After weeks of teases, the Time-Keepers finally debuted in today's episode of Loki, "The Nexus Event," but they didn't stick around for long.
Revealed to be "mindless androids," it's become apparent that someone else is pulling the strings in the Time Variance Authority, and that has to mean there's a secret big bad we've yet to meet.
There are really only a small number of candidates for who that could be, and we have you covered with a look at some of the most exciting and compelling possibilities. There are reasons for and against each of them, but we think they'll all get you excited about what might be to come.
Loki is a series that has never failed to surprise us, so we might be way off here, but we're confident you, our loyal readers, will have plenty to say...
5. Lady Loki
Jaimie Alexander made a cameo appearance as Sif in today's episode of Loki, and we can't help but wonder whether she might have stuck around to film a little something extra.
Many fans have argued that this was a pointless cameo, but not if Marvel Studios wanted to remind casual fans who Sif was before bringing back a version that has been possessed by the God of Mischief and becomes the evil Lady Loki. This would be a nice twist on the Variants concept, particularly as Sylvie is technically a "good" Loki.
With little to no build up, however, this could be confusing for some viewers, especially with Alexander set to return as Sif in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Well, unless she'll return as Lady Loki there, of course...
4. Immortus
Two of the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe to have travelled through time on a whim are Immortus and Kang the Conqueror; they just so happen to be two different versions of the same person.
Immortus gained immortality from the Time-Keepers and was used as their agent to preserve timelines and keep them in check so reality could end the way it was supposed to. If that all sounds familiar, it's because we've obviously seen TVA agents like Mobius and Renslayer do just that.
Perhaps Immortus started off taking on that role, but grew greedy and ultimately usurped the Time-Keepers?
What his beef with Loki could be is hard to say, though his obsession with keeping the "Sacred Timeline" the way he believes it should might be all the explanation we need. Immortus showing up and being defeated could also nicely set the stage for Kang's eventual arrival.
3. King Loki
Sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one, and that's why we're going back to the idea that a Loki is secretly pulling the strings of the Time Variance Authority.
Creating the TVA just so he can rule over time and make sure none of his doppelgangers ever usurp him may seem a tad over the top, but so was invading New York with an army of aliens he borrowed from Thanos! We've heard a great deal about Lokis who lose, but the series could show us what happens when one wins and the madness that follows.
His motivations would need to be explained, but remember that Loki's first thought upon arriving in the TVA was to try and meet with the Time-Keepers so he could take over.
This wouldn't be out of character, though it might disappoint a lot of fans.
2. Mephisto
We hate to go back down the Mephisto route after what happened with WandaVision, but we are still expecting to see the villain in the MCU...eventually.
Those blatant devil references aside, it made sense for Agatha Harkness to be reporting to Mephisto, and not heading down that route feels like a waste. It may still have been the case, however, though we're not sure he would be involved with that while also ruling over something like the TVA.
The recent Heroes Reborn event has shown Mephisto creating a whole new reality on a whim, while we know it took him no effort to wipe Spider-Man's marriage to Mary Jane from history.
This could end up feeling a little random, so perhaps it will make more sense for someone else to be keeping an eye on the TVA at Mephisto's behest?
1. Kang The Conqueror (With A Twist)
Jonathan Majors will play Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, and this series could be the perfect place to introduce him.
Being defeated and ousted from the TVA might be what brings him to Earth, with the Quantum Realm being what he needs in order to continue travelling through history as he sees fit. That would inevitably lead to a clash with Ant-Man and company, and may even tie into the emergence of the Multiverse in general.
So, what's the twist?
Well, we're going to take a major swing here and suggest that the MCU's version of Kang is, in fact, a Loki Variant! This would obviously be a shift from the villain once being Nathaniel Richards.