Just how evil is the Time Variance Authority? There’s little doubt in our minds that the TVA in Loki isn’t the benevolent force for good it claims to be, but in Episode 3, the Disney+ series reveals a major new detail about the organization that lines up perfectly with one popular fan theory — and potentially changes the future course of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Loki Episode 3.
Loki Episode 3 and the “variants”
In a lot of ways, this week’s Loki feels like the type of bottle episode we might get on another Disney show, The Mandalorian. Our heroes are dropped on some dying planet on the edge of the world and are forced to fight to survive in a dangerous western-sci-fi environment.
But unlike The Mandalorian, Loki still has a lot of plot and exposition to move through, and Episode 3 delivers a whopper. According to Sylvie (aka, Lady Loki, but don’t call her that), the entire workforce of the TVA is actually made up of variants who are then brainwiped and forced to protect the sacred timeline and capture other variants.
To quote a certain mustachioed TVA agent, “Wow!”
Not only does this mean the TVA is lying, but it raises an even more important question: What will happen if Sylvie succeeds in taking down the Time Keepers?
As far as we can tell, the TVA is essentially limitless, with its offices and workers stretching out forever in space. Where will all those variants go? Remember, their timelines have already been disintegrated?
How Loki can change the MCU
All those variants will need to go somewhere, and the answer probably lies in the multiverse. With infinite timelines to choose from, there should be plenty of space to shove Mobius and the rest of his co-workers, right?
Then again, the multiverse may be full. These are all variants whose timelines have been destroyed. So unless the TVA can create a new timeline for them, the MCU could be facing a humanitarian disaster as big as Endgame (or worse) as a huge influx of variants go from office drones to refugees.
We saw in that movie how wiping half of the population out of existence damaged the world, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier explored how bringing them all back created even more issues. But what happens if all of a sudden the MCU needs to find a home to thousands, millions, or even billions of ex-TVA employees?
It’s a problem not even the Avengers may be able to solve, but it’s one we could see play out very soon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Loki is streaming now on Disney+.
