Fix: Superheroes, Villains We Love to Love, Redemption, More Marvel Cinematic Universe, Self-Love
Platform: Disney+
Disney+ Summary:
After picking up the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame, Loki finds himself called before the Time Variance Authority (TVA), a Kafkaesque bureaucratic organization that exists out of time and space.
FYA Summary:
No one ever stays (truly) dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Loki’s the latest character to find new life after death. Or, at least, a version of him is, thanks to the timey-wimey antics of the Avengers in Avengers: Endgame. This version, or variant, never lived through Thanos’ snap, nor the death of his mother or father. He never had a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the galaxy, or his brother.
But after a crash course in the life of the “real” Loki, Variant!Loki slowly comes to terms with his new life, working for the Time Variant Authority (TVA) to keep the one true ring timeline on track and capture other variants like him whose existence threatens the fabric of the universe.
Familiar Faces:
Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Owen Wison as Mobius
Loki has long been my favorite character in the MCU—along with Steve (Rogers), Tony (Stark), Phil (Coulson), and Groot (Groot) (I have trouble picking just one)—in part because the character introduced me to Hiddleston’s magnetism and powerful acting. I’ve since watched most of what he’s starred in, from Coriolanus to King: Skull Island, and with each role, he proves yet again just how truly excellent he is. I was so excited to hear that he’d be reprising the role of Loki, giving the character a chance for an(other) redemption arc. The Loki we see in Loki is very different from the one we saw throughout his time battling, antagonizing, and eventually working with his brother, but he doesn’t feel outside the realm of possibility, even if he isn’t “the real” one. It’s a delight seeing him be a hero in his own right.
Wilson, who we all know and love from his myriad of famous roles, doesn’t stray too far from his brand for the character of Mobius, but it feels as though the role was written with that in mind. (Anyone else playing it would make for a completely different character, even if they were told to act it the exact same way.)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer
Mbatha-Raw is one of the most beautiful people with a truly amazing name, and her Ravonna has a strict, take-no-all-prisoners kind of fierceness that makes one like her even when she’s being a total buzzkill. I know I’ve seen her in other things, but nothing on her IMDB page really stands out. Which is a shame; she has a lot of presence and really stands out onscreen.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Bring Your Variants
At only six episodes, the longest of which is slightly less than an hour long, Loki is a great show to binge over the course of a day. Perhaps you could plan a party around it, in preparation for the start of the second season, which hits Disney+ (in the U.S.) Oct. 5. Watch three episodes, then take a break to eat, then watch the second half of the series. Bonus points for the best variant costume.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: I’ll Have That Drink Now
Since I suggested a Variant party above, it’s only right to offer a variety of beverages or ask the variants in attendance to bring their own. But I’d suggest taking it slow; although six hours of television isn’t a long time, you need to make it to the final episode somewhat coherent.
(I found a recipe for a cocktail called The God of Mischief, but as it includes a combination of Mead, Absinthe, and Midori, I can’t rightly recommend it.)
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Glorious Purpose
While Disney+ has a lot to offer, from The Simpsons to everything Star Wars, what keeps me coming back to the service is the promise of more MCU. And the reality of more Loki. Will there be a third season? Only the Time Variant Authority will tell.
We published this review during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. This work would not exist without the labor of actors, and we support their goals.
