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Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel is changing course and going back on their word for MCU fans with Disney+ series as Loki Season 2 promises to change the typical MCU formula.
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With Kang the Conqueror fully in the spotlight after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), it makes sense that Marvel wants to bring the iconic villain into more projects. Kang is set to have a role in several upcoming projects, and since there are a lot of variants of the villain, it’s very easy to do, but Tom Hiddleston’s Loki might do something different.
Instead of just including Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) in the story, the series might play a pivotal role in figuring out what happens with Kang and knowing just how strong his variants are. These details would be very important before watching Avengers: Kang Dynasty (2025), but Disney+ series aren’t supposed to be important to the main storyline.
Kevin Feige promised that Disney+ series wouldn’t be must-watch for the general audiences but provide a fun story for fans that helps bolster characters or stories that circulate the MCU. We see this a lot in Phase Four, with newer super heroes getting their own series and having the time to build their characters.
This is how Anthony Mackie’s Captain America can take the time it needs to feel earned rather than have the hero jump into the next Avengers movie as Steve Roger’s replacement. It also helps set up Thunderbolts placing Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in charge.
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These choices wouldn’t make sense without Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but it doesn’t mean fans must watch the series before seeing The Thunderbolts (2024). According to The Cosmic Circus, this won’t be the case for Loki Season 2, as Kang will appear in 3 episode of the upcoming season. They point out that Victor Timely, the variant seen in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man 3, won’t be the only variant fans see.
Having Marvel Studios showcase Loki as a huge part of understanding Kang and hinting at his return was a bold choice as it was the first time the MCU is using a Disney+ series to explore a major part of the Multiverse Saga. While Loki Season 1 introduced Kang the Conqueror as He Who Remains, fans didn’t need to see the show before watching Ant-Man 3. Now it seems that the show is too interlinked with Kang’s backstory since Loki Season 2 is likely to be six episodes, with at least half of them containing the time traveling warlord.
The report indicates that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) will explore other timelines to learn how much of the Multiverse is under Kang’s control and know just how powerful he is. This is a good move for Marvel to explore more about Kang outside of the movies, but it goes against their initial promise, which is why it’s a problems. Fans can’t be told one thing and then have it changed without making sure MCU fans know it’s important ahead of time.
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