The wait is finally over, the highly anticipated Loki series has arrived on Disney+ and it has wasted no time in introducing new things to the MCU. Without spoiling anything, the first episode was pretty fantastic.
The episode visits key moments from the history of the MCU, some new locations, and even answers a few questions that fans had leading up to the series. From this point on be advised that there are massive spoilers for the first episode of Loki so please proceed at your own risk.
***FINAL SPOILER WARNING***
10 Where Did Loki Go Immediately Following New York?
The beginning of the episode has fans revisit the scene from Endgame where the future Avengers have returned to New York for the Tesseract. There are only a couple of new facial expressions in this scene, though once Loki disappears, fans finally get to see where he went.
As it turns out, he was teleported to the middle of the Gobi Desert. He barely has time to dust himself off before the local inhabitants come to investigate. Loki introduces himself before a handful of TVA agents pop into the desert via translucent time doorways.
9 The TVA Has Some Unique Devices & Machines
Loki attempts to fight off the agents but is subdued by an incredibly unique TVA device. The agent in charge hits Loki in the face with a baton-type weapon that immediately reduces his speed to 1/16 normal time, only for a moment. Though that moment is plenty of time for the TVA to capture Loki.
At the TVA Loki sees a myriad of other wild and unique inventions. He is asked to pass through a metal detector-like machine that scans and photograph's the temporal aura of organic lifeforms and also melts robots from the inside out. There is also a device used to reset Variants, which essentially erases them from existence to tidy up the timeline. Mobius even uses a projector-like machine that has the main Loki's entire life on cassette for the Variant's viewing pleasure.
8 The Collar Around Loki's Neck Is Called A Time Twister
Loki is wearing this collar in every trailer for the show, and now fans finally know what it's called. Mobius refers to this nifty device as a Time Twister. The function of which is to reset the person wearing it to an earlier point in a time loop.
When Loki charges Mobius, he merely uses this device to reset Loki back to the other side of the room. Loki eventually manages to get the collar off and attach it to the agent that placed it upon him. Loki has his own fun with the Time Twister at her expense, and eventually expels her from the room to an earlier point in her day.
7 The Existence & Purpose Of The TVA Is Somewhat Explained
After checking into the TVA, Loki watches a brief old-school cartoon video explaining why the TVA exists and what its purpose is. Miss Minutes explains that long ago there were countless timelines fighting in an all-out multiversal war, slowly destroying the known multiverse in the process.
Three ancient beings known as Time Keepers restored the order of the multiverse by coalescing the timelines into one single, sacred timeline. The Time Keepers then created the TVA and all of its workers to monitor and maintain the overall flow of time from beginning to end. Occasionally, Variants cause branches in time, but it's the job of the TVA to take care of Variants and reset those branches to avoid another multiversal war.
6 There Is Only One Timeline & The Events Appear To Have A Specific Schedule
Miss Minutes reveals that there is only one main timeline, and not a multiverse, like Marvel has been leading fans to believe. Additionally, the events of the sacred timeline have already been predetermined by the Time Keepers (or some other god-like beings).
Variants are duplicates that somehow don't fall in line with the flow of time or these predestined outcomes, resulting in branched timelines. Though the TVA is able to reset timelines to the point before a Variant intervened using another one of their unique gadgets. Loki thinks this is ludicrous and that no one decides his fate but him, but Mobius informs him that his purpose in the timeline is to fail so that others can achieve greatness.
5 The Avengers Traveling Through Time Was Supposed To Happen
When Loki is pleading his case for his innocence, he throws the Avengers under the bus suggesting that the only reason he's on trial is because the Avengers time-traveled first. Despite being absolutely correct, Loki learns that the meddling the Avengers did was expected, planned, and permitted by the TVA.
Apparently, the time heist was all part of the grand scheme of the timeline. Loki escaping from New York, however, was not part of the plan which is how he ended up on trial. However, if the Avengers were supposed to travel back in time and things went as planned, then why would Loki be penalized for the Avengers losing the Tesseract? Additionally, if the time heist (and the existence of the TVA, frankly) is kosher, does that mean Kang won't be the next Big Bad?
4 Loki Is The Main Timeline's D.B. Cooper
Much to the surprise of fans, the first episode shows the D.B. Cooper scene. Not only that, but the series reveals that the D.B. Cooper scene is actually a real part of Loki's past that was a result of losing a bet with Thor.
It isn't revealed what the bet was or why the D.B. Cooper scandal was the punishment, but fans have learned that Loki is in fact the D.B. Cooper of the main timeline. It's moments like this one where MCU fans love learning new things about old characters.
3 The TVA Headquarters Is A Powerful Place
The TVA headquarters is a unique and powerful place that appears to make the likes of magic and cosmic energy completely powerless. Once Loki realizes that pleading his case isn't going anywhere, he attempts to escape with the help of his magic. However, after a few failed attempts, he comes to realize that his magic is useless while at the TVA.
Additionally, after managing to track down the Tesseract once again, Loki learns that the power of the Tesseract is rendered useless as well. He soon comes to find out that the Space Stone isn't the only one affected by the clout of the TVA.
2 The Desk Jockeys Have Never Left The Office & Appear To Collect Infinity Stone Variants
As the TVA employees were all created by the Time Keepers, it's safe to say that they have not lived normal lives. Loki encounters a particularly naive TVA employee who claims to have never left the building. While this seems hard to believe, the agent reveals that he's never even heard of a fish before.
Upon reclaiming the Tesseract, Loki can't help but notice a candy dish filled with other Infinity Stones in one of the agent's drawers. Loki is shocked to see so many Infinity Stone duplicates, including ones of varying sizes, like the gigantic Soul Stone. Since the power of the Stones is rendered inert at the TVA, most agents apparently just use them as paperweights.
1 The Villain Of The Series Appears To Be Another Variant Of Loki
There were plenty of fan theories suggesting that additional Lokis would pop up in this show, and some even postulated that one of these other Variants would be the villain of the show. The theorists of the latter theory ended up being correct after Mobius revealed to Loki that another Loki Variant was going on a rampage between timelines, murdering TVA agents and seemingly collecting their timeline reset capsules.
What the endgame is for this villainous Loki Variant remains to be seen, but based on what fans have learned in episode one he is likely trying to find a way to return to his timeline. Additionally, if he saw the end of his life like the star of the show did, it's safe to assume he's also trying to avoid his death at the hand of Thanos.