'Loki' Season 2 review: Tom Hiddleston's dizzying time travel as Marvel's trickster
Despite "superhero fatigue," the "Loki" series still ranks among the best Disney+ Marvel content available
When Loki's first season landed on Disney+, starring Tom Hiddleston as the title character, the show added a much-needed mischievous and witty energy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
For Loki Season 2, when the show maintains that whimsy and fun energy, that's when the first four episodes of the season (provided to critics in advance of the Oct. 5 premiere) are at their best.
Show: Loki, Season 2
Premiere date: Oct. 5
Streaming: Disney+
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Tara Strong, Ke Huy Quan, Wunmi Mosaku
Number of episodes: 6
Loki Season 2 begins right where the first season left off. Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and Loki came face-to-face with He Who Remains, the creator of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) and a variant of the villain Kang (Jonathan Majors).
Sylvie kills He Who Remains, which he warned would result in the emergence of an infinite number of Kang variants and a multiverse war.
Loki then found himself in a version of the TVA surrounded by Kang statues, where Mobius (Owen Wildon) and Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) do not recognize him at all.
Watch Loki Season 2 on Disney+. Start watching for $11.99 a month, save 15% with an annual subscription.
For Season 2, Loki is back with Mobius and B-15 in addition to new character Ouroboros "OB," played by Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan.
OB has a stark warning that the entire multiverse is in danger, because the Sacred Timeline can't handle the number of new branches that are being created so quickly.
There's also an important part to that puzzle near the beginning of the season — Loki has to actually find Sylvie in the quest to find out what happened to the TVA.
One thing that stays strong in Loki Season 2 is that really endearing, stylized, retro-future aesthetic (including a 1980s-style McDonald's shop).
Much like in Season 1, the visuals powerfully draw you into the story, but in Season 2, Wunmi Mosaku's B-15 really shines as a highlight, digging deeper into the character's personal battle after discovering that she is in fact a variant.
Quan is an absolutely delightful addition to the cast, but at least within the first four episodes, we would have loved to see him have a bit more material to work with. Specifically extending past the sort of tactical elements of being a kind of TVA mechanic. But let's hope there's more of him in the final two episodes of the season.
There is something to be said about this increasingly popular topic of "superhero fatigue." The concept that maybe the muted excitement about a new MCU show, or season of a show, has less to do with the execution and more to do with the fact that we're just being inundated by superhero content year after year.
But for us, there was a really appealing sort of frantic energy to the first four episodes of Loki Season 2 to propel you though the story. It actually may have some of our favourite moments in the whole series to date.
Hiddleston continues to be flawless as Loki, and his rapport with Owen Wilson is better than ever. Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Miss Minutes (Tara Strong) are also still a particularly interesting duo, but we won't spoil too much about that.
Clicking into Loki, you do feel like you're on a stylish ride, while admittedly it's often the smaller moments, the fun banter between characters, that gives Loki particular interest. But we're absolutely excited to see where this energetic and intriguing journey ends up by the season finale.
Ultimately, Loki is still among the top MCU content that's been released on Disney+.
Is Jonathan Majors in 'Loki' Season 2?
Back in March, Jonathan Majors was arrested and charged after an alleged domestic violence incident with then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Majors has denied the accusations.
In June, Rolling Stone published a story detailing an extensive history of abuse allegations against Majors.
He now has a trial date set for Oct. 25, after a third delay.
The actor is back in the world of Loki for Season 2, but this time in a significantly less menacing version of the character, more comedic in fact, as Victor Timely.
We will say that it is hard to separate an admittedly captivating performance from the realities of the accusations against him. But Majors' character continues to be a critical part of the Loki story.
Watch Loki Season 2 on Disney+. Start watching for $11.99 a month, save 15% with an annual subscription.
How can you watch 'Loki' Season 2?
Loki Season 2 will be available to stream on Disney+, with episodes releasing weekly on Thursdays.
When does 'Loki' Season 2 premiere?
The premiere of Loki Season 2 is on Oct. 5, the last episode will be released on Nov. 9.
How many episodes are in 'Loki' Season 2?
Loki Season 2 consists of six episodes.
