Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the Loki Season 2 finale.
The Big Picture
- Loki has successfully utilized the multiverse to create its own mythology and explore the unique relationship between Loki and Sylvie.
- The second season of Loki unfortunately sidelined Sylvie and neglected to address the consequences of her decision to kill He Who Remains.
- Sylvie missed key moments in Loki’s character development and their potential romantic relationship was largely ignored, leaving room for further exploration in future seasons.
Although Marvel Studios once seemed to have a spotless track record when it came to producing high quality projects, the franchise has steadily been declining ever since the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Although the COVID-19 related shutdowns and the SAG-AFTRA strike can be blamed in part for the unusual release schedule, Marvel Studios has struggled to find a new direction for the franchise in the wake of the “Infinity Saga.” The level of quality has depleted, which is why the Disney+ original series Loki has been such a fun surprise. Instead of trying to tie itself into a larger storyline that doesn’t pay off until several years later, Loki has done a great job introducing new characters that compliment the “God of Mischief” (Tom Hiddleston) journey. Although Loki’s second season did a great job at developing the original characters introduced in its predecessor, Loki’s variant Sylvie (Sophie de Martino) felt oddly left out of the story. Sylvie and Loki’s relationship had been one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most interesting relationships, but Loki season 2 kept them largely apart.
Loki
Loki, the God of Mischief, steps out of his brother’s shadow to embark on an adventure that takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.”
- Release Date
- June 9, 2021
- Cast
- Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard E. Grant
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Disney+
Loki and Sylvie’s Relationship Is the Best Use of the Multiverse
Loki stands out in comparison to other MCU projects because it has found a way to use the multiverse to its advantage. Instead of shamelessly relying on cameos and references to previous projects both in and outside the MCU, Loki has built its own mythology around the decisions that the God of Mischief has made. In order to explore what truly makes Loki who he is, the first season introduced different variants of the character; this included Classic Loki (Richard E. Grant), Kid Loki (Jack Veal), Boastful Loki (DeObia Oparei), President Loki, and even an alligator Loki. Sylvie was unique among Loki’s variants because she embraces the darker side of their personality. While Loki has always been somewhat of a troublesome character, his worst deeds were often more mischievous than they were inherently wicked.
By contrasting Loki and Sylvies’ behavior, the first season of Loki was able to explore how different backstories affected their decisions. Loki has spent the majority of his life brooding over being denied the throne of Asgard in favor of his half-brother, Thor (Chris Hemsworth). He’s always desired to sit on a throne, even though he’s never had to face the responsibilities of leadership. Comparatively, Sylvie’s arrest at the hands of Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) when she was a child gave her a motivation to free the Sacred Timeline from the control of the Time Variance Authority. Sylvie showed that Loki was capable of heroism, and in their limited time together in the first season, they’re able to work together to stop He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors).
Unfortunately, the second season of Loki chose to push Sylvie to the background as Loki and Mobius (Owen Wilson) attempted to stop the timeline from being thrust into chaos. Their initial separation made enough sense. After killing He Who Remains, Sylvie realizes that for the first time in her life, she will not be on the run from the TVA. This newfound freedom allows her to experience some of the things that she has been denied, including every item at McDonalds and getting a day job. While it was nice to see that Sylvie finally gets to live in some semblance of “normalcy” after the pain that she endured, her decision to kill He Who Remains ends up causing more problems than it actually solves. Loki’s second season didn’t give Sylvie the chance to take responsibility for her actions in the same way that Loki had.
Loki and Sylvie’s Romantic Relationship Was Totally Abandoned
After Sylvie kills He Who Remains, the timeline branches out and the multiverse is created. Instead of recognizing that her decision was erroneous, Sylvie refuses to help Loki when he asks for assistance restoring the TVA. Although it’s understandable why Sylvie might be skeptical about aiding the same people that had been hunting her down, she refuses to listen to Loki’s logic. While it’s not necessarily selfish that Sylvie wants to enjoy what a universe outside of He Who Remains’ control would look like, it is disappointing that she and Loki get to spend so little time together. The first season had confirmed a romantic relationship between them that was largely ignored within the second season.
The romance between Loki and Sylvie had the potential to raise many interesting questions about their characterization. If Loki is falling in love with Sylvie, does that mean that he is finally accepting himself? Is it possible for two variants to spend their lives together without sending the timeline spiraling into chaos? Unfortunately, Loki season 2 spends so much time jumping between different points in the timeline to explain the appearances by Victor Timely and detail Renslayer’s backstory that Sylvie could only pop up occasionally to restate her opinions on the Time Variance Authority. While it was fun to see Loki go on more adventures with Mobius and Ouroboros (Key He Quan), it felt like the more interesting relationship with Sylvie was set aside.
Sylvie Doesn’t Get To See Loki’s Evolution
It’s disappointing that Sylvie wasn’t there to witness many key moments in Loki’s development. After witnessing the “spaghettification” of his friends, Loki is empowered to change the past by stopping Sylvie. Unfortunately, their conversations amount to little more than discussions about the literal ramifications, and not the emotional ones. Loki tries to get Sylvie to see logic, but doesn’t reckon with her personal feelings of vengeance. Loki’s ultimate decision to replace He Who Remains and become the God of Time is powerful because he could not bring himself to let Sylvie die. This would have been more emotional if they had actually gotten the chance to spend time together as a couple before Loki had committed his brave act of self-sacrifice.
Although Loki’s second season ends with Sylvie and Mobius calmy observing the present, there’s not a post-credit stinger that sets up when she will appear next. While Loki doesn’t necessarily need a third season, it certainly would be interesting to see how Sylvie reacts to her former lover’s new role. Loki’s story may be over, but Sylvie’s is just beginning.
Loki Season 1 and 2 are streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
