Loki’s most significant MCU connections

Episode 2 – The Variant

A RoxxCart superstore is the setting of the second episode’s climax, which conveys how Roxxon Corporation is still running strong in the 2050s. Early Roxxon was presented as a successful business in the network show Agent Carter, where the head of the company, Hugh Jones, was a rival of Howard Stark’s. Roxxon also plays a role in Marvel shows that operate outside of the universe, such as Cloak & Dagger and Daredevil.

Roxxon’s slightly larger connection to the MCU is in the Iron Man trilogy. In the first movie, Roxxon Corporation’s building is clearly noticeable behind Iron Man, while fighting Iron Monger. In the sequel, one of the race cars in the Grand Prix was sponsored by Roxxon. And in the third Iron Man, the climactic battle took place at a Roxxon oil tanker.

Also, in “The Variant”, Mobius refers to Loki as a backstabber, stating he has literally stabbed 50 people in the back. The most notable person he stabbed in the back was Agent Coulson in The Avengers. This version of Loki was snatched up by the TVA shortly after he gutted Coulson. Both characters have gone through a lot of changes at this point in the MCU, so it could be interesting if the two ever met again.

Episode 3 – Lamentis

Loki and Sylvie find themselves on the doomed moon of Lamentis in the season’s third part. During their train ride, Loki talks to Sylvie about his mother and how she helped him develop his gifts. Frigga’s powers in the Thor franchise are often inconspicuous yet strangely palpable. In Thor: The Dark World, the God of Thunder discusses their recently-deceased mother, anguishing to Loki “you had her tricks, but I had her trust.”

Another callback to the Thor films is Loki getting drunk on the train; something that Thor would do with his friends. After downing a drink, Loki breaks his glass, and exclaims “another”, just like his brother did in New Mexico in the first movie, only Thor’s command followed his first taste of coffee.

The story in “Lamentis” transforms into a heroic quest by Loki to ensure the citizens get off the moon on the ark before it is destroyed. This resembles Loki shepherding the Asgardians onto the Grandmaster’s ship in Thor: Ragnarok before Asgard is demolished.

Episode 4 – The Nexus Event

The opening of “The Nexus Event” shows young Sylvie playing with a toy Valkyrie and Fenris wolf. Valkyrie was an Asgardian hero who redeemed herself to help save her people in Thor: Ragnarok. The primary villain of that film was Hela, who resurrected the giant wolf using the Eternal Flame.

One of the best surprises in the episode is seeing Lady Sif return. The last movie she appeared in was Thor: The Dark World, eight years ago. Although she did pop up on Agents of SHIELD a few years later. In this episode, Loki is sent to an unpleasant time-loop that stars an irritated Sif, which most definitely pre-dates the original Thor. Both Valkyrie and Sif are expected to attend Thor’s fourth solo outing, Love and Thunder.

While listing off the different types of threats the TVA has come across, Mobius says that the organization has dealt with Kree, Titans, and vampires. The Kree are the most common of the three in the MCU, featuring heavily in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel. We have seen less of the Titans, although the most famous Titan of all, Thanos, was a huge threat who killed Loki in a different timeline. And, as far as we know, vampires have yet to be spotted in the MCU, but the upcoming Blade movie is sure to change that.