The Marvel Cinematic Universe series Loki episode 6 came to a fittingly spectacular conclusion, but it also expertly set up Loki season 2 and the future of the franchise as a whole. The new “main” Loki version learned about the nature of the multiverse, the Sacred Timeline, and the Time Variance Authority throughout the course of season 1’s six episodes, with the show gradually revealing that the TVA wasn’t quite what it first seemed to be.
The solution to this conundrum is revealed in Loki’s epilogue, when Sylvie, a Lady Loki version, and He Who Remains meet. He Who Remains is the architect of the Sacred Timeline and the TVA, and he rapidly explains that he established both in order to avert a multiverse-wide conflict. Sylvie kills He Who Remains despite warning the main characters that doing so will create another of his versions in his place; this action, as the show’s conclusion reveals, effectively puts Marvel villain Kang in power of the TVA and the MCU chronology.
The first season of Loki expertly weaves big ideas like effectively establishing the multiverse and the characters’ emotional development together, leading to a satisfying conclusion that sets up a tonne for the MCU universe. It’s safe to say that Loki’s ending was everything from a dull way to wrap out the Disney+ series because it introduced new villains, new heroes, and a multiverse-altering event.
Kang’s Death Starts A New Multiversal War For MCU Phase 4
The Kang variation He Who Remains’ demise is significant not only because it appears to alter the timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also because it permits the multiverse to rebuild, as it was only He Who Remains’ actions that were preventing this. While He Who Remains explicitly states that a multiverse war is inevitable without one party or world actively controlling the others, this sets the stage for one in MCU Phase 4, even though it is in many ways a beneficial thing. Additionally, it stands to reason that the MCU would want to bring these legendary comic moments to life on the big screen given the abundance of titles and events in Marvel comics that feature alternate universes engaged in combat. The “variants” of Doctor Octopus and Electro that have been confirmed for Spider-Man: No Way Home already look likely to be connected to this conflict, and the alleged Spider-Men variants would follow suit (played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield). The near future of Phase 4 (including the multiversal hijinks of What If…?) will be highly dependent on what transpired here, especially given the possibility that Sylvie’s killing of He Who Remains has now led to Doctor Strange’s Multiverse of Madness. The fact that Scarlet Witch now has a chance to save her kids after WandaVision is at least a plus.
Kang Statue In The TVA Replacing The Time-Keepers Explained
The final scene of Loki episode 6 reveals that He Who Remains has taken the place of the Time-Keeper statues at the TVA headquarters and is sporting an outfit that is well-known to comic book aficionados. He Who Remains warned Sylvie and Loki about one of the versions, and even without the helmet, the statue is easily recognised as sporting Kang’s attire. Kang is now in charge of the TVA, which will undoubtedly cause a lot of issues for the MCU’s heroes moving ahead. He replaced the Time-Keeper statues that He Who Remains had used to conceal the fact that he was running the TVA. There is also a part of the statue that suggests a more authoritarian approach in which the overlord is honoured rather than veiled in mystery: this variety seeks attention and praise, and from the tiny indication in what Mobius stated about him, there is already a part of him that rules by fear.
Loki Sets Up Multiple New MCU Villains
The conclusion of Loki season 1 establishes a wholesome group of antagonists to be included in the MCU’s cast. Kang comes to mind first and foremost, but it’s also important to mention that Ravonna Renslayer made a quick getaway while claiming to be off to find “free will” — which is rather concerning given that the episode aired in the wake of Black Widow’s plot about a serum that renders recipients completely devoid of free will. Similar to how Sylvie’s story ends on a depressing note by severing ties with Loki, Sylvie’s journey may imply that she too turns evil at some point in the future MCU, as her moral compass and Loki’s are very different. Of fact, there are also further Kang variations: The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) might include every Nathaniel Richards comic book alter ego, including the Warlord, Kang the Conqueror, Immortus, and even the fake Doctor Doom he briefly assumed. He Who Remains claimed to have “unlimited versions” of himself. No matter which characters make an appearance, it appears probable that Jonathan Majors’ adversary is being positioned as the MCU’s successor to Thanos.
The multiverse has now been restored by Loki, which has made it possible for a seemingly limitless number of Marvel villains to make an appearance in the MCU. Many have long worried that characters like Magneto or Doctor Doom can’t logically be introduced this late because they’re too powerful and well-known to have merely slipped under the radar of MCU’s heroes for so long. However, this worry can now be completely dispelled by simply having these characters enter from other universes, much like Spider-Man: No Way Home is doing with villains from earlier non-MCU films. A more thrilling aspect of this is that it enables the franchise to deploy villainous versions of its heroes from different realities, which would be the ideal approach to raise the stakes starting with Phase 4 and beyond.
What Loki Season 2’s Story Will Be About
The mid-credits sequence from Loki episode 6 announced that there would be a Loki season 2, which naturally begs the issue of where the plot of this season will go. It appears likely that season 2 will centre on this as the Loki finale made it obvious that only Sylvie and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki knew what transpired between them and He Who Remains, and they may be the only ones who remember what the chronology looked like before Sylvie killed He Who Remains. More specifically, given that Sylvie’s betrayal of Loki at the end broke his heart, it is likely that the second season will focus more on their relationship. Although Kang will serve as the antagonist in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Loki will undoubtedly need to help sort out many other timeline changes in addition to trying to avert a multiverse war. Depending on when it debuts, Loki season 2 might also be strongly related to either Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness or Ant-Man 3, as all three films have certain philosophical and narrative similarities. In any case, it’s essential that Loki season 2 address the fallout from the God of Mischief’s personal arc, as the character isn’t well-adjusted to suddenly losing his relationships with Sylvie and Mobius.
What Loki Was Really Saying About Free Will
It was probably inevitable that the topic in the finale would turn to the notion of free will given that Loki’s final episode centres around the premise that many futures were neutered based on whether He Who Remains thought them harmful or “not true” to the Sacred Timeline. Both Judge Renslayer and He Who Remains have rather plain opinions on this topic, holding that sacrificing others and suppressing their free will is ultimately a wise decision if it may stop future turmoil. The contrary is what Loki, Sylvie, and Mobius all think—that living genuinely is worth enduring the mess of existence. Importantly, the show itself has a somewhat different message because it makes a point of establishing that while most of Loki and Sylvie’s actions were ultimately controlled by He Who Remains, Loki’s decision to allow Sylvie to kill Kang’s variant because he wants her to be happy represents the one true act of free will, demonstrating that caring for others is the one act that is always born out of free will. Naturally, it is somewhat ironic that Sylvie’s attempt to prevent He Who Remains from dominating the timeline just resulted in another variation repeating the same past and assuming control of the TVA. The message is therefore not so much about whether the outcomes of free will are excellent as it is about the importance of the right itself.
Why Mobius Doesn’t Remember Loki
The friendship between Loki and Mobius was a major component of the first season of Loki, thus it was somewhat of a shock to learn that when Sylvie betrayed Loki and sent him through the time door, Mobius wasn’t there to recognise his old ally and friend. Though it appears that this may be a timeline Loki technically never even met Mobius in, as Kang running the TVA means many other changes may have also occurred without being noticed by viewers. This makes sense when the altered monument in the TVA offices is taken into consideration. Additionally, there is the intriguing hypothesis that Loki, who was previously established as the TVA’s most-pruned individual, was never the most-pruned person due to the modifications to this chronology. Loki may have had a drastically different past if Mobius doesn’t recognise him and has never encountered any of his variations. And in more metaphorical ways, losing Sylvie, Loki’s second-most important ally, leaves him isolated and alone, tragically completing Lady Sif’s prophecy.
Why Sylvie Kills Kang
The most significant occurrence in Loki episode 6 may have been Sylvie’s choice to kill the Kang variation He Who Remains, as it allowed the legendary Marvel villain to take his position in the chronology and led to the universe re-forming in the MCU. However, considering that Sylvie is aware that killing He Who Remains could have potentially disastrous consequences and spark another universe war, it is also a choice that many may find odd.
However, the little that is known about Sylvie’s past justifies her choice clearly. Sylvie was abducted from her timeline when she was a little child, and she spent the rest of her life being taught that being a variation made her flawed. She is also hunted for the duration of that time, which could be up to 2000 years considering that she admits she is older than Loki. It is undoubtedly terrible to learn that this was untrue and that she was only a different version of the “Sacred” version of Loki, who was removed from her home and put in danger because He Who Remains thought other timelines posed a threat. In light of this, she probably killed him in part out of retaliation and in part to give others the opportunity to live the life she desired.
