Loki Season 2 Takes a Mind-Bending Leap with Victor Timely & the Expanding Timelines

Summary

Loki grapples with the aftermath of Sylvie killing He Who Remains and tries to help the Time Variance Authority cope with their newfound knowledge.

The Sacred Timeline is currently fracturing, with pruned timelines being swiftly replaced.

In Episode 3, director Kasra Farahani delves into the difficulties of vividly depicting Chicago in both 1868 and 1893, along with Jonathan Majors' exceptional portrayal of Victor Timely.

In Loki season 2, the story continues after Sylvie kills He Who Remains and sends Loki back in time. As Loki grapples with the warning of an upcoming multiversal war, he endeavors to help the people of the Time Variance Authority accept the fact that their entire existence was a deception. Together with a new ally named O.B., they set out to locate Miss Minutes, Renslayer, and Sylvie, while simultaneously facing a new version of He Who Remains.

Leading the creative team for Loki season 2 is head writer Eric Martin, with Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead serving as the principal directors. The second season also welcomes Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan to the talented cast, which includes the returning stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Jonathan Majors, Wunmi Mosaku, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Tara Strong, and Eugene Cordero.

In an exclusive interview on our website, Kasra Farahani, the director of Loki season 2, episode 3, and the production designer for the show, sheds light on the reasons behind the continued growth of branches from the Sacred Timeline after Dox's bombing. Moreover, Farahani also delves into Miss Minutes' unsettling desires in the latest episode. Additionally, the director unveils a real-life inspiration for Victor Timely and discusses the inclusion of Balder the Brave at the Chicago World's Fair. Caution: This article contains spoilers for Loki season 2, episode 3, titled "1893"!

Kasra Farahani On Loki Season 2

Our website: Kasra, your work as a production designer on both seasons of Loki is absolutely outstanding - the show just keeps getting better and better. I am particularly impressed with Loki season 2. Now, despite Dox's attempted bombing, the pruned branches are regrowing as explained by O.B. Do these timelines have a natural resistance to Dox's pruning, or are new branches of equal numbers emerging in their place?

Kasra Farahani: It's the latter. It's the latter. Dox did successfully prune those timelines and tragically end countless lives, but the multiverse - or rather, the timeline - is fracturing at such a rapid pace that new branches are replacing the pruned ones almost as quickly as they were removed. This is the issue at hand.

Is the Sacred Timeline simply a different term for the remnants of the multiverse following the multiverse conflict? I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the specific terminology, so I'm unable to provide a definitive response and I don't wish to inaccurately answer it.

The MCU projects can be challenging, especially in this case. O.B. expressed the need to enlarge the intake of the Loom in order to enhance the throughput and untangle the unrefined time that is currently causing complications in the time streams. What kind of interferences are occurring on the opposite side of the Loom?

According to Kasra Farahani, it is useful to visualize the Loom as a weaving machine. Picture a sturdy rope or cable being woven together, with a specific amount of hemp or material being fed into the loom. The issue arises when the amount of hemp entering the loom suddenly increases drastically, overwhelming the loom's capacity to process and organize the time. Essentially, there is a mismatch between the input and the loom's capability to handle it. The goal now is to find a solution that involves enlarging the diameter of the intake, allowing for quicker refinement and clearing of time.

We are given the opportunity to witness Chicago twice in this episode: first in 1868 within the Sacred Timeline, prior to the devastating Great Fire that demolished the city, and again in 1893, within a divergent timeline during the Chicago World's Fair. Can you elaborate on the difficulties encountered when bringing Chicago to life during these specific time periods?

Kasra Farahani: Certainly, without a doubt. It was both a challenge and a delight. The experience was incredibly enjoyable. The primary challenge we faced was budgetary in nature, as constructing extensive sets benefits from substantial screen time. A significant portion of our sets, depicting the TVA, are featured throughout multiple episodes. However, with episode 203, we had to create Chicago for just one episode. This posed a delicate situation where we had to ensure the set portrayed the grandeur, beauty, and complexity of the World's Fair, while also being cautious not to overproduce sets unnecessary for the narrative.

Regarding the scene where Victor Timely delivers his presentation, it is evident that this particular scene is seen during the post-credits of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. I am interested to know about your level of collaboration with the team responsible for that post-credit scene. Furthermore, does that post-credit scene directly connect to the upcoming second season of Loki, or does it instead foreshadow another significant development in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Kasra Farahani stated that the filming took place prior to the decision of using it as a post-credit scene. Now, moving on to Jonathan Majors and his outstanding portrayal of Victor Timely, could you elaborate on the unique aspects he brought to the character and your collaboration with Jonathan in developing Victor Timely?

Kasra Farahani: Jonathan brought a great deal of creativity and attention to detail in developing this character. He skillfully portrayed the complexities of someone who is highly intelligent, operating on a different level than most, yet also experiencing social awkwardness as a result. He exudes confidence in his brilliance and technical knowledge, but there is a noticeable hesitation and shyness when interacting with Renslayer, possibly due to unfamiliarity with such situations.

Furthermore, we wanted to address the challenges faced by a Black man in late 19th century America, aspiring to be an inventor and entrepreneur. The environment he navigates is inherently hostile. The fact that he is presenting in the Hofbrau of the Midway, rather than the prestigious Machine Hall of the White City next door, likely stems from discriminatory practices. It is probable that he was denied entry into the latter venue.

I believe his need to be quick-witted and his skills as a conman can be attributed to his survival in a hostile environment. Furthermore, his ability to deceive is also influenced by the fact that his groundbreaking ideas surpass the capabilities of the materials and technology available in the late 19th century. It is important to note that he is not deceiving anyone in terms of the validity of his ideas, but rather due to the limitations of executing them in that era.

Another aspect Jonathan and I discussed is the striking resemblance between Timely and a historical figure named Granville Woods. Woods, an African American inventor who lived during the same time period as Timely, faced frequent attempts to steal and claim his patents, including from Edison who failed to claim ownership of Woods' patents twice in court. This aspect is significant because it reflects the challenges that Timely would also encounter in this particular moment in history.

Certainly. Shifting our focus for a moment, just as Sylvie is considered to be Loki's variant, there is a prevailing belief that Renslayer might be a variant of He Who Remains. What are your thoughts on this theory?

Kasra Farahani was unsure and expressed his lack of knowledge regarding the matter, emphasizing the need to wait and observe for further information.

Now, there exists a barricaded section within the Citadel, which you had specifically included in the initial blueprints. Can you shed some light on the content concealed within that particular area of the Citadel?

Kasra Farahani: Well, is it barricaded or is it collapsed?

It looks collapsed. Yes.

Kasra Farahani: It's collapsed, right. So I think it's collapsed, and as to what's behind there, we're going to have to see.

Have we seen your favorite variant of Kang yet in the MCU?

Kasra Farahani: Personally, my favorite character is definitely Victor Timely. He's incredibly charming, funny, and has a complex personality.

In this episode, I absolutely love the character Miss Minutes. She manages to be both terrifying and intriguing. Miss Minutes makes a promise to Renslayer, stating, "Once he returns to his rightful place at the TVA, you and I will be by his side." Does Miss Minutes genuinely mean this promise to Renslayer?

Kasra Farahani: You're going to have to watch. Keep on watching.

Is there a connection between the Balder the Brave Easter egg and the concept art featuring Daniel Craig? Could this Easter egg have been a reference to Balder the Brave in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness?

Kasra Farahani clarifies that there is no connection. Instead, the Easter egg serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it plays with the expectation that a third statue alongside Odin and Thor would be Loki, but it turns out to be Balder the Brave. Secondly, it serves as a reminder to both Loki and the audience that Loki is not just an employee of the TVA, but a powerful God with divine heritage.

Finally, I must mention that the midway of the Chicago Worlds Fair brought together various cultures from around the world, featuring dedicated pavilions for each. However, it is important to acknowledge that these representations were often reductionist and even racist. Consequently, I wanted to incorporate Loki's statement that an entire culture cannot be distilled into a mere diorama, as a way of addressing this issue.

Moving on, Miss Minutes offers a distinct portrayal of artificial intelligence within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While we have seen characters like Jarvis and Ultron before, Miss Minutes stands out as a more vengeful AI. Could you share your intentions in exploring this character during the season? Additionally, it would be interesting to hear about her connection to He Who Remains.

Kasra Farahani: In my opinion, Miss Minutes seems to possess a level of humanity that surpasses the other AIs. What we witness here is her display of desires that are troubling, awkward, and uncomfortably human. She grows frustrated as she realizes that she has been alongside He Who Remains since the beginning but has never been taken seriously by him. Consequently, she directs her frustration towards Victor Timely, who lacks any understanding of the situation she is referring to.

About Loki Season 2

Loki, accompanied by Mobius, Hunter B-15, and a group of familiar and fresh faces, embarks on a thrilling journey through a vast and perilous multiverse. Their mission? To find Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes, and uncover the true meaning of free will and glorious purpose.

Check out our other Loki season 2 interviews:

Kevin Wright

Christine Wada

Dan DeLeeuw

Loki season 2 debuts new episodes on Disney+ every Thursday.

Source: Our website Plus