The God of Mischief is back, but is he back with a bang?
Hey Everyone,
Welcome back to the lab, we hope you are keeping safe and well.
Today we are going to be talking all about Loki Season 1. We are going to go through some of the biggest moments, our thoughts and how it changes the MCU going forward. This review is going to contain spoilers for the entire series and theories about the MCU going forward. You have been warned.
Let’s get into it.
Loki is a series from Marvel Studios starring Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw amongst many more. The series is created by Michael Waldron and its first series directed by Kate Herron.
Loki was announced back in November 2018 at comic-con alongside Wandavision and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. At that point most fans had already seen Endgame and knew that Loki escaped at the end. Going into this series viewers were not quite sure in what way it would link to the wider MCU. Would it be an alternate reality that can exist in its own timeline? Would it link back to the MCU. Once the series started we started to get answers…
The series picked up immediately where we last saw Loki, Escaping in New York in 2012. He is quickly picked up by the time variant authority and we learn all about the ‘Sacred Timeline’. This is where the TVA keeps what is supposed to happen in order so that no branch realities can form. In other words, they keep our universe separate and in order and stop any multiverses from forming. Yes that's right, the concept of the Multiverse is now in the MCU.
As episodes go on, Loki teams with Mobius (Owen Wilson) to hunt a variant of himself from another reality. This is when we are introduced to Lady Loki, or as she is named Sylvie. Together they decide to tear down the TVA and those that run it so that free will can be given back to people in all universes. By the time we reach the series finale in the form of Episode 6, Loki and Sylvie have found themselves at the end of time and faced with “He Who Remains”. Viewers will recognise Johnathon Majors in this role, who has been confirmed to be playing Kang the Conqueror from the comics. He explains that he has been running the TVA to protect the sacred timeline and stop an all-out Multiversal war from breaking out. He gives our two protagonists two options. Take over from him and run the TVA or Kill him and unleash a multiverse.
Loki wants to take over and protect the universe. Not wanting there to be a war. Especially after He Who Remains explaining how there are much more dangerous versions of him waiting. However Sylvie wants to kill him and give people back free will. A fight ensues and yes you guessed it. He Who Remains is killed by Sylvie who also kicks Loki back to the TVA. Yet he has been placed in an alternate timeline so no one knows who he is. With what looks like He Who Remains variant of Kang in charge. A Multiverse is unleashed and the series ends on a cliffhanger.
The entire series goes from being an adventure with a loved character to being one of the most crucial watches in the entire MCU in just six episodes. This can also help to confirm a Multiverse going forward too. With projects such as Doctor Strange 2 and Spider-Man now almost certainly containing Multiverse elements (The latter heavily rumoured to feature multiple spider-men).
Everything about this series blew me away, but what I enjoyed most was seeing Loki Evolve. Yes we saw him evolve before up until Infinity War but that version is now dead. This is a new version of the character that has changed and adapted in new ways. We get to see more sides to him we haven't seen before. From learning about his and his mothers death, to falling in love with Sylvie, it feels like we are experiencing a whole new character whilst keeping the elements of Loki we have always loved. Tom Hiddleston is great (As he always is) as Loki. Having now performed the character for a long time, he still finds new avenues with this character to explore and portray. It also helps that the writing for Loki and the show in general is strong in every aspect. From portraying crucial plot elements to the more centred emotional moments.
We have to also talk about Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie. It is one thing to play a new character in the MCU, but to play another version of a well loved existing character is a hard task and she does this with ease. From the moment we are introduced to Sylvie she is captivating and you want to learn more. She portrays her version of Loki in a unique and different way whilst also having subtle reminders to the fact she is in fact a Loki. It is a pleasure to watch unfold on screen.
I also briefly want to touch upon Jonathon Majors who plays He Who Remains in the finale. His first appearance in this role was so much fun and you can see he is really just getting started with this role. What excites me about it the most is the fact Kang can appear in the form of multiple different variants in a range of MCU material. If he is the next big bad, it will be a good path away from Thanos and I for one am very excited to see how it plays out.
Everything in this series hit right for me, from the set design to the performances, from the story all the way to the score and the score is something that should be marvelled at for years to come. Created by Natalie Holt, each episode's score helped to heighten the tension of the plot whilst getting you engaged with the story and its emotional beats. It is a score from Marvel that I consider one of their strongest and highly recommend you listen to it.
Overall for me Loki was a spectacle that was filled with Excellent Storytelling, emotional moments that had me engaged fully and a final episode that changed the future of the MCU entirely. I am very excited to see where they take this adventure in season 2 and to see what the changes are in the MCU going forward.
What did you think of Loki? Did you enjoy it? Leave a comment and let us know!
Until Next Time
Stay Safe, look after each other.
Harry