On June 9th, 2021, Disney+ released a new installment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Loki. The series continues the story of Marvel’s fan-favorite anti-hero, Loki Laufeyson. It follows his latest adventures and weaves a new strand into the complicated MCU timeline.

Plot:

    The Loki show takes place just after the first Avengers movie in 2012, after the events of the film were altered by time travel in Avengers: Endgame. In the new version, Loki escapes with the Tesseract and flees to Mongolia, where he is captured by the Time Variance Authority. The TVA is determined to maintain order and continuity within the timeline, and Loki’s escape changes history in a way they cannot let pass. He meets TVA agent Mobius, who offers him a deal: help the TVA catch a time-traveling murderer, and go free. The show documents Loki and Mobius’s travel through time, their keen detective work, and insight into what the TVA really is. 

Script:

      In line with all other Phase 4 Marvel works, Loki establishes an incredibly complex but detailed world. The series introduces new facets and possibilities for the Marvel Cinematic Univers and offers explanations for plot holes in previous films. The idea of “different timelines” (i.e. parallel universes) opened Marvel up to create the What If series and is setting the stage for Spiderman: No Way Home and Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness. One idea, one concept, one series, is responsible for dozens of new films and television that may inspire hundreds more. Needless to say, Loki is bringing both Marvel, and television, into a new era.

      But aside from the more… metaphysical aspects of the Loki script, the show makes excellent use of character and plot. Every line perfectly sets up the next one, each plot point a domino ready to fall. The plot and characters simply flow together, perfectly blending together and moving towards the end goal. And thanks to the completely creative and compelling writing of the show, which is filled with twists and turns, the audience has no idea what that goal truly is.

Acting:

     Long time member of the Marvel team, Tom Hiddleston makes a clever and charismatic Loki. But just because the show is named after him, Tom isn’t the only star of the show. His scene partner, Owen Wilson, who plays Mobius, is just as charming and funny. He perfectly matches Loki’s wit and challenges his sarcastic remarks. On the same note, Sophia Di Martino, who plays Sylvie, a version of Loki from another timeline, also combats his aggressive behavior and is his greatest rival in the series. But on the other side of the battle, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wuni Mosaku, and Jonathan Majors portray the series’ antagonists, Ravonna, Hunter B-15, and Kang the Conqueror respectively. Each of these actors embodies a different kind of evil; Majors is malice, Mosaku is complacency, and in Mbatha-Raw is the worst of all, bureaucracy. The show simply would not be the same if different actors were cast, and in all honesty, it would probably be worse. 

Personal Opinion:

     Loki is a great addition to the MCU, it is a piece that fits perfectly into the massive Marvel puzzle. Although many character arcs were fuzzy and a few plotholes do exist, there is a high chance those will be resolved when season 2 is released. Loki was a much-needed and long-awaited series, not to mention a fan favorite. Director Kate Herron has done excellent things with the character, and I personally can’t wait to see what she does next.