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Since his appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the trickster god Loki has won over the hearts of millions of fans. The proud members of Loki’s army were heartbroken bye his death in Avengers: Infinity War. but the character was fortunately given a second chance in their own Disney+ series, Loki.
Loki brings a lot to the table, though not quite as much as it promised to. The series centers on a version of Loki that escapes 2012 New York during the Avengers’ Time Heist. Captured by the Time Variance Authority, Loki ends up tangled within the revenge ploy of his female variant, Sylvie, and ultimately learns a terrifying cosmic truth that is the key to the Multiverse. Of course, some episodes are better than others.
6 For All Time, Always Ultimately Falls Flat
If there’s one thing about Loki most fans will agree on, it’s that the ending – For All Time, Always – is disappointing. During the season finale, Loki and Sylvie travel to the Citadel at the End of Time to uncover the truth behind the TVA and take down the true architect of the organization. The villain of the show turns out to be He Who Remains. While his real name is never revealed, it’s fairly clear that his true identity is that of Kang the Conqueror.
While Kang’s inclusion isn’t uninspired, his appearance in the very last episode leads to him monologuing about his motives and identity for about ten minutes. He’s clearly very dangerous and extremely powerful, but the true threat he represents isn’t properly cemented as he doesn’t display the full extent of his abilities. Sylvie’s final choice – killing He Who Remains and shattering the Multiverse – is interesting, but the episode includes too much ‘tell’ and not enough ‘show.’ In the end, Kang the Conqueror’s grand entrance falls flat, just like the finale of Loki.
5 Glorious Purpose Is Too Slow For Such A Short Series
The fact that the ending isn’t quite up to par with the rest of Loki is unfortunately not a big surprise. It’s a symptom of the series’ poor pacing. The first episode, Glorious Purpose, takes its time introducing every element that will later be important in the story, while also adding more depth to Loki’s character. The original arrival of Loki at the TVA sees him in danger of being ‘pruned’ – the commonly used term for time anomalies that are eliminated.
Agent Mobius M. Mobius saves him, hoping to later involve Loki in a quest to find a murderous version of himself. Loki also learns the truth about his mother’s death and his own demise at Thanoss hands, a truly powerful scene that brings tears to viewers’ eyes. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the creative choices made in Glorious Purpose. In many ways, it’s everything a first episode should be. But for a series that’s only six episodes long, Loki starts out much too slowly. The myriad of details included would have been a better match for a longer series.
4 Lamentis Dives Into Loki’s Character And Raises The Stakes
The third episode, Lamentis starts off with a short confrontation between Sylvie and the forces of the TVA. Judge Ravonna Renslayer intervenes but Loki uses a TemPad to teleport himself and Sylvie away. The episode then shows Loki and Sylvie arriving on the moon Lamentis, during its destruction. The two variants team up to find a way to escape. Sylvie also reveals that everyone at the TVA is a variant, just like they are.
Throughout their adventure, Loki and Sylvie manage to sneak onto a train meant to carry them to an ark prepared for the departure of the inhabitants. They have a heart-to-heart conversation, and it is at this time that Loki reveals he is bisexual. The element isn’t really that relevant in the big picture. Loki ends up getting both himself and Sylvie in trouble after he gets drunk. With great effort, they manage to reach the ark, but it turns out to be pointless, as it is destroyed.
3 The Variant Sets The Stage For Loki And Sylvie’s Partnership
The second episode of the series, The Variant displays the God of Mischief doing what he knows best – scheming. When his attempts to trick his way into a meeting with the Time Keepers – the leaders of the TVA – don’t work, he agrees to properly help Mobius find the variant who keeps killing TVA agents. The episode includes a heart-wrenching moment during which Loki is confronted with the fate of his people, Ragnarok. Tom Hiddleston delivers a beautiful performance that shows how deeply Loki can still feel.
Despite his emotional turmoil, Loki determines that the variant is hiding in apocalyptic events. During a particularly interesting part of the episode, he and Mobius travel to Pompeii, where Hiddleston displays his proficiency with classical languages by talking purely in Latin. Finally convinced that Loki is right, the agents of the TVA track down the variant, only to fall into a trap. The ending reveals a female version of Loki who uses her previously stolen reset charges to create chaos in the TVA. She teleports away and Loki follows.
2 The Nexus Event Is A Rollercoaster Of Emotion
The fourth episode in the series, The Nexus Event includes an unexpected development. Still trapped on the doomed moon, Loki and Sylvie watch the destruction of Lamentis. Their ensuing conversation leads to a romantic bond forming between the two. This creates a nexus event that forces the TVA to intervene, extracting the two variants from the apocalyptic event. Upon their return to the TVA, Loki is punished by Mobius, trapped in a time loop with an angry Lady Sif. The cameo is a nice touch, as is the reference to his previous ‘prank’ that damaged her hair a great deal.
Meantime, Mobius investigates Loki’s claims that everyone is a variant, only to get himself pruned by his presumed friend Ravonna. Ravonna then takes Loki and Sylvie to the Time Keepers, who order their deletion. With the help of one of the guards, Loki and Sylvie free themselves, and Sylvie attacks one of the Time Keepers. They turn out to be androids, stand-ins for another mysterious leader. While everyone is distracted, Ravonna prunes Loki, much to Sylvie’s distress. In the mid-credits scene, Loki wakes up surrounded by variants of himself.
1 Journey Into Mystery Is Loki At Their Best
The fifth episode of the show, Journey into Mystery, takes place primarily in the Void at the end of time. After confronting Ravonna, Sylvie self-prunes, intent on tracking down Loki and finding the true architect of the TVA, who is presumably hiding beyond the Void. Once she arrives there, she runs into Mobius. Meanwhile, Loki is introduced to a group of variants of himself, including Classic Loki – the version most similar to his comic-book self – Boastful Loki, Kid Loki, and Alligator Loki.
The variants take refuge in a shelter but are then attacked by more Lokis, led by President Loki. Classic Loki ensures the escape of Variant Loki, Kid Loki, and Alligator Loki. They run into Sylvie and Mobius, and Sylvie explains the truth. Unfortunately, to reach the creator of the TVA, they have to bypass the cloud-like creature Alioth. Sylvie plans to enchant it, but she is unable to do so alone. Classic Loki sacrifices himself to give Loki and Sylvie the chance to find out the truth and take down the TVA. Richard E. Grant delivers a truly stunning performance. Loki’s last cry of ‘Glorious purpose’ and his tearful laugh make the scene stand out as one of the best moments in the series.
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