Loki
"Loki" is not my favorite of the Disney+ Marvel television series, but I can't argue that it definitely sticks the landing, and sort of bucks the trend of an action heavy, kind of mindless finale. And, as we get closer and closer to "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," these episodes are great to watch, because this is where the multiverse actually takes hold.
"Journey Into Mystery"
Loki: "look, it's been a very, very, very trying past few days. Months? I don't even know how long it's been since New York. All I know is, I got pruned and I woke up here, and now I'm surrounded by Variants of myself, plus an alligator, which I'm heartbroken to report I didn't even find all that strange!"
[last words]
Classic Loki: "GLORIOUS PURPOSE!"
After his pruning, Loki finds himself in the void, that is patrolled by the monster, Alioth. Loki meets up with more Variants of himself and convinces them to help him slay Alioth and put an end to the TVA and whoever is behind it once and for all. Can he reach the end of his journey with help from Sylvie and Mobius?
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| Best Loki ever? |
This is what I wanted from Loki this entire time. More Loki Variants! It's really great. Tom Hiddleston's interactions with these variations of himself are some of the high points of the series and they give him this really great exasperation to play that is completely charming and another facet to Loki that he really hasn't gotten a chance to play that much.
Watching this episode, I can't ever help to imagine what "Loki" would have looked like, if Loki had met these Variants prior to this penultimate episode. And the ones they introduce here are classics! I mean, you have Kid Loki who played a huge role in the comics for a long time. He was a Young Avenger for goodness sakes. And, he is the de facto ruler of these purged Loki's. I mean, in his timeline he killed Thor. Wouldn't you have loved to have more time with this kid. Find out about that and how our Loki felt about it? There is Boastful Loki who looks to have a golden replica of Mjolnir and is a tool and a betrayer. So, typical Loki. And there is the immediately meme-able Alligator Loki. It's all pretty great.
I was disappointed that we didn't get more President Loki, who is a Loki that had his own comics run. I would have really liked to see Tom Hiddleston play versions of his own Loki because you could tell that he was clearly relishing his time as President Loki. Imagine if we had Tom Hiddleston Tatiana Malany'ing about like this was his very own "Orphan Black." Well, at least we have season two and the great visual gag of Alligator Loki biting off President Loki's hand.
This episode really belongs to Classic Loki, played by Richard Grant. He's called Classic Loki because he's rocking Loki's original costume fresh from his first appearance in "Journey Into Mystery" #85. (Now you know where the episode title comes from.) Grant kills it. His Loki is weary. He ran from Thanos after Ragnarok, but loneliness got the better of him. He doesn't like that these other Loki's have neglected their magic and he nails it when he calls Loki the God of Outcasts. The best scene of the episode is when Classic helps Loki and Sylvie distract Alioth with is magnificent sorcery. His cry of "GLORIOUS PURPOSE" might be my single favorite moment of this first season. I really hope that we haven't seen the last of this iteration of the trickster.
Mobius is fine. Like there was ever a doubt. He uses the TemPed to go back to the TVA while Sylvie and Loki go after Alioth. There is more tender moments between Loki and Sylvie that I don't really care about. And the episode ends with Loki and Sylvie ready to confront whoever is behind this.
If you read my "Fuck Batman" Titans recaps, you know I routinely complain about their penultimate episodes, but I'm happy to report that "Loki" doesn't have that problem.
Grade: A-
"For All Time. Always"
[last words]
He Who Remains: [stabbed by Sylvie] "See you soon."
After successfully confronting Alioth, Loki and Slyive meet the actual head of the TVA, He Who Remains. After some unsuccessful bargaining, He Who Remains explains everything. That he knows everything has happened or will happen. He Who Remains created the TVA after Variants of himself discovered the multiverse, met up in the 31st century and some decided to conquer the multiverse, resulting in the Multiversal War. He Who Remains offers Sylvie and Loki a deal. They can either take his place at the head of the TVA and protect the Sacred Timeline or they can kill him, potentially unleashing variants of himself that are much, much worse.
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| Here we go... |
Marvel properties kind of have a pattern. It doesn't matter if its movies or TV shows. The climax is usually a big battle full of explosions and CGI. Even "WandaVision," a show that was pretty cerebral by the MCU's standards ended in a big action heavy showdown. "Loki" bucks this trend and this is maybe the most talky Marvel finale ever. And that's not a bad thing.
This finale introduces what some have posited is the Thanos of the next phase of Marvel, Jonathan Majors as a variant of the classic Marvel villain, Kang the Conqueror. Majors was announced as Kang as part of the casting for "Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania." A lot of people had speculated that there would be some mention of Kang, but I don't think anyone, myself included, expected him to factor into the episode as heavily as he does.
Majors is a revelation as the Kang Variant, He Who Remains. Majors shows so many facets of this character that I am frothing at the mouth to see him play Kang and any different versions of Kang that might show up. He is charming, funny, silly, devious, scary all throughout these 45 minutes and he pulls them all off with aplomb. When he realizes that he no longer knows what is going to happen, the shift to this giddy uncertainty is fantastic. I am obsessed with this finale and Majors is one of the big reasons why.
Can we also give a big hand to Tara Strong who makes Miss Minutes downright menacing in this final episode. I'm hoping that we get her return in season two. Can you imagine Miss Minutes working for Kang?
There is a lot of the Sylvie/Loki relationship here and we all know that I'm not buying it. So the big kiss towards the end of the episode was a big groaner for me. I knew that Sylvie was going to end up killing He Who Remains because how else are we going to get these evil Variants and I honestly think it's the best thing for Sylvie is a character. She's more interesting as this potential villain than she is as a potential love interest for her own Variant.
We get some set up here. The multiverse is finally unleashed on the MCU. Renslayer leaves the TVA to finally get some answers. Loki is shuttled back to the TVA. When he gets there he tells Hunter B-15 and Mobius everything that happened with He Who Remains, but neither of them recognize him. And, the statues of the Time Keepers have been replaced with a statue of Kang.
No mid or end credits scene, just a promise that Loki will return for season 2.
Grade: A
Next up, the first movie of Phase 4 with the much anticipated (by me anyway) Black Widow solo movie.
What did you all think of this first season wrap up and the season as a whole? Let me know in the comments.
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