Fans hotly anticipate Loki, as they do with most any release from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the new Disney+ series has one stark difference from any before. This will be the first time that a villainous character has served as the protagonist to an MCU story, and if it's successful, the doors that it opens could be endless. Not only does Loki promise a fresh new perspective from a familiar franchise where such a view is desperately needed, but it may represent a whole new phase to the MCU like nothing audiences have seen before.
Perhaps because the MCU currently represents the gold standard for mainstream success that most other blockbusters try to emulate, it's easy to overlook just how much of the mega-franchise's success was built on the back of experimentation and innovation. Even the idea of creating a mega-franchise itself was not such a sure-fire bet when the MCU first attempted it, and with their newest Disney+ series Loki, Marvel continues to push itself into new frontiers that could prove promising.
Loki is not the typical hero. Initially serving as the primary antagonist of both Thor and Avengers, the villain quickly endeared himself to audiences and became a natural fit for a supporting role, even when he could not function as the chief causer of chaos. As a reluctant hero in the Thor sequels, he proved selfish and deceptive at every turn, and looking over the MCU's catalogue of previous protagonists, it's clear just how distinct he is from all others.
The concept of an anti-hero is not necessarily new to the MCU. In Guardians of the Galaxy, for instance, the band of misfits could often be self-interested and even petty, but at their core, they were always heroes who could set aside their differences and do what they needed to save the day. But Loki is quite different, and given much of the show's set up promising his imprisonment by the Time Variance Authority, it's doubtful that any good he may enact in his series will be a result of his own benevolent nature. This represents an important development in the MCU, because if successful, it could open the door for more stories centering on their colorful cast of villains.
One consistently underdeveloped aspect of many MCU films is their villains. Many are disposable inversions of the hero who die off at the end of the film. Iron Monger, Whiplash and Malekith stand out as the go-to examples of forgettable antagonists. Others had their own promise, but little else to do once their debuts were over. For example, there seemed to be few options for the likes of Killmonger or Ghost, who audiences saw too little of in their main features. But with the possibility of starring in miniseries or movies of their own, there is a far greater incentive to make villains better than ever before. The mysterious Taskmaster from the upcoming Black Widow is known for his fan-favorite miniseries from the comics, and Loki could pave the way for a live action adaptation.
Indeed, with Thanos out of the way and the Infinity Saga complete, there has yet to be a uniting theme behind the new phase of MCU installations. Adopting the villain's perspective and introducing audiences to the darker edges of its world has enough promise to stand out as the defining feature of the franchise's next main phase. Loki may have been a long time coming, but this could be just the beginning.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant. The series premieres June 9 on Disney+.