After introducing the Time Variance Authority (TVA), treating fans to Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston) and agent Mobius’ (played by Owen Wilson) amazing bond and setting up a time-traveling detective drama, Loki episode 2 which is out now, comes with a massive revelation. The second episode wastes no time in messing around with the Sacred Timeline. By the end of it, we’re introduced to a mystery character who has been killing Minute Men. And it’s none other than, drum roll please – Lady Loki!
First, a quick recap: Loki episode 2 begins with Loki tagging along with Mobius and TVA officers to solve a Loki Variant-related crime at the Ren Faire. Of course, the God of Mischief tries to get an upper hand and upon failing, eventually warms up to the idea of working for the “magic lizards” in his own words. Thus ensues a glorious sequence of Loki and Mobius spending a day going over files, a work lunch that ends with the former destroying the latter’s salad to demonstrate an idea. Expect some emotional scenes here since this is also the part where Loki finds out about the destruction of Asgard. His research leads him to a realization that the wanted Loki variant could be hiding in apocalypses – any apocalypse in order to evade capture. He also convinces Mobius to take him to 79 AD Pompeii to test his wild theory. And sure enough, he’s got a valid point.
Midway into the episode, there is a second case where Loki follows Mobius and Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) to an abandoned supermarket-turned-shelter in the year 2050. In a mission brief, we find out that they’re going into a class 10 apocalypse where the possibly hostile variant who has been stealing reset charges after every attack on TVA, could be hiding anywhere.
Enter: Sophia Di Martino as Lady Loki!
Now, this is where things get a lot more chaotic. Once they arrive at the Roxxcart superstore, they split up to look for the variant while a hooded figure watches them through surveillance videos. In a gripping sequence, we watch Hunter B-15 get taken down by the other variant in disguise and before we know it, Loki is up against the other Loki variant disguised as a shopping assistant. After a clash of words, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki proposes that they get together to take on the Time Keepers. The variant who isn’t interested then proceeds to set up a timer and transforms into a bigger man, attacking Loki. After an intense fight, the other variant lifts up the hood and reveals their identity. Enter: Sophia Di Martino as Lady Loki or so we’re led to believe. “This isn’t about you,” she says as Loki watches in disbelief (a sentiment all fans share I’m sure). She has the golden horns and the signature smirk that comes after one-upping an opponent. Once the timer goes off, a bunch of time doors open up and she disappears along with all the reset charges. It instantly triggers chaos back at the TVA offices where an agent can be heard saying “someone bombed the Sacred Timeline”. Meanwhile, as Mobius tries to track down his “favorite variant”, Loki makes an impulsive escape through a time portal following on the heels of Lady Loki. Yeah, this is only the second episode of the show.
Sophia Di Martino has been on the credit list of Loki for a while now, so fans did have a fair idea of her role in the show. Besides, a slew of leaked photos from the set revealed her in full costume as Lady Loki. The bombshell revelation comes at the most unexpected time but it only raises more questions. For starters, why is she blonde? The introduction of Lady Loki is a direct nod to Marvel comics where the character was first revealed in 2008. While Loki’s female form was initially believed to be an extension of Loki’s shapeshifting powers, the storylines eventually suggested that Lady Loki is a pivotal character in the Marvel canon. Martino’s entry could mean a lot of things. We know that the show’s head writer Michael Waldron teased love stories in the show which could mean anything between Loki and Lady Loki’s anticipated bond or Loki and Mobius’ bond (we do know he’s gender-fluid in the show, a piece of information that was confirmed by Tom Hiddleston). After all, Lady Loki is still a version of Loki himself. Whoever she is, she holds endless chaotic possibilities.
The first two episodes of Loki are currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Premium.
