The upcoming Loki series starring Tom Hiddleston is using its trailers to establish an organization that has never been seen before in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Time Variance Authority, aka the TVA. But as each trailer has shown, there's something oddly simplistic about the organization that specializes in maintaining the timestream. From its bureaucratic tone to its nonchalant staff, the TVA is highly reminiscent of another classic science fiction franchise: Men in Black.
Aesthetically, the TVA harkens back to the art deco aesthetic of the late 60s to early 70s. Even their mascot, Miss Minutes, is animated in a style similar to what was seen in that era. A similar interior design was also seen in Men in Black 3, when Will Smith's Agent J had to go back to the 1970s to save a younger version of his partner. While in MIB headquarters, the scenery was much more colorful than the porcelain finish of his modern-day HQ.
Both properties also share similar functions, as well as objects that appear ordinary at a glance but reveal out-of-the-ordinary functions upon closer inspection. In Loki, the trailers show off an elevator with a mess of buttons and corresponding symbols that clearly mean something but are foreign to Loki. This is mainly because the elevator itself doesn't appear to travel along a shaft but can actually materialize at any point in space and time. The Men in Black has its own similar items, most notably their cars. Often shown as a black sedan, each car given to an agent features a red button meant for emergencies. Once pressed, the car transforms into an intergalactic ship or reveals massive rocket boosters.
The similarities can also be seen in the performances of Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson as his partner, Agent Mobius. Much like Agents J and K, the duo couldn't be any more different. Loki approaches working for the TVA as a joke and often questions everything he sees. One example of this is when he asks Mobius if he can get weapons of his own, to which he replies, "Nah." It calls back to when J began his time as an agent and desperately wanted a gun bigger than his tiny weapon, the noisy cricket. The trailers also show that Loki isn't afraid to abandon his partner and do things his own way.
In contrast, Agent Mobius is a seasoned member of the TVA who understands all of the ins and outs of his organization. Even as he talks to Loki, Mobius doesn't care that he's the God of Mischief because he cares more about fixing the mess Loki made by stealing the Tesseract in Avengers: Endgame. The banter between the two often mirrors K's deadpan responses to J's overenthusiastic attitude toward his new job. Even from the trailers, it's clear that, like K, Mobius has seen enough that not much phases him anymore. It perfectly compliments Loki, who realizes that there is more to the universe than he thought he knew.
In the Men in Black, the agents often confront end-of-the-world threats on a weekly basis. Due to the commonality of this, the MIB has developed a nonchalant attitude to situations most may find dire. The beginnings of this can already be seen in Loki's experiences with the TVA, like having to sign off on every single word he's ever said. To them, all of these strange practices are just another day at the office. With a tone similar to Men in Black, the Loki series will surely bring out the best in the titular character and the TVA.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Richard E. Grant. The series premieres June 9 on Disney+.