Why was Loki a variant for time traveling but not the Avengers?

With a fantastic response to their new limited TV series edition of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Entertainment is experimenting with its characters. The phenomenon that started with Wanda Vision has now reached its third leg, The Loki Series.

The Marvel films are real blockbusters that merge action and passion, set elements and story lines in nearly precise balances. The first step into television with Wanda Vision was a stunningly nuanced success.

Who is Loki?

The long-awaited show Loki is now available on Disney+. Tom Hiddleston resumed his character as the God of mischief and mayhem. The beloved MCU villain he previously portrayed in six Marvel films. However, Loki died in Avengers: Infinity War – spoiler alert – nobly sacrificed himself during the first five minutes and ultimately became a real hero of Asgard.

The Plot

We last saw a variation of Loki fleeing with the Tesseract on a freshly constructed temporal branch. This mini-series sees the consequences of that time branching. The Time Variance Authority apprehends him for a short period of time. However, instead of facing trial and maybe being erased from existence Owen Wilson’s Mobius hired the pre-redeemed trickster to assist in resolving the mayhem he caused.

The first episode of Loki deals with the aftermath of a botched time heist operation in 2012 New York under a Chitauri attack. The TVA immediately recognizes Loki’s breach and finds him in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. Apprehended and seemingly disarmed of his God powers, Loki then tries to make sense of the events and the existence of this never heard TVA authority.

Similar read: Xtreme Netflix movie: Worth your time? | Cast & Review

What is the TVA?

As previously stated, TVA in Marvel Comics is an entity that exists outside of actuality and operates at the centre of every timeline, a concept known as the “Sacred Timeline.”

The staff of this gigantic organization, which are essentially faceless in the myth, have been duplicated from the founding genetic pool. This was for ensuring that there would be no dissenters.

Didn’t the Avengers do it too?

The revealed plot elements only raised more curiosity, particularly about Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), and the remainder of the heroes squad. To undo the effects of Thanos’ catastrophic snap, the gang went on a time heist. Returning to the locations of previous adventures, The Avengers similarly generated chronology branches — by both their sheer presence and by pulling infinity stones off their set positions in the past. Technically, due to their meddling, Loki’s variation version(s) are formed and empowered to wreak havoc.

The potential answer

At the end of the Endgame, Captain America sets to return all the stones to the exact place and time the Avengers collected them from. It is possible that having returned the stones obtained from the third timeline caused it to rest (and cease to exist), as he appears to have done for a few others from which stones had been collected. On the other hand, it is also possible that the perpetual disappearance of characters triggered that timeline to be irrecoverable. This will have result in the creation of a lasting new timeline.

Another explanation is that the TVA decided what will happen in the past, present, and future – in a straight line. In other words, the organization, like Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), will have foreseen the timeline of Avengers: Endgame and judged that timeline tampering was vital to whatever future the TVA had directed in the sacred timeline.

The Time Variance Authority also foresaw that the first Captain America would close all the branches the Avengers formed because of their foresight. The Avengers planned to bring everything back in order. Unlike Loki, who, given that he has no character development at that point of MCU, is willing to run wild and undoubtedly develop branches in his quest for power. Except for the Loki variation, which they can handle more skillfully, Cap effectively completed their work for them.

You might also love: Top #9 Scariest spine-chilling movies of 2021 that will make you SCREAM!

Cap did not return to his original timeline.

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, essentially broke the rules of the Sacred Timeline when he decided to stay with Peggy in the 1970s after returning all the infinity stones to their respective timelines (not all, lol). This, according to our knowledge of the MCU and the TVA, should have created a time branch of its own because Steve was not planned to be there. Or was he?

According to the new information we see in Loki episode 1, The judge explains to Loki that The Avengers were supposed to do what they did. But, did it include Steve staying in the past? Did it include old man Cap passing the shield onto Sam Wilson? (Check out The Falcon and The Winter Soldier). However, it does seem like the scared timeline included Steve’s return to Peggy and finishing his dance with her.

So is this a multiverse branch timeline?

It’s no mystery that the multiverse lives in the MCU. And it’s going to be useful very soon. Technically, the realities established by the Avengers in Endgame is a part of the multiverse. However, it is uncertain whether and how they might fit into this or if the multiverse even works similarly. For now, we know that Wanda’s meddling with the timeline and essentiality of reality might have triggered a multiverse branch that her kids will be trapped in. Hence, her appearance in Doctor Strange- Multiverse of Madness. But do we also expect to see a Loki Variant there? It’s still a mystery.

The first watch thoughts

From the first scene, the show deviates sharply from what you might anticipate from a Marvel plot. Not only that, but it sets the tone with a gorgeous picture that depicts Loki getting smacked in the face.

The first episode, especially, is jam-packed with material and concepts, some of which are cosmic in scale. It would not be very interesting if the protagonist only went around asking questions. However, as the show progresses, you hardly notice the avalanche of information. You’re too preoccupied with Loki’s blustering attitude colliding with the perplexing new paradigm of the Time Variance Authority.

Trending Today: Top movies of 2021 – What to watch next?