The Disney+ series Loki debuted yesterday and it has already reshaped the future of MCU with just one episode. I knew that this particular addition in the MCU was going to change things, but not to this extent. Gladly enough, the first episode doesn’t take much time to set the narrative. It showed a confused Loki (Tom Hiddleston) being arrested by the TVA. With him, we saw a desperate Mobius (Owen Wilson) trying to rope in Loki for their work. But one particular moment stands out. Loki has proved that Infinity Stones don’t matter in Phase 4 and beyond.
Warning: Potential Spoilers For Disney+ Series Loki Episode 1, “Glorious Purpose.”
Infinity Stones Don’t Matter In Phase 4 & Beyond
Loki episode 1, “Glorious Purpose, disregarded the very existence of Infinity Stones. From Iron Man (2008) to Avengers: Endgame (2019), everything you knew is about to rendered completely useless. Anyway, at the beginning itself, it was shown that the Tessaract was given to a desk worker of the TVA named Casey. Moreover, his desk drawer revealed multiple Infinity Stones that have been collected by the TVA over the years. He even revealed that these Infinity Stones are used as paperweights by the workers.
Well, I’d say that Marvel has completely shifted the focus from Infinity Stones to the multiverse and wizardry. Despite their incredible abilities as seen in past MCU movies, they are meaningless, worthless, and powerless. Michael Waldron, the writer of Loki, told The Direct how exciting it is to work with such a big scope. He said:
“On the one hand, it’s exciting because you’re building a new corner of the world. So you can chart your own course, redefining what things like Infinity Stones actually mean in the MCU.”
Waldron has made it clear that Loki is not your usual cup of tea. There is so much more to the MCU than one can ever know. And that is exactly what Loki is set to focus on. Disregarding the Infinity Stones was a move with repercussions and Marvel Studios are aware of it. So, I say we wait for the ice to break, and see where we find ourselves by the end of the series.
Why Are Infinity Stones Useless In Loki
In hindsight, the Infinity Stones hold no weightage in Loki. Before we dive into it, one must know that the TVA exists out of the normal time and space. They aren’t bound to the same existence as the universe of the MCU. As we know, each stone controls part of the universe. But as I said, their science is not applicable to the TVA. Moreover, the Infinity Stones cannot affect the timeline if there isn’t one in the first place. So, this only proves that TVA and the Time Keepers are way too powerful.
Infinity Stones don’t matter in Phase 4 and Beyond. Waldron went on to discuss the other side to that coin, being that decisions made in Loki are sure to have lasting effects on the rest of the universe. As I have said before, this particular series is the stepping stone for Phase 4. Waldron continued:
“At the same time, everything in the MCU trickles down, trickles up, and informs what’s to come. And also even what’s come before. With that power comes that great responsibility.”
The Infinity Stones represented the greatest power in the MCU when assembled by Thanos in the Gauntlet. But Waldron hints that a greater and bigger power is coming to the MCU. One that will overshadow the existence of the Infinity Stones easily. The TVA is more powerful than what was established to be the most powerful forces of the universe.
What To Expect From Marvel Phase 4
Marvel has broadcasted the fact in broad daylight that they have moved past the Infinity Stone saga. But before that happens, we will see the Eye of Agamotto once again in Doctor Strange 2. The only thing bigger than the Stones is the multiverse. Other elements such as the Quantum Realm are getting more attention now. So the MCU has a multitude of ways to impact and mess with timelines and the universe itself. This will allow them to explore more without repeating things seen before with the Infinity Stones.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston as the God of Mischief, Owen Wilson as Mobius M. Mobius, Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Lexus Renslayer, Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15, and Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane, and Eugene Cordero in undisclosed roles. The first episode is now available on Disney+.
