For All Time. Always
- Runtime: 43:24
- Release Date: 14/07/2021
Episode Summary
Loki and Sylvie find themselves at the Citadel at the End of Time, eager to face what's next.
Aren’t you gonna tell me not to kick the door in?
After their confrontation with Alioth, Loki and Sylvie find themselves right where they wanted to be – the Citadel at the End of Time. The Time Keepers are fake, Renslayers a liar and worst of all, we may have seen the last of Alligator Loki.
With this being the first Disney+ show confirmed to have a second season already in the works, For All Time. Always. serves up as a series finale that is not only satisfying as a standalone, but raises a baton ready to be passed on in the relay race of the MCU. Written by showrunner Michael Waldron and Rick & Morty and Community colleague Eric Martin, we see Sylvies series arc conclude, we see some of Hiddlestons best performances in the 6 episode run, and yes, we see who’s hiding in the castle.
We very clearly know what the motivations are going into this episode and for the most part, those motivations are realised. The writing staff have crafted a narrative that requires very little hand holding following the first few episodes. I find this mainly a credit to the dialogue heavy nature of the show, though it did at times slow the progression down.
The show is called Loki, and the show leans on its titular character - but not to its supporting casts dismay. Wunmi Mosaku offered a wonderful performance with the little she was given, and Owen Wilson was the perfect foil for Loki. Overall, a perfect resolution for what the season set up, amplified by solid performances and an eerie, unique soundtrack throughout.
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Kang of the Castle
Six episodes in and we are finally here, the end of time, the finale, the multiversal tipping point – the end of season one, For All Time. Always.
Following a more terrifying than necessary Miss Minutes jump scare and some exposition with the sentient Microsoft Assistant, we learn He Who Remains is the name of the Citadels occupant. Played by Jonathon Majors, we get our first glimpse at Kang the Conqueror and although we never hear the name Kang mentioned, we are alluded to his sinister identity multiple times. Originally cast back in 2020 and slated to appear in 2023s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as Kang, Majors plays a variant and the creator of the TVA in Loki.
Though his knowledge infinite and his years many, Majors does not play the roll like a wise old figure at the end of time, but more like a witty know-it-all who knows when to pick his moments, confessing:
This game is for the young. The hungry.When talking about keeping the timeline in order.
Save for a few key details, we learn most of the story of the TVA lines up during a visual showcase similar to the intro of Black Panther. We know the timekeepers do not exist, in their place we have He Who Remains, the last variant of himself who survived the multiversal war after weaponizing Alioth and creating the sacred timeline.
We’re all Villains here.
It took me time to warm to Sylvie as a character, something about all the angsty pouting and the inconsistent delivery stopped me from getting a lock on the Goddess of Mischief. However, Di Martinos performance in this episode is wonderful. Even in the final episode Sylvies motivations are unwavering, shes set out for vengeance against whoever took her life from her and she gets it.
He Who Remains never comes off as a clear villain during his “greater good”, explanation of why the TVA operates the way it does. Sylvie fails to see past any of this because of the infliction that was forced upon her, but she survived only to get to this point and makes it clear as conflicted as she is, Loki will not be the one to stop her fulfil her Glorious Purpose. Loki shows his growth in a reactive way, he is no longer as arrogant and burdened by a need for greatness, he realises for once it is all bigger than him and he tries to share this with Sylvie.
Ultimately this is Lokis arc. He gains nothing from his pursuit of change, but the knowledge that it is all bigger than him is a large step forward from the Loki that was snatched by the TVA in episode one. Sylvies arc however was clear from the start and she does as she sets out. With Loki out the picture Sylvie takes her prize by killing He Who Remains and dooming the multiverse (Starlord much?)
The end of time.
The TVA is a lie, He Who Remains is dead, the multiverse in tatters and Sylvie off world. We return to the TVA with Loki racing to catch up with Mobius only to find B-15 and Mobius with no recollection of who he is. Loki looks on in horror to a statue in the TVA of He Who Remains, presumably on a branch timeline.
The MCU Disney+ shows have served thus far experiments in character exploration. Loki has followed suit with that developing a character we have seen cause nothing but havoc on the main timeline and die time and time again. Hiddleston and his direct supporting cast have all acted their pants off, regardless of the size of their roll. Season 2 has been announced and with the MCU moving in a linear trajectory its inevitable we’ll see Loki again before season 2.
Lewis Walker
