The Mind-Bending Twist of Loki Season 2

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Loki season 2, episodes 1 and 2.

Summary

Loki season 2 questions the TVA's distinct time regulations, highlighting its vulnerability to conventional time rules and complicating its independent standing. The season's incorporation of a serpent devouring its own tail implies that the conclusion might actually be the starting point, signifying an endless time loop for the TVA.

Starting the new season immediately after the conclusion of season 1 was intentional, as it allowed for a well-structured storyline and maintained the significance of season 1's ending, ensuring consistency for the characters.

With only two episodes aired in Loki season 2, there has been much speculation regarding its eventual conclusion. The intriguing concept of a serpent devouring its own tail could potentially provide a clue to the season's outcome. Notably, Loki incorporates distinct time rules through its central organization, the TVA. These rules dictate that the body exists outside the constraints of time, while its agents are unable to move forward or backward. Essentially, the TVA operates as a godlike entity that determines the eradication of entire timelines, with little consideration for mortal existence.

Throughout its run, particularly in season 2, Loki has consistently undermined the time rules of the MCU, thereby connecting the TVA to reality. In season 1, it was revealed that the TVA agents are actually variants whose memories have been erased, leaving them with only knowledge of their existence within the TVA. Additionally, it was disclosed that the TVA did not always exist and was instead established by He Who Remains to ensure the preservation of the Sacred Timeline. The second season of Loki delves into the God of Mischief's unpredictable time-slipping, which is inherently impossible within the confines of the TVA. These inconsistencies expose the susceptibility of the TVA to certain conventional time rules, thereby complicating its independent and timeless status.

Loki Season 2 Story Structure Explained by Producer

Producer Kevin Wright has revealed that Loki season 2 embraces a circular narrative structure, symbolized by a snake devouring its own tail. This structure is crucial in understanding the ending of the season and explaining the time errors of the TVA. In an interview with Collider, Wright discusses the decision of the writers to continue season 2 immediately after season 1 and whether there were any debates about this choice. See his full comment below:

"In the writers' room, we explored various possibilities, although the decision to start season 2 right away was not heavily debated. We considered other options, such as jumping ahead or exploring different aspects of the TVA's history. However, we quickly realized that beginning with this immediate continuation allowed us to establish the desired narrative structure of the season, with the snake eating its own tail. Moreover, it provided a fertile ground for compelling character drama involving not only Loki, but also Sylvie and the TVA. We didn't want to skip over the tensions and conflicts surrounding Mobius and B-15's desire to cease pruning. Given the vastness of the organization, it's natural that different individuals would hold unique perspectives on its future. Therefore, this approach naturally unfolded and presented itself to us."

What Does Loki Season 2 Being A Snake Eating Its Own Tail Mean For The Ending?

Wright's statement indicates that the writers had a deliberate intention to incorporate the snake eating its own tail structure for the season. They made a conscious effort to plan for it and identified that commencing the season at the end of season 1 enabled them to achieve this. This choice not only allowed them to preserve the impact of season 1's conclusion, but also ensured the continuation of significant storylines for the characters in Loki season 2. These storylines would have been challenging to resume if the season had chosen to skip ahead in time.

The structure of a story with a snake devouring its own tail implies an eternal cycle, indicating that season 2's conclusion might be precisely where it commenced. This particular ending was foreshadowed as early as episode 1 when Loki returns to the TVA following the demise of He Who Remains. Astonishingly, upon Loki's return, he goes unrecognized by everyone, including Mobius. Eventually, it is unveiled that this is a consequence of Loki's time-slipping, causing him to traverse both the present and the past, prior to encountering anyone at the TVA. Furthermore, Loki inadvertently slips forward in time and witnesses Sylvie's presence at the TVA before being pruned by an unidentified individual.

The event is expected to happen in the present towards the end of the season. When Loki was pruned in the future and brought back to the present, it is likely that he will once again be transported back, this time to the past, placing him where he was at the beginning of the season. This snake-like structure of Loki season 2 suggests that the TVA exists within its own infinite time loop rather than outside of time. This explains why it follows specific time rules and not others and why it has a past, present, and future.

New episodes of Loki season 2 can be streamed on Disney+ every Thursday.

Source: Collider