WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki Episode 5, "Journey Into Mystery," streaming now on Disney+.
As Loki nears toward the end, MCU fans are still thirsting after the identity of the power behind the Time Variance Authority. But as speculation runs rampant with various competing theories elbowing one another out of the way for space, one TikToker seems to be on to something using nothing but promo material.
A few brief moments from the Disney+ promo for Loki appear to suggest that the God of Mischief's greatest nemesis may be himself. Make way for King Loki, as he's every bit as likely to be the entity behind the TVA as the Living Tribunal or Kang the Conqueror.
Theories already fly around the internet after each episode of Loki, with each new theory-crafter claiming they discovered the Big Bad pulling the TVA's puppet strings. And with the previous episodes reveal that the Time-Keepers are just a front for whoever is truly in power, it seems like almost anything is game, with some Easter eggs pointing to the Living Tribunal and Kang the Conqueror in particular. As this latest TikToker points out, the castle glimpsed beyond Alioth may even hint at the force behind Loki being Doctor Doom himself based on the similarities between that structure and Castle Doom.
But a teaser released last week by Disney+ contains a few snapshots of the finale, and in those snapshots, Loki is seen approaching or entering the mysterious castle seen at the end of "Journey Into Mystery." Then, within a grand golden hall filled with adoring fans, Loki steps down from a throne to take in the praise around him. However, while it's possible this is the series' main Loki, it could also be a different version of the God of Mischief, one with more regal attire.
At this point in the series, a half-dozen different Loki variants are running around, and though the TVA claims to have a purview that spans the entirety of the multiverse, the God of Mischief is a common focal point for their activities. And Loki's latest insights into his own character, sarcastically dismissing the possibility of ruling over a kingdom, may not be ones a King Loki shares. Jealously hoarding his power and afraid of competition, King Loki could well have created the TVA to prune any Lokis that could potentially dethrone his seat of power.
However, this Loki could also simply be an illusion showing the desires of the God of Mischief's heart, or one cast by someone like Classic Loki, who already proved capable of rendering an entire Asgard. And while it could be any of the other Loki variants, it could even just be an insight into Loki's past, as there have been various points before where he briefly ruled over Asgard. Either by force of power or posing as Odin, a Loki who sits on the throne is not a totally new concept to the MCU.
And, of course, a King Loki theory doesn't shoot down the possibility of Kang making his presence known. While it's unlikely actor Jonathan Majors will appear given his insistence he doesn't have a cameo, the shape-shifting nature of Loki means that Kang could easily be the God of Mischief who takes on a different form in the future. With all-time and reality available, there's literally a multiverse of possibilities going into Loki's finale
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+.