The third original series from Marvel Studios, Loki, will premiere on Disney+ soon. Previews for the show have depicted Tom Hiddleston's iteration of the God of Mischief as a prisoner and subsequent agent of the Time Variance Authority, an organization in charge of all events throughout the past, present, and future.
This will be the first MCU appearance of the character without his brother, Thor, meaning Loki will finally get the chance to take center stage after being a standout in several movies. That, combined with the focus on time travel, means he will be out of his usual element within Marvel, going places and meeting people he never has before.
Fans can rest assured, however, that what they love most about the God of Mischief will still be present in this new project.
MORE LOKI THAN EVER SEEN BEFORE
In a new interview with TV Insider, Tom Hiddleston shared a few details about the relationship between Loki and Agent Mobius, played by Owen Wilson. According to Hiddleston, the character holds “the highest academic honors in the studies of Loki” which has been hinted at in the trailers with moments of him calling Loki out on various aspects of his personality such as frequently backstabbing others.
Wilson himself also commented on his character, explaining that “It’s a little bit of a chess match to gain Loki’s trust, but in that shared endeavor, there’s an interesting dynamic” and comparing the dynamic between the two characters to “Nick Nolte getting Eddie Murphy out of jail in [the 1982 movie] 48 Hrs.”
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige commented on the relationship between Loki and Mobius as well and stated his prediction that the two would become "one of the most popular pairings we’ve ever had at Marvel.”
Feige also commented on the different looks for Loki - who has been seen in trailers wearing a collared shirt and tie, a turtleneck, and a full-on business suit - in the series. Despite the new styles, Feige assured fans that the character in the series is "more Loki than you've ever seen:"
“You can take his scepter away, you can take off the cape and the fine Asgardian leather and literally put him in a button-down shirt and pants, and he’s still Loki — he’s more Loki than you’ve ever seen. And that’s not just because Tom Hiddleston looks good in any clothes at all, but he does.
LOKI BRINGS MARVEL ANOTHER DYNAMIC DUO
One of the things Marvel is best known for is the fun character dynamics it often brings to the table. Loki has already been part of one of these with Thor, but with the two of them now on separate paths within the MCU (at least for the time being), Loki brings the opportunity to give the fan-favorite trickster a new foil of sorts, and it looks like Mobius is poised to fill that role nicely.
Many of Marvel's most beloved pairs have complicated relationships that can be antagonistic at times but also have shades of respect and even fondness between the two characters. Examples of this include Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, and the aforementioned Thor and Loki.
Both of Marvel's previous Disney+ series focused on pairs, with the Wilson-Barnes duo being at the center of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. WandaVision on the other hand had the relationship of Wanda Maximoff and Vision at its core but also featured some other fun pairings. There were twins Billy and Tommy and outsiders Darcy Lewis and Jimmy Woo, but Wanda herself was part of another duo that could have some common threads with Loki and Mobius.
While Agatha Harkness turned out to be a villain for Wanda to defeat, it's noteworthy that she did help provide some insight on her life and powers; she was the one who revealed her identity as the Scarlet Witch, after all. While Loki seems wary of Mobius in the footage that has been released so far, the fact that the latter knows so much about Loki's life may prove to help him in the journey of self-discovery he is said to be going on in the series.
Unlike in WandaVision, it's unclear who of the two the audience is supposed to side with, but Mobius is sure to shed more light on Loki's personality and life than MCU fans have gotten to see before.
Loki premieres on Disney+ June 9, 2021.
