Entertainment
Loki episode 4 recap: Thor character makes shock return as TVA bombshell is revealed
Having eluded the TVA for years, Sylvie is captured (Picture: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
Warning: spoilers ahead for episode 4 of Loki.
In episode 4 of Loki on Disney Plus, revelations made by the Loki variant Sylvie make several members of the TVA question their loyalty to the organisation as a Thor character makes a shock return.
After believing they were doomed to die in an apocalypse on Lamentis-1, the latest instalment of the Marvel series sees Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) captured once again by the TVA (Time Variance Authority) for causing disruptions to the timeline.
Loki throws agent Mobius M Mobius (Owen Wilson) through a loop when he tells him the bombshell truth that Sylvie has uncovered – that all of the TVA agents are also variants and were not created by the Time-Keepers, as they were led to believe.
This fact leaves Mobius feeling conflicted, while also resulting in Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) switching her allegiance and helping Loki and Sylvie in their fight against the TVA.
Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is determined to bring Loki and Sylvie down, while keeping the TVA’s sacred secrets under wraps.
A Thor character makes a shock return
Considering the TVA governs the Sacred Timeline, it should come as no surprise that the organisation has various time-bending tricks up its sleeve.
The TVA aren’t taking any chances with this Loki variant (Picture: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
After Loki is captured by the TVA – again – during his interrogation Mobius has him escorted through a portal into an Asgardian courtyard, where he stumbles across old acquaintance Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander), who fought as a warrior alongside Thor (Chris Hemsworth).
When Lady Sif comes round the corner, she lambasts Loki for cutting off a chunk of her hair, a memory of a prank he once carried out.
She knocks Loki to the ground, telling him that he’s always going to be alone, before exiting – and then re-emerging in a painful time loop.
If Lady Sif could make a return in a new scene from Loki’s memories, perhaps more familiar faces from Asgard could as well?
A trip down memory lane for Sylvie
In the previous episode, Sylvie hinted at her past to Loki, but didn’t give too much away.
The latest instalment opens with the first time she came across the TVA as a young girl, when she was captured in Asgard by a squad led by Ravonna and taken to their headquarters to stand trial as a variant.
Sylvie has told Loki very little about her early life (Picture: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
The young Loki variant managed to escape, remaining on the run and hiding in apocalypses ever since.
When Sylvie returns to the TVA and is escorted by Ravonna to meet the Time-Keepers with Loki, Sylvie asks Ravonna what nexus event she caused (aka a breach in the timeline) that resulted in her being on the TVA’s radar in the first place.
Ravonna tells her that she doesn’t remember, which makes the fact that the organisation completely upended her life that much more painful.
Meeting the Time-Keepers
The elusive Time-Keepers are seen in the flesh for the first time – or, that is, the androids that have been made to look like the three guardians of the Sacred Timeline.
While Ravonna is shown paying a visit to the Time-Keepers, they’re not shown speaking until they come face to face with Loki and Sylvie.
Ravonna is determined to keep the TVA’s secrets under wraps (Picture: Marvel Studios/Disney)
During their exchange, Sylvie cuts off one of their heads, only to discover that they are androids.
This means that there’s someone else pulling the strings at the TVA.
So could it be Ravonna? Or perhaps it will turn out to be Kang the Conqueror, who’s set to appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania?
What does the mid-credits scene mean?
The fourth episode of Loki sees several devastating exterminations take place.
Not only does Ravonna tell Mobius that Hunter C-20 (Sasha Lane) has died – most likely at Ravonna’s hands – but Mobius is later ‘pruned’ when he is seen helping Loki, with it appearing as though he has been eliminated from existence.
Richard E Grant finally shows up in the mid-credits scene (Picture: Danny Martindale/WireImage)
After their fight with the Minutemen, Loki is talking to Sylvie when he too is pruned by Ravonna, spelling an end to the God of Mischief.
However, in a mid-credits scene, it’s revealed that Loki is still alive, although he’s been transported to an unknown location.
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What’s more, he’s greeted by a group of unknown individuals, including Richard E Grant, supposedly as Old Man Loki, in addition to what looks like Kid Loki, an alligator with Loki’s horns on its head and another man holding a hammer, who could potentially be a variant of Thor.
Are we going to see a team-up of variants assemble to fight the TVA?
Loki returns on Wednesday and is available to watch on Disney Plus.
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