Loki Episode 1 & 2 Review - Multiverse Details

In the aftermath of his 2012 Earth take-over attempt, Loki freed himself, grabbed the Tesseract and disappeared. We see now that he “landed” in the sand of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia where he is found and captured by high tech soldiers, taken through a time portal and imprisoned by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) for messing with time. The Avengers were supposed to but he wasn’t.

Judge Ravonna Renslayer tells Loki his fateCourtesy of Marvel Studios

He is quickly tried and found guilty by Judge Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and could be wiped from all existence but Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson), who tracks down the most dangerous “Time Variants”, sees Loki’s potential to help him find and capture a fugitive who is hopping through time killing along the way. Who is the mystery Variant and can Loki actually cooperate with Mobius, manipulate him or both?

Loki is up to his usual antics in the new seriesCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Episode 1

(Spoilers Below!)

Captured Variant

After escaping Earth with the coveted Tesseract, Loki lands in the Gobi Desert where he is grabbed by high tech soldiers, taken through a time portal and imprisoned at the TVA. None of his usual tricks (shape-shifting, illusion, relocating etc.) work since he is fitted with a control collar. He’s shocked to learn that nobody cares about the Tesseract or the Infinity Stones which workers use for paperweights!

Loki is transported to the Gobi DesertCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Everyone takes care of the “Sacred Timeline” created by the Timekeepers after a Multi-Verse war.  Loki reasons that if he can talk to them he can “work” them into releasing him. Meanwhile, Agent Mobius is in the 1500’s where a murder has been committed by a mystery fugitive Variant. On his return, he is given Loki’s file and tries to figure out what makes the God of Mischief tick.

The captured Loki gets the facts about the TVACourtesy of Marvel Studios

Loki History

Mobius shows Loki a reel of his past crimes and antics including killing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson, jumping out of a plane with a load of money (the unsolved D.B. Cooper case) and, had he not escaped on Earth, he would have returned to Asgard where he’d be responsible for his own mother’s death. He is supposed to be instrumental in helping others like the Avengers, be the best versions of themselves. Mobius wants Loki to help him stop a time Variant killer. When Mobius leaves the room, Loki escapes, gets his collar off and watches more of his history: the good side, helping Thor, trying to kill Thanos etc.

Loki is back in custodyCourtesy of Marvel Studios

He refuses to go back to his timeline when Mobius recaptures him. Mobius says okay then work with me. You see, the dangerous time Variant is another version of….Loki so who better to outsmart him?

Mobius and Loki watch a video of his past exploitsCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Episode 2

Ambush

At a Renaissance Faire in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1985, time soldiers are killed by the fugitive Variant who wears a hood so we don’t see his face. The Variant takes one enforcer with him through a time portal. Back at the TVA office, the animated cartoon character Miss Minute is trying to teach Loki all the rules he needs to know to assist Mobius. He’s given a cool leather jacket but on the back is “Variant” in big letters.

Hunter officer B-15 reveals that officers have been killedCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Officer B-15 (Wumni Mosaku), a high ranking female soldier, tells the new team that the enforcers were ambushed at the 1985 Renfaire and aren’t reporting in. What does this Loki Variant want? Our Loki will help find out in hopes of being heard by the mysterious Timekeepers. Judge Renslayer reluctantly approves the mission.

Mobius and Loki on their first missionCourtesy of Marvel Studios

First Mission

Loki starts researching the Variant’s crimes looking for a pattern. He learns of the entire destruction of Asgard (Ragnarok) and is shattered. He figures out that the Variant is hiding in various major disasters like that. He can do anything he wants because everything will be destroyed anyway! Mobius agrees and they are off to Pompeii 79 A.D. for the eruption of Vesuvius where Loki announces to the populace that they will soon all die.. It happens anyway of course. Mobius is convinced. The men discuss myths and beliefs, Loki, in his Norse/Asgard gods and Mobius in the Timekeepers. It’s all a plan. No chaos? Loki doesn’t like that. He’s for free will. More study at TVA H.Q. reveals that the Variant is leaving candy boxes at each of the murder scenes. This can narrow down his location.

Loki at the warehouse with Officer B-15Courtesy of Marvel Studios

The Candy Boxes

Tracking down where the boxes were left, Loki and Mobius reason that the Variant returns to and hides in Alabama in 2050 where a hurricane destroyed everything. They take B-15 and other enforcers and learn that the Variant is stealing “Re-set” charges that re-set time from every one of his crime scenes. What is he planning? Various shape-shifting moves indicate that the Variant is among our people in a big box store warehouse. Can Loki face himself and come out on top? Will the fugitive Variant help Loki take over the TVA? Where is this kidnapped soldier the Variant took from the 1985 Renfaire? Why collect the time Re-Set devices? Is the fugitive really another version of Loki? Will our Loki escape yet again?

Loki wears a control collarCourtesy of Marvel Studios

Wrapping Up

At first I thought that presenting Loki as assisting a detective in a “Crime Thriller Procedural Drama” was going to be too boring and predictable but nope! Not with Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson in a snarky buddy cop relationship. When they aren’t exploring the meaning of life and identity they are hilariously putting each other down and it works.

Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson with their directorCourtesy of Marvel Studios

We also learn more about the MCU MultiVerse and how different universes intertwine along a “Sacred Timeline” etc. An exciting new character (in the comics) is introduced at the end of the second episode so we are hooked. What does this person want and why? How will Loki be involved?

The series might benefit from more physical action to break up the Loki/Mobius soul searching, “talking head” scenes but we do get quite a bit in the second episode.

“Loki” is more “fun” and comedic than “WandaVision” or “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and will establish potential for future MCU storylines. We award four stars.

“Loki” Epidsode 1.1 & 1.2 Ratings: 

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

See the new “Loki” series now streaming on Disney+!