“Loki” is the latest Marvel series to hit Disney+. Following his escape amongst the chaos in “Avengers: Endgame,” an alternate version of Loki finds himself in the clutches of the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Loki quickly becomes the key in stopping a conspiracy that threatens the timeline. “Loki” expands upon existing lore in the Marvel Cinematic Universe while introducing new mythology, taking Marvel into more uncharted territory.
The God of Mischief Returns
Known for being a scene-stealer and fan-favorite character, Tom Hiddleston shines as the lead of his series. He reprises his role of Loki from previous Marvel films, but with a twist. Hiddleston is not playing the same Loki that died in “Avengers: Infinity War.” Instead, he is playing an alternate version of Loki. In particular, the Loki that escaped with the Tesseract in “Endgame.” This version (or as the show says, “variant”) of Loki is more in line with his antagonistic self from the first “Avengers” film.
Hiddleston seamlessly slips back into the arrogant and vile side of his iconic role. While this Loki variant may seem like Marvel is treading old ground, Hiddleston makes this familiar version of the character feel unique. Loki goes through a journey of self-discovery in these first two episodes, resulting in another great performance from Hiddleston. He conveys a great range of stubbornness, conflict, and insecurity within the character.
Owen Wilson makes his Marvel Debut
Besides Hiddleston, another standout character is Owen Wilson’s Mobius, an agent within the TVA specializing in dealing with criminals who break the timeline. While Mobius is a seasoned operative in the TVA, he has an air of softness to him. Unlike the strict TVA, Mobius has some patience for Loki’s antics and is willing to give him a chance. Mobius seems like a far cry from Wilson’s previous comedic roles, but he sticks the landing in this new genre.
The Protectors of the Timeline
Between S.H.I.E.L.D, S.W.O.R.D, and A.I.M, the MCU loves their secret agencies. The TVA (another acronym to learn) monitors time and space, fixing any anomalies within the MCU's timeline. The TVA sets itself apart from these other groups with its mix of retrofuturism and dark academia styling. The organization is very no-nonsense and by the book, but many of its employees are naive to the outside world.
Through the TVA’s mascot Miss Minutes (voiced by Tara Strong), viewers receive an expansion on time travel mechanics first introduced in “Endgame.” The series also explores new mythology surrounding how timelines operate in the MCU. “Loki” throws a lot of new information at the viewer, which may seem daunting for them at first. Luckily, Miss Minutes makes this new lore digestible enough through humorous informational training videos.
Given all the talk of timelines and space in the show, it is up for debate if other Marvel projects like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” will further expand upon the new mythology shared in “Loki.”
Final Thoughts
After watching the first two episodes, “Loki” proves to be a promising start to another unique hit series for Disney+. Those who loved Hiddleston in previous Marvel films will eat up all the new Loki content. The series introduction of Wilson’s character and the new time travel mythos further expands the MCU boldly and excitingly. Despite the character of Loki appearing in many Marvel projects over the years, the titular character’s show is another innovative success that is worth checking out.
“Loki” premieres June 9th on Disney+. For the scoop on future Marvel content, stay tuned to Sarah Scoop!
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