Loki: Who Is Alioth and Why Is it a Big Deal?

The penultimate episode of Marvel's Loki, released on Disney+ Wednesday morning, brought fans one step closer to solving the mystery about who is really behind the TVA. Hanging out in the Void at the end of time, several Loki Variants reveal to Tom Hiddleston's Loki that they have to survive a terrifying smoke monster by the name of Alioth, who devours everything that gets sent to the Void. If you didn't recognize the name, know that it's actually incredibly significant, as it relates directly to the potential big bad waiting to be revealed in next week's finale.

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of Loki! Continue reading at your own risk...

Alioth, also known as Alioth the Usurper, is regarded as the first being in Marvel Comics to actually free itself from the flow of time. The powerful creature was able to dominate realities throughout the timestream, but it constantly got stuck at the barrier to Chronopolis, the home of Kang, at end of time.

At the end of this week's Loki episode, "Journey Into Mystery," Loki and Sylvie are able to enchant Alioth and use it to see what it is beyond the void. They open a gate to a city out in space, which appears to be Chronopolis.

Alioth, like Renslayer, is tied to Kang throughout the pages of Marvel Comics, so its introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is no coincidence. The creature simply being in the Void would have been enough to suggest that Kang had something to do with the TVA, but the reveal in the final scene really hammered the connection home. It looks as though Alioth is the final barrier between Kang and the rest of the timeline.

Of course, by revealing the gateway to Chronopolis, Loki and Sylvie could have actually made a mistake. Perhaps Alioth is in the Void not just to devour Variants, but to also provide a wall between Kang and the timeline he wishes to conquer. It could spell trouble for the entire timeline now that there is nothing standing in the way.

As for Alioth, the creature's time in the MCU may not be finished. At one point in the comics, Kang actually sets Alioth loose in the TVA's realm. It wouldn't be surprising to see a version of this play out in Loki's finale, especially after Morbius said that he planned on burning the TVA to the ground.

Were you surprised to see Alioth in Loki this week? What do you think its inclusion means for the MCU moving forward? Let us know in the comments!