It has been a week since Loki’s first episode premiered and several fan theories are already being spun. The series has brought back a fan-favorite character in a new light and watching the God of Mischief deal with his unforeseen circumstances is sure to be a delight. But, it is important to note that this is an alternate version of the beloved character and he could potentially be living on borrowed time.
Quick reminder - Loki is killed by Thanos in the opening sequence of Avengers: Infinity War. Another version of the Asgardian prince shows up in Avengers: Endgame when the heroes go back in time to find the Infinity Stones. He is from 2012, has obtained absolutely no redemption, and is still unhappy after losing to the Avengers in the Battle of New York. By stealing the Tesseract, he did manage to escape, but will the Time Variance Authority allow him to escape his ultimate fate?
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In the first episode of Loki, it is already established that the TVA is in charge of the “sacred timeline” and if anyone tries to go off-track, they have to face the consequences. Fans meet Owen Wilson’s Agent Mobius M. Mobius for the first time, who seems to be the only TVA employee that is in Loki’s corner. During his conversation with the God of Mischief, fans learn that everything that has happened in the MCU so far was all meant to occur and the timeline will repeat itself “again and again and again.”
Looking at Loki’s journey so far, the character has gone from being the villain to the well-redeemed brother of the God of Thunder. Just when fans had gotten used to seeing the brothers sticking together, Thanos ripped the notion out of their reach. The new Loki in the series has had a bit of a reset, considering he is now the version of himself who still hates the Avengers and just botched a deal he had made with the Mad Titan. Keeping track of his timeline will be crucial for the show because even though he is still the Loki that fans love, his character arc is lacking some key moments.
Courtesy of the TVA, the Asgardian quickly learns of his ultimate fate had he not fled when Agent Mobius shows him a montage of clips from his own lifetime. But, he isn’t the only one who broke the timeline. If the Avengers hadn’t gone back in time in an attempt to find the Infinity Stones, they wouldn’t have come across Loki, and he wouldn’t have escaped. That could be a frustrating thought for fans, but during Loki’s sentencing in the first episode, Judge Ravonna Renslayer seems to think all of those incidents were acceptable. So, the Avengers were meant to time travel, but Loki escaping was not supposed to happen.
For his crime, he is sentenced to be reset. As if it wasn’t devastating enough for fans to watch him die once, Loki is informed that breaking the timeline is not an option. Does this mean he will be sent back to live out his death again? Well, not immediately, but it is something that the premiere could have set up as a possible ending for the series. Having Loki break the timeline could have larger consequences and create multiple branches of reality, leading to a multiverse. To avoid all that, the TVA is adamant about sending him back, which could only mean the show ends with him being strangled to death by Thanos once again.
The other Marvel shows that have aired on Disney Plus so far were setting up a storyline for two heroes accepting their fate and the responsibility of being a savior. In WandaVision, fans got to see Wanda’s journey of pushing through her grief and finally becoming the Scarlet Witch, whereas The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was focused on Sam Wilson finally taking up the mantle of Captain America. However, in just one episode, Loki has changed the Marvel curve entirely.
Within the first episode, fans already know that Loki’s life is a dead end. The TVA seems to be an extremely powerful entity in the MCU, ensuring that all events turn out the way they are meant to. It probably also hurts Loki's ego a little bit to know that he is quite insignificant compared to the rest of the Avengers. Agent Mobius makes it very clear to him that he wasn’t born to be king, but instead his purpose was to “cause pain, suffering and death,” just so that the other characters could go on to become the “best versions of themselves.” So, essentially, Loki is a side character in the plot, and no matter what he does, his path will eventually lead him to his death.
The moment when Loki returns to the interrogation room and continues to play the tape is an important one. All this time, fans have seen a cocky version of the character who is always up to no good. But, seeing the Asgardian reduced to tears over his mother’s (and his own) death could perhaps be one of the most crucial moments of his life in the MCU. Loki’s sole purpose has been to rule, and in the process he is willing to sign up for any deal. But, seeing his own fate, he is even ready to help the TVA track down mystery Loki, who seems to be another version of the God of Mischief that is going around and killing TVA guards.
The premiere has set up the remaining five episodes as Loki’s second chance at redemption, wherein he helps the TVA get rid of a menace. But, while he is being kept at the TVA because they clearly need his help, what happens when the mission is over? Can Agent Mobius truly save Loki, or will fans have to see the Asgardian return to the original timeline and die once again? Time will tell.
Loki is now streaming on Disney Plus.