SPOILERS FOR LOKI SEASONS 1 & 2 AHEAD. Don’t read further, lest you branch off the Scared Timeline and be pruned as a result.

GLORIOUS PURPOSE!

Sorry; I needed to get out of my system.

Well hello there, General…ah, I forgot your name. If you’ve known me for a while, then you’ll know that I have a particular fondness for a franchise centered around big balls of flaming hot gas duking it out between each other, or to use its conventional name, Star Wars. Yet I also love Marvel—well, the MCU, I should clarify—and I like both for much of the same reason. Beyond cool battles and impressive looking effects, there’s one thing that drives me and so many others to rewatch these films. It’s the same reason why some films work and others do not.

Strong, relatable, and even inspiring characters.

Sure, part of the reason Star Wars was such a big success is because of the groundbreaking special effects, and as kids people are more likely to vividly remember the trench run, or both of the duels between Luke and Darth Vader. However, what makes those films stand out is their strong characters. What made you fall in love with those films all over again is the relatable people found in Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo, who each overcome their obstacles and fears and perform incredible acts that inspire you to become a hero in your own galaxy.

Marvel’s superheroes are much the same way, and even more so. Most people would’ve included Luke and Leia as the inspiring heroes and had been done with the list, but I find that Han Solo is even more striking in his journey. Han is a flawed individual that chooses against better judgment to help Luke when at the last second. This is also what makes the Avengers so compelling: they’re flawed men and women who try their best to make the world better, yet whenever they do try they instead bicker and argue or even cause ruin. They’re not perfect, but they try, and every so often succeed.

Again, it’s what sets certain films apart from the pack. Most major release films have the money and technology to throw whole computer-generated worlds at their characters, yet most of these films fade away, and something else becomes the next hot topic. Then there are those movies that people still watch and rewatch ten, twenty, forty, even sixty years after they were released. Sometimes it’s for the songs; other times it’s for the special effects; most times, it’s for the characters.

Yes, I hear you say, “What about good storytelling?” This could be a multitude of paragraphs in of itself, but I’ll keep it concise here. Why is it that most of the winners of the Oscars are ones with which the general public is unfamiliar? Could it be that it’s not just good filmmaking or realistic storytelling, but lovable characters as well that make for a good film? Sure, the recognition that comes with a franchise plays a factor, but I believe that general audiences love relatable characters who then inspire through their selfless actions. This is what Star Wars did, and what Seasons 1 and 2 of Loki did.

Superhero movies are often characterized by huge, sweeping, CGI-powered boss battles that level whole cities, even destroying a couple of planets a few times. Why, Marvel Studios, beginning with Iron Man in 2008, have written their stories around the action scenes they have in mind. Nevertheless, the reason Iron Man was the first superhero featured in the MCU was for his flawed, relatable character, and that fact, coupled with Robert Downey Jr.’s lovable performance, is what sold audiences, as well as groundbreaking action scenes. Part of what made the MCU’s Infinity Saga shine was compelling, relatably flawed yet inspiring heroes, and those have been seemingly absent in the Multiverse Saga, barring a few lovable heroes and heroines. One of those exceptions is Loki, who is technically an Infinity Saga villain-turned-antihero while also technically being a Multiverse Saga antihero.

What made Loki the show so enjoyable are the characters in it. Tom Hiddleston was a fan-favorite beforehand, but what the show brilliantly does as well, though, is building around him equally talented actors and actresses playing really compelling characters. Whether it’s Owen Wilson’s quippy tone, Sophia Di Martino’s serious but poignant demeanor, Ke Huy Quan’s lovable quirkiness, or the standout Johnathan Majors, playing two polar opposite characters so wonderfully (cough, despite how much of a jerk he might be in real life, cough), each and every actor and actress in this show brought dynamic and unique personalities to these characters. Ultimately, though, this whole story is driven by Loki’s character, who from the premiere to the finale is the emotional heart of the show—which would be weird otherwise, but hey, just look at… I don’t know, uh, Anakin in the Phantom Menace?

Before watching the second season, I was cautiously… optimistic? Nay, perhaps cautiously, blissfully optimistic. I absolutely loved the first season of Loki, but I had watched my favorite Star Wars show crash and burn in its third season, so I mentally prepared myself to simply watch the show and walk away unimpressed and move on with my life. Season 2 of Loki, while it needed to follow up on the cliffhanger of Season 1, didn’t need to be as important to the MCU as a whole as Mando Season 3 needed to be to the Star Wars galaxy. Plus, I’m not as tied to the MCU as I am to Star Wars.

Obviously, this second season impressed me enough that I’m writing an essay on it a couple of weeks after the finale aired (and publishing it a couple of months thereafter). It wrestled with fascinating philosophical questions about our true nature and fate, and whether one should kill trillions in order to save everyone. Each episode was intriguing, and I might say is worth the watch of even those who aren’t fans of Marvel. Loki’s journey in the finale episode throughout his own journey in the show was rewarding. His decision at the end to accept his glorious purpose was inspiring, reminding us that our purpose, though glorious in significance, is humbling.

Unfortunately, there were indeed flaws with this otherwise perfect second season. One I’ve already alluded to is Loki’s unclear motivations, only to be laid out in the penultimate episode in a passionate conversation between Loki and Sylvie. The characters of Brad and Rovanna were dropped after the climax of Episode 4, only the latter of the pair receiving any semblance of closure. The logic and rules of time travel also seemed to be inconsistent if you didn’t suspend your disbelief.

Still, Loki worked because of its titular character. Loki worked because of the two compelling characters known to us as Slyvie and Mobius. Loki worked because of interesting villains like He Who Remains and Renslayer. It worked because even the side characters of Hunter B-15 and Brad showed character development, and because the static characters of O.B. and Casey were memorable. It worked because of its characters who were strong, relatable, and, as Loki ascended those steps to his throne at the end of time, inspiring.

It didn’t even need a big, computer-animated fight to show for it.

What did you think of Loki Season 2, or the show in general? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts on Loki? Which character stood out to you most? How important are relatable and inspiring characters to a story? Let me know in the comments below. I look forward to reading each and every one.

Until next time,

-Gabriel Coats