While some have accused Marvel Studios of playing it safe with its family-friendly action formula in the past, Phase 4 is already making it clear that isn't what the MCU is about. WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Loki have already displayed things that the thirteen-year-old cinematic universe has never seen before as they have explored new genres, styles, and the weirdest of wonderful ideas.
From Infinity War's universe-altering snap to HYDRA's involvement in the creation of SHIELD, if there's one thing Marvel has proven it's that it knows how to pull off a surprising twist.
As the larger goal of the Loki series remains a mystery, it seems the Disney+ epic has plenty of its own twists to come as its star is promising things in later episodes that even he didn't see coming.
LOKI'S GAME-CHANGING EPISODES REVEALED
In a recent interview with TikTok user @theoriesbyt, Loki star Tom Hiddleston revealed which episodes of the Disney+ series he's most excited for fans to watch while teasing surprise characters and twists to come.
When asked which episode of Loki is his favorite and which one he's most excited for people to see, Hiddleston explained why that's such a hard question, describing every episode as a “self-contained story.”
Interestingly, the actor teased that the series will feature surprise cast members as he describes the “brilliance of everyone involved,” including “cast members [he's] afraid [he] cannot yet name:”
“That's a tough one. They're all so different, which is what I love about it. And every episode is almost a self-contained story, partly to do with the brilliance of everyone involved. Not me, but Owen Wilson, Kate Herron, and cast members I'm afraid I cannot yet name for you but wait and see.”
The MCU veteran went on to call episodes four and five his favorite of the solo outing, promising that “the whole series takes off in a direction that [he] certainly didn't see coming” in the two penultimate installments.
Hiddleston seemed to be teasing some major twists to come by the end of the first season as episode four and five is “where [they] just expand into new territory:”
“I think episode four and five, the two together. The whole series takes off in a direction that I certainly didn't see coming when I read it. I'm really excited for the audience to see it, so that's where we just expand into new territory “
WHERE WILL THE CLIMACTIC EPISODES TAKE LOKI?
The premiere episode of Loki certainly established the weird and wonderful world of the TVA nicely, however, it offered little in the way of narrative progression. With five episodes remaining, it sounds like there's plenty of craziness still to come with episodes four and five set to take the series on a whole new course.
As it's clear Loki is teasing the multiverse's descend into madness, perhaps whatever decisions the God of Mischief may make in the coming episodes will continue to set the stage for next year's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
With two Disney+ series and one major blockbuster all building up to the multiverse epic, the long-awaited sequel is expected to have game-changing effects on the MCU going forward.
WHO ARE LOKI'S SURPRISE CAST MEMBERS?
Tom Hiddleston's comments regarding the series featuring unannounced cast members are particularly interesting and seem to be a sign of the big surprises to come. Several major actors including Richard E. Grant and Sophia Di Martino have already been confirmed to appear in the series, however, their characters have yet to be revealed. Based on Hiddleston's wording, there are even more cast members still to be revealed with their roles being just as much of a mystery.
Marvel's decision to leave actors out of the cast listing would seem to imply one of two things: either there are some major stars involved in the series that will blow fans' minds, or perhaps some existing favorites could be set to return in Loki.
Given the multiverse connections to the TVA, an appearance by Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange could set the stage nicely for his reality-hopping sequel. Alternatively, perhaps an Asgardian or two could show up on the God of Mischief's trip through time, After all, it's safe to say a cameo from Chris Hemsworth's Thor would drive fans crazy.
Much like Loki, time travel will play a major role in 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that will see Johnathon Majors debut as Kang the Conqueror. However, some have theorized Majors could pop up in his villainous role earlier than expected given the time-traveling villain's comic connections to the Timekeepers and the TVA.
This isn't the first time Marvel fans have been teased with a surprise character. Paul Bettany led fans along for weeks with promises of a surprise WandaVision cameo only to reveal himself as the surprise of his own series as White Vision made his live-action debut. Meanwhile, a similar trick was pulled with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier as Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Valentina turned out to be the mystery character of the action blockbuster.
After weeks and months of social media build-up to both of these surprise reveals, many fans were left disappointed as wild theories set expectations through the roof. Based on these two occasions, perhaps theorists shouldn't go crazy from Hiddleston's comment. However, fans will have to wait and see what's to come.
Loki will return with its second episode on June 16, 2021, exclusively on Disney+.
