‘Loki’ Recap: ‘The Variant’

Written by Shae Rufe

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Loki’.
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Loki, Episode 2, has officially been watched by me… more than once. Am I going to admit how many times? No. I will tell you, however, that I have watched it less times than the entire run of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. So. Guys, you know the drill, spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

First things first, I genuinely think that they are purposefully avoiding Owen Wilson’s character saying “wow”, and I genuinely with all of my heart hope that he does at the very end of the series. Also, what do we know so far? The Variant they’re chasing is a Loki. Now, everything within this branch is referred to as the Sacred Timeline, but we know for a fact that the Multiverse does exist. This Loki they’re after is likely not the same Loki we know and love. We also know that no matter what, our beloved Loki is the true Trickster. He’s mischievous on a very murderous scale. While I do believe this series is his redemption arc, I also know that it’s not going to be straight forward. Let me take you through my theory—at the end of this blog of course!

Mobius has Loki learning all about the TVA and then helping him find the Variant’s hiding spots. The thing is, this Variant is really tricky, and Mobius is a Loki expert, so who better to help find and catch a Loki than a Loki? The thing is, our Loki is up to something, and we know this because he’s actually cooperating. Dead giveaway to later in the episode? I mean maybe. But watching Loki be excited about discovering the possible hiding places of the Variant is really fun. Mobius also being so dedicated to this case enough, to take Loki to see Mount Vesuvius erupt just to see if he was right? I mean, kind of priceless. The Variant using extinction events to hide in? Even more priceless. It is literally the perfect way to go about unseen. Also, Mobius' kindness toward Loki allowed for him to open up in this story in a big philosophical way, since he points out the lack of logic in the Time Keepers' plans. Because if everything is set to be a certain way, then there is no meaning and no point to anything and why would any supreme being want that?. Also, how horrifying would it be if that philosophy applied to us?

I really didn’t need an existential life crisis today… like I really didn’t, but you know what? It’s fine… everything… is fine.

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​Right, well, Loki is crafty and smart, but Mobius shouldn’t be completely discounted. He remembers the candy the Variant left and manages to narrow down the timeline they need to search, and Loki finds the right place and time and… well… maybe bringing Loki wasn’t the best idea, especially splitting him up from Mobius. Only, it’s the best idea ever. The Variant is indeed there, and they have a bit of their own fun. Remember, Loki likes to stall. It’s not a big surprise to find that Loki was only pretending to be the way he was to gain the TVA’s trust. Double Agent? Undercover? Trickster genius? All of the above. Let’s be honest, Loki is only ever in it for themselves. The real surprise was seeing the Variant be a female version of Loki—or was it really a surprise? Either way, Loki goes off with the Variant at the end of the show and that probably isn’t good for Mobius.

Theory time. Why? Because I’m rarely wrong and John shouldn’t be the only one who gets to hear my insane theories. Remember when everyone lost their minds a few weeks ago because Marvel released the trailer for Loki and everyone was either excited or mad that Loki was marked as Gender Fluid? I do. I was so elated it wasn’t even funny. We need some more representation. Right, well, that was our first hint at Loki appearing onscreen as a woman. Our second was actually given to us at the beginning of this episode. Remember the fight scene at the beginning, when the Variant enchanted a female officer to kill the others? Yep, that was it, that was the big hint that the Loki they’re after, wasn’t the male version we know. This is also Loki’s redemption arc, and we get the hint for that in the same scene, with the female agent fighting her colleagues while “I Need a Hero” plays in the background. Loki is the hero, or at least to Loki. Do I fully believe that Loki is good? Well, Loki says it best earlier in the episode. Not all bad people are truly bad and not all good people are truly good.

I also think Mobius knows something about the TVA and he purposefully set this Loki up. Not to stop the Variant, no, but to help them. I also think that there is more than one Loki already helping the Variant we know of. And Judge Rovanna? Yeah, I fully believe she’s not good. The TVA seems a little too good to be true, something is definitely up. While I never got far into the Loki comic story lines, I am excited to see where the next four episodes take us.

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