A fan-favorite 'Thor' character returns in Episode 4 of 'Loki'

Ethan Alter
·Senior Writer, Yahoo Entertainment
·7 min read
4

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 4 of Loki

Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth aren't the only two Asgardians celebrating a ten-year Thor-versary in 2021. Jamie Alexander made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Sif, Thor's longtime friend and fellow warrior, in that foundational 2011 film. And unlike many of the other members of Thor's original entourage — from dearly-departed parents Odin and Frigga to the fallen members of the Warriors Three — Sif is still alive and kicking butt. Having been conveniently off-planet for the apocalyptic events of Thor: Ragnarok, Alexander's alter ego is poised to return in Taika Waititi's upcoming sequel, Thor: Love & Thunder.

But before checking in with the Thunder God, Sif spent a little time catching up with his trickster brother. Alexander made a surprise cameo in Episode 4 of Loki, the first time she's visited the MCU since a pair of guest appearances on ABC's out-of-canon Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series. Granted, the Sif we saw on "The Nexus Event" was just a time-looped fragment from Loki's past, when he pulled a hair-related prank that put him on the receiving end of her fist. Mobius (Owen Wilson) resurrected that memory — and Sif's punch — to punish the Loki variant for his anti-Time Variance Authority transgressions.

Even though it was just a brief reunion, fans were thrilled to see Sif dish out some tough love to Loki... again... and again... and again.

Alexander wasn't the only big-name guest star in "The Nexus Event." A mid-credits scene features an ultra-brief shot of beloved British thespian, Richard E. Grant, as yet another Loki variant — this one clad in the character's signature Marvel Comics costume. Grant's Loki inhabits what appears to be the purgatory that variants are dispatched to after being "pruned" by the TVA. That's where "our" Loki ends up after being tased by one of the agency's glowing sticks and upon awakening, he comes face-to-face with a trio of himselves from alternate timelines. Expect Grant to have a bigger role in Loki's endgame starting in Episode 5.

The next episode will also likely continue the awkward conversation that Loki started with Sylvie — the one where he seemed ready to suggest that they go steady. That hint of romance isn't playing well on Twitter, as fans react with equal parts shock and fascination at the idea of an inter-variant Loki love connection.

What fans do want is for Sylvie and Loki to continue their mission in burning the TVA to the ground. "The Nexus Event" basically broke the agency wide open by conclusively revealing once and for all that it's founded on several lies. Not only did the Time-Keepers memory-wipe variants and force them to serve in the TVA, but those all-seeing monitors of the Sacred Timeline are an invention as well. When Loki and Sylvie finally confront the Time-Keepers, the ensuing fight scene reveals that these time-manipulating gods are actually super-sized robots. That adds further fuel to the fan rumors that Loki is going to give us our first glimpse of Jonathan Majors's Kang the Conquerer before he pops up on the big screen in the currently-shooting Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Speaking of early introductions to future MCU characters, viewers immediately picked up on a stray reference that Mobius made to the TVA's vampire variant population. Three years ago, Marvel head honcho, Kevin Feige, revealed that two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali would be playing a revamped version of the vampire hunter that Wesley Snipes made famous on the big screen. And that's not the only bloodsucking blockbuster in the Marvel pipeline. Jared Leto is playing the Spider-verse's resident vampire, Morbius, in a solo adventure due in theaters in January. Between the two of them... there will be blood.

Loki is currently streaming on Disney+

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