For starters, I’d like to take a moment to complain about the fact that “Journey Into Mystery” is the penultimate episode and that means next week is the finale, which I just boldly reject. I want to watch and unpack Loki every week. I don’t want it to ever end.
I have also decided that I just no longer understand the concept of time travel and neither does the Marvel Cinematic Universe—I say this with love. What I do understand however, is that quiet moments of character development will always be at the forefront of an excellent episode, and this one featured plenty of those thus, resulting in the fact that dare I say, this is the best thing the MCU has done since Agent Carter.
In other words, let women write and direct more because they understand that quiet moments of contemplation scream louder than action packed fight sequences. Women understand the importance of balance, which “Journey Into Mystery” is full of, and women understand how to get to the heart of something. And Tom Hiddleston always understands the assignments he’s given.
Journey into Mystery aka Journey into Friendship
Thank heavens pruning isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be because Mobius is alive and that’s the primary thing that matters here. Mobius as a character is the biggest surprise from this show because I didn’t imagine liking him as much as I do. And I certainly didn’t imagine just how large of an impact he’d have on Loki’s development.
I will always take moments of genuine vulnerability over anything else, and the moment Loki hugged Mobius after he initially held out his hand, I was a goner.
Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson get sincerity right, and the amount of it cementing their relationship throughout the show is almost more than anything the films have done. And again, it’s entirely due to the fact that women just know how to write honest, heartfelt conversations that don’t feel forced.
The development between the two of them has been going strong since day one because ultimately, it’s been about challenging each other’s beliefs, and it’s been about bringing out the best in each other while trying, but doing so without force. And that’s how they can come to a place where when they call each other ‘friend’, they mean it in a way they’ve meant nothing else before.
This moment in “Journey Into Mystery” is the equivalent of Loki’s “the sun will shine on us again, brother” only this time, he could actually survive to see that promise made into a reality. And as the audience, you could feel every ounce of that hug the two shared. You could feel just how much they do genuinely care about each other, and just how much their friendship has impacted the other.
Chaos and Calm
I still don’t understand the relationship between Loki and Sylvie, and to be frank, I don’t even want to. (At least not in a romantic sense.) But what I deeply appreciate is once again the fact that right before a big battle, two characters are given the opportunity to just talk to each other.
In “Journey Into Mystery,” two characters are given the chance to uplift each other and show just how much they believe in what the other is capable of. If this is a love story centered around self-love, then it’s a love story about the importance of conversation and a calm amidst the chaos.
It’s what love ultimately is (whether romantic or platonic), it’s the detail that where it’s present, characters are better, calmer, and stronger. They are the best versions of themselves because they choose, without anyone forcing them, to give a part of themselves to someone else. (Or in this case, another version of themselves.) I need like 20 naps to try and figure this out.
Missing Thor
Head empty, it’s easy to just appreciate that there is a different version of Loki that has missed Thor. It comes down to the detail that at the end of the day, every version of Thor and Loki were meant to somehow find moments back to each other, and to fight alongside each other as brothers.
It’s Never too Late
Mobius saying it’s never too late to change—that’s it, that’s the entire theme of this series. It works beautifully to tell this story about an anti-hero because at the height of everything is just human beings (or celestials) trying to make matters right.
No one is too far gone.
No one is born evil or good, and that’s the heart of every universe. People can grow into better versions of themselves. People can find ways to overcome the obstacles in their path and rise above the darkness that consumes them. People can, so long as it’s their choice, decide to be the very best version of themselves possible.
Alligator Loki
Move over, Milo the Goat—it’s all about Alligator Loki now. And I love everything about it including the fact that I’d like to have it as a pet even if that’s stupidly dangerous. But you know what, nothing makes sense in this universe except somehow, this makes the most sense. We don’t question it. We just roll with it.
As a penultimate episode, “Journey Into Mystery” is strong in its showcase of quiet moments amidst of chaos.
Glorious Mischief and Further Thoughts
- The Loki soundtrack continues to be one of the best in the MCU and I’m never getting over it.
- For a second there, I genuinely thought Ravonna was going to turn around and make me proud, but nope, she just keeps siding with the TVA and ma’am, why?
- Is Miss Minutes evil? Who even knows anymore?
- The death of Classic Loki? THAT HURT.
- The aesthetics when the clouds started opening up and the planet faded into view? Gorgeous.
What are your thoughts on this week’s episode of Loki?