The majority of this article was originally published on June 8, 2021.
While Episode 1 of “Loki” was fun and a great introduction, Episode 2 — titled “The Variant” — is where we see that this show truly stands the test of time in the Marvel Cinematic CinematiUniverse.
We learn in Episode 1 that there is another version of Loki going around to different timelines, killing Time Variance Authority officers and collecting items to refresh the timelines.
It’s a group that honors and obeys the Time Keepers — a group of godlike beings who created the universe’s timeline.
And Agent Morbius hints that there’s another analyst helping out the TVA who we haven’t met yet, which could be another setup for another Marvel Cinematic Universe character to appear down the road.
There’s no question it is better than the first episode of the series, having less exposition and recap of the MCU.
Owen Wilson as Agent Morbius impresses even more upon a second watch.
This episode really underscores that there could be many new places for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to go.