Is Loki dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Latest details from Loki episode four
Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief died in Avengers: Infinity War, but he’s alive and well in his own Disney Plus series. So what gives? **WARNING: LOKI SPOILERS**
As if there was ever any doubt, Loki episode four has fully established Tom Hiddleston's God of Mischief as Marvel's "most killed off" character.
At a key moment in this week's instalment, the trickster tells TVA forces that he's "lost count" of the number of times he's died, and viewers at home might be feeling the same way.
After all, his fate was left ambiguous at the end of 2011's Thor, he seemed to die once again in sequel flick The Dark World, while Avengers: Infinity War saw Loki's most brutal offing yet at the hands of Thanos.
If you thought his survival was assured as the title character of a major streaming series, think again: Loki was killed off in episode four of his self-titled show – but a surprise post-credits scene suggests his story is far from over.
So, is Loki dead in the MCU? We think not. Read on for all the information we have on the character's fate.
Does Loki die in episode four?
After the first three chapters moved at a relatively slow pace, Loki episode four kicked the series into high gear with an action-packed instalment that gave us an insight into Sylvie's past and our first real look at the Time-Keepers – but that's not all.
One of the most shocking moments came towards the end, as Loki began to admit his feelings for Sylvie in the Time-Keepers' lair, only to be pruned out of existence by relentless TVA judge Ravonna Renslayer.
Sylvie disarmed her shortly after and demanded she tell her what's really going on at the TVA, having just discovered that the Time-Keepers are nothing more than mindless androids.
The credits roll and for a moment it seems like Loki might have actually bitten the dust this time, until a surprise post-credits scene reveals he is indeed alive – and not alone.
The God of Mischief is approached by three Loki variants: a hammer-wielding warrior (DeObia Oparei), an older incarnation (Richard E. Grant) and the long-rumoured Kid Loki (Jack Veal), joining the Loki cast at last.
They inform him that he isn't dead or in the Asgardian realm of Hel but "will be unless you come with us".
So, where exactly is Loki now? It's left open to interpretation but the crumbling buildings suggest this could be an apocalyptic alternate timeline where variants are sent to keep from causing havoc in the TVA's "sacred" one.
No doubt we'll find out more next week.
Read our Loki episode four review for more details.
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Did Loki really die in Avengers: Infinity War?
Yes, he is definitely killed in Infinity War. Although obviously, he’s also very not dead. Let us explain.
Hiddleston apparently said farewell to the character in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War when the surviving Asgardians were attacked in space by Thanos, who choked Loki to death after an attempted double-cross.
As Thor (Chris Hemsworth) wept over his brother’s body, fresh from their reconciliation in the previous film, it seemed like Loki’s story would end there – but it didn’t.
Loki's grim death in that epic blockbuster was totally genuine, rather than the deceitful trickery he pulled in 2013's Thor: The Dark World, which was purely to usurp the throne of his homeworld.
But the events of Endgame gave him a future in the MCU, as the film's time travel antics allow the God of Mischief to flee from a much earlier point in Loki's timeline – specifically, just after the events of 2012's The Avengers.
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How is Loki alive in the Disney Plus series?
In 2019’s Avengers: Endgame the Avengers used time travel to zip back to the time of the 2012 Avengers movie, where they hoped to get their hands on various Infinity Stones. Unfortunately, the plan goes awry when Tony (Robert Downey Jr) is knocked out by Hulk, with the Tesseract of the time period falling to Loki's feet, allowing him to make a quick getaway.
This action breaks Loki away from his predetermined fate – heading to Asgardian prison in The Dark World, followed by his rule disguised as Odin between that film and Ragnarok, then his redemption, and then his death at the hands of Thanos.
Now, according to the rules of the Time Variance Authority – a new organisation to the MCU, who play a large part in Loki – he’s a “variant” who has to be stopped and taken in, lest he threaten the proper course of events. And this creates an interesting wrinkle.
You see, now this variant Loki has no proper place – the changed MCU that he escaped from will presumably be scrubbed from existence by the TVA, and the proper course of Loki’s life is still “canon”, as the main MCU continues. We just have this extra, younger spare Loki knocking about outside of time (which is where the TVA apparently exists), and it seems likely that he’ll cause trouble when he learns the ignominious fate that awaits him.
Loki debuts on Disney Plus on 9th June – see our Loki release schedule for more information. You can sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year now. Visit our Sci-fi hub for all the latest news, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.
