Marvel Multiverse is failing and Loki season 2 confirms it

This week on Loki season 2, a rogue Time Variance Authority (TVA) general was supposed to bomb new timelines, killing billions or even trillions. Some fans compare it to Thanos' snap, but it actually shows the multiverse's lack of impact.

In Loki, the multiverse only appeared two episodes ago. People have barely seen one or two branches since. In the recent bombing, no familiar characters died unless one counts endless versions of the Avengers and others in the MCU.

Narratively, it falls flat, especially in how Loki season 2 presents it in the MCU. Additionally, there are no worthy stakes. They claim to kill trillions, but it lacks impact when these new branches are just hours old and filled with strangers.

With an intricate look into the plotline, the idea that a single TVA agent could instantly destroy an entire universe also seems far-fetched.

---

Loki season 2: A depiction of how the Marvel Multiverse is failing

Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief, is back for season 2 on Disney Plus (Image via Disney)

The multiverse concept doesn't just fail in Loki; it also falls short in the Multiverse of Madness. For instance, take the scene where Scarlet Witch kills the Illuminati, filled with alternate versions of familiar characters. The act feels gimmicky and appears as a fan service moment with no emotional weight. Next, five minutes later, they're all dead, leaving room for contemplation on the force-fit nature of the narrative.

Interestingly, the end of the multiverse era could signal more than just the conclusion of this storyline. It might serve as a soft reboot for the entire Marvel universe. Joanna Robison, author of MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios and someone with unique access to the studio, discussed this on The Watch podcast, specifically regarding what comes after Secret Wars. Joanna said:

"We have a quote from Kevin Feige sort of implying that, like, Secret Wars will serve as a soft reboot in which they can prune everything... That's not to use a Loki-ism. [They'll] prune everything that's not working and just keep what is [working], or bring back people you thought were gone forever."

---

What can one expect in Loki season 2 episode 4?

Loki season 2 episode 4 will feature Victor collaborating with Loki (Image via IMDb)

In Loki season 2 episode 4, Agent Mobius and Loki will continue their fight to fix the Temporal Loom. Previous episodes showed how Sylvie's killing of He Who Remains worsened the timeline chaos. Furthermore, Dox made it even worse by ordering TVA agents to destroy multiple branches simultaneously.

The show, starring Tom Hiddleston, is changing Loki from a troublemaker to a responsible hero. It unveils new secrets and different versions of Kang the Conqueror. The upcoming episodes may reveal more about these variants, especially after Victor Timely's arrival.

In the last episode, Miss Minutes hinted that she knows something about Ravonna. The next episode also has a big revelation that could change the course of events. The revelation is that either Ravonna is Kang's love interest or she's a Kang variant.

The episode might also explore O.B.'s relationship with Kang. Furthermore, when Loki and Mobius introduce Victor to O.B., he might also remember something from his past.

---

Final thoughts

Marvel's multiverse storytelling lacks emotional stakes. Despite grand claims of universe-altering events, the impact falls short. The multiverse is currently serving as a gimmick rather than a narrative tool. Even the possibility of a soft reboot doesn't add weight to the current storylines.

---

Loki season 2 episode 4 will air on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET, only on Disney+.