Recap: Loki Episode 5 “Journey Into Mystery”

After last week’s cliffhanger where the title character seemingly gets ‘pruned’, this week picks right up, answering oh so many questions. If you happen to follow a few popular YouTubers like New Rockstars who do weekly reviews and easter egg breakdowns as I do, it’s funny how most of what they predicted came true. It’s hard to believe we have only one episode to go before Loki season one finishes (yes, it is getting a second season.) But focusing on the present, this episode was probably one of the most stunning visually in the series. Heavy plot spoilers ahead. You can check out our episode four recap here.

Right from the start, following a quick recap of the series so far, the episode opens on a very disorientating shot of the TVA leading into the Timekeeper’s chamber. If you get motion sickness you may want to look away. It’s a clever way of really showing how everything is all messed up and nothing is as it seems. As we enter the chamber we see the decapitated timekeeper robot head and then pan to where Loki woke up.

Turns out Loki is in a place known as ‘the void’ and as he wakes up to see other variants of himself he has a lot of questions. Quickly he is introduced to ‘Classic Loki’, ‘Kid Loki’, ‘Boastful Loki’ and yes, even ‘Crocodile Loki.’ He asks the usual questions: what is this place? Who are you? And what is that crazy purple cloud hovering around? Classic Loki fires back with ‘this is the void, that’s Aolith and we are his lunch.’

Our Loki is encouraged to come along the ragtag group of variants to survive inside what is basically a shark tank. Aolith is meant to keep anything the TVA prunes from escaping this void, which is situated at the end of time. As they make their way to their hideout, Loki questions why it seems Kid Loki is in charge and is told he would ‘do well to respect the boy.’ Loki then asks what Kid Loki’s Nexus event was and Kid Loki reveals that he killed Thor, leaving Loki speechless.

Meanwhile, back at the TVA, Sylvie has Renslayer in her clutches, demanding to know where Loki was sent to and everything about the creation of the TVA and all its secrets. Renslayer claims she’s just as in the dark as Sylvie was and also wants to know who ‘is behind the curtain.’ Sylvie also learns about the void at the end of time. Renslayer consults Miss Minutes who suggests they could use a vehicle that was supposedly designed to enter the void. Growing impatient for answers, Sylvie asks Miss Minutes how much longer.

Minutemen burst in as Sylvie hides behind Renslayer’s judge desk. Renslayer says that the two can work together if she just surrenders promising she will keep her locked up in a ‘good memory.’ Sylvie doesn’t believe anything Renslayer says and, to everyone’s shock, self-prunes. Even the Minutemen seem dumbfounded as well: Renslayer remarks ‘it’s good she’s dead.’

Back in the void, Loki and the other variants enter their hideout. If you blink you could miss a few easter eggs hidden in the shot as Loki climbs down. These include. Thor’s hammer, and Throg in a jar (the frog version of Thor from the comics) trying to escape. Other easter eggs were also the Thanos Copter also included in the comics. Loki sees where the group has been surviving and decides he’s going to escape the others laugh at him. They then decide to share ‘war stories’ about their nexus events.

We know Kid Loki killed Thor, while Boastful Loki claims he got all the Infinity Stones. Crocodile Loki apparently ate the wrong cat, and Classic Loki explains that he didn’t actually die during Ragnarok. He cast a projection of himself so real that Thanos fell for it and then escaped onto a distant planet. However, growing lonely for Asgard and his brother in his old age, he tried to escape: only, as soon as he tried to leave, the TVA swooped in and pruned him.

Seeing as how none of them want to help him escape the void, our Loki begins the treacherous journey himself, but it’s soon cut short. He’s met by President Loki and a bunch of his followers, and the question on everyone’s lips is:  which one of us are you?

Sylvie, meanwhile, wakes up in a broken-down bus, also landing in the void. Determined to reunite with Loki, she starts to search for him but is also met by Aolith, with whom she briefly connects, experiencing a vision. Bizarrely, a pizza delivery van stops and lets her in as she’s fleeing from Aolith. Turns out it’s Mobius (hooray!) who also ended up in the void. The two have their own heart-to-heart, with Mobius expressing regret for what he did to her. Sylvie is placated, then realises they have to turn back because Aolith could be their way out.

Back in the hideout, which has now been infiltrated by President Loki, it turns out Boastful Loki has betrayed them: he himself wanted to be King of the Void. A wild fight breaks out, with Crocodile Loki biting President Loki’s hand clear off (and there’s a hilariously girlish scream.) In the chaos, Classic Loki casts projections as the three of them escape. Classic Loki remarks that every time a Loki tries to better themself, the TVA steps in and stops it.

Loki again wants their help escaping the void and going after Aolith, now mentioning Sylvie, the female variant, for the first time. The others finally agree to go as far as Aolith to help, but after that, he’s on his own. In the distance they see a car approaching with Kid Loki who is cautious: it could be anything from marauders or cannibals. Turns out it’s Sylvie and Mobius in their pizza delivery car!

Finally reunited, Sylvie tells Loki about how she thinks she can enchant Aolith and that he seems to be guarding their way to whoever is behind the TVA. Meanwhile, back at the TVA, Renslayer is revealed to be questioning a now captive Hunter B-15. When Hunter B-15 asks why she’s being held captive, Renslayer states she betrayed the TVA, B-15 replies she betrayed no one and that it was all lies anyway. Renslayer retorts that TVA needs stability desperately. She wants to know what her connection is to Sylvie and B-15 says it’s about bringing down the TVA but that Renslayer won’t get to whoever is really in charge before she does. The reason?  Renslayer only wants to, Sylvie needs to. It’s a case of mad desperation.

As they all approach Aolith, Kid Loki gives Loki his dagger saying it will come in handy. Mobius offers to return them all to wherever they want but they refuse his offer saying the void is their home now. Before Mobius departs, he announces he’s going to burn the TVA to the ground, thanking Loki for the spark. The two hug, as he cheekily whispers to Sylvie over his shoulder that she’s his favorite. He vanishes in a time portal with Renslayer’s Tempad.

Loki and Sylvie prepare to face Aoilith saying they need a distraction, meaning a big enough pruned reality to enter the void to lure Aolith. One doesn’t appear in time, so Loki tries to distract Aolith with his new magic dagger. Then, all of a sudden, Classic Loki appears and conjures up a giant, astonishingly realistic projection of Asgard that distracts Aoilith. The two look on in bewilderment, realizing they are stronger than they think they are.

While Classic Loki is doing that, Sylvie tells Loki they both need to grab hold and enchant him, although Loki argues that he doesn’t know how to  enchant. Not waiting around, Sylvie grabs his hand and says he does because they are the same. In the show’s dramatic climax, the pair successfully enchant Aolith, though Classic Loki is sadly devoured, going out in a blaze of glory, screaming ‘glorious purpose!’

A rip in the veil reveals a castle of some sort and Loki and Sylvie head towards it. There is so much growing speculation about how this could be where we will meet the true leader of the TVA. Could it possibly be Kang the Conqueror the next big bad of the MCU? He is not set to appear until Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania in 2023. However, Marvel decides to play this we are all glued to our screens. It’s been an incredible ride with a new side of our favorite God of Mischief.