Marvel Studios has built considerable hype for its new Disney+ run with the Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to overwhelming success from WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Each of these series brought a unique dynamic to the MCU's journey with different overarching themes, and that trend carries on with Loki coming to the streaming series in just a few short weeks.
Tom Hiddleston's popular anti-hero will make his first leading appearance in the franchise after supporting roles in six movies. His streaming debut will also utilize his 2012 Variant form after stealing the Tesseract during the Time Heist in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
This classic thievery from the God of Mischief will place him in hot water with the MCU's newest bureaucratic organization, the Time Variance Authority. While these officials may be an early problem for the show's titular character, Loki's leading actor is reportedly all in on their inclusion.
MARVEL ALL IN ON THE TVA
Entertainment Weekly shed some light on Marvel Studios' upcoming Disney+ series Loki, featuring quotes from the cast and crew on the introduction of the Time Variance Authority (TVA), a group that oversees all the MCU's timelines and realities.
Leading actor Tom Hiddleston was sold quickly on the decision to include the time-focused entity, describing the move as "the best idea that anybody had pertaining to the series."
As for the show's format, Marvel CCO Kevin Feige spoke on the idea of "putting Loki into his own procedural series," commenting on the idea being the "eureka moment" for him and the team.
Loki head writer Michael Waldron explained that the TVA is involved partially "to hold up a mirror to Loki and make him really confront who he is," especially with the God of Mischief consistently questioning his place in the greater MCU:
"Loki is a character that's always reckoning with his own identity, and the TVA, by virtue of what they do, is uniquely suited to hold up a mirror to Loki and make him really confront who he is and who he was supposed to be."
Hiddleston continued to dive into his MCU character, commenting on how "there was always something about Loki that was very controlled" in past appearances. In Loki, the Frost Giant/Asgardian is "out of control immediately" upon meeting the TVA, having to work in a situation "out of his comfort zone" for the first time:
"[That] was very exciting because in the other films, there was always something about Loki that was very controlled. He seemed to know exactly what the cards in his hand were and how he was going to play them…. And Loki versus the TVA is Loki out of control immediately, and in an environment in which he's completely behind the pace, out of his comfort zone, destabilized, and acting out."
THROWING A WRENCH IN LOKI'S PLANS
Loki is a character that's always seemed to be one step ahead of everybody with whom he interacts — even as many as ten steps according to recent trailers for his solo series. With the Time Variance Authority playing such a key role here, the show will undoubtedly put the God of Mischief on his heels early and often.
Owen Wilson's Mobius M. Mobius and Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Judge Renslayer seem to be ready for anything Tom Hiddleston's Loki throws their way with his history of causing trouble on Asgard and throughout the universe. Their interactions specifically will be something to watch out for, especially with the likelihood that Loki will try to find a way to double-cross them and find his own footing once again.
With this series beginning directly where Avengers: Endgame leaves Loki's story, the TVA should be one of the earlier entries when Episode 1 arrives in June. Numerous unique personalities will play their own unique roles in dealing with Loki, and anticipation is already building to see how this all plays out.
Loki will premiere on Disney+ on June 9, 2021.
