Loki' Season 2 Episode 4: A Time-Twisting Catastrophe!

Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Loki Season 2, Episode 4.

The Big Picture

In Episode 4 of Loki Season 2, it is revealed that He Who Remains wiped Ravonna's memory after betraying her and seizing control of the TVA.

During the conversation at the Automat, Loki and Sylvie explore the philosophical dilemma of choosing between playing god and allowing chaos to prevail.

Content

Season 2 of Loki reaches its climax in Episode 4, titled "Heart of the TVA." Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, and written by Eric Martin and Katharyn Blair, this episode brings shocking revelations and puts the TVA on the verge of annihilation. As the Temporal Loom is destroyed, leaving the future uncertain and many unanswered questions, the characters face the consequences of their actions. Episode 4 also delves into Ravonna's mysterious past, reunites the entire cast at the TVA, and forces them to finally confront difficult conversations that have been brewing since the start of the season.

Particularly, we witness the in-person conversation between Ravonna and He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) immediately after their takeover of the TVA. During this exchange, we discover that although Renslayer had been collaborating with He Who Remains, he ultimately betrayed her. Rather than allowing her to rule alongside him, he opted to completely wipe her memory.

Another scene that resurfaces is from the first episode, wherein Loki (Tom Hiddleston) ventures into the future and encounters Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) within the TVA, just moments before being pruned and subsequently saved from his precarious time-slipping predicament. This pivotal moment serves as the catalyst for Loki's determination to find Sylvie, revealing that Sylvie's presence at the TVA is a direct result of Loki's pursuit.

This convoluted time paradox adds to the episode's overall complexity, as it is laden with numerous significant events, making it one of the most eventful installments in Season 2. Ultimately, the episode concludes with utter devastation and a sense of uncertainty.

Loki

Loki, known as the God of Mischief, ventures out from his brother's shadow and embarks on a thrilling journey that unfolds after the events of "Avengers: Endgame." Starring Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Richard E. Grant, this exhilarating adventure falls within the realm of the superhero genre. Release date: June 9, 2021.

'Loki' Season 2 Episode 4 Makes Us Very Suspicious About O.B.'s Real Identity

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In Season 2, Episode 4, O.B. and Victor Timely are paired up by Loki and Mobius. They bring Victor to O.B. in hopes that his temporal aura can solve the Temporal Loom problem. The two characters are in awe of each other, with Victor idolizing O.B. for writing the TVA manual, and O.B. being inspired by the historical figure of Victor Timely. This brings up the question of how involved O.B. is in everything happening at the TVA.

If O.B. inspired Victor, who inspired O.B. in return? Could O.B. potentially be a Kang variant himself? Variants in the show have been shown to look and act very differently from each other, like Loki and Sylvie. With O.B.'s extensive knowledge of the TVA and intact memories, it is possible that he is simply another Kang variant waiting to reveal himself. The mindwipes conducted by He Who Remains after the Time War could have played a role in obscuring O.B.'s true nature. O.B.'s friendly demeanor and non-threatening persona might just be a clever disguise created in part by Ke Huy Quan's performance.

'Loki' Season 2 Episode 4 Asks, "Is It OK to Play God?"

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In a heartfelt conversation at the Automat, Loki and Sylvie finally delve into their diverging perspectives on what to do with the TVA. This compelling scene delves deep into Loki's character development and addresses a key issue that Season 1 left unresolved. The question at hand is whether it is better to exert control over chaos and play god in order to save lives, or to allow chaos to prevail and accept both the good and the bad. This is a philosophical quandary without a definitive answer.

During the conversation, Loki reflects on the events of the first Thor movie. He reveals that he once regarded vulnerability as a weakness, a sentiment that Sylvie shares, stating, "Being vulnerable gets you killed." However, Loki promptly highlights that by sparing Victor's life, they are able to protect and spare even more lives. Sylvie's act of mercy — her vulnerability — proves crucial in preserving the timeline. While Sylvie is inclined to destroy everything and start afresh, Loki astutely observes that repairing what is already broken is challenging but absolutely necessary.

What Happens in 'Loki' Season 2 Episode 4?

Both perspectives have valid points in this debate. Sylvie, relentlessly pursued by the TVA, understandably focuses on the negatives, such as Dox (Kate Dickie) pruning countless timelines. On the other hand, Loki, working alongside Mobius and B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku), has witnessed the potential for goodness within the TVA. They themselves are victims, plucked out of time with erased memories to serve as employees. In the end, it seems that Sylvie and Loki may unwittingly fulfill the desires of He Who Remains: assuming the role of gods. Their contrasting outlooks provide strength and enable them to safeguard the timeline branches, maintaining order. As Loki remarks, granting people freedom without protection is insufficient.

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After being kicked through a time door to the End of Time, Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong) find themselves in a situation where the truth about Ravonna's past is revealed. Miss Minutes shows her the events of centuries (or even millennia) past, where Ravonna discovers that she not only held a position of power as a judge in the TVA but was also destined to be one of its leaders. She realizes that she was not just an important figure in the war but actually the commander of He Who Remains' armies. The phrase, "For All Time, Always," originates from her conversation with He Who Remains. However, despite winning the war, He Who Remains wiped the memories of everyone who aided him, including Ravonna, depriving her of the opportunity to rule alongside him. With this realization, Ravonna and Miss Minutes join forces to confront the TVA, understanding that they have been manipulated by He Who Remains.

Meanwhile, Victor arrives at the TVA and is immediately escorted to O.B. in R&A. The two find themselves in awe, realizing they are face-to-face with the man who has greatly influenced their creations. They engage in a conversation filled with technical terms, discussing the necessary repairs to the Temporal Loom. Luckily, Victor happens to possess the device that can aid them in preventing the imminent collapse of the TVA. However, they encounter a setback as the radiation near the Loom has intensified since Mobius' previous visit, causing severe damage to one's skin. As O.B. and Timely brainstorm potential solutions, Mobius nonchalantly suggests indulging in pie, which infuriates Sylvie and prompts her to express her frustration at his lack of introspection about his own life and timeline. It becomes evident that Mobius has distanced himself from the branched timelines and intentionally avoided exploring his origins, leaving everyone curious. With the recent focus on Mobius' past and origins, it appears that answers will soon be unveiled.

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Upon arriving at the Automat, Sylvie's presence sparks suspicion, considering it is the second occurrence of individuals inexplicably ending up there. It becomes a significant point of concern. It is during this encounter that Sylvie and Loki engage in a discussion about how to approach the TVA. As mentioned earlier, this conversation lacks a clear right or wrong path. On one hand, completely dismantling the organization and starting anew may seem enticing, given the multitude of unresolved issues and the system's evident corruption. On the other hand, preserving the existing structure could potentially lead to longer-lasting and more sustainable changes. Sylvie exhibits hesitation in assuming leadership within the TVA, embodying chaos in many aspects. When she expresses her reluctance to play god, Loki offers a reminder, stating, "We are gods."

In the TVA, Gamble convinces B-15 to speak to Dox and her men in an attempt to change their opinion. Gamble reveals that B-15's passionate speech had influenced her own perspective on dealing with the timelines, and she believes that B-15 can inspire Dox in the same manner. B-15 approaches Dox and makes earnest efforts to appeal to her, urging her to fight with them again, particularly in light of Renslayer's pending arrival. However, Dox declines B-15's offer when Ravonna shows up and attempts to win them over to her side. Recognizing Ravonna's true intentions for power, Dox refuses to align with her, a stance that is supported by her loyal men, except for X-5. It becomes evident that X-5 desires to return to his former life within the timeline and that he and Dox share a closer bond than they have previously revealed. Dox addresses X-5 as Bradley, questioning whether life in the timeline was truly better. Unable to respond, X-5 retreats in fear while Ravonna uses the time cube to crush the people, as Miss Minutes watches on with a slightly disconcerting, yet gleeful expression.

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Subsequently, they pursue Victor, successfully apprehending him after X-5 eliminates D-90 (Neil Ellice). Miss Minutes then seizes control of the system, thwarting the opposing team's endeavors to rectify the TVA. It is during this particular moment that Sylvie finds herself trapped inside the elevator; as she forcefully pries open the doors, her gaze falls upon the Loki encountered in Episode 1 moments before Loki from Episode 4 prunes him and returns him to his designated point in the timeline. The enigmatic ringing phone from Episode 1 is ultimately unveiled as a call from O.B., who discloses to Loki and Sylvie that the sole means of deactivating Miss Minutes is by rebooting the system — a move that would lead to the sacrifice of the safety mechanism, consequently enabling Loki and Sylvie to harness their magical abilities. At long last!

With the system offline, Loki and Sylvie spring into action to rescue Victor. Utilizing her enchantment, Sylvie persuades X-5 to eliminate Ravonna. They swiftly retrieve Victor and hasten towards the Loom, which teeters on the edge of destruction. After scanning Victor's temporal aura, the blast doors finally part, prompting him to take on the role of launching his powerful MacGuffin into the Loom. Donning the same suit as Mobius did in Episode 1, he psyches himself up, declaring, "Time to be brave." In a monumental and tragic turn of events, his bravery is abruptly diminished when he steps onto the platform and succumbs to the radiation, becoming a mere pile of spaghetti-like remains. Their last glimmer of hope extinguished, Loki and the team can only watch in despair as the Loom destabilizes and implodes.

This episode concludes in a thrilling manner, leaving just two weeks to wrap up the remaining loose ends. Will the truth about Mobius' past ever be unveiled? Will we learn O.B.'s origins? Can we expect to encounter Ravonna and Victor again? The future appears uncertain as Loki takes a sudden narrative shift, thrusting us back into the enigmatic realm with this unforeseen twist ending. Only time will reveal if their risky move will yield fruitful results.

New episodes of Loki premiere Thursdays on Disney+.

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