Brett Torres ’22
Contributor
As a superfan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), I was eager for the release of Loki on Disney+, especially after the releases of WandaVision (2021) and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021). I initially had low expectations for Loki, but the show left me excited for the future of the MCU.
After escaping with the Tesseract in Endgame, Loki teleports to the Gobi Desert only to be arrested by the Time Variance Authority (TVA) for altering the Sacred Timeline. While in captivity, he is devoid of his trickster magic, unable to escape his holding cell. The TVA gives him a choice: he can either be erased from existence or help repair the timeline. Choosing neither, Loki escapes, teaming up with a variant of Loki from another dimension. Likely to reduce audience confusion, this new Loki has the nickname “Sylvie”. Together, they aim to find who runs the mysterious and powerful organization.
Each episode was a nail-biter for me, as they frequently had me theorizing about what would happen next. After the finale, I internally screamed, “What the hell? I hate this show now. Why must I wait several months to know what happens next? Screw you Marvel and screw you Kevin Feige!” I was not satisfied with the ending;, I craved more. But that was the beauty of watching this show. If I did get those answers right away, I wouldn’t care about what happens next. Marvel did an outstanding job building tension and excitement for the next season and subsequent MCU releases.
I loved the way Tom Hiddleston took his character to the next level. He always did an excellent job as Loki in previous movies, but this series asserted that nobody else could replace him. Another actor who made me excited for Marvel’s future was Jonathan Majors as He Who Remains. He simply brings an exaggerated swagger that makes his character enjoyable but nerve-wracking. In future projects he is set to play Kang the Conqueror, a variant of He Who Remains that has taken over multiple universes.
My only criticism of Loki is the fight choreography. I understand Loki uses a plethora of magic, but in the scenes where he uses his signature dagger, he just looked lost. Furthermore, the TVA agents looked inexperienced when brandishing their batons. This is the only thing that keeps this show from being impeccable. The fights were simply disappointing, especially with MCU’s reputation for making the most thrilling fight scenes in the cinema.
Regardless, this has been the best MCU Disney+ show release. I thought after WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier things couldn’t get better, but I was proven wrong. The plot was excellent, as it developed the character of Loki while also formally setting up the MCU’s Phase 4 ‘multiversal’ war. It made me appreciate Loki’s character arc more and his role as an anti-hero in the MCU.
Rating: 9.5/10
Photo Credit: Disney
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