The Loki season 2 finale, “Glorious Purpose,” is now streaming on Disney+, and wow, what a heartbreaking ending to Loki’s story. After centuries (literally!) of trying to fix the Temporal Loom, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) realizes it can’t be done, so he takes matters into his own hands—again, literally—and gets a major upgrade along the way.
Loki’s got his horns again, along with the throne he thought he wanted for so long. However, his fate is far from a happy ending. Let’s get into it.
This article contains massive spoilers for Loki season 2!
Horns befitting the God of Stories
After he realizes that he has to destroy the Temporal Loom in order to free the timelines from He Who Remains, Loki goes out on the gangway without a protective suit. His TVA uniform is ripped away, revealing a new outfit underneath: draped green fabric and a cape that materializes behind him. A crown appears on his head, and horns grow out of it.
It’s the moment Loki fans have been waiting for ever since his Asgardian leather was ripped away by the TVA in season 1. The suit-up is a beloved trope in comic book films and TV shows, and in his new persona—which is clearly Marvel Studios’ take on the God of Stories from the comics—Loki has a new look to match.
The new outfit is a little surprising, though. First off, it’s nothing like his look in the comics, which features a smaller crown, a fur-lined overcoat, fish scale armor, and boots. Notably, the new outfit doesn’t include any armor at all.
Why? It looks like Loki is finally putting his identity as a villain and anti-hero behind him for good. He’s not looking for a fight anymore, so he doesn’t need any armor. He’s a benevolent god now, sacrificing himself to keep the timeline stable. In fact, by the time he reaches his throne, his cape has become strands of time, effectively tethering him to the timeline.
Then there’s the matter of his horns. If you look closely, you’ll see that his new crown is made from the same stone as the asteroid that He Who Remains’ citadel was carved out of. He’s taking He Who Remains’ place (remember Mobius (Owen Wilson) saying “I need a Loki who remains!” in episode 1?), but he’s going to do things differently, letting the multiverse branch instead of keeping all of time confined to a single timeline.
Loki’s throne
Oh, this scene hurts to watch. After an arduous trip, Loki arrives at the ruins of He Who Remains’ citadel. As he walks, tendrils of gold follow him, engulfing HWR’s old chair. The chair becomes a golden throne, which Loki sits in as he transforms the scattered timelines into Yggdrasil, the World Tree.
But Loki never actually wanted a throne. Deep down, even when he was a villain, he just wanted love and acceptance. That’s exactly what he finds at the TVA, and he even admits to Sylvie in episode 5 that the whole reason he wants to save the TVA is because he wants his friends back. He’s never felt like he belonged anywhere—remember that he’s a frost giant who grew up among Asgardians, never knowing why exactly he was so different from them—but with Mobius and the others, he’s no longer alone.
Until now. As the God of Stories—or Avenger Prime, depending on how the rest of the Multiverse Saga goes down—Loki has a throne he doesn’t actually want, and he’s cut off from the people he loves. This is a terrible fate for him, and it’s a sign of how selfless he’s become that he doesn’t just accept it, but embraces it.
Will Loki stay on his new throne forever? Let’s hope not. Although there’s no sign that Marvel is making Loki season 3, we can hope that before the Multiverse Saga ends, Loki finds a way out.
(featured image: Disney+)
