Loki season 2 often feels like a setup for Marvel’s next big crossover rather than a deep look into the character of Loki. However, right from the start, the show has been about Loki finding his true purpose after many lifetimes of uncertainty.
As the Loki season 2 wraps up, there’s a sense of seriousness that signals both the end of the series and a significant, lasting change for Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.
From one perspective, the finale named “Glorious Purpose” doesn’t completely resolve all the mysteries regarding the Time Variance Agency, Kang, and other versions of Loki.
Yet, if we see this ending as a way for Loki to explore the significant concepts introduced in its very first episode, also called “Glorious Purpose,” it becomes a powerful conclusion to this part of Loki’s story. Instead of neatly tying up every loose end, it sets the stage for a new array of possibilities in Loki’s journey ahead.
In Loki season 1, Loki was mainly focused on Loki himself, as he went on journeys of self-discovery across dimensions.
However, Loki season 2 shifted its focus, becoming more of an ensemble show, aiming to spotlight characters like Mobius M. Mobius and Hunter B-15, revealing what drives them amidst reality’s unraveling.
Loki Season 1 revealed He Who Remains as the source of chaos in the MCU, indicating that his demise would bring about the end of everything.
Sylvie, fueled by her traumatic past orchestrated by He Who Remains, sought revenge, while Loki struggled to intervene, drawn to her not just as a variant but also, perhaps, in a somewhat love-like manner.
With the debut of He Who Remains’ Kang variants in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” Loki season 2 initially hinted at a future unknown to the villain.
This was reinforced with the introduction of Victor Timely, a Kang variant whose seemingly selfless nature suggested he might save the TVA without any hidden agenda.
What made Timely intriguing wasn’t just his resemblance to Kang and He Who Remains, but his unexpected connection with the TVA’s eccentric technician Ouroboros.
Despite Timely being destined to become a Kang, depicted as the next major antagonist in the MCU, Loki season 2 framed Timely and Ouroboros as two brilliant minds communicating across time, space, and realities—an interaction that shouldn’t have been possible.
The idea of how Timely’s 19th-century studies led to Ouroboros writing the TVA guidebook, influencing Timely’s inventions in the past, suggested a deeper connection between them.
This notion paralleled Loki season 1, emphasizing the kinship between Loki and Sylvie, despite their differences, rooted in shared experiences of feeling alienated from their families.
Towards its end, Loki season 2 it has hinted at a similar relationship between Timely and Ouroboros, an intriguing notion, especially amid rumors of a possible Kang recast due to Majors’ legal issues.
However, instead of introducing a new Kang or significantly involving Kang, the finale, “Glorious Purpose,” centered on Loki, emphasizing its essence, regardless of future Marvel movies.
The episode focuses on Loki’s ability to time-slip at will, realizing the truth in He Who Remains’ words from season 1: attempting to alter timelines leads to their inevitable collapse, no matter how many times Loki tries to alter fate.
Hiddleston’s portrayal of Loki remains compelling throughout both seasons, but the reunion between Loki and Sylvie at the End of Time stands out.
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While revisiting scenes from different angles slow the momentum, it emphasizes the futility of Loki’s attempts to stop Sylvie. The episode underscores the impossibility of changing someone’s perspective when they resist change.
“Glorious Purpose” highlights Sylvie’s unwavering desire to live her life post-He Who Remains, even in a transient reality. Rather than portraying her as nihilistic, the episode showcases her resolve, serving as a reflection for Loki to follow his heart despite potential failure.
While the notion of Ouroboros being a Kang variant is intriguing, “Glorious Purpose” suggests Majors might continue as Timely tries to save the Temporal Loom repeatedly. However, within the context of Loki, it’s apparent that Timely won’t be the savior, as this remains Loki’s narrative.
This season subtly delved into free will but avoided implying that a human-like Timely couldn’t handle cosmic tasks compared to an Asgardian god like Loki.
When “Glorious Purpose” gives Loki his hero moment, despite its suddenness, it resonates powerfully, reflecting his commitment to protecting friends and fear of isolation.
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While fewer Loki variants appeared this season, “Glorious Purpose” compensates for this absence by showcasing Loki’s determined effort to contain the Temporal Loom explosion.
Amid Marvel’s varying visual effects, Loki’s impactful transformation against a dying multiverse stands out, despite its complexity, adding a breathtaking visual element to the episode’s clear message.
In “Glorious Purpose,” Loki unites the multiverse’s timelines at the End of Time, assuming a new Time-Keeper role by weaving them together with his magic.
The finale doesn’t clarify Loki’s ongoing role beyond connecting the timelines, but it hints at the TVA’s shift to monitoring the Kang variants across the multiverse, indicating a significant change in the MCU.
The episode foreshadows an imminent war resulting from the events of the season, a conflict most characters, except He Who Remains, aren’t prepared for.
However, instead of teasing future Marvel projects, “Glorious Purpose” concludes by highlighting how Mobius and Sylvie’s freedom is currently tied to Loki’s selfless act of sacrifice.