Did Marvel Just Destroy Time Itself? Unpacking the Mind-Blowing Ending of Loki Episode 4
The series reaches new heights in Episode 4, but where are we left now?
Loki Season 2 is building to a bigger threat than we’ve ever seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only are Loki and Sylvie at stake here, but the entire fabric of space and time is in the balance. Episode 3 followed Loki and Mobius as they ventured into 19th-century Chicago to find Victor Timely, a mild-mannered variant of Kang the Conqueror.
Despite the fact Ravonna and Miss Minutes were also after him, Loki and Mobius managed to bring Timely back to the TVA. Episode 4 doubles down on the war between these two teams and ends with a shocking reveal.
Spoilers for Loki Season 2 Episode 4 follow!
Who “prunes” Loki?
The Temporal Loom is in dangerous need of repairs.
The last moments of Loki Season 2 Episode 4 reveals the answer to the question asked at the end of Episode 1: who “prunes” Loki just as he’s about to reach Sylvie? The answer is himself, fulfilling the time loop previously established. Miss Minutes, now together with Victor Timely and Ravonna Renslayer, is trying to sabotage the efforts to repair the Temporal Loom, so OB suggests he reboots the entire system and lock her out.
As she’s “dying” by being rebooted, Miss Minutes delivers a grim warning to Victor: “you’ll never be him.” This, presumedly, refers to He Who Remains, who we now know established the Time Variance Authority with the assistance of Ravonna.
What happens after the blast doors open?
Victor Timely volunteers to venture out the blast doors — to disastrous results.
Victor Timely provides his aura so the blast doors can open and the Temporal Loom can (hopefully) be fixed. Loki volunteers to fix the Loom, but Timely volunteers instead, considering he has experience with something similar, with his invention we saw in Episode 3. It’s a very dangerous mission, as we saw in Episode 1 when Mobius attempted something similar.
Unfortunately, the mission isn’t a success. The temporal radiation, now even worse than when Mobius ventured out, proves to be too much for Victor and his in consumed by the energy, seemingly lost forever. The Time Loop appears to explode, enveloping everyone in a bright light. Has all of creation been disintegrated? Has everyone died? That’s an answer we won’t get until next episode.
Now, things are looking worse than they ever have, and with only two episodes left in the season, the pressure is on. There are only two chapters left to show how Loki will manage to repair the space-time continuum, but knowing him, he’ll figure it out.
