Preceded by Wandavision, which began the new cycle of Marvel series made especially for Disney, fascinating audiences and obtaining three Emmys and two Golden Globe nominations, when it was Loki's turn to continue the good streak, it did not disappoint. The idea of taking the character that emerged from the comics and giving him his own space throughout six episodes that began airing in June 2021 captured the enthusiasm of young people who had followed the antics of Thor's younger brother in the cinematic universe.
Thanks to the superb work of Tom Hiddleston, they were convinced that he was no longer the irredeemable villain of the movies but a hero willing to do anything for the good even if he returned from time to time to do one of his own. The key was to place the new story after the events that occurred in Avengers: Endgame, creating an alternative reality for him that allowed him to remove the shadow of Chris Hemsworth's Thor.
This is how they gave him his own space, the offices of the very bureaucratic Temporal Variation Authority, where creator Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron had fun playing with time and space as well as with multiple variants of Loki, including a in which she appeared as a crocodile and another in which she was a woman, who at the time became one of the most important figures in the plot, Sylvie, played by Sophia Di Martino.
Although the series received six Emmy nominations, that was not the reason why Marvel immediately launched a second season, premiering this Thursday on Disney. Hiddleston, who also serves as executive producer, began discussing the next six episodes with Kevin Wright, who also serves as executive producer, when filming on the first season was only halfway over. And that's how the last episode left an open ending, so there was no alternative but to return.
Those who have followed Loki to its conclusion will remember that the protagonist manages to reach Sylvie to the end of time to personally meet the person who devised AVT, a variant of the supervillain Kang called He Who Remains played by Jonathan Majors, who after a series of sexual abuse allegations spread since March of this year has become persona non-grata in Hollywood.
Although Loki seeks a more reasonable solution, in that confrontation Sylvie kills He Who Remains, which breaks time and space in the AVT. The new season begins with Loki returning to that entity's facilities, although he soon discovers that he is in an alternate reality. The plot in this second part is as complex as in the first, so describing it would require a separate article.
Owen Wilson again has a key role as Mobius, a kindly bureaucrat who becomes Loki's best ally. Also returning are Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nigerian Wunmi Mosaku. Without a doubt the biggest surprise is the addition to the cast of Ke Huy Quan, this year's Best Actor Oscar winner for Everything at Once Everywhere, as O.B., the boss and only employee of the repairs and new prototypes division. . Hired before he became the industry's most sought-after figure, Quan brings his trademark friendliness and good humor to every scene he's in.
