Unifying Marvel's Multiverse: The Need for Consistent Rules

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 of 'Loki'

The Big Picture

The concept of the Marvel multiverse has become intricate and perplexing, as each project brings forth fresh rules and ideas that contradict their predecessors.

In Loki, the introduction of the Temporal Loom elucidates the mechanics of the Sacred Timeline's cohesion, yet also alludes to the devastating consequences it might bring about.

Marvel projects, with their captivating and mind-boggling multiverse storylines, offer a thrilling experience. However, these storylines often lack the element of high stakes, as character deaths can easily be reversed through the use of multiple timelines and variants.

In recent years, the multiverse concept has emerged as a prominent plot device in cinema, gaining immense popularity. Marvel movies and shows, in particular, have masterfully depicted this concept. The multiverse represents an intricate network of universes, each hosting various iterations of our beloved characters. Yet, rather than providing straightforward answers, it raises a multitude of intriguing questions. Why do certain variants retain the same appearance across all universes? Why do animated characters exhibit glitches in unfamiliar realms, while live-action counterparts do not? How do timelines differ from universes? These mind-bending queries may leave your brain in a state of delightful confusion.

The multiverse has been a central element in recent Marvel projects, particularly in the build-up to the anticipated showdown with the formidable villain Kang the Conqueror. From the Spider-Man films to the Loki series, and with upcoming releases like The Marvels and Deadpool 3, the Multiverse Saga is delivering thrilling crossovers and captivating Marvel lore. However, it is also becoming overwhelmed by its own ambition. While beloved characters navigate through time and space, we are unraveling the perplexing existence of the multiverse. Yet, with each new project, the established rules seem to be forgotten, resulting in a more bewildering and less awe-inspiring concept.

The Multiverse Was Introduced in ‘Doctor Strange’

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The multiverse concept made its first appearance in the MCU with 2016’s Doctor Strange, as the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) guides Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) through various universes to demonstrate her remarkable abilities. However, the idea of the multiverse takes a backseat in subsequent MCU films until Avengers: Endgame in 2019. During the Time Heist, the Avengers unite to reverse the effects of the Blip and restore the vanished individuals. Within this film, the notion of timelines emerges, indicating that altering significant events can cause the branching of new and peculiar realities.

'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Set New Multiverse Rules

In between Doctor Strange and Endgame, however, we were treated to Sony Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018. It marked the cinematic debut of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who takes on the mantle of Spider-Man following the demise of his universe's Peter Parker. In this film, Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) plays a pivotal role in unleashing the multiverse. After suffering the loss of his wife and son, he creates a powerful device known as the Super-Our website. Its purpose is to summon beings from other dimensions in his desperate attempt to reunite with his family. Unexpectedly, the Super-Our website inadvertently brings together Spider-People from different universes, including Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld). They join forces with Miles in his mission to deactivate the Our website and prevent the fracturing of the multiverse.

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces us to some new aspects of multiverse travel. One major revelation is that when someone ends up in the wrong dimension, their bodies experience glitches. These glitches are painful and debilitating attacks caused by cellular decay, which, if left unchecked, can ultimately lead to their demise. Additionally, the film showcases that while different individuals become Spider-Man in different universes, each universe has its own unique version of a Spider-Person. By the end of the movie, the Spider-People are returned to their rightful homes, leaving Miles as the lone Spider-Man in his universe.

'Loki' Changed the Multiverse Game for Marvel

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After the release of "Into the Spider-Verse," the MCU explored the concept of the multiverse again in the first season of "Loki" in 2021. The show follows a version of Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) who escapes arrest in "The Avengers" by using the Tesseract. This escaped Loki poses a threat to create a new reality branch and is subsequently captured and taken to the headquarters of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) where they are pruned. The TVA, similar to the Quantum Realm, exists outside the boundaries of space and time, meaning there are no multiple TVAs in different universes.

Throughout the show, various versions of Loki are introduced, including Sylvie (played by Sophia Di Martino), a woman who is eliminating TVA agents with the goal of freeing universes from the constraints of the Sacred Timeline. Eventually, it is revealed that the TVA was created by a variant of Kang the Conqueror known as He Who Remains. He created the TVA to safeguard the Sacred Timeline and prevent a multiversal war from occurring. Despite Loki's pleas, Sylvie kills He Who Remains, causing the multiverse to fracture.

‘What If...?’ Introduced the Watcher, Who Oversees the Multiverse

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In the summer of 2021, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ventured into the realm of full-blown animation with the debut of Marvel's What If…? series. This groundbreaking show delved deep into the concept of the multiverse, offering a glimpse into the coexisting universes witnessed by the all-seeing Watcher (portrayed by Jeffrey Wright), who solely observes without the ability to intervene. Throughout the series, we are exposed to a multitude of universes, each presenting distinct scenarios such as the Avengers battling zombies, Ultron's unbeatable reign, and the unfortunate demise of a universe due to Doctor Strange's ill-advised tampering with time in an attempt to prevent the death of Christine (played by Rachel McAdams). Marvel's What If...? not only mesmerized us with the mind-bending and unsettling vastness of the multiverse, but it also underscored the fact that our beloved Avengers exist in diverse incarnations, even in animated realms.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Connected Sony's Spider-Verse

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In what is being hailed as the ultimate crossover event, Spider-Man: No Way Home, slated for release in 2021, promises to be a monumental year for the multiverse. The film brings together characters from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) through a mishap with a magical spell. When Peter Parker's true identity is unintentionally exposed to the world, he seeks the assistance of Dr. Strange. Desperate to reverse the revelation, Peter implores Strange to employ his time-manipulating abilities. However, with the Time Stone no longer in his possession, Strange resorts to an alternative spell. Rather than turning back time, this spell aims to erase the world's memories of Peter's alter ego, Spider-Man. Unfortunately, due to Peter's interference during the incantation, villains from parallel universes, aware of Spider-Man's secret, are inadvertently dragged into "our" universe, known as Earth-616. It is speculated that the malfunctioning of Strange's spell is a consequence of Sylvie's actions in killing He Who Remains in the series Loki, thus unleashing the uncontained multiverse.

No Way Home once again revolutionized our understanding of the multiverse. What's particularly intriguing is that some of the villains pulled into Earth-616 were already deceased. Characters such as Doctor Octavius (played by Alfred Molina), the Green Goblin (played by Willem Dafoe), and Electro (played by Jamie Foxx) had met their demise in previous Spider-Man films, but now it seems that being transported to another universe can bring about resurrection. It's not merely a matter of those versions hailing from universes where they hadn't died, as they have no recollection of their deaths, haven't aged, and in contrast to their respective Peter Parkers, lack these memories.

In addition to this, Peter 2 (portrayed by Tobey Maguire) and Peter 3 (played by Andrew Garfield) are also introduced to this universe, visibly distinct from Tom Holland's Peter. This diverges from the Spider-Verse movies where Peter Parker appears virtually identical across the various universes. Furthermore, Maguire and Garfield's iterations confirm the absence of the Avengers in their respective universes. Remarkably, these characters don't experience any glitches or adverse effects from being in the wrong universe. Notably, Electro even mentions feeling a heightened sense of power in this universe, with no explanation provided. While the foundations of the multiverse may crumble by the film's conclusion, the individuals themselves remain unaffected. The fate of these villains after being returned to their respective homes remains unknown, but based on our current knowledge, the consequences are unlikely to be favorable and may escalate into an incursion.

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ Introduced Universe Chaos

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What exactly is an incursion? Well, in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the concept of the multiverse becomes even more bewildering than ever before. This movie introduces us to America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), who possesses the ability to travel between universes and is the sole existing version of herself. Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) discovers this and becomes determined to acquire America's powers, a scheme motivated by her desire to reunite with her sons in an alternate universe. Utilizing the Darkhold, Wanda is capable of dreamwalking, enabling her to manipulate other iterations of herself like a disturbing, multiverse puppeteer. Interestingly, Wanda and even Dr. Strange appear identically across all the universes. Additionally, we are enlightened about incursions, catastrophic events that occur when one interferes excessively with another universe, resulting in the destruction of one or both universes, as seen in that episode of What If...? featuring Strange. And speaking of What If...?, the Multiverse of Madness also introduces us to the Illuminati, which includes Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell), further establishing the MCU canon of What If...?.

‘Across the Spider-Verse’ Makes Its Own Multiverse Rules

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse reopens the multiverse in a way we've never seen before. Miles Morales discovers the Spider Society, an eclectic group comprising all possible versions of Spider-People. In an unexpected twist, the film establishes a canonical connection between the Spider-Verse movies and the MCU, ending previous speculation. While Across the Spider-Verse is an impressive achievement in animation and storytelling, it simultaneously adds complexity to the concept of the multiverse. By introducing new rules that contradict our existing knowledge, it further muddles the already intricate idea.

The most important lesson we discover is that each Spider-Person's narrative follows a sequence of canonical events. These events, which occur in every universe, have an impact on the course of a Spider-Person's journey. Specifically, two events are highlighted: the loss of a loved one (such as Uncle Ben, Uncle Aaron, Aunt May, etc.) and the death of a police captain, whom the Spider-Person is unable to save. In a mind-boggling scene, Spider-Man Miguel O'Hara (played by Oscar Isaac) shows Miles video clips from other universes, including scenes from Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man movies, where these canonical events take place. This revelation leads Miles to realize that his father (played by Brian Tyree Henry), recently promoted to police captain, is destined to die.

The concept of canonical events is intriguing as it provides a sense of order to the multiverse, implying that it is not entirely random. However, it also introduces a complex moral dilemma for Miles, resulting in an intricate conclusion to Across the Spider-Verse. Nevertheless, it adds to the confusion surrounding the multiverse, as these events seem to be absent in certain universes. For instance, we never witness Tobey's Spider-Man experiencing the loss of a police captain. Likewise, this event does not occur in Tom Holland's portrayal of Spider-Man. Although it could potentially happen in future movies, the fact that nobody in Miles' dimension is even aware of Peter's existence seems like an anomaly to the Spider Society. Additionally, Across the Spider-Verse confirms that while Peter Parker may not always be the Spider-Man, there is a Spider-Person in every universe, except for the one Miles is from, where the spider that grants powers to Spider-Man was accidentally brought and resulted in multiple Spider-Men.

What Is 'Loki' Season 2's Temporal Loom?

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Cutting to later in 2023, Season 2 of Loki is released on Disney+. Continuing from Season 1, Loki and the TVA are dealing with the consequences of Sylvie killing He Who Remains. The new character introduced is Ouroboros, also known as OB, a charismatic and brilliant individual working in the repairs department of the TVA. OB successfully cures Loki's time-slipping issue and is now assigned to fix the Temporal Loom. This device uses temporal energy to weave the Sacred Timeline together. However, after Sylvie's actions, which caused numerous branches of time to emerge, the Temporal Loom becomes overwhelmed. OB is trying to modify it to handle this surge of energy and prevent devastating multiversal destruction. Unable to fix the Loom without He Who Remains' aura, Loki and Mobius embark on a time-travel mission to locate Victor Timely, another variant of Kang. Victor is seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, pitching his prototype of the Temporal Loom to corporate individuals.

In summary, the introduction of the Temporal Loom elucidates the physical origin and current stability of the Sacred Timeline. However, it also implies potential catastrophic events that are not fully explained. OB's alarming claim that "we're all going to die!" if the Loom is destroyed raises questions about the concept of ceasing to exist and its equivalence to death. Moreover, if the TVA is transcendent of space and time, will it also cease to exist?

The Multiverse’s Lack of Rules Makes for Confusion and Few Stakes

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In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Dr. Strange acknowledges our limited understanding of the multiverse. Marvel has turned the multiverse into a lawless terrain, where there are endless possibilities and no boundaries. While their projects exploring the multiverse are incredibly thrilling and mind-blowing, they have also created storylines without real consequences. Characters can die and be conveniently replaced from different timelines, and multiple versions of Spider-Man can coexist in one movie. Although incursions are portrayed as a grave threat to reality, Marvel consistently breaks the rules and manipulates universes to fit the plot, making it difficult to take the danger seriously.

Yet, we can't predict what surprises Kevin Feige and his brilliant team of Marvel creators have in store for us in the future phases. With upcoming projects like Avengers: Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, we may finally receive the answers we seek. So, even though we don't fully understand the multiverse, it's best to embrace the chaos, put on our 3D glasses, and enjoy the incredible journey ahead.