Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the finale of Loki Season 2.

The Big Picture

After two seasons, Loki remains one of the best MCU television offerings, with a satisfying and poetic conclusion to the character’s journey. Tom Hiddleston discusses the complex relationship between Loki and Sylvie, highlighting their growth from challenging each other and learning to trust. Hiddleston praises Owen Wilson’s portrayal of Mobius and the chemistry between their characters, noting that Mobius is the first true friend Loki has ever had.

It’s been a long road since 2011 when we first encountered Tom Hiddleston as Loki, the god of mischief, on our screens. Since then Hiddleston has appeared multiple times not only in the Thor franchise but across the MCU. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Hiddleston’s Loki is a beloved character and one that fans continue to look forward to seeing at every iteration. So, when Marvel Studios announced that after Loki’s death in Avengers: Infinity War that we would see our favorite trickster god again in his own Disney+, fans were eager to see where they would take the character.

Now, two seasons down, Loki remains one of the best of the MCU television offerings. After 14 years with the character, the Season 2 finale of Loki ended by giving Loki his glorious purpose, seating him on a throne at the end of time, holding the multiverse together on his own. I spoke with Tom Hiddleston about this finale and whether or not it would be the last time we see the character, but we also discussed two of the major relationships that Loki fostered in the series. Hiddleston discussed the relationship between Loki and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and also talked about filming with Owen Wilson and Loki’s friendship with Mobius.

Loki Loki, the God of Mischief, steps out of his brother’s shadow to embark on an adventure that takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” Release Date June 9, 2021 Cast Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Richard E. Grant Seasons 2 Franchise Marvel
COLLIDER: I love this character that you’ve played for so many years. I think Loki has been one of my favorite characters, if not my favorite, and I just have to know, is this the last time we’ll see you playing Loki? I know you’ve probably been asked this, but are you done or are there more stories to be told?

TOM HIDDLESTON: Well, here’s the thing: in the past, I have died, said goodbye, and exchanged notes with Kevin Feige and Louis D’Esposito and Victoria Alonso. There have been, actually, two times where, on all sides, we went through the dance of like, “Thank you so much. It’s been the ride of a lifetime,” [laughs] and they said, “Come and see us any time. You’ll always be part of the family.” There was an atmosphere of finality about it and then the phone would ring a year later saying, “So we’ve had an idea…” So, I think I’m keeping an open heart and an open mind.

What I will say is I feel very honored to have concluded Season 2 in the way that we have. I think there’s a kind of almost poetic or musical – like the end of a refrain, the end of a composition. It contains echoes and resonances across my 14 years of playing the character – 14 years for me, 12 years for the audience. I’m really pleased with where we ended up. I hope it’s satisfying for the audience. As for the rest, time will tell.

What Is the Nature of Loki and Sylvie’s Relationship?
Image via Disney+

I’m curious to hear your take on some of these relationships that we see form in this show. Specifically, I think Loki’s relationship with Sylvie is such a large part of his development throughout the seasons.

HIDDLESTON: Absolutely.

I think he chose the path of the most resistance in order to protect her and keep from killing her.

HIDDLESTON: Yes, yes.

What are your thoughts on that relationship and that romance between them, if you consider it a romance?

HIDDLESTON: They are a mirror to each other. They challenge each other, and out of the challenge, they grow together. The two characters, as they say in Episode 6 of Season 1, I think it’s Loki’s line, “You can’t trust, and I can’t be trusted.” These are two characters who have become so accustomed to being alone, to surviving alone, and the contrast to trust is betrayal. Both characters are expecting betrayal at every turn, and they have to learn to trust each other and learn how to trust others – not just each other, but Mobius, B-15, O.B., Casey – and to connect to people and find connections, because actually, that’s all that life is, is connecting with each other.

I think across Season 2, what I loved as we developed it with Eric Martin, the head writer, and Katharyn Blair, who also was on the writing team, Kevin Wright, our producer, and with Sophia, crucially, Sophia Di Martino, was finding, basically, that Loki and Sylvie are in passionate disagreement about what to do. Sylvie believes that in order for free will to thrive, in order for those who have been denied a chance at life to be given one, is for the TVA not to exist. Loki believes that, at the same time as he’s trying to redefine his own glorious purpose, I think the TVA is trying to redefine its institutional purpose, and he believes the TVA as a broken institution can be reformed, and trying to fix what’s broken is worth it. It’s difficult, but it’s worth it. And when he’s presented with this impossible choice by He Who Remains, he has to go back to Sylvie, and it’s Sylvie’s final words to him that show him the middle way. So, they grow from each other. Does that make sense? That’s what any meaningful relationship, I think, is, that you challenge the other person, not deliberately, but you try to meet the challenge of the other person and that helps you grow, and Sylvie certainly does that for Loki, and I hope Loki does that for Sylvie.

How Has Mobius Affected Loki’s Journey?
Image via Disney+

Yeah, definitely. Speaking about those important relationships and those challenges, obviously, Mobius is another big character and big figure in Loki’s life, and I think you and Owen have fantastic chemistry together on screen. Can you talk about bonding these two characters together, especially working with Owen, and then also what role you feel Mobius has in Loki’s journey for the season?

HIDDLESTON: Well, first of all, I have just so enjoyed working with Owen Wilson. It’s been really fun and really fulfilling, and he’s just definitive as Mobius. He’s so warm and so intelligent and so playful, and in a way, you know, Sylvie is one kind of mirror to Loki, and Mobius is another kind of mirror. Mobius is introduced in Season 1 of Loki as an academic, as an analyst, as someone who is almost a fan of Loki; he studied Loki from a distance and is now getting to see him up close. But crucially, Mobius is detached from the drama of Loki, and I don’t think Loki’s ever come into contact with someone who is able to sit without judgment in his presence. Everyone else is always part of the story – Odin, Thor, Frigga, and the Avengers. They all get emotionally involved in Loki’s actions. [With] Mobius, there’s a kind of, initially, dispassionate detachment which allows Loki, I think, to feel seen in a way. It’s a very confronting episode in his life, but on the other side of it, he’s given a second chance. I don’t think he recognizes it initially, but he is given a second chance at that life, I suppose, at trying to rethink and redefine what “glorious purpose” might mean.

But then I think Loki and Sylvie reveal something to Mobius in Season 1. They reveal that they all had lives on the timeline, that they were kidnapped, and their memories were wiped. And so Loki has something to teach Mobius, and they’ve learned a lot from each other. But they’re both so [laughs] resolute in their ideas that for us, I think, – and Owen, I hope you agree with me – the joy of the scenes with Loki and Mobius is they’re often paired together trying to find a solution to a problem they’re trying to solve. They’re like two detectives trying to solve a crime. And I find the most enjoyable scenes are often when they are in passionate disagreement about what they’re supposed to be doing. Loki wants to do it one way, Mobius wants to do it another way, and there’s an underlying kind of base level of respect, but they kind of bicker and tease each other and provoke each other. Those are really fun scenes to play. I think Mobius is Loki’s friend, and I don’t think Loki’s ever had a friend before.

Is There More To Explore in the Multiverse?

Wow, that’s very sweet and also kind of sad. So just talking a little bit of hypotheticals, I know you said the door is open, but if there was a Season 3, which I have to ask, do you see a potential for Loki’s continuing story? I was talking to Kevin Wright about it, and he said he was actively pitching some ideas. Is there a path that you can see forward for Loki, or are there characters that you want to see explored more, even if you’re not a part of that story?

HIDDLESTON: Wow, I got to call Kevin Wright. What’s he been saying? [Laughs] What’s he been saying?

Let me know! I want to know, too. [Laughs]

HIDDLESTON: What I feel at the moment is that where we’ve landed feels very poetic and satisfying, but at the same time, you know, who knows what happens? Who knows what happens out on the branches of reality and the multiverse? I’m sure there are conversations happening about, “What next?” I guess I keep an open heart and an open mind.

That’s a very diplomatic answer. I just want to thank you for speaking with me. Honestly, this is one of my favorite shows from Marvel. You’ve just done a great job, and it was a fantastic finale for me. I’ve also read a lot of T.S. Eliot since doing these interviews, so I want to thank you for that.

HIDDLESTON: Great! Well, that’s just a gift, I think. I just find that the Four Quartets is just so rewarding. It’s such an extraordinary text, and because of its abstraction, I think it can mean many things to many different people. And thank you so much for what you’ve said. I’ve had the most extraordinary time playing this character for 14 years. The complexity of the character is endlessly rewarding and seems to contain so many multitudes, and I don’t take it lightly that the audience has taken him into their imaginations. It’s a responsibility that I’m very honored by. You know, this is a show about time and how precious time is, and I’ve given a lot of my time, with great pleasure, to this character, and so to hear you say that you enjoyed it, I’m really grateful to you. Thank you.

Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Loki.

Watch on Disney+