Goodbye Loki? Tom Hiddleston Hints His MCU Character May Not Be Coming Back

The actor described the Loki season 2 finale as the end of a long road that took 14 years of his life, possibly suggesting that he is taking a break.

Summary:

• Loki season 2 finale provided an unexpected but beautiful end to the series
• Tom Hiddleston explained that the final episode of the show was also the conclusion of a journey that took the actor 14 years of his life
• With Loki now entangled at the center of all timelines, there are only a few ways for the character to return to the MCU

The finale of the second season of the Loki TV series was a completely unexpected, yet epic and even heartfelt conclusion to the titular hero's journey that began more than a decade ago with 2011's Thor.

Over the years, Loki has undergone an impressive character development, going from one of the MCU's best villains to more of an anti-hero, dying heroically at the hands of Thanos, and then getting a second chance after Avengers: Endgame, though technically as a different character.

After an alternate variant of the character was created during the events of Endgame, this only continued Loki's journey, as he became an actual hero this time, fighting to save all timelines over the course of his own TV show.

Loki's Story Arc Has Finally Come To a Perfect Conclusion

The season finale gave Loki both the "glorious purpose" and the throne he once desired, making him potentially the most important character in the franchise as he became the God of Stories.

However, now that he holds all the timelines together, much like Atlas, a Titan from Greek mythology who was condemned to hold the heavens on his shoulders, Loki seems doomed to an eternity of loneliness, possibly suggesting that this was the end of the entire series.

A recent statement from Tom Hiddleston, who has portrayed the character since Phase 1, not only supports this claim, but may also mean that it was the end of the road for the character in general, at least for now.

During his recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the actor hinted that he may be retiring from playing Loki.

Hiddleston said that everything had come "full circle" and that the season two finale was a conclusion to not only both seasons of the show, but also six movies and "fourteen years of [his] life."

Is There a Way For Loki To Return?

With all of this in mind, while Loki has become arguably the most powerful character in the entire franchise, it is unlikely that we will see him again anytime soon, despite fan predictions that he will be the central figure of many future MCU films.

For now, there are no plans for Loki season 3, and frankly, to do so would be a huge mistake that would undermine the significance of the event.

It is possible that his place will be taken by Sylvie, portrayed by Sophia Di Martino, as she is also a variant of the character and has witnessed all the crucial events that have happened throughout the series.

Some fans also believe that even if Loki isn't at the center of future MCU installments, he will still play a pivotal role in the events to come.

After all, the character didn't disappear from the MCU forever and still has potential for some intriguing story moments, like a reunion with Thor, as some fans believe that Loki's arc isn't complete without embracing his brother one last time.

Either way, we'll have to wait for more updates on where the MCU is headed, as so far the whole multiverse storyline hasn't gotten much attention on the big screen, with feature films barely touching on the subject.

Perhaps this will change with the release of the next installment in the franchise, Deadpool 3, which is expected to bring the X-Men into the MCU and is scheduled for release on July 26, 2024.

Sources: The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Reddit