Loki “Heart of the TVA” Spoilers Ahead
Note from Marvelous Geeks’ Team: This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the [series/movie/etc] being covered here wouldn’t exist. We stand with and for them.
As a series, Loki is proof of how far most variants of the titular god of mischief have come, but in Loki “Heart of the TVA,” we see how much of the journey has indeed been worth it, even if this isn’t the same man from Infinity War. This variant might not be the Loki who promised his brother that the sun will shine on them again, but he is a version of the character who understands the very adoration the other variant grasped clear as day before his final breath.
This Loki, like the one who came before him, understands the importance of doing the right thing, even if it’s the challenging route to take. And just as he gives Thor the glimmer of hope necessary before Thanos gets to him, he does the same to Sylvie in “Heart of the TVA,” proving that his bonds with these characters are as significant as the one we were introduced to. This is about Mobius and OB and B-15, too. This is about the softness he’s allowing inside him by choosing to believe in people and everything they’re capable of.
Loki’s “Heart of the TVA” Is About Hope
“Trying to fix what’s broken is hard. Hope is hard.” If you’d told me back when the first Avengers movie came out that Loki Laufeyson, Odinson, god of mischief, would someday speak one of the most powerful words in the MCU, I would’ve been deeply hesitant to believe you. Sure, it’s easy to imagine that maybe he’d get a redemption arc, but it’d come in the face of a sacrificial death. And to a degree, that’s precisely what happens with one of the variants. But so much of the Loki that we see today is a version of all of them—a version of what can happen when broken things mend as they’re supposed to.
Hope is hard. It’s the hardest thing in the world to hope when it feels like all odds are consistently stacked against you. And with everything that we’ve seen in Loki Season 2 so far, the Kang is ten steps ahead even when his variants aren’t. This show reveals yet another beginning for another difficult battle awaiting the superheroes. As convoluted as the timeline feels, Loki’s “Heart of the TVA” is upping the stakes by showcasing the depth of fear coupled with perseverance. Loki’s fear is palpable, but so is the detail that the season continues to mount his growth.
In more ways than one, the brokenness within these universes is a stark reflection of humanity. It’s hard to dig into the root of the problem, find the faulty edges, and piece them back together again in ways that will remain intact and beneficial. There are still paths Loki will have to cross to not only stitch back the jagged edges within the TVA’s mess but also within himself. No matter which Loki stands before us, pain lives within him. He’s scarred by the anguish from losses and longings more profound than a human being (or demigod) could fathom. It’s why these words coming from him mean so much because he’s reiterating to Sylvie that none of this is easy for him either.
While the simple words are powerful on their own, the scene is also a testament to Tom Hiddleston’s enamoring portrayals of Loki. He consistently wears his heart on his sleeve, revealing with every gleam and mist in his expression how desperately he wants to do the right thing. Today, when we look into Hiddleston’s eyes as Loki, there are countless words he’s speaking aloud, secrets he’s trying to tell us, and feelings he’s eager to portray. Loki might not be entirely soft; there’s still chaos and madness in him, too, but Loki is a man who understands that softness isn’t a weakness. He understands that it’s easier to let rage simmer than it is to point toward the hope peering through the clouds. He understands that the challenging paths are often the right ones. And with these changes he exhibits, the character continues to bring riveting strength to the MCU.
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