With so many movies and TV shows coming out every year, things move fast in the MCU. These days, for example, the lifespan of an entire phase only lasts two years. So Loki season 1, which arrived in summer 2021, might as well have been a decade ago, given that we’ve witnessed three Spider-Men teaming up, Scarlet Witch breaking bad, She-Hulk destroying the fourth-wall, and so much else besides since last we saw Tom Hiddleston’s adoptive Asgardian prince on our screens.
But now he’s back, thanks to Loki season 2, the very first second run for one of Marvel’s streaming shows, which sees the God of Mischief and his friends at the TVA take on a returning Jonathan Majors as new Kang variant Victor Timely. If you only understood every other word of that sentence, then a) you haven’t been making the most of your Disney Plus subscription, but b) do not fret, as the following season 1 review should get you nice and prepared before hopping into the new episodes.
Loki in Loki isn’t the Loki that we knew, but he’s still Loki
OK, so just to kick off with this very important factoid: the Loki who stars in Loki isn’t the Loki but he is a Loki. If you’ll recall, the time-travelling Avengers accidentally allowed Loki to escape with the Tesseract after the Battle of New York in an alternate version of 2012. While the original Loki died sacrificing himself in Avengers: Infinity War, this Loki variant never experienced those events first-hand (although he is aware of them).
Loki now works for the TVA
After he escaped with the Space Stone, Loki was quickly apprehended by the Hunters of the TVA (the Time Variance Authority), an organization based outside of regular time and space that upholds the Sacred Timeline by “pruning” variants and rogue timelines that branch out from established events. Although he should’ve been executed for being a variant, TVA agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) thought Loki’s talents could make him a useful agent. Once he came to terms with his nature, Loki agreed to join the TVA’s ranks.
Loki’s current best friend is Mobius
Yes, although Loki used to be defined by his love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with his adoptive brother Thor, the pair hasn’t actually shared the screen since way back in Infinity War. Nowadays, Loki’s bromance with Mobius M. Mobius is what it’s all about. The God of Mischief admitted that Mobius was his friend in season 1, episode 5, and they will quickly pick up where they left off in season 2 (despite the season 1 finale’s major twist).
Sylvie is a female Loki variant
The other most important person in Loki’s life in this point is Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). It’s said that you need to learn to love yourself before you love someone else, but apparently Loki never heard the second part, as Sylvie is a female Loki variant. Sylvie was the TVA’s most wanted fugitive ⏤ which is why Mobius was so sure Loki could be a useful asset ⏤ and when Loki discovered her, the pair soon fell for each other. Although they are very similar, Sylvie has yet to let go of her vengeance and blood-lust like Loki has.
Ravonna left the TVA
Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is a key supporting player in Loki. Judge Renslayer begins season 1 as Mobius’ strict boss who is fully loyal to the TVA and the mysterious Time-Keepers, the apparent godlike creators of the organization and its staff. Once she discovers that the Time-Keepers don’t exist, however, and every TVA agent is a mind-wiped variant, she loses her faith and was last seen escaping the TVA to live her own life. Her real identity is Rebecca Tourminet, an elementary school vice principal.
Sylvie killed He Who Remains
Yes, Loki cleverly uncovered the truth that the Time-Keepers were mere robots. In season 1, episode 6, he discovered the real brains behind the TVA — dwelling in his Citadel at the End of Time was He Who Remains. Basically the one good variant of Kang the Conqueror, HWR had been protecting the Sacred Timeline in order to keep his belligerent other selves from invading the timeline and starting a new Multiverse War. Serial TVA-hater Sylvie couldn’t contain her rage, however, and killed him.
Nobody at the TVA remembers Loki
This was the last time we saw Sylvie, as she sent Loki back to the TVA after executing He Who Remains. Just as he had warned, though, time had instantly changed upon his death. Despite his pleading with Mobius for assistance, Loki’s best pal had no idea who he was, with the TVA having no record of Loki’s existence. It’s unclear if Loki belongs in this new timeline, then, and this could be the cause of his time-glitching in season 2.
Kang has conquered the TVA
On top of nobody knowing his name, making the TVA the opposite of Cheers, Loki‘s season finale cliffhanger also had a second prong as the Asgardian trickster discovered that a different variant of He Who Remains had taken over the TVA. Although the name was not mentioned on screen, the TVA was now filled with a giant statue of Kang the Conqueror. Is this the same version of Kang who was defeated in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania? Will the events of that film impact Loki season 2? Given that it’s Marvel’s most-hated movie, it seems unlikely, but you never know.