Some MCU developments take so long to be felt that they might as well be trapped in ice like Captain America, while the ramifications of others appear as speedily as Quicksilver. The latter certainly seems to be the case for the just-announced X-Men reboot, which Marvel is reportedly finally working on now that the WGA strike is over and a writer can be found to pen the script. No less than seven days after this initial news dropped, did we receive a hint at the X-Men in the very next Marvel production to release.
Loki season 2 is an all-important part of the ongoing Multiverse Saga, serving as it is does as a key next chapter in the threat of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror. And maybe, just maybe, it’s doing its part to tease the unfolding of a whole other corner of the MCU as well. Or maybe we’re just seeing things that aren’t there, which is also possible. But let’s just use our imaginations for a moment, shall we, as we ponder the question… is Loki season 2 setting up the X-Men reboot?
Loki season 2 premiere Easter egg winks at the X-Men
In Loki season 2, episode 1, Loki and his friends’ plan to stop his time-slipping revolves around the Temporal Loom, the powerful engine that keeps the Sacred Timeline in check. Basically, Mobius has to expose himself to the dangerous temporal radiation of the Loom so that he can use the Temporal Aura Extractor — as created by OB — to pull Loki out of the timestream and hopefully save him. But let’s forget about that for now; what we’re interested in specifically is the shot when the bulkhead doors to the Loom open up as Mobis embarks on his dangerous mission.
Everything about the shot, from the framing to the design of the doors, is giving major Cerebro vibes from the Fox X-Men movies.
There’s little chance a callback this overt isn’t deliberate, although it is perhaps a bit of a stretch to say it was an intentional link to the X-Men, as it’s difficult to imagine how Cerebro and the TVA could be connected in the MCU canon. That said, this Easter egg may be just the beginning of a bigger connection between Loki season 2 and the world of the X-Men.
How Loki season 2 has the power to pave the way for Deadpool 3 and beyond
One of the biggest open secrets about Deadpool 3 is that it’s set to factor in some kind of appearance from the TVA, something confirmed via set photos. Sure enough, it’s been speculated that Owen Wilson and/or Tom Hiddleston could even turn up as a couple of the threequel’s 512 cameos. Given that we know there’s a direct line coming between Loki and the X-Men franchise, then, it really isn’t that crazy to suggest this Cerebo Easter egg is just the start of something bigger.
In season 1, for instance, Mobius made an off-hand reference to vampires, which marked the first time such creatures were mentioned in the MCU — a handy bit of foreshadowing for Blade. Mutants already exist in this universe, we know that, but maybe Mobius could drop another casually canon-detonating namedrop in season 2, perhaps to the X-Men specifically. Or maybe to a rude guy in a red suit he once met.
If Ryan Reynolds shows up for a post-credits scene in the finale, though, then minds will be blown.