Is Loki the end of the road for Tom Hiddleston in the MCU?
Fans are wondering whether the introduction of Loki variants like Sylvie or Kid Loki could mean that Tom Hiddleston is leaving the God of Mischief behind.
While Tom Hiddleston’s Loki has been a big success for Disney’s revamped slate of Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, there are worrying rumours that the series could serve as a swansong for this timeline trickster. Just like the MCU recently waved goodbye to the likes of Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and Steve Rogers, is Loki next to hang up his honorary Avengers badge?
Episode 4’s big twist saw Mobius M. Mobius and Loki apparently “killed off” by Ravonna Renslayer – however, this wasn’t the case. With "our" Loki finding himself in the dystopian Void in episode five, viewers met Classic Loki, Kid Loki, Boastful Loki, and Crocodile Loki (?). Although it’s easy to imagine a scenario where the various (surviving) Variant Lokis band together and topple the villain at the top of the TVA to take control of the Sacred Timeline - if it exists - there’s sure to be some heartache along the way (like the fate of poor Classic Loki). The MCU loves a good fake-out death, and although Loki just survived a brush with death, the series might be setting up another noble sacrifice.
Speaking to /Film, Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore has already said Loki “lends itself to multiple seasons”, but with Loki variants proving to be a dime a dozen, that doesn’t mean Hiddleston’s OG will be there to steer the ship. Looking at who’s next on the docket, there’s an obvious choice. One of Loki’s biggest wins has been the introduction of Sophia Di Martino’s Sylvie. While no one’s quite sure whether she’s supposed to be Lady Loki, Enchantress, or an amalgamation of both, the possibility exists that the scheming sorceress is sticking around for a little longer.
Not that anyone needed to nudge, but Di Martino has also already hinted at her potential return as Sylvie. Even if Sylvie has distanced herself from even being referred to as a Loki for now, that doesn’t mean she won’t emerge as Lady Loki further down the line – and while the whole concept of the “main” MCU will probably be blown apart by Loki, Spider-Man: Far From Home’s rumoured multiverse mayhem, or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, there’s expected to be a core cast of heroes and villains assembled for the inevitable Avengers 5 or various offshoot movies that are presumably in the works.
Elsewhere, there’s the MCU’s signature trail of breadcrumbs. It’s surely no coincidence Kid Loki is primed to join the Young Avengers alongside WandaVision’s Tommy and Billy or The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Eli Bradley. The clever part of Loki has been introducing Sylvie as her own character, rather than just a Loki Variant. This gives hope that Kid Loki could also emerge with his own unique personality.
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Alongside expanded screen time for Sylvie in this era of a female-first MCU, there’s the possibility the writers are winding down Hiddleston's Loki's story like Iron Man and co. in Endgame. Just like the Thor and Avengers movies mellowed the heartless Loki, the Disney+ series condensed nine years of development into a handful of episodes. As we’re repeatedly reminded, Loki’s are born to be villains that lose, meaning this troublesome pairing of heroic Loki and Sylvie is a Nexus Event itself.
Further signalling that the end is nigh, Hiddleston told Empire he won’t be in Thor: Love and Thunder. While this leaves the door open for Sylvie’s return and a neat segue into Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster/Mighty Thor being the God of Thunder from a female-dominated timeline of Asgardians - we’re imagining Rene Russo Frigga as the one in charge - it’s undoubtedly bad news for our Loki. Considering Loki has been a mainstay of every Thor movie so far, it seems strange that he’d be sitting this one out.
Then again, while the MCU has set a precedent of heroes passing the baton – see Sam Wilson picking up the Captain American mantle – Kate Bishop becoming Hawkeye in the Jeremy Renner-led series of the same name doesn’t mean Clint Barton will be hanging up his bow and arrow, it's feasible that the MCU could sustain multiple versions of Loki in future.
Notably, some have claimed that "our" Loki will be back in his green and gold robes for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Given WandaVision’s tantalising post-credits tease and Loki’s new TVA credentials, it’s easy to imagine joining the Doc for what’s being tipped as the MCU’s most out-there adventure.
Just like there’s always a Stark at Winterfell, there’s always sure to be a Loki in the MCU - the question is, who will it be?
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