After the intense action of last week’s episode, Journey Into Mystery was very much a change of pace. Set in an apocalyptic wasteland at the end of time (supposedly), episode 5 focused mostly on character development, introducing Loki to several alternate versions of himself. It’s almost like a This is Your Life moment for Loki. He’s confronted with the fact that no matter which timeline he’s in, his flaws ultimately destroy him.
Unfortunately, we don’t learn much more about the TVA, and we’re no closer to discovering the truth behind the ‘sacred timeline’. We do get a few snippets of information, though, particularly about the ‘void’. This is where all pruned objects go, both people and nexus events. There’s no such thing as ‘resetting’ the timeline, it all just gets transported to the void. I found myself wondering, if all the pruned objects go to the same place, maybe Mobius will be there?
Loki has been mostly pretty strong thus far, with some episodes shining really brightly. Last episode in particular was phenomenal, and so episode 5 had a lot to live up to. So the question is… Did it?
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What’s the Deal With the TVA?
The TVA feels more sinister than ever this week, with a fascinating opening shot. The camera moves forward whilst slowly spinning upside down, as eerie music plays over the scene. The cinematography seems to reflect the newfound mysteries, and the fact that the TVA isn’t all that it appears. There aren’t many scenes inside the TVA this episode, but the few that there are have a very different vibe than before. The TVA used to feel like an amusing parody of bureaucracy, but now it feels so much colder.
Judge Renslayer was the standout character of episode 5 for me, and she had some great moments. She’s such a smooth talker, and she totally fooled me when she was talking to Sylvie. Fearing for your life can be a great motivator, and I believed her when she said she would help. Sylvie apparently was also taken in by Renslayer’s lies, and left herself wide open for betrayal. I was super excited to see that Miss Minutes was back, as she’s such a fun character, but then she went and broke my heart. She was stalling for time! Miss Minutes and Renslayer were working together, and had distracted Sylvie for long enough that a bunch of TVA agents could arrive on the scene. Put into an impossible position, Sylvie pruned herself with the hope of finding Loki at the edge of time.
The mysteries kept on unravelling at the TVA, as it turned out Hunter B-15 was alive and imprisoned. B-15 had an interesting conversation with Renslayer, and it appears not everything she told Sylvie was a lie. Judge Renslayer seems just as interested in finding out who’s behind the TVA. But as B-15 told her, “You only want it. She (Sylvie) needs it”.
Livin’ La Vida Loki
So in the end credit scene last week, we saw Loki surrounded by several variants of himself, and this week we got to know them. Each of them had a different reason for being there, a defining nexus event. Alligator Loki (yup, I know how ridiculous that sounds) ate the wrong cat, an amusing little anecdote. But the others were less light-hearted. Boastful Loki was almost certainly lying, claiming that he collected all 6 infinity stones. Loki was surprised that a child was leading the group, but Child Loki shut him up pretty easily when he revealed his nexus event. He’d killed Thor. Most poignant of all the stories, though, was Classic Loki. He’d escaped the Infinity War, and went to hide somewhere remote. But he’d grown lonely, he missed his brother. When he tried to return home, the TVA appeared and whisked him away.
Listening to the stories, Loki’s face changes. He can see so clearly the results of his own hubris. The path he’s on, the path he always follows, is one of loneliness and destruction. As Classic Loki puts it, they’re the “God of Outcasts”. And Loki realises he doesn’t want to be an outcast anymore. He’s found a connection in Sylvie, and he’s willing to fight for it. But as he goes to leave, he’s intercepted by a very familiar Loki. This Loki is evil and power-hungry, exactly who Loki was back in New York before the TVA grabbed him. It turns out that Boastful Loki had betrayed the group, and a fight ensues, whereby the ‘good’ Lokis all escape and leave the others to fight amongst themselves. But it seems Loki’s redemption arc is really sticking, as he seems determined to make a change.
Reunited and it Feels So Good
Meanwhile, Sylvie has landed, and sets out to find Loki. But she wasn’t prepared for the dangers of the void, and finds herself being chased by Alioth, the vicious smoke beast that guards that place. Desperately running away, she’s moments from death when a car comes by, and with no other option, she jumps in. Lo and behold, the person behind the wheel is Mobius! It was so good to see him again, as despite my initial hesitations, Owen Wilson has been amazing as Mobius, and the show just wouldn’t be the same without him. He seemed to start bonding with Sylvie in the car, even though he’d spent most of the series trying to capture and kill her. Now that his eyes are open to the TVA’s tyranny, he seems willing to go to any length to stop them.
After escaping the fight, Loki and his band of Lokis (I literally have no idea how else to phrase this confusing situation) are determining a plan of action. Loki believes that as Alioth is technically alive, that means it can be killed, and he wants to be the one to do it. He’s desperate to return to the TVA and free Sylvie, unaware that she’s already there in the void. But as they make their way towards Alioth, they hear a rumbling of car. They’re afraid it will be cannibals, but when Sylvie steps out of the car, you can see Loki’s excitement. And, following the corny trope that everyone is accustomed to, Loki runs towards her with open arms. He seems equally thrilled to see Mobius, and together they formulate a plan. Sylvie wants to enchant Alioth, and with nothing else to go on, they all agree.
The Dream Team is Back Together
Putting aside all that gross romantic stuff that was hinted at last week, I do actually like Loki and Sylvie. I was rooting for a close friendship from the get-go, although I don’t want them being that close. Unfortunately, the writers don’t seem to understand that literally nobody ships them, and we get an awkward scene with the two of them sat together. Loki conjures up a blanket, and he looks so vulnerable sat there all bundled up. They discuss their feelings for each other, or rather beat around the bush. Neither of them wants to admit it aloud, but their expressions do all the talking. And then Loki conjures the blanket so it goes around Sylvie’s shoulders too, and they snuggle up together. Awww, but also, ewww.
Still, once that unpleasant business is over with, it’s time for the good stuff. Sylvie is willing to take on Alioth alone, but Loki won’t hear of it, and stays to help her. Sylvie gives her TemPad to Mobius, who offers a ride to the other Lokis. However, they refuse, deciding that the void is where they belong. Once everyone else has left, Sylvie prepares to enchant Alioth. Displaying uncharacteristic bravery, Loki charges in, waving a sword around to attract the beast’s attention. But then it’s Classic Loki to the rescue! Summoning an immense amount of strength, he builds a conjuring of Asgard which buys them time.
Sylvie and Loki join hands, and Loki magically gains the ability to enchant, which we’re supposed to just believe. Together they overpower Alioth, but unfortunately they’re seconds too late to save Classic Loki. When the smoke clears, a dark mansion is visible in front of them. But who lives there?
Graphics and Audio
As per usual, the visuals in this episode were flawless. Loki has never failed to impress me where CGI is concerned, and the wasteland of the void was no exception. It brought together so many out of place elements from time and space, all artificially aged to create a desolate and incongruous world. It looked fantastic, and I loved the contrast of old and new throughout it. There were also some really cool uses of cinematography, and the transitions this episode were excellent. Plus, I know it’s just a minor detail, but I loved the weird alien turkey things. They made me laugh with their goofy way of running around, and the floating balls they had instead of a head. Top tier creature design right there.
The music, too, was awesome at setting the scene. The compositions are masterfully done, and do such an impeccable job of creating atmosphere. Loki really feels like a full sensory experience, even though technically it’s just sight and hearing. The worlds are so well created that it feels like you’re there, immersed in the moment. And the music ignites emotions you didn’t even know were there. Together, they really elevate Loki, and make you feel so much more invested in the plot and characters.
Overall
I’ll be honest, this episode didn’t wow me in the same way that others have done. It wasn’t a bad episode, not by any means. But it was just ‘good’ in a series where I want to see ‘outstanding’. A lot of questions were left unanswered, with no hint that we’ll ever get those answers. For example, how are there so many different versions of Loki when there’s meant to be just one sacred timeline? I thought the whole point was to stop branching timelines, yet here are all these Loki variants with different backstories. Still, it did set up a really big mystery going into the finale. Who is the real face behind the TVA? I wonder if maybe it’ll be yet another Loki…
What did you think of the episode? Do you agree with my opinion? Join the discussion over in our Facebook community!
Loki Episode 5
Pros
- The visuals were magnificent
- Great insight into Loki's psyche
- Cool action sequence at the end
Cons
- The pacing was quite slow for most of the episode
- There wasn't much to get excited about
- Left some unanswered questions
