Now That It’s Over: Did Loki Fulfill its Glorious Purpose?

Look, I have to be honest with all of you. When this show was initially announced in November of 2018, I thought Marvel and Disney were milking the popularity of this Frost Giant-born, Asgardian-raised God of Mischief. Now that season 1 has premiered in its entirety; I can happily say that I was wrong. As with any Marvel production, there were plenty of fan theories, and Loki created a shift in the cinematic universe that Kevin Feige and company have built upon since 2008. 

Now, let’s get into this bisexual god and break down the six episodes Marvel has graced us with.

I have to start with the titular character of Loki. Choosing the 2012 post-Battle of New York Loki to expand on was the only option. With audiences already having witnessed this Loki’s ability to do good while having that evil part of him still front and center, the showrunners had a lot of potentials to work with, being able to craft even more complexity to his character. We were able to watch Loki go from the god recently humbled by Earth’s mightiest heroes to the sympathetic protagonist Marvel fans have become well acquainted with. 

Audiences knew that Loki would turn good in the end, but the revelations Loki had (and those that were unwillingly thrust upon him) were not so expected. While holding Loki captive, the deliciously handsome Mobius (Owen Wilson) tells Loki that he is designed to fail and will only cause pain and suffering along the way. Being told this, especially right after failing to rule Asgard and Midgard, was not easy to hear. This set our Loki down his new path towards success and instilled the drive in him to never give up. Loki’s goals do change throughout the season, but his determination is escalated to the degree that was missing during Phase One.

I would be remiss if I did not take a look at the mysterious Orwellian-style governing agency known as the Time Variance Authority (TVA). After recently reading the iconic novel “1984” by George Orwell, it is hard not to notice the similarities between the time-traveling company filled with secret variants and Orwell’s despicable and totalitarian Party. The TVA “Always Watching” posters clearly mimic  the infamous “Big Brother is Watching You” telescreens from the 1949 book. Then, there are things like forced and manipulated labor being a staple for Time Variance Authority. Having the hunters and agents be variants who forget their past is one of those similarities you only see if you know what to look for.

Plus, the TVA making sure that history is what they say represents another less subtle reference but still plays an important role in this Disney+ series. While creator Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron were likely not trying to make the same political statement George Orwell was back in the 1940s, the decision to base their timeline monitors on the Party was brilliant.

Speaking of that handsome Time Variance Authority agent, Owen Wilson’s Mobius M. Mobius quickly became a fan favorite, and rightfully so. Obviously, Wilson has made his mark as an iconic actor and as a fast-talking comedian, which helped build this supporting character. Mobius continuously pushed Loki to be the best that he could be and served as the heart and soul of this TV show. The brains, however, belong to the stunning Sylvie, played by Sophia Di Martino. Easily the best version of any Loki we saw—sorry Croki—she was always at least one step ahead of the TVA, while having more powers than our Loki. Sylvie’s childhood was just as traumatic as Loki’s entire life, and that has made her more powerful than any other Loki variant. While not the leading character, Mobius and Sylvie dominated their roles as supporting characters while still standing out whenever they were on screen.

For my money, Loki is the best-built Marvel and Disney+ show from pilot to the finale. The story development throughout the season saw Loki, Sylvie, and Mobius slowly but surely find out more and more about the mysterious TVA before finally getting some answers in the finale. The show was also cinematically gorgeous from a setting, scenery, and landscape angle. No matter if it was the vintage aesthetic for the TVA offices, the catastrophic Lamentis, or the climactic set of the Citadel beyond the void. This show beautifully blended CGI with practical effects to lay down the groundwork for an incredible story.

Now, for the finale— Ok. Wow! How? WHAT?

I have happily watched the sexy Jonathan Majors in various roles in the Emmy nominated HBO series Lovecraft Country and the Oscar-nominated Netflix movie Da 5 Bloods. Now that he has made his presence felt in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as “He Who Remains,” I am so happy he is here. While he was not the Kang the Conqueror version of Nathaniel Richards that many folks might have hoped for, he was still Immortus. This version came with no powers but was clearly a genius. Following Sylvie killing him, the other Nathaniel Richards will be released. We saw this in the final scene with Loki talking to Mobius and B-15, and where the statues of the Time Keepers once were, there is only one statue of He Who Remains.

In an interview with Empire, Kevin Feige said that Loki “will have more impact on the MCU than any of the shows thus far.” Since the finale has been released, I think we can all agree that this is a fair statement. Now that the death of He Who Remains has unleashed the multiverse, the possibilities are literally endless. Some of these possibilities will almost surely come from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but I don’t think that is it. Two movies that will likely benefit from this multiverse development are Spider-Man: No Way Home and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and I am here for it.

The biggest way Loki will impact the future of the MCU is Jonathan Majors. The character of Nathaniel Richards/Kang could easily fill the void of big bad left by Thanos. With his time traveling capabilities, genius intellect, and 31st-century technology, it will take every hero from every corner of the universe to stop this conqueror.  

It is crazy to think six episodes can have this much impact on a thirteen-year film franchise, but that is the MCU for you. Loki had amazing visuals, an eloquent story, a beautiful cast, and perfectly set up a second season. While there were still some down moments riddled throughout the season, I think this show ultimately succeeded in the mission it set out to do—and more.