Loki Episode 5 Almost Introduced the Loki Variance Authority

Loki's fifth episode introduced several Loki variants, including Kid Loki, Classic Loki, Alligator [...]

By Jamie Lovett

Loki's fifth episode introduced several Loki variants, including Kid Loki, Classic Loki, Alligator Loki, Boastful Loki, and President Loki. The episode almost went further, binging in an entire Loki Variance Authority to counter the Time Variance Authority. It probably shouldn't surprise anyone that the episode heavy on multiple versions of the same character came from a Rick and Morty writer, Tony Kaufman. Loki head writer/executive producer Michael Waldron tells Cinemablend that Kaufman even grander plans for the Lokis in his first draft of the script, including an organized group of castoff variant Lokis not unlike the Council of Ricks from Rick and Morty.

"Tom Kaufman wrote Episode 5 of the show," Waldron says. "Tom's a Rick and Morty writer; he was there from the first season Rick and Morty. He's one of my great friends, and one of the funniest people alive. And his first draft of that script had so much amazing stuff. I think there was, at one point, a Loki Variance Authority, like an LVA with all the different Lokis who were down there."

It seems Kaufman's packed his original "Journey Into Mystery" script with more ideas than the episode could carry. Waldron offered some details on what else they cut from the story.

"He'd written a great thing, like an 'I am Spartacus' sort of thing, where Loki goes to talk to Alioth," Waldron says. "It's like Loki is going to do the heroic thing, and then all of the other Loki starts standing up trying to do the same thing, and it's just narcissists. Everybody's trying to be the hero, and it just ends up being a disaster. His first draft is one for the ages."

Disney renewed Loki for a second season, which will continue Loki's dealings with the Time Variance Authority. Time will tell which variants return in the show's sophomore outing.

Loki also introduced the multiverse to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hiddleston will reprise his role as Loki in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Disney+'s next Marvel television show, the animated series What If…?, will tell stories set in alternate universes. The upcoming movie Spider-Man: No Way Home will reportedly deal with the multiverse, featuring characters from past Spider-Man films.

Would you have to see the Loki Variance Authority appear in Loki? Let us know in the comments. Loki's first season is now streaming on Disney+. Season two is in development.

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