After the great success of Loki S1, it was no surprise that Marvel would renew the show for a second season. Though many fans have been reluctant to continue pouring hours into shows that end in disappointment, I had my hopes set high for Loki. S1 was one of the best shows Marvel has released so far, but with the quality seemingly decreasing with every new show, one never knows what to expect.
After ending last season with the murder of He Who Remains and the destruction of the timeline as we know it, we pick back up with a high-speed chase of Loki jumping through an alternate version of the TVA. Loki has been glitching (later revealed to be called “time slipping”) through different timelines since Sylvie killed He Who Remains. The timeline is branching further than the TVA can control, cyborg heads are falling from the sky, timelines are intertwining, power surges are plaguing the TVA, and everything seems to be going haywire. Sylvie has gone missing following the events of the finale and is seemingly nowhere to be found. Loki and Mobius try to figure out how to cure time slipping.
The standout of the series is undeniably Ouroboros, aka O.B., played by Oscar-winning Ke Huy Quan. His delivery of every single line is nothing short of perfect. His charm and talent allow for all the complex fantasy jargon to somehow make sense. Along with the joy O.B. brings, Mobius and Loki’s married couple-like banter remains the primary comedy of the show. Based on this first episode alone, we will be in store for many more scenes between these two. Additionally, the score makes for some very impactful scenes throughout the series. The gongs and drums within the score are a welcomed change to the typical action movie score. It has an ancient sound, alluding to the age of the TVA, as this company has been employed since the dawn of time.
Ep. 2, titled “Breaking Brad” (yes, that is a reference to exactly what you think it is), takes place within multiple timelines, locations, and decades. The first location is in 1977 in London. Loki and Mobius receive a tip that Hunter X-5 has been pinged there. They track him down in hopes of possibly finding Sylvie. A battle ensues with the rogue hunter, but he has no luck finding Sylvie. After the capture and imprisonment of Hunter X-5, or, as he prefers to be called, “Brad,” we get a very intense scene between him and Loki. After finding out that all of the TVA employees were just variants pruned from their uncorrect timelines, Brad went to this actual timeline to see what his life would have been like. Loki goes in for another session of questioning with Brad, this time threatening him with some kind of machine that creates force fields with the ability to shrink the size of objects or crush humans. Brad spills, and we get the location of Sylvie.
At a McDonald’s in Oklahoma in the 1980s, Sylvie got a job as a cashier. Loki and Sylvie finally talk for the first time this season. Their conversation is quite similar to that of two estranged ex’s, meaning it’s very awkward and spiteful. Sylvie does not want to leave the life she’s made for herself, but when she comes face-to-face with Brad, she dives into his memories, discovering the plans made to bomb all branching timelines. The group hops over to where the bombs are being sent out and tries to put a stop to it; unfortunately, they are too late. The episode ends with a group shot of all the TVA employees (and Sylvie) looking distraught at the destruction of so many timelines.
This was a lot: the show jumps around, and I had a rather hard time following exactly what was going on. The cut from McDonalds to the bombing was wild. I don’t think it’s bad, but it definitely could be paced better. I believe that the second episode is trying to set up the rest of the season way more than any one episode should. That setup should be split between the first two episodes, but most, if not all, was left for the second.
I have faith that the rest of the season (which is out now) will be good, if not great. Ep. 5 seems to be the make-or-break of every Marvel show so far, so I guess we’ll just have to wait some more for a final judgment. The fans seem to have enjoyed the episodes so far, landing Loki S2 an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. That “Loki” style remains strong throughout the first two episodes, with plenty of chaos and mischief and that iconic green color. Loki is a big step up from some of the latest flops of Marvel (Secret Invasion), and I don’t doubt it will continue to hold high to the high standards S1 set.