Dr. ThurmThurm’s Lokie Episode 1 Review
Loki’s first episode was intriguing from start to finish. This is decidedly more reserved and calmer in its approach than anything that’s come before it. But it’s never boring. It’s almost therapeutic. It’s a very calm look at Loki as a character and his place within the MCU. All those things he thought gave him power are pretty pointless now compared to the all-encompassing will and authority of the TVA or time police to put it simply. All that posturing and scheming is laid bare for what it is. A weak man pretending to be powerful. The back and forth between TVA agent Owen Wilson and Loki himself Tom Hiddleston is so damn good. Wilson is just so cool and unbothered by anything Loki is saying and it’s drives him nuts. Every witty insult is met with a back hand of reality. The relationship between these two alone makes me very excited for the rest of the season.
Like any new MCU property this comes with a bit of world building. This is new territory we haven’t seen before so we get a healthy dose of them explaining the world, the rules, the characters and their roles within this space. I love the idea of this place where none of that magical stuff matters anymore. Even a God like Loki is relatively powerless here. The only real power in this place is the will of the TVA and what they determine is the correct course of time. It takes this grand epic story and boils it down to a trip to the DMV almost. If that sounds weird it’s because this show is definitely a little weird but in a good way. At least for me.
If you come in here expecting lots of action and grand spectacle you may be disappointed. That’s not to say that the show looks bad because I actually really like the way the show looks. But it’s intentionally drab. A little colorless. A little empty, cold, and detached. There’s no magic here. It’s the unsexy side of the MCU in many ways and it’s beautiful it’s own way. “Is this the greatest power in the universe” Loki says to himself. It may be boring but he’s probably right.
The tease for the main villain at the end of the episode is also very intriguing and I can’t wait to see where they go with it. Fingers crossed for Lady Loki. Those interactions would be incredible. Overall I’m very happy with this first episode. It flew by and left me itching for more. Loki is back and better than ever. This gets a strong recommendation from me for Marvel fans and even casual fans. Till next week.
