Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel Studios hasn’t had a consistently high batting average when it comes to their slate of Disney+ originals, but there’s no arguing that the recent Secret Invasion show was a record low. After it earned the unfortunate title of worst-rated MCU TV series of all time, fans are now concerned about the upcoming second season of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, which many think could be Marvel’s next big disappointment.
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Secret Invasion debuted on Disney+ earlier this summer to little fanfare and saw Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as the fan-favorite ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director, Nick Fury. But despite its intriguing premise of a dangerous Skull conspiracy unwinding on Earth, the six-episode series fell flat with audiences, with its finale episode, “Home,” being voted the lowest-rated Marvel title of all time on Rotten Tomatoes.
Even its all-star cast, which included Jackson, Olivia Colman, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Don Cheadle, and others, wasn’t enough to salvage Secret Invasion‘s sluggish pacing, snooze-worthy villain arc, lackluster, CGI-laden action sequences, and glaring retcons of previous MCU installments.
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Still, some held out hope, citing generally well-received Marvel Disney+ projects like Emmy darling WandaVision, Loki, and the Hawkeye miniseries. Considering Season 1 of Loki still stands as the most-watched MCU series on Disney’s streamer, millions of fans are still interested in Marvel’s TV shows, even throughout the studios’ many stumbles and misfires.
Tom Hiddleston’s fan-favorite take on the titular God of Mischief in Loki undoubtedly contributed to the first season’s success, but that’s not the only thing that kept viewers returning each week. When it first aired on Disney+ in 20201, Loki felt like one of, if not the most important MCU projects post-Infinity Saga, exploring a mysterious, all-powerful bureaucracy in the form of the Time Variance Authority, laying the groundwork for the Multiverse and its Sacred Timeline, and introducing a menacing new villain: Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror.
However, Loki Season 2 has also been riddled with uncertainty from the get-go, with Majors now standing trial for alleged assault charges—something that could jeopardize his future work if he’s found guilty. The new batch of episodes was also hit by several delays, with its release date being pushed to October 2023. The ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are also currently bringing Hollywood to a standstill, meaning its leading stars won’t be able to actively promote the new season. So, with this in mind and the fact that it’s coming off the controversial ending of Secret Invasion, the franchise’s next Disney+ series might be in trouble.
Regardless, things appear to be full-steam ahead on Season 2, with a new trailer teasing the return of Loki and TVA Agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) as they traverse the Multiverse in hunt of a lesser-known Kang variant called Victor Timely. Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, and Eugene Cordero will all reprise their roles for Loki‘s sophomore season, where they’ll be joined by franchise newcomers Ke Huy Quan, Kate Dickie, and Rafael Casal.
But even though many fans have expressed their excitement about seeing Loki’s long-awaited return to the small screen, others are perhaps more skeptical after the unprecedented flop of Secret Invasion. Many are taking to social media to share their worries about the upcoming season, with the MCU having suffered many other disappointments in the last few years. Although the first season of Loki smashed records for Disney+, others are now skeptical that the show might become the next in a long line of less-than-impressive MCU additions.
One Twitter, @mrnose20, despite admitting that Loki Season 2 “could be as much fun as Season 1,” wrote that they are “worried about how it will end up” after the disappointment of Secret Invasion:
Finally got a chance to see the ‘Loki’ Season 2 trailer. It looks like it could be as much fun as Season 1 but if I’m honest after ‘Secret Invasion’ I’m worried about how it will end up.
https://twitter.com/mrnose20/status/1686583610592145408
This fan echoed a similar sentiment, explaining that while Loki Season 1 is regarded as “great”and among the MCU’s best Disney+ shows, they’re still “really scared” for what could happen after Secret Invasion didn’t live up to expectations:
I’m actually really scared for ‘Loki’ season the season 1 was great and from the trailer season 2 looks good too but I don’t want it to be like secret invasion I’m seriously worried I don’t want this show to be ruined.
I'm actually really scared for Loki season the season 1 was great and from the trailer season 2 looks good too but I don't want it to be like secret invasion I'm seriously worried I don't want this show to be ruined
— Valvinny (@Valvinny2) August 1, 2023
And for some, Secret Invasion was enough of a misfire to disillusion fans away from the MCU for good, leaving user @Thanrand with “complete apathy” ahead of the Loki Season 2 premiere:
I watched the trailer for ‘Loki’ season 2 and came away feeling complete apathy.
After the disappointment of ‘Secret Invasion’ I think I’m just done with all of that.
https://twitter.com/Thanrand/status/1686010960308281347
This user argued the MCU’s Disney+ shows have “been going downhill” since the days of WandaVision and Loki, so they’re hoping the upcoming “Season 2 is as good as Season 1:”
Just watched the ‘Secret Invasion finale…. What a let down this show was … not even mid…. ‘WandaVision’ was better and ‘Loki’ was a lot a lot better… quality of Marvel D+ shows has been going down hill …. hopefully ‘Loki’ season 2 is as good as season 1.
https://twitter.com/southside747/status/1684445363157991424
Still, despite these early critiques of Loki Season 2, there are plenty of reasons to believe it won’t suffer the same problems as Marvel comes off a massive loss with fans thanks to Secret Invasion. Although the superhero franchise’s Disney+ catalog is arguably not the most consistent, WandaVision, Ms. Marvel, Loki, and even Moon Knight have been big wins for the studio, along with theatrical releases like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). So while other shows and movies like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law or Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) didn’t strike a chord with fans, it’s doubtful Loki Season 2 would follow suit.
Expectations are certainly high for the new batch of episodes, but Loki doesn’t have the pressure of adapting one of Marvel’s most famous crossover events of all time like Secret Invasion did in what was considered to be Disney+’s first MCU “crossover event” series. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead and head writer Eric Martin have more creative freedom with the kind of story they want to tell, which will lend itself well to Loki‘s time-traveling, dimension-bending shenanigans.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that just because Secret Invasion might’ve missed the mark with some fans doesn’t mean Loki Season 2 will be an automatic “miss” for Marvel. Given that both series have entirely different writers and directors, tones, and characters, comparing the two doesn’t exactly hold up. But for now, all we can do is remain optimistic that Loki‘s second season can replicate even a fraction of the magic of its stellar Season 1.
The first episode of Loki lands on Disney+ on October 6, 2023.
Do you think Loki Season 2 will be a hit for Marvel, or will it follow in the footsteps of Secret Invasion? Share your predictions in the comments below.