Loki fans have found a new favorite variant of the God of Mischief. Sorry, Tom Hiddleston and Sophia Di Martino, it looks like you might’ve been (temporarily) replaced in fans’ hearts as social media is currently abuzz with glowing reactions to Richard E. Grant’s performance as Classic Loki in the latest episode of the Disney Plus show.
Following on from the post-credits scene of episode 4 last week, episode 5 sees Hiddleston’s Loki finding himself in The Void, a desolate realm at the end of time filled with various variants of himself. Including Grant’s version, decked out in the character’s 1960s comic book outfit. He’s essentially “our” Loki but one who didn’t die at Thanos’ hand in Avengers: Infinity War. Instead he became a hermit, believing that all Lokis are useless and doomed to loneliness and failure.
Along with Kid Loki, Boastful Loki and Alligator Loki, he had managed to survive by hiding from Alioth, the fearsome smoke monster that guards over The Void. When Loki and Sylvie stand up to the beast, though, Classic Loki finds his own courage and conjures an illusion of Asgard in its prime to distract Alioth. He’s eaten by the creature, but he laughs as he dies, finally doing something right.
From Grant’s spot-on portrayal to his moving arc, Loki fans are raving about Classic Loki on Twitter.
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CLASSIC LOKI SUPERMACY pic.twitter.com/aXsQkSzuzl— carol🤍 (@carolxloki) July 7, 2021
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Y'all need to agree. Classic Loki was the best part of today's episode. pic.twitter.com/v9BEPnRweM— VishalSid⋓ (@Vishalsiddu1) July 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/STARKNPETER/status/1412706438628077570
Classic Loki’s Asgard illusion – by far the most ambitious piece of magic we’ve seen a Loki conjure up to date – was a real highlight of the episode for many.
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Classic Loki projecting an entire Asgard illusion as to distract Alioth just for it to end by a self-sacrifice… we need more of him because this scene was a frickin show-highlight pic.twitter.com/jOT9N0AHYG— ahmed (@taylurism) July 7, 2021
But his self-sacrifice proved to be heartbreaking for everyone.
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me cheering for classic loki and then losing him the next moment 😭 pic.twitter.com/hbOxAULRKk— carol🤍 (@carolxloki) July 7, 2021
Well, when you put it that way… It’s even more devastating.
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So in a way Classic Loki is also IW Loki, and so we got him back just to lose him again 😭 pic.twitter.com/7qvUDj86aR— Rose ✪ ४ (@RoseBarnes94) July 7, 2021
He finally found his glorious purpose.
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•I'M SOBBING SO HARD AT CLASSIC LOKI'S DEATH 😭 HE BELIEVED IT WASN'T TOO LATE TO CHANGE AND MADE SACRIFICING HIMSELF FOR THE GREATER GOOD HIS GLORIOUS PURPOSE pic.twitter.com/R14RH6Zg7p
— ᱬ fern ۞ (@fernmaximoff) July 7, 2021
OK, Classic Loki is great and all, but let’s not forget the awesomeness of Alligator Loki (or Croki, as fans are calling him) as well.
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being my favorite loki variants pic.twitter.com/0qKjTCHVJA— MCU | HP ♡ (@lokideluna) July 7, 2021
Classic Loki’s sacrifice allowed Loki and Sylvie to combine their magics to open a portal to the true ruler of the TVA, who apparently dwells in an ominous-looking castle. We’ll find out who this mystery villain is when Loki reaches its final episode next Wednesday on Disney Plus.