One Line In Loki May Prove Who’s Behind The Fake Time-Keepers

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for Loki episode 4.

There’s a conspiracy going on with the Time-Keepers, and Loki may have already spoiled who’s really pulling the strings at the Time Variance Authority. Loki episode 4 finally reveals that the Time-Keepers are fake. After Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Sophia Di Martino’s Lady Loki, a.k.a. Sylvie, are brought before the so-called gods of the timeline to be executed, the pair fight their way free. Sylvie then throws a weapon at one of the Time-Keepers, beheading the creature. The Time-Keeper turns out to be a mindless robot, and it seems someone else is truly in charge at the TVA.

Before the reveal that the Time-Keepers were fake, Loki hinted things at the TVA were amiss. Prior to the episode, the Time-Keepers were never seen. Even Owen Wilson’s Mobius, who spent years working at the TVA, had never viewed his mysterious time bosses. Instead, their orders were simply carried out by Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Ravonna Renslayer, and no one at the TVA even questioned it. Viewers theorized immediately that the Time-Keepers weren’t actually the real power, and Loki episode 4 finally confirms it.

In addition to revealing the truth about the Time-Keepers, Loki seems to be dropping hints about who’s actually in charge at the TVA. In episode 4, Mobius interrogates Loki, trying to figure out how he’s working with Sylvie. The God of Mischief, being a consummate liar, makes up a story to throw him off. “Of course it was me pulling the strings all along,” Loki says. It’s almost a throwaway moment, as Mobius doesn’t end up believing his lies, anyway. However, the reveal that the Time-Keepers aren’t Loki‘s real villains makes it more interesting. Someone else is behind the Time-Keepers, and the line hints it’s been Loki all along–or a Loki.

The God of Mischief saying he’s “pulling the strings all along” is especially interesting considering someone is actually pulling the strings at the TVA. In addition to the line, the Disney+ series has seemingly been hinting all along that a Loki variant is secretly in charge. In the first episode, Loki tells Mobius that “choice breeds shame and uncertainty and regret.” It almost sounds like the TVA’s mission statement. If it were up to the TVA, no one would have any choices at all. They’d all simply stick to their assigned paths on the Time-Keepers’ Sacred Timeline. With Loki’s philosophy matching the TVA’s so perfectly, it makes sense that there’s a Loki pulling the strings.

The God of Mischief is all about deception, so the line could just be a red herring. After all, the Time-Keeper reveal shows fans can’t take any information presented in Loki at face value. Plus, there are also hints that another villain, Kang the Conqueror, could be lurking in the shadows. Notably, Ravonna Renslayer, who’s been carrying out the fake Time-Keepers’ plans, is Kang’s love interest in the Marvel comics. As much as Loki’s line seems to be hinting one of the Loki variants is in charge, it could simply be another trick.

Loki releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

About The Author

Bill Bradley
(524 Articles Published)

Bill is an experienced reporter who’s covered entertainment and fandom since 2014. He’s done everything from unearthing the discarded Game of Thrones pilot script in a library in Texas to finding out why Steve left Blue’s Clues. He also enjoys eating Taco Bell and drinking chocolate milk.

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