Written by Ronnie Gorham
Say what you will about Marvel Studios, but one thing you have to admit is that they’ve been killing it this year in terms of content. WandaVision took us on a journey about loss and grief. The Falcon and Winter Soldier brought about the conversation of race and what a Black Captain America symbolizes. From what we’ve seen from the first two episodes, Loki looks to tackle time travel, multiverses, and self-identity. With two episodes now in the can, will the God of Mischief keep the momentum going for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
The short answer is Yes. The first episode gave us a slow but brilliant pilot episode that set up two significant factors moving forward. First, there’s a variant copy of Loki breezing through the timeline and killing off TVA Officers and has Loki wasted his life on a not-so-glorious purpose. The second episode sees Loki (Tom Hiddleston, The Avengers) fall more into his role as a time-variant assistant lending a hand to Mobius (Owen Wilson, Zoolander) to bring down the mysterious variant version of himself and figure out the perpetrator’s plan. It goes without saying that in Loki Season 1 Episode 2, ‘Variant’ that Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson’s chemistry together is magnetic.
Loki continues to be a show that breathes new, engaging and unpredictable life into his character and the MCU. It’s an extraordinary journey of taking a guy that calls himself a god and showing how human he is. Working in the realm of time travel could not only potentially be a launching pad for films like Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness but also reiterates the fact that this version of Loki hasn’t formed any sort of bond with Thor and didn’t die at the hands of Thanos. So it’s almost like Loki gets a clean slate and a future full of endless possibilities if he survives this ordeal.
What’s great about Marvel Studios giving characters like Loki a television series is the chance to know the character better. The show’s core gives off a Doctor Who meets Harry Potter meets Men in Black type of vibe. But underneath the surface, the TV series asks the ultimate question to Loki directly: is he indeed burdened with glorious purpose? It’s an exploration drawn out in the premiere and continues in the second episode when he does things like referring to the other variant of himself as the weaker version.
Loki’s second episode is indeed a step up from the first. Luckily those scenes are still entertaining and decent due to the incredible acting chops of Loki himself, Tom Hiddleston. However, he’s not the only breakout character during the premiere as Owen Wilson, Mobius M. Mobius matches his humor and charisma.
Loki delivers a solid second episode with an explosive climax. The remaining four episodes should unravel some fun and exciting moments that are sure to have a ripple effect across the rest of the MCU. If anything, Loki so far has delivered witty, clever, and intriguing television. The sky’s the limit for this show.
