TV & Movies

The Loki Credits Scene Has A Blink-And-You-Miss-It Detail

A new superhero team is assembling.

Loki met some more variants in an Episode 4 end-credits scene. Screenshot via Disney+
Marvel Studios

Spoilers ahead for Loki Episode 4. What... just... happened? Episode 4 of Loki made the chaos and iconic revelations of “Lamentis” look like a peaceful stroll through a lunar apocalypse. Following a surprise appearance by Lady Sif, a shocking Time-Keepers twist (they’re literally just clunky animatronic figureheads — or so they want everyone to think), and two heartbreaking prunings by Judge Renslayer that took out both halves of #Lokius, the status of our beloved characters has never felt more precarious. Fortunately, this episode was the first to feature an end-credits scene, and it couldn’t come soon enough.

Though you may need to rewatch for a closer look if your eyes were still bleary with tears the first time around (understandable!), the scene doesn’t just provide viewers with a glimmer of hope for the freshly pruned God of Mischief. It also serves as an introduction to several new Loki variants — one of whom could be key in setting up the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next big team-up, the Young Avengers. Here is everything you should know about that end-credits scene and how the Young Avengers connect with Loki so far.

What Does The Episode 4 End-Credits Scene Mean For Loki?

Marvel Studios

The most important takeaway from that post-credits scene is, of course, that Loki is alive! Though, maybe not for long, as his new companion warns. “Is this Hel [the afterlife in the Nine Realms]? Am I dead?” Loki asks upon waking up in a grey, ruined landscape. There are damaged skyscrapers in the background — including one that looks a lot like Avengers Tower circa 2012, when Loki attacked Earth.

“Not yet,” a new voice answers. “But you will be unless you come with us.” Several apparent Loki variants appear. For starters, there’s Richard E. Grant in a colorful costume that looks like Loki when he was first introduced in 1962’s Journey Into Mystery No. 85.

Marvel

The armored character on the left, played by DeObia Oparei, carries a hammer and is referred to as “Boastful Loki” in the German credits, as reported by Screen Rant. A Twitter post by Oparei provides a closer look at the variant’s costume.

The third and fourth Loki variants seem to be later comics’ Kid Loki (played by Jack Veal) and a crowned crocodile sitting in his lap. Apparently, the God of Mischief was right — style is a defining factor of what makes a Loki a Loki, even for the reptilian variants.

This Loki end-credits scene completely upends viewers’ understanding of what it means to be pruned — which, until now, pretty much meant being killed. It appears that the Time Variance Authority’s actual ultimate punishment is to send troublesome variants to a wasteland where they only encounter other versions of themselves. The destination seems personal to the pruned — for example, Loki’s new surroundings look like a post-apocalyptic New York, which would’ve come to be had his attempted conquest in Avengers been successful.

Who Are Kid Loki & The Young Avengers?

Now, back to Kid Loki. The character was first introduced in 2010’s Thor No. 617 as a rebirth of Loki after the God of Mischief died fighting for Asgard. Thor finds the new iteration of Loki in Paris, telling him that “for all the wretchedness of your past lives... I cannot imagine my present life without you.” Kid Loki has no idea who Thor is and can’t remember committing any of Loki’s many, many misdeeds — he’s like a blank slate with bad dreams of another life — but ultimately believes his brother and ends up joining the Young Avengers, the new generation of the long-running group of heroes.

Marvel

Kid Loki’s introduction would help Loki maintain the Disney+ tradition of introducing Young Avengers characters through its MCU shows. Even though a Young Avengers film hasn’t been announced for MCU Phase 4, the key players are assembling anyway — Billy and Tommy, Wanda’s twins from WandaVision, are Young Avengers Wiccan and Speed, per Marvel; Eli Bradley, Isaiah Bradley’s grandson from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, is Patriot; and Kate Bishop will take on the Hawkeye mantle in the upcoming Hawkeye series. The trend will continue in the MCU’s films, too — Cassie Lang, Ant-Man’s daughter, is another Young Avenger in the comics.

Is Mobius Still Alive?

Chuck Zlotnick/Marvel Studios

One of the most jaw-dropping moments in Loki Episode 4 happened when Renslayer had Mobius pruned right after Loki helped the agent realize the truth about the TVA and the variants. Fortunately, by the logic established in that end-credits scene — that pruned variants don’t just disappear forever — it seems that Mobius might actually be alive out there. Hopefully, on crusing on a jet ski.

As for what his variants might look like, Twitter user parkersmaximoff pulled inspiration from the Owen Wilson Cinematic Universe (OWCU) to arrive at a possible preview.

Whatever happens, expect some answers — and more chaos — soon. Sylvie just demanded that Renslayer tell her “everything,” so fans might actually find out who Renslayer’s working for (certainly not those phony robot Time-Keepers). Plus, Tom Hiddleston recently teased to ComicBook.com that Episodes 4 and 5 take “big leaps forward,” and his promise certainly proved true this time around.