The Loki Variant Is A Very Different Character According To Tom Hiddleston
It's fair to say that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has enjoyed a pretty wild story arc through his years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From invading Earth in "The Avengers" and eventually repairing his relationship with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), to ultimately meeting his death at the (literal) hands of Marvel's big bad, Thanos (Josh Brolin), things haven't always come easy to the son of Laufey. However, the Disney+ "Loki" TV series approaches the God of Mischief with a fresh set of eyes by deconstructing the villain after "Avengers: Endgame" and seeing what happens when all of his bravado and self-aggrandizing nature are stripped away.
What makes the series so entertaining is that it does all of this while also exploring a brand new concept within the confines of the MCU: the Time Variance Authority. The TVA ensures that the timeline flows as normal, and gets rid of anyone who steps off the path — most notably, a group of people referred to as variants. By doing this, "Loki" cleverly introduces MCU audiences to the concept of the multiverse. Most audiences probably aren't used to seeing multiple versions of the same character on screen, but even this is handily explained through Loki's chemistry with the deadly Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), a female variant of the titular Asgardian. Awkward.
Thankfully, Hiddleston is a master of his craft and adds fascinating dimensions to his performance that make Loki feel like a much deeper person than just a reformed villain. Of course, as dedicated fans of the MCU will no doubt already know, we're going to see even more of the character in "Loki" Season 2. Notably, Hiddleston made a point during a recent interview to say that this Loki variant is a very different character than the Loki we've seen in MCU films.
Tom Hiddleston says the Loki variant is more enlightened
Tom Hiddleston was recently speaking about "Loki" Season 2 with The Playlist, when he opened up about the variant and how he differs from the version of the villain who occupied the big screen alongside Thor (Chris Hemsworth) for so many years. The star noted that this variant of Loki is much more self-aware about his place in the universe as a direct result of his experience with the TVA. "I think Loki in the series is in a more enlightened place perhaps," Hiddleston said. "Or certainly in a more self-aware position because the Loki in the series is aware that his death was meaningless."
Hiddleston also went on to say that the final confrontation with He Who Remains (aka Kang the Conqueror) (Jonathan Majors) was one of his favorite scenes to shoot because of what it forces Loki to consider. "Loki doesn't necessarily agree with He Who Remains, but he does want time to think about what to do because killing He Who Remains seems incredibly dangerous," Hiddleston said.
However, the actor also pointed out that Loki relates to the blind anger that ultimately motivates Sylvie to murder the mysterious man. "Loki can see that Sylvie is blinded by grievance and anger and a kind of drive that is damaging to herself," Hiddleston said. "And it resonates with him because all through the MCU, Loki's been driven by grievance and anger and glorious purpose, I suppose."
And, while there almost certainly remains a part of Loki motivated by selfish drive, Hiddleston notes that the God of Mischief is in a different place now. "I think he's in a place of self-awareness, of acceptance," Hiddleston said. "He's trying to break the record. He's trying to play another tune. It felt very original, very new, very fresh and I loved the journey."