman with Loki’s horn-shaped crown. (Welcome to the MCU, Sophia Di Martino, what a grand entrance it was!) So, Lady Loki confirmed as a variant Loki, right?
Well, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. We have a few hints that this might not be who we think. First of all, this Loki is controlling other people through enchantment magic that makes their eyes glow green. We’ve seen Loki use mind control before, but that’s with the Mind Stone in his staff, and it made their eyes glow blue. Secondly, this Loki is blonde, whereas all the variants we saw still have black hair. Thirdly, as Loki himself was getting tossed about and thrashed by someone controlled by this maybe Lady Loki, he commented “I would never treat myself this way.”
Last but not least, if we look at the credits, we see she’s listed as “The Variant” in English… but apparently the Spanish version has her credited as “Sylvie.”
So, is this proof that she’s actually Enchantress? Not yet, but it’s enough to make one think that things are not what they seem. Of course, with Loki, what ever is?
5. It’s the End of All Time as We Know It
So, the plan that The Variant was building up to over the course of the first two episodes? Oh, it absolutely goes off. Countless reset charges dropped to multiple points in time, causing countless Nexus Events that skyrocket towards the redline.
What does this mean? For starters, history is getting tossed this way and that, with multiple alternate timelines shooting up all around as various places and points in history (including some familiar locations from the Marvel Cinematic Universe) get destroyed. The “sacred timeline” is getting shattered all over the place, creating the many alternate universes the TVA wanted to avoid.
Now, I’m not going to say what this means for the Marvel multiverse as a whole. Doctor Strange already touched on the existence of a multiverse, which we’ll be seeing more of in Multiverse of Madness (as the title implies), but this absolutely makes some alternate histories that hopefully we’ll be able to explore over the coming episodes.
One way or another, the MCU is getting a fair bit shaken up by the events of this episode, and the consequences will be quite fun to see.
Other Thoughts
– The use of “Holding Out For a Hero” in the opening scene as a mind-controlled TVA agent attacked her companions was wonderfully timed
– We get a nod to Roxxon Corporation with their corporate town and mega-mart “Roxxcart”
– Nice of Loki to explain the difference between duplication and illusion projection; makes his power set a little more clear
