WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki, Episode 2, "The Variant," streaming now on Disney+.
Each of the three Disney+ shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is patterned after a kind of classic TV series. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since the use of old tropes and ideas can lend structure to these new works. WandaVision mimicked old American sitcoms, and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier ends up as a globetrotting spy thriller. Now, Loki leans heavily into the idea of a buddy-cop detective show, pairing the Asgardian god of mischief up with Mobius M. Mobius, an "analyst" employed by the Time Variance Authority.
Mobius is understated, calm and disarmingly sincere, played to perfection by Owen Wilson. He's every bit the model company man, serving as a perfect foil to Loki's over-the-top shenanigans. The show's first episode made clear he was capable of handling the rogue variant, as he seems to perfectly pick apart Loki's facade while showing him empathy. Episode 2 continues that trend while giving the audience a deeper insight into Mobius' character, with him even standing up for his new partner. However, he isn't the first example of the archetype he embodies in the MCU, with Phil Coulson being his predecessor.
Coulson appeared in Iron Man and Thor, but his major time to shine was in The Avengers, where he acts as a prominent member of S.H.I.E.L.D. His role is minor throughout most of the film, mainly working to get the team together and then vanishing afterward, but he reappears during Loki's escape from the helicarrier, threatening him with a prototype weapon before being killed by The God of Mischief. His death inspires the team, making them unite as The Avengers, thus defeating Loki.
Coulson has a much larger role outside of the MCU films in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where he acts as one of the show's main protagonists after being resurrected. Loki hasn't acknowledged that portrayal as canon though, instead showing an icy indifference toward its televised predecessor. This leaves The Avengers as Coulson's largest role in the MCU, where he's a dutiful company man who makes a valiant stand before dying in service toward a larger ideal.
What's more striking is the comparisons that can be drawn between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the TVA. Both organizations appear as Big Brother-esque spectres, acting to protect the larger world but without any oversight. S.H.I.E.L.D. would eventually prove to be rotten in Captain America: The Winter Soldier thanks to Hydra. The TVA hasn't shown to be nearly as corrupt, but it certainly has weaknesses. The morality of executing people for betraying the "Sacred Timeline" is questionable, and it seems to be part of what motivates Loki's terrifying alter-ego.
This puts Coulson and Mobius in similar positions, as they work to uphold the ideals of an organization that might not deserve their service. Mobius mentions he's never met the Time Keepers, even as he fervently defends their right to dictate reality's outcome. Coulson and Mobius also stick their neck out for "broken" things, as pointed out by Ravonna in Episode 2.
Furthermore, the resemblances between the characters point toward a tragic end for Mobius. It's likely Loki and him will develop a grudging respect and deep friendship over the course of the show, preventing Loki from bringing himself to kill his new companion, but that doesn't mean Mobius is safe, especially with Lady Loki now in the show. With her apparent distaste for the TVA, this could spell disaster for Mobius, which would create a pleasing yet tragic kind of symmetry between Mobius and Coulson.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane, and Eugene Cordero. New episodes air Wednesdays on Disney+.