Marvel Monday: Loki, Episode 4
July 7, 2021
Warning: Spoilers for Loki, Episode 4 “The Nexus Event” ahead!
Recap:
The TVA rescues Sylvie and Loki from Lamentis-1 after the bond they form creates a major Nexus event. Loki gets put into a time-loop jail with Lady Sif, and Sylvie reveals memories to B-15 that give insight into her true variant status. Through some detective work, Mobius also finds out that he is a variant and frees Loki from his time-loop. Renslayer prunes Mobius because of his newfound information. Renslayer brings Loki and Sylvie to the timekeepers, where it is revealed that the timekeepers are just robots. Right when Loki is about to confess something to Sylvie, Renslayer prunes him as well. Angered and emotional, Sylvie threatens Renslayer and tells her to reveal everything. In a post-credits scene, Loki wakes up in a post-apocalyptic New York and is greeted by other Loki variants.
Overall thoughts on the episode:
Mason: This episode was amazing! Best of the series so far, and best new Marvel episode on Disney+ so far. I thought that it holds its own against a lot of Marvel movies too! It was so cinematic, it had so many twists and turns, and was so much fun. I could not be happier.
Audrey: I was absolutely mind blown over this episode! It is so impressive to see a 50 minute TV show episode hold so many twists, action-packed scenes, and emotion. The character development is very evident (even in Sylvie) and I am so excited to see what happens as we approach the season finale!
After the post-credits scene, where do you think Loki’s story is going?:
Mason: That post-credits scene was amazing, and I can’t wait to see those variants in action (and hopefully more)! I think an army of Loki is coming, but I also hope to see variants of other MCU characters. He appeared to be in a destroyed New York, and my theory is that this New York is from a different timeline where New York City was actually nuked at the end of the first Avengers movie.
Audrey: I think that Loki is going to work together with all of the other Loki variants and take over/ destroy the TVA. This reminds me of the Spiderverse with all different kinds of spiderman but it’s all Loki! I have a feeling that Loki’s story will end somewhere peaceful and where his character will finally be content with his life, and he won’t be alone. Loki being alone was such a prominent point in this episode I think that his story arc will end with a partner (possibly Sylvie by the looks of it).
Thoughts on Mobius this episode? Do you think he’s dead?:
Mason: I was so, so sad when Mobius was pruned. Owen Wilson has been an absolute delight on this show and I hope to see him in the MCU in the future. Especially after that post-credits scene, I do not think Mobius is dead. I am not sure if he is with Loki in that apocalypse New York, or somewhere else. We better see Mobius on his jetski by the end of the show!
Audrey: Mobius is most definitely not dead. I actually don’t think that anyone who is pruned dies, Loki waking up and meeting the other variants is evident of that. I was really shocked though when he “died,”; I audibly gasped. I was looking forward to seeing Loki and Mobius being an incredible power duo and taking down the TVA, but I think that moment is coming at a later part in the series.
What did you think of the Time Keepers reveal and who do you think is running the TVA?:
Mason: The Wizard of Oz style reveal was really fun and I liked how they made the Time Keepers look like Disney World Animatronics. I really think that Kang the Conqueror is behind the TVA. I am not sure if he will show up in this series (Jonathan Majors has already been cast as the character in the upcoming Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania), but I hope to at least get a name drop.
Audrey: As Mason said, I thought that the Wizard of Oz-looking Time Keepers were fun. It makes me wonder if Renslayer knew they were fake or if she thought that the animatronics were the real Time Keepers. I don’t know who I think is running the TVA, but I think it connects back to Asgard and possibly Odin.
There has been lots of debate about the Loki and Sylvie romance. What are your thoughts?:
Mason: Yea, it is a little weird. I am not sure how to feel about it. On one hand, it really is weird, but on the other, it seems to fit Loki’s character that he would fall in love with himself. They do have some chemistry so I can understand it. We’ll see how they execute the romance in the last few episodes!
Audrey: It felt a bit forced to me at the beginning of the episode and when Mobius told Loki that he likes Sylvie. I always cringe at moments like that in shows or movies, especially when it feels rushed. But, I do think that Loki falling in love with another version of himself is entirely appropriate and kind of funny. He admits to Lady Sif when he is in the time loop that he knows he’s a narcissist and the persistent reminder of being alone forever sticks out to me. Being a narcissist plus falling in love with himself solves the problem of Loki being alone and does not stray too far from the Loki that we already know.
Final things to add about the episode:
Mason: While I loved this episode, I am extremely nervous for the last two. In my opinion, Marvel has not been able to completely stick the landing on their Disney+ shows so far, and Loki has such a good setup that I don’t want to be wasted! I am so excited to see what happens next. Everything on this show has been so impressive, from the writing to the directing to the acting. I want more! And it was so good to see Jamie Alexander back as Lady Sif, what a good cameo!
Audrey: I really liked the plotline of this episode where Hunter B15 was noticing things on her own and wanted to talk to Sylvie more about what she remembered or “saw.” I know that it is not in her nature to be a “good guy” but I want Sylvie to help all of the people at the TVA remember their past lives and want them all to go back into the timeline. This has been my favorite Marvel show so far, overall I feel like no screen time has been wasted (even after episode 3) and I hope the last two episodes come to a satisfying end.
