Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Loki Season 2 finale.
The Big Picture
- Loki's journey from antagonist to reluctant anti-hero has been an interesting character development over the course of his appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Both Loki and Doctor Strange utilize time loops to find solutions to "no win" scenarios, showcasing their creativity and determination.
- The use of the time loop in Loki's Season 2 finale reflects on his character growth and development, as he embraces his role as a caretaker of the Sacred Timeline.
It’s rather extraordinary to see how much the character of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has changed over the course of his various appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A character that had been nothing more than the antagonist of Thor and The Avengers has transformed into a god who holds authority over the entire timeline. The most recent MCU projects have had diminishing returns. Loki has continued to develop as an interesting character, with each subsequent appearance adding something else to his story. Although the Loki’s season 2 finale has major ramifications for the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was more interesting as a new step within his journey than a teaser of what is to come. In the season finale, the titular character’s final mission to restore balance to the timelines serves as a clever callback to a similar moment in Doctor Strange.
Loki
Loki, the God of Mischief, steps out of his brother's shadow to embark on an adventure that takes place after the events of "Avengers: Endgame."
- Release Date
- June 9, 2021
- Cast
- Tom Hiddleston , Owen Wilson , Gugu Mbatha-Raw , Richard E. Grant
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Disney+
Loki and Doctor Strange Use Time Loops to Their Advantage
After spending the majority of the second season working alongside Mobius (Owen Wilson) to restore the Sacred Timeline, Loki finally learns how to use his new time-slipping powers to his advantage. Centuries of training from O.B. (Key He Quan) have taught him how to go back in time so that he can use Victor Timely’s (Jonathan Majors) multiplier to expand the Temporal Loom. This requires more than a few tries on his part; Loki has to keep going through the time loop so that he can stop all of time and space from slipping into chaos. It’s a somewhat humorous moment, as Loki is forced to go all the way back through events in the first season to make sure that he makes all the right decisions.
This isn’t the first time that the MCU has used a time loop as a third act narrative device. In Doctor Strange, Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is forced to protect Earth from the evil entity Dormammu of the Dark Dimension, an indestructible multiverse villain. Stephen realizes that he cannot defeat Dormammu through traditional means, so he brings an element of his reality to the dark dimension: time. Stephen sacrifices himself countless times before Dormammu finally gives up and accepts a bargain to expel Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen) from their reality. Similar to Loki, Stephen uses his knowledge of time to find a solution to a “no win” scenario.
Self-Sacrifice Is a Key Theme in the MCU
The scenes are both effective because of what they say about self-sacrifice. Sacrifice is a key theme within the MCU, as many of the heroes have put their lives on the line in order to protect innocent people. Loki is not a traditional hero, and Stephen doesn’t necessarily consider himself to be all the empathetic. However, both Loki and Stephen recognize that there are more important things at stake than their personal contentment. Loki has to ensure that the Sacred Timeline is not compromised, and Stephen has to prevent Dormammu from taking over reality. The time loop allows both characters to make different decisions as they play out various scenarios. It shows both characters at their most creative and determined. They both realize that for better or worse, the fate of the world is in their hands.
The similarities between Loki and Stephen don’t stop there. Seeing them both use the time loop to their advantage serves as a means of redemption. It’s easy to forget that this is the same Loki variant who had just been trying to take over New York City with his army of Chitauri in a version of the original The Avengers; the fact that he’s now willing to spend centuries working for the betterment of all living creatures is quite a bit of character development! Loki’s redemption was laid out in the very first episode of the series when the Time Variance Authority showed him how little his life had amounted to. Loki’s experiences working with Mobius have exposed him to the beauty of the Sacred Timeline, and empowers him to protect it.
Stephen may not have been a villain like Loki, but he’s just as worthy of redemption. Stephen’s brash, arrogant attitude made him intolerable to be around. Despite having the power over life and death as a surgeon, Stephen doesn’t actually seem to care that much about his patients. Serving them is little more than a means to satisfy his ego. Similar to Loki, Stephen realizes that there’s a value in what little time he has through his training with the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). As she tells him, “death is what gives life meaning.” The emotional resonance of both Loki and Doctor Strange make them standout projects within their respective phases.
‘Loki’ Gives the Character's Arc a Satisfying Conclusion
Using the time loop to reflect on Loki’s past adventures wasn’t just a fun way to close out the season; it allowed the show to explore how far Loki has come since the beginning of the series. One of the flashbacks to Loki’s past includes his first meeting with Mobius. Instead of being arrogant and aggressive like he was in the first episode of the series, Loki explains to Mobius why he needs his help. Loki began the series as a character who perceives himself to be a ruler, but he’s just now learning the responsibilities that come with leadership. He’s now in a greater position of power than ever before, as he holds the branches of existence at the center of Yggdrasil, the tree of life.
Both Loki and Stephen are able to graduate to a greater position after their experiences in the time loop. Stephen finally proves himself to be a worthy Sorcerer Supreme, and Loki is set to be a much more judicious caretaker of the Sacred Timeline compared to He Who Remains. Although many of the MCU films have been accused of featuring the same third-act action sequence, Loki and Doctor Strange found creative ways to show how their heroes had evolved. It’s all just a matter of time.
Loki is streaming in the United States on Disney+.
