This episode is by far my favorite one so far. It is just crazy good and just plain old crazy. In a multiverse fantastic way. We get to see how much Loki and Sylvie evolved as characters. We get a few answers and even more questions. But mostly, this episode was super fun. Glorious purpose indeed.
This episode has an unusual opening scene. We start at the TVA. We see the people going about their business working as usual. But then the camera rolls in a circle towards the chamber of the Time-Keepers. As we enter the chamber we see the beheaded androids' head on the floor. It was all a lie. Then we go into the mist on the floor which leads the camera to the void. We see the ruined building everywhere and there is awesome ominous Loki music in the background. I'm sure that all buildings are Easter Eggs, but I'm not that great at spotting them. Basically this place is the junkyard of the TVA.
Slowly we see Loki getting up from the floor. Loki has a lot of questions and Richard E. Grant's Classical Loki has all the answers to Loki's question and he gives them to him really fast. They are in the void, the space cloud monster is Alioth and he is about to try and eat them so they have to leave in a hurry. Alioth makes really strange noises when he is angry. It is so original.
Then we switch to Sylvie and Judge Ravonna Renslayer. Sylvie is furious now that Loki is dead, well, she thinks that he is dead. Sylvie wants to kill Renslayer. They are somehow in the chamber of judgment, where Sylvie escaped from Renslayer. But Renslayer is also smart, she tells Sylvie that Loki isn't dead. Sylvie is all business, she doesn't want to just save Loki, that's not enough, she is still all about who is behind the TVA. It is more important to her then Loki, poor Loki doesn't know that. Renslayer pretends that they are on the same side, that she wants to know who has been lying to her all this time. Renslayer explains that they cannot erase matter so it is transferred to a void at the end of time where it won't matter. The Timeline isn't reset it is transferred. All of existence collides at the void at the end of time and simply stops. Time basically doesn't exist anymore at the void so it doesn't matter what happens there, no nexus event can occur.
Renslayer explains the TVA dogma about the void. The Time-Keepers are still rewriting the end of time to turn it into utopia. Sylvia doesn’t buy it. And Renslayer understands that for once. Renslayer just explains that nothing ever returns from the void and Sylvie looks pained by these words. Renslayer offers her help in return for Sylvie's trust. Sylvie agrees to this barging, probably not a great idea.
Then we are back in the void. The four, well, five Lokis is you count the alligator are moving fast along the surface. Loki has a million more questions, but there is no time to ask them. He asks them what their plan is, not understanding that no plan can happen there. Their only plan is not to die. Also, the little strange peacock animal with no head that sounds like an utter is hilarious. When no one gives him a satisfying answer Loki just starts yelling at them all to explain to him what the hell is actually going on. He had a very long and confusing day or days, he needs some answers. Time stopped meaning anything to him, he doesn't know how long it has been since New-York. It is funny when he says that everything is so insane that he doesn't even find alligator Loki to be that strange. Kid Loki is tired of Loki's ranting and he pulls his sword on Loki which causes him to stumble and fall in surprise. Kid Loki tells him to shut up so that Alioth won't hear them. Loki refers to Alioth as "the monster in the sky" while it looks to me like another space cloud monster. Loki really did have a very long and difficult and confusing few last days.
Kid Loki finally gives him a good explanation. The void is the TVA's dumpster just like Renslayer explained. Alioth makes sure nothing ever returns from the void. He does that by eating everything as he consumer matter and energy. Loki is shocked to find out that the alligator is Loki. All of these Lokis are there because just like Loki once said to Sylvie, Lokis survive. Always. But there is no way out of the void. Kid Loki puts an end to their conversation and leads the way to their safe hideout. Classic Loki also explains to Loki that Kid Loki is their leader and this is his kingdom. Loki scoffs him and asks what his nexus event was. Kid Loki simply explains that he killed Thor. Looks seems shocked. And so are we. How did a little kid manage to kill Thor? That would definitely cause a terrible nexus event. I bet Kid Loki didn't stand a chance.
Then they all arrive at the hideout which is a small cave underground. When the camera pans down we see a Mjölnir just lying on the ground. A regular size Mjölnir. But a frog Thor tries to reach it and keeps failing. He is stuck inside a jar. You can actually hear him making an effort in his jumps and his frustration when he fails. I mean holly crap. I know that Frog Thor exists in the comics, but wow, what an Easter Egg.
Then we are back with all of our Lokis. Classic Loki asks Loki why he wants to return to the TVA so badly and Boastful Loki teases his that perhaps he left his glorious propose there. I guess all Lokis felt that they have a glorious propose at some point and never achieved it. The secret cave looks hilarious. First of all there is the Throne. A child's throne as it is clearly a Santa Clause' chair decorates with candy. Then there is the funny Polybius arcade game. A game which never existed, but legend claims that it did and had terrible effects on those who played it. I'm sure that that entire cave is just one big Easter Egg.
Then we are back in the TVA. Renslayer is asking Miss Minutes to access restricted files while Sylvie is with her. Files about the beginning of time and the founding of the TVA. Sylvie wants to explore the end of time, the void. Something that Renslayer is slightly against. Sylvie immediately understands that there is actually something beyond the void. Someone hiding. Renslayer tries to tell Sylvie it's impossible to pass the void which makes Sylvie want to kill her immediately, but Renslayer who seems to be cooperating with Miss Minutes invent a lie about a void space prototype that can help them do this. It could help them find Loki, get the man behind the TVA and kill him. Something to which Renslayer agrees but she doesn't seem honest. Miss Minutes seems even more panicky. Something doesn't feel right about this situation, but Sylvie seems unsuspicious.
But then again Sylvie is smarter than she appears. Instead letting go of Renslayer's hand after shacking it, she grabs it and asks Miss Minutes about the plan for craft. Sylvie realizes that both Miss Minutes and Renslayer are lying to her. Then Minutemen show up through the door. Sylvie reacts fast. She takes Renslayer's TemPad and ducks behind the stand. Renslayer doesn't look confident when she is lying to Sylvie. Not sure if it's because she doesn't believe she can catch Sylvie or because of bad acting on the part of Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Renslayer that if Sylvie will surrender she will put her in a time loop of a good memory. If she even has them. Sylvie responds that she only has one good memory. I bet it is with Loki, because her next action is horrifying. She prunes herself. I guess she believes Renslayer when she said pruned people don't die. The Minutemen are clueless and believe it was suicide. Now Renslayer looks more confident when she is lying to her Minutemen. She lies constantly.
Back in the void all of the Lokis are talking in the cave and drinking wine. Boastful Loki lies that he defeated the Avengers and got all six infinity stones. Boastful Loki manages to fight with alligator Loki which is funny as he is sitting in a kid's pool with water. Kid Loki seems entertained, but our Loki has the face of "I'm surrounded by idiots." He is interested in Classic Loki's nexus event story. Classic Loki explain that he never tried to stab Thanos, blades are useless in comparison to Loki's magic. He cast a projection of himself that was so real that even Thanos bought it. I guess that's how our Loki faked his own death at the end of Thor: The Dark world. Classical Loki faked his death. He thought that he only causes pain to everyone so he stayed away. Then he got lonely, he missed his brother, Thor and our Loki nods in agreement. He understands the sentiment of missing his brother no matter how much he can't stand him. But as soon as Classical Loki tried to get off the planet the TVA got him. Classical Loki calls himself not the god of mischief, but the god of outcasts. Loki doesn't agree with this sentiment, he sees defeated Lokis around him and that's not him.
Loki decides to leave. He thinks that Lokis are good at escaping, and if he dies then so be it. He was meant to die anyway. He explains about a woman variant of him, to which Classic Loki respond that that sounds terrifying, which Sylvie is. He explain that she is different not him, she wants to take down the TVA and she needs her Loki, which gives him a new sense of propose. Loki explains that his plan is to kill Alioth, which causes all of the Lokis to burst into laughter. They took him seriously up until that point. He looks annoyed and calls them "monsters". But there is always a trick with Loki. Well, this place has a lot of Lokis. As soon as our Loki opens the hatch he sees President Loki and an entire army. Our Loki seems actually exasperated by himself. Because Lokis are usually awful and backstabbing.
Then Sylvie wakes up in the void. She hears Alioth and sees the cloud and lightning and makes a run for it because Lokis survive. While she runs we see a flash of green in her enchantment and she sees a door and a castle behind Alioth. Then she sees a car driving towards her. It's our favorite pruned analyst Mobius. She has no idea who was driving the car she just jumps and is surprised to see him. They bicker, but I am getting good duo vibes from them. Mobius does like his Lokis.
Then we are back in the cave with the rest of the Loki variants. Boastful Loki betrayed Kid Loki to become king. But obviously President Loki betrays Boastful Loki to become king himself. President Loki says since the army is his, he will get the throne. But then the army betrays him. Alligator Loki bites off President Loki's hand and a fight between everyone starts. While our Loki dances off into the distance avoiding the fight and shaking his head, embarrassed. He realizes that his old self was an idiot. In all variant forms. I mean one of them even yells "glorious propose" as if we haven't run that phrase to the ground. Classic Loki creates an illusion of all of them and a portal to outside which allows them to escape. Classic Loki is in despair of the Loki behavior and Kid Loki says whenever one of them tries to change they are send to the void to die. That's why Loki wants to help Sylvie take down the TVA. Nothing can change as long as the TVA tries to kill off all good Lokis.
Loki trusts Sylvie, a rarity amongst Lokis, trusting someone and themselves. Kid Loki and Classic Loki, and alligator Loki agree to help him. They will get him to Alioth, but that's their limit. They won't help him fight.
Then we are back with Sylvie and Mobius. Mobius had no idea he was one of the bad guys. Sylvie remarks sarcastically that destroying realities and orphaning little girls is classical hero stuff. Mobius understands his mistake, but also remarks that Sylvie has done some pretty terrible things herself. She immediately gets defensive. But he does apologize for hunting her down. Sylvie thought that she could save Loki by pruning herself, but Alioth probably killing him. Mobius asks if she really believes that Loki is dead, but she says she doesn't care. She only wants to find out the person behind the TVA. But she has tears in her eyes when she is says that it doesn't matter if Loki survived. She forms a plan pretty quickly and she instructs Mobius to turn around and go back to Alioth. She is the woman with the plan.
For now all Loki go on foot towards Alioth. Loki's plan to kill Alioth is stupid. Kid Loki has some device which alerts him to incoming parts of timelines. We see a ship land. The U.S.S. Eldridge. This is another real life Easter Egg. The ship was believe to be part of an experiment that either made it invisible or simply it disappeared for a while in another dimension. Here it is simply cast into the void for creating a nexus event. The people on the ship try to fight Alioth, they fire all the ship's guns at it and nothing happens. I mean it is a cloud. But it does eat them all including the ship itself. Loki realizes that his plan was idiotic. No kidding.
But they are not alone anymore. A car approaches. It's time for Sylvie and Loki to reunite. Kid Loki is not happy as nothing good ever drives a car in those areas. But then Loki sees Sylvie and he runs towards the car. Sylvie is surprised to see Loki alive, Loki is delighted to see her and Mobius. She does say that she pruned herself, she says that she is there to back him up, which is only half true. She almost attacks the other Lokis, until Loki stops her and introduces them as his friends/himself. Mobius laughs at the fact that this place is full of Lokis. Sylvie immediately says that Loki's plan to kill Alioth is stupid. She says that the person who they are after is beyond the void at the end of time and Alioth is his guard dog. Her plan is to enchant Alioth. Which sounds to me as bad as trying to kill it. Even Loki laughs. As Mobius notes, Sylvie is vey confident. It is her plan that they are going to execute.
Then we are back at the TVA. Renslayer goes to see a high security prisoner, B-15. I'm surprised she hasn't been pruned. Wunmi Mosaku looks really good with red lighting I've got to say. Wunmi Mosaku actually thinks the fact that the Time-Keepers aren't real doesn't change anything. B-15 doesn't agree with her as she shouldn't. It does change everything. Renslayer wants to keep the stability of the TVA at all costs. To do that she thinks B-15 needs to tell her everything. But there is nothing that she can do or say that will help Renslayer. Renslayer wants to know what drives the Sylvie and B-15 tells her, the need for revenge. She doesn't just want it, she needs to find the person behind the TVA and kill them. It is not good news for Renslayer. Renslayer summons Miss Minutes to get her files on the beginning of time. Miss Minutes is not happy, but Renslayer explains that whoever founded the TVA is in great danger, that does change Miss Minutes mind and she agrees to help Renslayer. Something very odd is happening here.
Classic Loki and Mobius are hilarious. They have a fascinating discussion about whether alligator Loki is in fact a Loki at all. It is just so funny. And both actor sell this perfectly. Kid Loki asks Mobius what he will do if he gets back to the TVA and Mobius says he will tell people the truth. Classic Loki comments that he will simply turn his back to the place to which he devoted his life to and Mobius who is used to the Lokis lack of confidence says that it is never too late to change. This seems to really strike at Classic Loki. Change is a rare concept for Loki.
In the meantime Sylvie and Loki cuddle. I mean flirt. It is the first time in this episode that the CGI feels clunky in my point of view. Loki and Sylvie are sitting, there is a close shoot of their faces and the background looks too much like fake bad CGI. It just annoys me. From some reason Loki feels cold, even though he is a frost giant, same goes for Sylvie. Clearly they both just want to get close to each other. It is funny how Sylvie comments that her outfit is uncomfortable. It looks uncomfortable. All comic book costumes look uncomfortable. They talk about Mobius and their nexus event on Lamentis and comment that it was a nice moment, but not love that caused a nexus event. They are so awkward about it that it is adorable. They like each other and cuddle under the same blanket together, but they have no words for their feelings towards each other.
Then Sylvie asks the big question, how she can trust Loki. But this Loki has changed. He is not the same betraying person anymore. She comments that after the TVA will disappear he might find himself a timeline to rule over. To which he replays that then he will be happy. He finally understands that ruling isn't going to make him happy. They realize they don't know what they will do when this is all over. Loki suggests that they can find a new way together to which Sylvie replays, "maybe". They are just adorable in their timid ways. Loki laughed at Thor and Jane made him weak and mallow, but Loki acts just the same around a girl he likes.
Then it is time. All Lokis and Mobius stand together and look at Alioth. They look frightened. Even the alligator. Sylvie, who still has Renslayer's TemPad hands it over to Loki. Loki considers it for a moment and decides to stay and go with Sylvie. Loki makes it clear that they are a team now. Loki gives the TemPad to Mobius. Mobius offers to take the rest of the Lokis with him, but they refuse to come. The void is their home now and forever. Kid Loki gives Loki his legendary sword, Lævateinn, a flaming sword. It is a touching gesture for a Loki. Classic Loki wishes his luck and says goodbye as all three local Lokis leave.
Then it is time for the saddest goodbye between Loki and Mobius. Loki asks Mobius what he will do when he returns to the TVA. Mobius quotes Loki when he says that he will burn it to the ground. Loki gave him the spark. Sylvie looks like she is on the verge of tears. Mobius offers to shack Loki's hand, but even though Mobius says "see you later Loki," Loki knows that that might never happen. There is a chance that everything will go wrong and he will never see Mobius again. So he gives Mobius a hug. A touching moment indeed. Loki thanks his new friend as Mobius whispers over Loki's shoulder to Sylvie that she is his favorite Loki. Sylvie smiles at his words with more tears in her eyes. Considering that Mobius survived for so long, I have to admit that I am beginning to think that he is a Loki variant as well. Maybe he is and doesn't know it.
But then Mobius step into the portal and it is game on. Alioth swops down from the sky, an angry purple cloud with lightning. Classic Loki stops to look back at it, but then continues to walk away. Kid Loki lead them there at the right time, he is a tech savvy Loki as well. But now Sylvie has to do the hard work. Since a timeline doesn't appear in Loki Sylvie says they need a distraction and Loki basically volunteers to sacrifice himself. Alioth goes after Loki and Sylvie tries to enchant him. But Alioth notices it and goes after Sylvie, much to Loki's horror. Sylvie seems petrified with fear. They are going to fail and they know it.
But then the most unexpected thing happens, Classic Loki appears and conjures a large replica of Asgard. His Asgard. It doesn't look exactly like what we remember it, but close. He has an amazing ability, he was right to nurture that instead of his love for knives. Alioth falls for it and tries to eat the none-real city. Sylvie is shocked, but Loki comments that they are stronger then what they think they are. Classic Loki wants them to escape, but Sylvie has a different idea. She grabs Loki hands and says they will enchant it together. She thinks they are enough of the same person of this to work. They are running out of time as the illusion collapses from Alioth's strength. Sylvie grabs Loki's hand even stronger and he manages to activate enchantment powers as well. Together they are stronger.
There is one person who is clearly weakening, Classic Loki. He falls to his knees as his illusion collapses around him. Alioth has his mean eyes on him. Then Classic Loki screams his most iconic line "glorious purpose." Because for once in his life, he has found a real glorious purpose, to sacrifice his life to help other Lokis and bringing down the TVA, glorious indeed. Plus he looks glorious using his powers. He dies laughing as Alioth devours him. Only his helmet remains. How sad. Though he was on screen for a short time, he made a strong impression.
Then comes the moment of truth. Alioth turns his attention to Sylvie and Loki who look pained from effort. But in the last moment they manage to enchant Alioth. I have no idea how, how do you reach into the mind of a space cloud. But apparently, they did just that. The cloud open like a curtain to reveal a castle on a tiny island. The citadel at the end of time. They did it. The episode ends with Sylvie and Loki walking towards the citadel to meet the person behind the TVA.
It was a fantastic episode. Clearly the MVP is Richard E. Grant. He did a phenomenal job as Classic Loki, even in the most ridicules costume ever. Within one episode he showed so much emotion and character development that it was amazing to behold. Plus his mega illusion was brilliant. He has found his glorious purpose indeed. It was also great to see Owen Wilson's Mobius back in business. He and Loki and Sylvie make a great due. Jack Veal also does a nice job as a very likable Kid Loki. But, come on, this is Kid Loki, he better be part of the Young Avengers. Tom Hiddleston is the star though. The way he looks so exasperated with his other selves and their behavior is just brilliant. Plus the adoring way in which he looks at Sylvie makes me like her, despite the fact that I don't love her character.
The plot of the episode was insane. We are going down the rabbit hole to meet the person who created the TVA. I'm just saying that there is another Loki from the trailers that we did not meet yet. Miss Minutes is totally up to something nasty. Plus, I can't believe that Renslayer still believes in the TVA. Sylvie literally killed herself to be with Loki. I know she pretends that she only cares about bringing down the TVA, but come on, we can tell she also really cares about Loki himself. The void at the end of time is one of the craziest places we've seen in the MCU, packed with endless Easter Eggs that cover the entire Multiverse. Also, the name of the episode "Journey Into Mystery" is the name of the comic in which Loki and Thor first appeared in, so it is a very nice nod to it. But wow, what a crazy episode.
I can't wait to see the next episode to see how it all ends.
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