Loki episode 3 live review: Lady Loki reigns supreme

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier live blog review

09:19:
Anyway that's it from me this week – hope you've enjoyed the frantic live reactions, spurious speculation and inability to catch the name of whatever that pad they were fighting over the whole time.

Hopefully, I'll be back next week – catch you (or at least your dangerous variant) then!

09:11:
So what do we want to see in next week's episode? Well, hopefully we can see what the rest of the TVA (apart from Renslayer) got up to in fixing the Sacred Timeline while the Lokis were gallivanting about (again, I miss Mobius) – unless of course it's all already fixed by the time we get back there.

I assume we'll see how Loki and Sylvie escape certain doom as well. Maybe the TVA will rescue them! Though to be honest, it would solve a lot of their issues in one fell swoop if they did just leave them there. Loki variants? Essentially pruned via moon. Prooned?

And will they believe Loki when he tells them they're all variants too? Will they 'eck. Though I can imagine this could cause a few cracks in the façade of the mighty TVA going forward...

09:00:
Doesn't surprise me that people have picked this out so quickly.

08:56:
So what did we think of that episode?

Personally, while I enjoyed all the action and the new setting, it left me slightly cold. I think this sort of episode, almost a two-hander between the Lokis, lives or dies on the strength of the performances and I'm not sure they were quite there this week.

It could just be me! But the fighting-turned-bickering-reluctant-allies thing was done so well with Loki and Mobius in previous weeks (I miss Mobius!), that I found this episode's breakneck speed through that process a little jarring.

Basically, I don't think we'd spent enough time with Sylvie yet to have them emotionally looking back on old times, and I wasn't completely convinced by how her character chimed in with the cold-blooded killer we'd seen hooded in previous episodes.

Still, I'm hoping that will iron itself out in the remaining three episodes (three! How are we already halfway through?). I believe in you, Lokis!

08:52:
But why is she calling herself "Sylvie"? Where did that come from? Why bother, considering she still dresses in obvious Loki gear? Hmm.

08:48:
Also also, seems like the Sylvie "leak" isn't as big a deal as we thought – it basically means fans found out something a few days early, as opposed to ruining a big season-ending twist. Which is good, because I would have felt bad for dropping that so early in this recap otherwise.

Not bad enough to not do it, of course. I'm a complicated man.

08:45:
So is Sylvie actually a Loki, or something else? It's a little unclear - she hasn't really filled in the gaps in her backstory, other than that like our Loki she was adopted (and knew about it from a young age) and that her mother died younger than Loki's mum Frigga (in Thor: The Dark World, Marvel timeline fans).

She says Loki isn't who she is "any more" but still dresses like him - but has also been on the run her whole life from the TVA (which could make sense, if she was born a variant, which as a female alternate I guess she'd have to have been?)

At the moment, it still seems possible that Sylvie is someone other than a Loki, even if it's not currently clear why she'd lie about it. Maybe she doesn't know herself, or maybe she has more secrets to reveal as the series continues. Either way, I'm into it.

Hey, what if the Time-Keepers created her to cause trouble at the TVA? Considering what we learned about them recruiting and brainwashing variants, it's not out of the question...

08:42:
Do we think they called Lady Loki "Sylvie" to make it easier for recappers who'd have to just keep saying "Loki, no not that one, the other one" in their online articles? If so...thank you, friends, doing God's work.

If not, well it's still handy. And still ties in to those Enchantress hints, which they must have known people would pick up on with the name.

08:40:
Not many of the regular cast in the credits this week, which makes sense given that hardly any of them were in it. (See about the Loki post-credits scene here.)

08:38:
Oh hey, that was the end! Bit of an abrupt conclusion, on a bit of a downbeat moment as the Lokis were apparently doomer forever. Or at least until next week.

Just to be clear for the "recap" portion of whatever this is, the space-ark blew up and both Lokis and everyone else on the planet looked set to die when the moon crashed into them. Sylvie just wandered off and Loki looked sad.

08:36:
Loki and Sylvie running around the collapsing world trying to make the ark...using their magic...fighting...all very cool. Though I feel like Loki's massive telekinetic abilities should turn up more regularly!

08:34:
Twist! Turns out everyone at the TVA is a variant, just like the two Lokis! They weren't created by magic space-lizards after all. I kind of thought something like this might be the case...wonder how they'll feel when they find out.

Also our dynamic duo are now in cool Blade Runner cyber-land, trying to get on the space-ark. It's fun how this show can casually drop in settings like this without having to commit too much. Makes the scale feel genuinely pretty big.

08:30:
In case this is functioning as your recap, Loki was thrown out of the train and broke the pad...thing...and Sylvie shouted at him for being a moron. Now they're just hanging out on the surface. Remember when people thought these scene was Loki hanging out with Black Widow, for some reason? Too many monochrome quarry planets in Marvel.

08:29:
Fun fight scene! Turns out I was wrong, our Loki does have some moves. Also, Sylvie is significantly less posh than our Loki. But then she has been on the run for years, apparently.

On another note...easy week at work for Owen Wilson, eh?

08:25:
Tom Hiddleston is now singing what I assume is an Asgardian folk song of some sort...dropping casual bangers left right and centre. And also cups, smashing on the ground like his brother. Loki knows how to have a good time. But not how to make metaphors. "Love is an imaginary dagger" indeed.

Unfortunately, I think this good time is going to end soon. Even without the TVA, these two can't escape from helmeted guard types.

08:23:
Look at them speculating about Loki's love life...the internet is going to lose its mind. That's a subplot we never saw in the Thor movies.

If I was stealing the power source to a civilisation's last hope I'd probably be less chilled. Also, who is still making champagne in this scenario?

08:20:
Our two Lokis comparing notes...Sylvie knew she was adopted! Ahh, bonding.

Weird that Loki didn't get much beyond illusions though. Doctor Strange has cool whips and things! Though he can conjure a quill at command.

08:18:
All of Sylvie's plans may involve fighting, but all of Loki's seem to involve dressing up in fabulous outfits. And they never work either! They're a well-matched pair anyway.

Loki says "I can never go backwards on a train". How many trains are there in Asgard for him to know that?

08:15:
"Our" Loki tried some of his illusion tricks on the mining lady, but got shot anyway. Apparently everyone else is on "The Ark", the evacuation vessel. This is all sounding very Doctor Who...keep an eye out for an evil Derek Jacobi, Lokis!

08:14:
I am also still amused at "you're not the only tech-savvy Loki". Moving on.

08:11:
Oh these kids...won't they every get along? Also, is it called a ten-pad, the thing they're arguing about? This is an example of one of those things I've missed...should have put subtitles on. Forgive me, internet!

Anyway, they're looking for power for it now. And Lady Loki has said she's not Loki "any more"...she's called Sylvie. There go all those theories, maybe!

08:08:
Loki helped them escape Renslayer. But Lady Loki...who isn't happy to be called a Loki...is now furious because the tablet thing has lost its charge.

Turns out he sent them to Lementis-1, a planet about to be destroyed by a falling moon. Like Termina in Legend of Zelda! Anyway the two...variants...can't say Lokis...have sort of teamed up now for story reasons. Gotta both survive.

08:07:
Anyway our Loki has now followed her, and got his mitts on his handy-dandy daggers. Shame he didn't take the kickboxing class on Asgard.

Hey, she had a big knife the whole time. "Are you sure you're a Loki?" The fan theory is gaining traction.

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08:04:
I do find the idea of "how long have we been friends, you can tell me anything right? Well how many people are guarding the Time-Keepers" as a conversation I could overhear in a Magaritaville pretty funny.

Anyway, it was both an illusion and a flashback. That's how she interrogated the Hunter. And now Lady Loki is busting into the TVA. Her magic doesn't work, but luckily she has mixed martial arts skills.

08:03:
Hey, it's Sasha Lane's Hunter character and Lady Loki enjoying some frozen margs...talking about brain freeze. Was this how she asked her about the Time-Keepers, or some sort of flashback?

Ah, it's asking about the Timekeepers, and it's an illusion.

08:01:
Previously on Loki...everyday sexism as the TVA assume a deadly Loki variant has to be a dude. Also Loki runs after her into a magic door.

And now...groovy music? This show is so great.

08:00:
It's here! I'm going in. Apparently the episode is called "Lamentis"...

07:55:
Oh, while I have you - do we think the Time-Keepers are real? I'm not so sure...he said, setting up an internal link to another RadioTimes.com article...

07:51:
Anyway, maybe we’ll see that play out this week – it could be that this isn’t quite as bad a leak as it first appears, and it’s something we learn soon. Alternatively, it could have ruined the big series-ending twist in which case…sorry. Our bad.

Or it might not be true! Anything is possible with Loki, etc etc.

07:50:
OK, look away now (or just scroll up to 8.00 where the blog proper starts) if you don’t want any potential spoilers…but there are some rumours that “Lady Loki” isn’t exactly who she seems.

You see, a couple of apparently accidental leaks (first in the foreign language credits for episode two and now in some new Loki tie-in merchandise) appear to suggest that Sophia Di Martino is actually playing a different character credited as “Sylvie”.

The reason this is important is that Sylvie is the name of a villain in the comics called Enchantress, upon whom Loki bestows powers of sorcery, mental manipulation and teleportation – so it could be that Di Martino is playing a version of this character, not a Loki variant directly.

After all, she did say not to call her Loki in episode two, AND Hiddleston’s version noted (while being beaten up) that he’d never treat himself so shabbily. It all adds up!

07:45:
Loki be a Lady tonight

Yes, I know I've used that joke more than once. Better get used to that.

Anyway, hello and welcome to our live review of Loki episode three! My name's Huw, and I'm here to give my instant, blow-by-blow reaction to the new episode as it happens - or at least, as it plays out when I hit "play" the moment it arrives on Disney Plus.

If you're watching "live" I'll be right there with you covering every twist, turn and multiversal timeline (well, as much as possible) as Loki meets his female doppelgänger and the TVA falls apart like an ill-judged game of Kerplunk.

We'll get started properly in a few minutes, but for now I ask only one favour - a little understanding. Because while I'm writing like this, I'm bound to miss one or two things – "ah, when Loki raised his eyebrow at the fur coat, that was a reference to Agents of Asgard #5! How could you not mention that!?!" – and if I do offer any truly boneheaded or misguided speculation based off that, I can only apologise.

Still, for now I do have one theory worth looking at before we get started...with some potential spoilers.

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