Tom Hiddleston’s character in Loki still has a redemption problem heading into the Disney+ series, and it's all due to The Avengers. The first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie that teamed up its heroes saw Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye banning together to help save New York from the God of Mischief and an invasion by Chitauri aliens. Though Loki’s plans to rule Earth were ultimately thwarted, the events of New York are back in the MCU's focus thanks to time-traveling in Avengers: Endgame.

Loki has already gone through a long redemption arc in the MCU because, frankly, he needed to. Throughout his MCU journey, the character has caused misery and countless deaths. After trying to take over Asgard, failing to take over Earth, and faking his death numerous times in the MCU, Loki finally makes a turn in Thor: Ragnarok. In that film, Loki helps his brother save Asgardian citizens from the impending doom of Asgard. Then, in Avengers: Infinity War, the God of Mischief bravely sacrifices himself to try to take down Thanos. It doesn’t work, but Loki has a noble death and has redeemed himself in the eyes of his brother, Thor.

Related: Loki Always Fails Because He Secretly Wants To (Not Because It's His Destiny)

Now, Loki’s whole redemption arc has been thrown out the window with the character’s new Phase 4 Disney+ series. Though Loki from the main MCU timeline is dead, the Avengers’ time traveling in Endgame has allowed the Loki from 2012's Avengers to come back into the story. The Loki in the main MCU timeline has seemingly tried to atone for his sins, but the character in the Disney+ series is more complicated. In addition to causing the deadly event in New York, he also recently tried to wipe out Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants, in 2011's Thor.

Loki knew about Avengers Endgame 2012 Time Heist

Loki returning to the MCU causes a big redemption problem. This isn't the Loki who sacrificed himself for Thor. This is the Loki who just recently tried to liberate the citizens of the Earth from their freedom. Captain America: Civil War reveals that there were 74 casualties from Loki’s New York attack, and that doesn’t seem to be counting the people the God of Mischief killed before the city was invaded, such as Agent Phil Coulson. Hiddleston’s character in Loki is fresh off of causing mass casualties. He's got blood on his hands, and one episode of self-reflection in the Loki premiere simply isn’t enough.

But can Loki ever truly be redeemed? With so many murders on his watch, an honorable death seemed like the only way out for Hiddleston’s character in the MCU. And while he got that death in Infinity War, Loki takes it away. The Loki in Infinity War was a number of years, and a few different movies, removed from his mass killing in The Avengers and his attempted genocide of the Frost Giants on Jotunheim in Thor. This version of Loki just committed those atrocities. In Disney's Loki, the God of Mischief might have a glorious purpose, but that purpose isn't redemption.

Loki releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

More: What Happened To Loki Between Thor & The Avengers & Why He Changed So Much

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