After five weeks of time-travel action, dramatic twists, and enough Loki Variants to sink a battleship, the long-awaited finale of Loki is just a short time away.
The series' penultimate installment left Loki and Sylvie heading through a portal to a mysterious castle, seemingly housing the TVA's elusive creator. Meanwhile, Mobius was on his way back to the bureaucratic organization to put an end to its reign over the timeline and take on the villainous Judge Renslayer.
With anticipation across the fandom having reached its peak going into the climactic installment, fan theories are going wild with many questions still remaining unanswered. From the identity of the man in the castle to the fate of the multiverse, The Direct breaks down ten of its bold predictions for Wednesday's Loki's final chapter.
1.) RENSLAYER SWITCHES SIDES
Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Ravonna Renslayer is one of Loki's most interesting characters. As a judge, Renslayer holds a powerful position within the TVA and was one of the few to remain loyal to the Time-Keepers mission, even after discovering she is a Variant just like all of her colleagues.
The TVA judge looked just as surprised as every other character to discover her all-powerful leaders were just robots, and yet she somehow remained loyal to the cause she had devoted her entire life to serving.
Unless Renslayer is holding more secrets than she's letting on, perhaps having some involvement with the TVA's true creator, then it remains possible she may join Mobius and Hunter B-15 on Loki's side after all to “burn it to the ground.”
2.) MOBIUS' GLORIOUS PURPOSE
With Mobius on his way back to the TVA to put an end to the dictators of the timeline, it's hard to imagine what happens to him next. Assuming he survives his confrontation with Renslayer, which was pictured in previous trailers, where could he go to live out his days without the TVA?
Having discovered Mobius' surprising love for jet skis, fans across social media are clamoring to see the former analyst finally ride the waves in the series finale. Based on the '90s origin of the magazine found on his desk, some have speculated that decade to be the era from which Owen Wilson's hero originates.
Once the TVA is destroyed, it's safe to say Mobius will be putting a good few workers out of their jobs. Perhaps Loki and Sylvie may be able to use their magical enchantment abilities on the many agents to restore the memories of their former lives to return them to where they left the timeline, allowing Mobius to live out his dream.
But with Wilson's agent having become a fan-favorite character throughout the six-episode series, many are desperate to see the character live on in a future project. Given his experience handling the weirdest that the multiverse has to offer, a role at SWORD could be a good fit for him, setting the stage for more MCU appearances.
3.) WHERE IS THE TVA?
Ever since the beginning of Loki, the TVA has been shrouded with mystery. While many truths surrounding the organization have come to light over the series, the location of its grand headquarters remains a key question.
Previously, Mobius has mentioned that time passes differently in the TVA, as it is said to exist outside the timeline. With this knowledge, some have theorized that the corridors of the sinister group exist within the Quantum Realm, something that has previously been tied to how time travel is achieved within the MCU.
During Ant-Man and the Wasp, an expansive city was shown to exist within the Quantum Realm, shrunk down to miniature size. Marvel Studios has historically scattered teases for future projects years in advance, so it's conceivable this may have been planted to set the stage for the TVA's introduction.
In the past, some had believed this to be the Kang the Conqueror-ruled city of Chronopolis, but that still could still conceivably be the case. If Kang is the elusive creator of the TVA as many have predicted, perhaps the TVA could reside within the time traveler's city.
4.) LOKI AND SYLVIE'S TRAGIC ENDING
The introduction of Sophia Di Martino's female Variant of the God of Mischief came as one of the biggest surprises in Loki. But what could be considered to be even more shocking is that the series has thrown Sylvie into a romantic relationship with Loki.
Falling in love with himself is possibly the most fitting thing to happen in a Loki-led project as it serves as the ultimate narcissistic move. Some have criticized the arc based on its odd nature, but nonetheless, it certainly appears that is the direction down which the story is heading.
The series' penultimate episode saw the two share a heartfelt moment under a blanket as they planned out a life together beyond taking down the TVA. However, historically within film and TV, almost any occasion of two characters plotting out a future directly before a grand battle has rarely gone to plan.
Whether one turns on the other or one of the Variants meets their tragic demise, it would be a rare miracle for the couple to get the happy ending that many are hoping for. Granted, they will probably share the long-awaited kiss before whatever unfortunate fate befalls the Lokis.
The fate of the God of Mischief has always been to end up alone, but it remains a question whether writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron are looking to put an end to that unfortunate streak.
5.) WHO'S IN THE CASTLE?
Possibly the ultimate question left by Loki's penultimate installment lies in the truth behind the creation of the TVA. Since the Time-Keepers turned out to be fake all along, Loki and Sylvie are now on the hunt for whoever actually started it all.
While the last few episodes have spawned a wide range of fan theories, the most common two look to be either an evil version of Loki or Kang the Conqueror, who will be played by Johnathon Majors in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Most speculation has been between the two, but an alternate theory suggests they may be working together.
In the series' second episode, “The Variant,” Loki revealed his desire to take over the TVA, meaning he clearly sees the benefit in ruling the timeline. If the Sacred Timeline is in fact a lie, perhaps the Nexus Events that the Hunters destroy aren't just the creation of new branches, but specifically the ones that threaten Loki's rule.
Since the Disney+ series has already introduced plenty of Asgardian Variants, in order to make this villainous version stick out, they would have to have some greater significance than just being another Loki.
The two most obvious possibilities for this would have to be either a Variant who defeated the Avengers to win the Battle of New York or a post-Infinity War Loki from the main timeline. Revealing that the God of Mischief did have another trick up his sleeve to survive Thanos' wrath would be surprising but also fitting based on past tradition.
Richard E. Grant's Classic Loki was said to have survived the Mad Titan's attack by conjuring a powerful illusion of himself, so the original Son of Odin would clearly be equally capable of accomplishing the same.
However, questions remain as to how the God of Mischief would go about plucking people from the timeline to create his organization and building such a grand headquarters. Additionally, Miss Minutes and the TVA's equipment all appear to be extremely advanced, meaning that it would take great technological understanding to create.
After first meeting Sylvie, Loki mentioned his need for a “qualified left-tenant” to help him lead the TVA. With the means required to create the Time Variance Authority, there may be no partner more fitting than Kang the Conqueror. The time traveler's advanced knowledge of the timeline and futuristic technology would make him the ideal accomplice.
Since Loki only has one episode remaining, it would be a tough task to properly introduce Kang as a lead antagonist in his own right while also setting up a greater future in the 2023 Ant-Man sequel. By giving him a smaller role, fans would still be satisfied after weeks of teases but still left craving more, with the potential of a post-credits scene to hint towards his direction in the MCU.
Both Kang and Loki are powerful characters who are unlikely to allow either to be used. So if Kang is working for Loki or vice versa, he will certainly have his own agenda up his sleeve.
6.) THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TIMELINE
When viewers were first introduced to the TVA, the nature of the timeline was quickly clarified through a Miss Minutes-led propaganda video, which made for some of the MCU's most efficient exposition yet.
However, with the Time-Keepers now revealed not to be all-powerful space lizards and instead just a trio of puppet-like robots, perhaps everything is not exactly how it seems. With the story behind the Sacred Timeline now proven to be a lie, the timeline might not work how the TVA had suggested all along.
Kevin Feige has previously teased that the sinister organization isn't necessarily being entirely truthful in how things work. With the multiverse to play a key role in the future of the MCU starting with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the final episode of Loki is likely to offer a little more insight into how things really work.
7.) BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Loki began with the God of Mischief escaping from the clutches of SHIELD after being defeated by the Avengers in the Battle of New York. Previously released footage, which has yet to appear in the series, has shown Loki once again donning his royal outfit within Stark Tower, teasing a possible return to 2012.
After his initial capture by the TVA, the God of Mischief wanted nothing more than to return to his original timeline, but he was told this was impossible or not allowed. With the sinister protectors of the timeline unlikely to exist past the finale, this would leave Loki free to return to where he left things off.
Having been shown a highlight-reel of his future by Mobius in the series premiere, perhaps the former villain may return to finish what he started, equipped with the knowledge of how he was defeated.
Loki has always been an untrustworthy protagonist, so the finale will certainly put him to the test, revealing whether his time traveling escapades really have redeemed him or not. If he does once again attempt to claim the royal title he has always desired, it's hard to predict if Sylvie will join him by his side or not.
Either way, Tom Hiddleston's character, be it as a hero or a villain, will likely continue to be an integral part of the MCU as the franchise continues. With talk of a second season already being in development, it could make sense to conclude the series with Loki returning to the main timeline to allow for more appearances in other projects down the line.
8.) KID LOKI RETURNS
Throughout Phase 4, Marvel Studios has been setting the stage for the assembly of multiple teams. While one, created by Julia Louis-Drefus' Valentina, looks to be a version of the Dark Avengers or the Thunderbolts, the other is the Young Avengers, a team comprised of some of Marvel's youngest heroes.
So far, WandaVision has introduced founding members Wiccan and Speed in Wanda's twin boys. Meanwhile, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier saw the debut of Eli Bradley, who may one day go on to become Marvel Comics' Patriot, a young hero with great similarity to Captain America.
Following the Disney+ tradition, Loki has introduced another classic member of the team in Kid Loki, played by Jack Veal. While the young Asgardian, who killed Thor within his timeline, opted out of the battle against Alioth, he seems to still be wandering the Void.
The future looks to be bright for the team with Kate Bishop's Hawkeye and Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel to be introduced on Disney+ later this year. Intriguingly, this will mean every live-action MCU series of 2021 will have introduced a new member to the ensemble, potentially meaning the inevitable team-up may come sooner rather than later.
Assuming he is to join the Young Avengers one day, it would make logical sense for the youthful God of Mischief to reappear once more in preparation for his future return. In order to make assembling the team a little easier whenever it may happen, Marvel may wish to show Kid Loki escaping the Void to arrival on present-day Earth.
9.) THE FUTURE OF THE MULTIVERSE
With the conclusion of every project comes speculation as to what future MCU properties it may tease. Having explored the concept of alternate timelines and the multiverse deeper than ever, Loki has already gone a long way towards becoming an integral part of Phase 4.
Given the reality-altering consequences of the Disney+ series, it appears perfectly placed to set up multiple upcoming films and shows. Marvel Studios' first animated outing What If...? will hit the streaming service next month.
If the animated project is just as connected to the larger cinematic universe as the live-action ventures, then Marvel has a lot of groundwork to lay for the multiverse in the series finale of Loki.
Since the climactic episode will be the studio's last release before the series premieres, one of the finale's post-credits scenes could be used to tease What If...? An intriguing way to do this would be to feature an appearance from Jeffrey Wright's Watcher.
To avoid being too disjointed from the rest of the episode, it's unlikely Marvel would opt to include an animated post-credits scene in the finale. However, perhaps the series could be teased in a live-action sequence.
The Batman's Commissioner Gordon actor was cast in the role back in 2019, with the character's design even being modeled on Wright based on recent LEGO leaks. Within Marvel Comics, The Watcher is typically white, while the character appears to be Black in the MCU.
In opting to have the cinematic version of The Watcher bear some resemblance to his voice actor, the studio may be leaving the door open to appearances in live-action as well as animation.
10.) THE SECRET INVASION APPROACHES
Unfortunately, Phase 4 is so far lacking a blockbuster Avengers film, however, that hasn't stopped Marvel Studios from delving into a major game-changing storyline. Next year will see the release of Secret Invasion on Disney+, a paranoia-driven thriller led by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury.
Based on the comic storyline of the same name, the series will see the shape-shifting Skrulls integrate themselves into human society in an attempt to invade the planet. Originally, many of the fan-favorite Avengers in the comics were revealed have been disguised-aliens all along, but with no superheroes confirmed for the series yet, it's doubtful whether it will adopt that significant plot point.
So far, the galactic reach of the Skrulls has been teased in post-credits scenes to both WandaVision and Spider-Man: Far From Home. A rogue Skrull, which can be assumed to be a Variant, was even wandering around the TVA's reception within the premiere of Loki.
Given the grand scale and game-changing consequences of the storyline, it's important for Marvel to establish the reach of the Skrulls before the series premieres next year, in order to ensure it has the proper impact.
The only Skrulls that have appeared in the MCU as of now have all interestingly been devoid of villainous intentions, something that is usually synonymous with the alien race in Marvel Comics. Perhaps a Skrull-centric post-credits scene to Loki could reveal an evil faction of the race.
Alternatively, much like happened with the versions of Nick Fury and Maria Hill that were featured in Far From Home, one of the TVA agents found in Loki could turn out to be a Skrull in a surprise twist. If this were to be the case, it would have to be a key character like Mobius or Hunter B-15 in order to have the required impact.
Whatever direction Kate Herron and Michael Waldron may take with the series finale of Loki, it's certain to make for an action-packed endeavor with a huge impact on the future of the MCU going forward.
With so many questions still left unanswered, a cliffhanger ending to the story is far from out of the question, especially with a second season remaining a strong possibility, in which case, it's going to be a torturous wait to see the God of Mischief return to screens.
The first five episodes of Loki are streaming now, exclusively on Disney+.
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