Unveiling the Marvel Magic: Exploring Kingo & Zaniac's Hidden Gems in Loki Season 2

Summary

Director Dan DeLeeuw explains the inclusion of Kingo and Zaniac Easter eggs in Loki season 2, episode 2, revealing they were suggested by executive producer Kevin Wright.

The Zaniac Easter egg reflects the comic book origin story of a parasitic entity sent by Dormammu to possess a human, eventually transforming into a creature named after it in a film. In the show, the connection between Hunter X-5 and General Dox hints at a possible storyline for Brad Wolfe as Zaniac in the MCU. However, it is unclear how much preparation this Easter egg truly involves.

In a conversation with our website, director Dan DeLeeuw discussed the inclusion of the Zaniac Easter egg and posters alluding to Kingo and the Phone Ranger in Loki season 2, episode 2. The episode, titled "Breaking Brad," follows the god of mischief and Agent Mobius as they travel to 1970s London in search of Hunter X-5. They discover X-5 living under the identity of Brad Wolfe, a famous movie actor, at a theater premiere for his latest film, Zaniac.

DeLeeuw shared that the idea to include these Easter eggs and posters came from executive producer Kevin Wright, inspired by DeLeeuw's previous work as a second unit director on Eternals. DeLeeuw enthusiastically embraced the concept, resulting in their inclusion in the theater scene.

Yeah, when we were scouting [the] theater, something interesting happened. Along the alleyway, there were marquees outside. One day, Kevin Wright approached me and proposed the idea of putting Kingo's poster there. Since I had worked on the Eternals as part of the second unit, I thought it was a great idea! So, he went ahead and added it. Additionally, there were even more Easter eggs with Phone Ranger. Depending on the path they walked, you could spot them. However, there was also a Herbie the Love Bug poster, along with several Disney movies from that era that had multiple runs in theaters back then. So, those posters were quite prevalent as well.

How Loki Season 2 Sets Up Zaniac's MCU Arrival

Although appearing to be a mere comedic moment in the television series, the Zaniac Easter egg featured in Loki season 2 surprisingly aligns with his original comic book background. Originally an invasive entity dispatched by Dormammu to Earth, his purpose was to act as Dormammu's agent by taking control of a human host, much like Venom. Initially, it manifested as Marvel's interpretation of Jack the Ripper, traversing time and claiming the lives of numerous women as it jumped from one host to another. Eventually, it inhabited Brad Wolfe while he was involved in the production of a film bearing his name. Following a nuclear explosion resulting from the Manhattan Project, Wolfe underwent a transformation resembling the creature depicted in the movie. Under this new guise, he continued his spree of murdering women until he eventually encountered defeat at the hands of Thor.

There appears to be a strong connection between Loki's portrayal of Wolfe and the comics, especially in the hint of a mother-son-like bond between Hunter X-5 and General Dox. In the comics, Wolfe agreed to take on the role of Zaniac because of his shared experience with being abused by his mother as a child, which led him to become a serial killer as a form of revenge. If the upcoming episodes of season 2 confirm that Rafael Casal's version of Wolfe has a similar background, it will solidify him as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's interpretation of Zaniac.

Wolfe's transformation into Zaniac, stemming from the nuclear explosion of the Manhattan Project, could potentially hinder the realization of this concept. Considering Loki's frequent encounters with time travel and the multiverse, it is plausible that he becomes affected by this significant historical event during one of his journeys. However, given that Dormammu was defeated in the first Doctor Strange film and there are limited hints of the Dark Dimension ruler's return, except for the introduction of Doctor Strange's niece and future wife Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, portrayed by Charlize Theron, it remains unclear how much of a setup this Easter egg truly signifies. Catch new episodes of Loki season 2 on Disney+ every Thursday.

Source: Our website Plus