The Resolution to the Biggest Mystery in 'Loki' Season 2 Revealed
Loki unravels a mind-bending mystery in the Season 2 premiere, but now he holds the key to everyone's salvation Brace yourself for an epic journey into the God of Mischief's next thrilling chapter!
Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 2 of Loki.
Article Summary
The time-loop plotline in Season 2 of Loki takes an unexpected turn in the fourth episode, diverting from the anticipated path and giving way to other elements of the story.
The time-loop storyline in Loki's Season 2 premiere, amidst the chaos of the multiverse and the looming threat of variants of Kang the Conqueror, posed an additional challenge for the God of Mischief. However, despite its initial prominence, the fourth episode unexpectedly resolved this storyline as Loki came to a realization and successfully closed the loop.
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."
What Happens at the Beginning of 'Loki' Season 2?
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In Season 2 Episode 1, Loki experienced an uncontrollable phenomenon called "time-slipping," where his body would involuntarily teleport to different points in time. As a result, he unexpectedly crossed paths with previous versions of his allies from the Time Variance Authority, Mobius and Hunter B-15, whom he had not yet met. Eventually returning to the present, Loki sought the assistance of the current Mobius who introduced him to Ouroboros/O.B., a skilled TVA technician. O.B. was amazed that time-slipping could occur within the TVA headquarters, but deduced that it was possible due to the influx of new timelines resulting from the death of He Who Remains. He provided Mobius with instructions on repairing the Temporal Loom, emphasizing that it needed to be done simultaneously with Loki's self-pruning in order to free Loki from the confines of time and prevent any further time-slipping. Pruning is the method through which the TVA eradicates individuals or objects that have become displaced in time from the Sacred Timeline.
How Does Loki Close the Time Loop in Season 2?
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After Loki time-travels to the future during the plan, he desperately searches for Mobius and O.B. within the TVA. He briefly spots Sylvie, his female variant and love interest, exiting an elevator, but before he can react, someone prunes him from behind, halting his time-travel. Loki realizes he is now stuck in a time loop as he remains free from time-travel, even though the events that freed him have not yet occurred. In Episode 4, he naturally arrives at the moment he had previously time-traveled to. While trying to prevent Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes from taking control of the TVA, Loki picks up a pruning stick and witnesses his earlier self, who had time-traveled, arriving in the present. Understanding that he must close the time loop himself, the current Loki prunes his earlier self just as the latter is about to interact with Sylvie.
The series' unexpected resolution of the time loop had two notable aspects. Firstly, it was surprising how quickly the conclusion was reached. Loki's time-travel and the resulting loop of events were the central focus of the season premiere, leading viewers to expect their significance throughout the entire season. However, resolving this storyline in the fourth episode and allowing other plot points to take center stage was an intriguing deviation from the expected trajectory of the story.
Unfortunately, the time loop's subversion of expectations had some drawbacks in regard to Sylvie’s involvement in the storyline. It was always clear that the time-slipping Loki was pruned from behind, making it impossible for Sylvie, who was in front of him while coming out of the elevator, to be responsible. Despite her inclusion in the scene and Loki’s subsequent mention of it to her in the second episode, it seemed like she would have an important role in the time-loop storyline and contribute to her character development. However, all she ends up doing is witnessing Loki prune his earlier self and appearing rightfully confused. This storyline did not provide much development for Loki either. Pruning himself did not reveal any new insights into his current mentality or emotions. It was simply something he realized he needed to do in order to secure his own survival.
What's Next for Loki in Season 2?
Image via Disney+
Although the Loom's failure and the potential destruction of the multiverse leave the fate of the cast uncertain, there is still hope for the storyline to contribute to the larger narrative. With two episodes of the season remaining, as well as upcoming projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the drastic cliffhanger at the end of Episode 4 will likely be resolved. The time-slipping Loki may hold the key to undoing this predicament. It was previously revealed in Season 1 that the pruned individuals are not erased but rather transported to the chaotic Void at the End of Time. Loki, Sylvie, and Mobius successfully survived and escaped from this perilous place.
Although his time-slipping may have affected the outcome of the pruning, there remains a strong possibility that the Loki from the season premiere was simply sent back to the Void. The unique nature of the Void, existing outside conventional space and time, could have prevented its destruction following the collapse of the Loom. In this case, the pruned Loki might be one of the few beings still surviving in the multiverse. The upcoming final episodes of the season may focus on his efforts to revive his friends, his alternate self, and the rest of the world. This storyline would certainly provide justification for the inclusion of the time-loop narrative, which, thus far, seems less significant. Catch new episodes of Loki Season 2, premiering on Disney+ on Thursdays.
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Editor's P/S
As an enthusiastic fan of the Loki series, I have mixed feelings about the resolution of the biggest mystery in Season 2. On one hand, I appreciate the show's willingness to subvert expectations and take the story in unexpected directions. The time-loop plotline was intriguing, and I was curious to see how it would play out. However, I also feel that the resolution of the time loop was somewhat anticlimactic and did not fully explore the potential of the storyline.
The biggest issue I have with the resolution of the time loop is that it sidelined Sylvie's character. In the previous episode, it was heavily implied that Sylvie would play a significant role in breaking the time loop. However, in the fourth episode, she is relegated to a passive role and does not contribute much to the resolution of the storyline. This is a disappointing development, as Sylvie is a complex and interesting character who deserves more screen time and character development.
