What happened at the conclusion of Loki Season 1, and have other MCU events affected its second season?

Tom Hiddleston’s popular MCU anti-hero, Loki, returns to Disney+ this week with the second season of the character’s titular show offering more questions than answers, especially given the state of the Marvel Universe after the conclusion of ‘Secret Invasion’ earlier this year. 

Given that both shows share the same timeline rather than one preceding the other (for now anyway), there might be a chance that ‘Loki’ might be a pivotal series for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as he continues towards ‘The Avengers’ super-event to bring the newest phase to a conclusion - and maybe the universe as a whole?

It’s become apparent that after the not-so-impressive box office returns and critical reviews for a number of MCU films and television shows since the release of ‘Loki’ season one with many citing “superhero fatigue” as the main issue leading to the less-than-stellar performances so far in the universe.

But early reviews for the show have been positive, with some even calling ‘Loki’ season two a welcome return to what made the Marvel Cinematic Universe so compelling in the first place. Plus, the chemistry between lead actors Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson was one that received plenty of plaudits upon their initial adventures.

So to help you jog down memory lane, what indeed happened when we left Loki, Sylvia and Mobius at the end of the last season of Dinsey+’s mystery-thriller, ‘Loki’?

What happened at the conclusion of ‘Loki’ Season 1?

At the conclusion of 'Loki' Season 1, the series takes a thrilling turn. Loki and his variant counterpart Sylvie confront the Time-Keepers, only to discover that they are androids, and the true mastermind behind the Time Variance Authority (TVA) is unveiled. This mastermind is "He Who Remains," a variant of Kang the Conqueror.

In a pivotal encounter in the Citadel at the End of Time, He Who Remains offers Loki and Sylvie a choice: either take over the TVA and maintain order in the multiverse, or kill him, potentially unleashing chaos across multiple realities. Their decision has profound consequences. When Sylvie decides to eliminate He Who Remains, she triggers a multiverse of possibilities, leading to the fracturing of the sacred timeline.

As a result of their actions, Loki finds himself back at the TVA, but this TVA is different, and the Mobius he encounters does not recognize him.

Are there any MCU movies or shows that have an influence on ‘Loki’ Season 2?

While ‘Loki’ is set before the events of ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantamania,’ the third film in the Paul Rudd-led franchise did offer a post-credits scene that may play into the second season of the series. Loki and Mobius are seen investigating the enigmatic inventor Victor Timely, with Loki expressing concern about Timely's potential danger. 

Does this mean that we might see Timely in the upcoming series as a major plot point - given the nature of the show and its time-travelling elements, could some of the events from ‘Secret Invasion,’ set in the same time-frame as ‘Loki,’ also have a knock-on effect the TVA have to deal with?

When is ‘Loki’ Season 2 out on Disney+?

‘Loki’ Season 2 premieres Friday October 6  2023 on Disney+.