The Falcon and the Winter Soldier gave us a new Captain America. WandaVision delivered us a Wanda Maximoff who has finally tapped into the potential of potential of her powers and Black Widow potentially paved the way for a new widow. But where these all hint and tease at the future of the MCU, Loki seems to blow the doors wide open, nicely setting up the highly anticipated multiverse and all the exciting possibilities that come with it.

It’s important to remember that the Loki we see here is not the redeemed trickster that we’ve come to know and love but the devious and manipulative wannabe ruler we loved to hate, fresh from his defeat at the Battle of New York. When Loki picks up the loose tesseract during Endgame‘s ‘time heist’, he sets a course in motion that should not be, bringing the Time Variance Authority (TVA) swiftly on his heels.

The TVA are a mysterious agency whose sole purpose is to protect the Sacred Timeline – a series of paths or events that all timelines must take – which is defined by the enigmatic Time Keepers. Any deviations to this scared timeline can cause an alternative timeline to branch off, which must be ‘pruned’ before chaos ensues.

Charged with crimes against the timeline, our Loki is threatened with execution but is instead recruited by Agent Mobius to help him chase down a fugitive who is causing havoc to the TVA. Ever the survivor, Loki grabs the opportunity with both hands and almost as quickly, plots either his escape or his plan to seize control of the agency. But why would Mobius ask the notoriously unreliable and grandiose God of Mischief for help? Well, the fugitive in question is a Loki variant from another timeline and what better way to catch a Loki than with a Loki.

Although a key part of the Marvel Universe, up until this point, Tom Hiddlestone’s Loki Laufeyson hasn’t really stepped much outside the realms of recurring supporting character so it is really fun to see Hiddlestone reprise the role that catapulted his Hollywood career into the stratosphere, and relish in the challenge of leading man. There is some clever storytelling in the first episode that helps bridge the gap between the 2012 and 2019 versions of the trickster and reminds the audience that underneath the ambitious wannabe ruler filled with ‘glorious purpose’ is a vulnerable person who just wants a bit of affection and a place to belong.

A little more dialogue heavy than what we are used to in the MCU, Loki‘s story unravels slowly before building to a fantastic end, and Hiddlestone carries this well. Supported, of course, by the beautiful production design, a captivating musical score and a whole host of fantastic new characters. The unhurried pacing of the storytelling allows for some great character development, which is probably on of the reasons the show works so well.

The decision to cast Owen Wilson’s turn as TVA agent, Mobius, is surprisingly effective. His laidback, unruffled approach is in stark contrast to Loki’s “full tilt diva” persona and it seems as though our trickster may have finally met his match. The key, it seems, is to simply not react to his grand exclamations of ‘glorious purpose’ and world domination. There is a distinct buddy cop feel to their relationship that brings a subtle yet refreshing humour that breaks through the bleakness of the central storyline.

Sophia Di Martino’s turn as the rogue Loki variant, Sylvie, is delightful to watch, bringing us a strong female character without hammering home the fact that they have brought us a strong female character – a line that seems to be difficult to walk for many storytellers. Di Martino has a presence on screen that is captivating and she works in great harmony with Hiddlestone.

Chuck in Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the sober and resolute Judge Ravonna Renslayer, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15 and the scene stealing Richard E. Grant as the retro Classic Loki variant and you have a solid supporting cast that are each given their own moments to shine.

Loki does a great job of answering some obvious questions or prominent fan theories from Endgame whilst still delivering a self-contained storyline that is well paced, building slowly to an impactful climax that doesn’t just set up Marvel’s multiverse but leaves the audience itching for more.