Loki – The Variant review S1 E2
While the first episode did a tremendous job of setting up the potential for the series, The Variant immediately started making good on the premise. For anyone who wasn’t sold on the series after Glorious Purpose, this episode suggested Loki could definitely have no trouble playing out for multiple seasons.
Realizing his normal bag of tricks won’t work with an organization fully briefed on his exploits, Loki has to figure out a different angle. For now that means playing ball with Agent Mobius and being a good TVA consultant. The best part is Mobius is totally hip to all of Loki’s and machinations and isn’t the easily manipulated patsy that Loki could wrap around his finger. And Hunter B-15 has even less patience with him.
The Minutemen killer/Loki variant strikes again at a renaissance fair and Loki tries to weave his words magically to dazzle Mobius and company as he probes for some advantage. Loki playing Hannibal to Mobius’ Clarice is making for an amazing dynamic. Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson have surprisingly great chemistry.
It’s amazing how the Marvel Studios casting crew keeps making the right call in terms of partnering up actors to make these ideal duos. From Chris Evans & Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth & Mark Ruffalo, Elizabeth Olsen & Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie & Sebastian Stan, these pairings have been at the heart of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now it looks like Hiddleston and Wilson is going to be the next great duo steering Loki forward.
As terrific a complementary partner Wilson has been, Hiddleston is doing amazing work continuing to make Loki feel fresh. There’s the danger of overexposing a charismatic villain (see Magneto in the X-Men films), but that’s never been the case with Loki.
Giving Loki the spoiler notes on his old life was a savvy move. It also educates him in a way that likely would discourage him from pursuing a noble, heroic path. After all, that ended up getting his neck snapped.
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That’s not exactly encouraging to be the happy TVA agent even with the threat of getting purged. Loki does crack the variant’s code and realizes they’re operating in situations where their actions wouldn’t impact anything. Sneaky plan.
The actual testing of that plan was pretty funny. Loki and Mobius just chilled at Pompeii awaiting the Mount Vesuvius volcano eruption that would wipe out everyone.
Loki might have figured out part of the agenda, but didn’t count on the variant swapping bodies to avoid capture. Just when it seems the TVA has the drop on the anachronism, Loki’s shocked to not see another version of himself, but a woman (Sophia Di Martino), who is wearing vaguely familiar garb.
But who is this mysterious woman and what exactly is her plan? Rather than sit around and try to explain everything to Mobius, Loki does the ambiguous hero/villain move of going through the portal and following her.
Loki ditching the TVA was completely on brand. It’s a decision that’s wide open to interpretation. Did Loki leave to try and catch his doppelganger or was he just ready to break free on his own?
The Loki from the Ragnarok era would have done the right thing, but the Avengers era one? Who knows? That’s what made this one such a great cliffhanger.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Photo Credit: Disney+
Check out the Loki: Mistress of Mischief trade paperback from Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski on Amazon.