‘Loki’: Yes, Kang the Conqueror Is the Variant That Caused Chaos on Earth-616
The conclusion of ‘Loki’ Season 2 delivered an exceptional finale, as Loki orchestrated a sacrifice that ensured the continuity of both the TVA and the multiverse, all while averting the return of He Who Remains. This decision, however, opened the door for other variants of He Who Remains to coexist, given the proliferation of countless timelines. Mobius alluded to a variant causing disturbances in one of Earth-616’s neighboring realms. The question remains: Which specific He Who Remains variant stirred trouble in the realm of 616?
There are plenty of Kang variants on the loose currently
In the Season 2 finale of ‘Loki,’ a significant revelation unfolded, emphasizing that He Who Remains had contingencies for every scenario, creating a sense that Loki and his allies were destined to face defeat. This realization became evident as Loki, utilizing his time-slipping abilities, attempted to prevent the TVA’s meltdown caused by the Temporal Loom. Repeated attempts revealed the Loom’s incapacity to handle the simultaneous existence of numerous timelines.
Upon engaging in a discussion with He Who Remains (HWR) at the end of time, Loki discovered that HWR bestowed upon him the power to time-slip and intentionally designed the Temporal Loom as a failsafe rather than a timeline management device. HWR clarified that the Loom was never meant to sustain multiple timelines but was intended to overload and annihilate everything except the Sacred Timeline.
If the Loom were to obliterate everything but the Sacred Timeline, HWR ensured his perpetual return to power through reincarnation, even if he were to be killed at the end of time. In a sacrificial move, Loki replaced the destroyed Temporal Loom, assuming the roles of both the Loom and He Who Remains. This act secured the safety of the TVA and prevented HWR’s resurgence to power, granting Loki the glorious purpose he always sought—now as the god overseeing the timelines.
However, allowing the existence of other timelines introduced the risk of He Who Remains’ variants freely existing across the vast multiverse, potentially leading to a multiversal war. Despite this risk, the continued existence of the TVA instills confidence in Loki that He Who Remains won’t return to power.
Mobius was keeping notes on Kang the Conqueror
Following Loki’s assumption of the role of overseeing and regulating the diverse timelines throughout the vast multiverse, the TVA remained vigilant in its mission to monitor and safeguard the timelines. Towards the episode’s conclusion, Mobius and B-15 discussed how the variants of He Who Remains were still unaware of the TVA’s existence. Mobius intriguingly mentioned a variant of He Who Remains in an adjacent dimension within Earth-616. This variant was unmistakably Kang the Conqueror, who made his appearance in the Quantum Realm during the events of ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.’
Kang faced repercussions as his other variants betrayed him, casting him into the Quantum Realm due to his destructive actions. The mid-credits scene in ‘Quantumania’ showed Kang’s variants convening in a different dimension, signaling the initiation of the anticipated ‘Kang Dynasty’ storyline in the MCU. Mobius assured that the problem had been addressed, noting that Ant-Man and the Ant-Family successfully defeated Kang the Conqueror in the Quantum Realm.
Mobius seemed unfazed, emphasizing that Kang wasn’t a significant threat requiring immediate TVA intervention. However, the mid-credits scene hinted at the emergence of the ‘Kang Dynasty,’ with variants of Kang/HWR gathering as awareness of the multiverse spread. The TVA now monitors the movements and actions of Kang/HWR variants across the multiverse to prevent a potential multiversal war and the resurgence of He Who Remains.
The prospect of the TVA returning to action, especially in the lead-up to the ‘Kang Dynasty’ Avengers movie, remains likely. The MCU appears poised to delve into this gripping storyline in the future.
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