Loki Episode 1 Breakdown - Infinite Infinity Stones & Evil Variant Loki

Something that was definitely noticeable even in this first episode was that Hiddleston wasn’t kidding about containing multitudes.

We see Loki really going through the motions as he navigates the TVA, going from his usual cocky and self-assured persona right through to a sort of self-hating denial that he is the one who causes his mother’s death.

It really hit hard when Loki was tasked with processing not just his mother’s death but his own, and told to evaluate his own purpose in life “I don’t enjoy hurting people,” he revealed, “I do it because I have to because I’ve had to. Because it’s part of the illusion, it’s the cruel elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear.” Now we’re seeing some real self-awareness developing.

What has really set these few new series apart from what else we have seen in the MCU is the focus on developing a small set of characters. I’m not saying that we haven’t got to know our characters through the movies over the years, but more that the approach Marvel seems to be taking with these Disney+ series is to expand on the complex emotions and issues faced by a small group. With Loki's new partnership with Mobius, his movement to the good side is being pushed even further.

A lot of people have commented that it is nice to see a breakaway from Marvel’s classic formula of fighting a bad guy, making a few jokes and otherwise business as normal. The strongest parts of WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier came when we were able to see parts of the characters that we haven’t before, and really explore their vulnerabilities and motivations. Hopefully we will see the same kind of development afforded to Loki here.