WARNING: Spoilers for Loki episode 4, "The Nexus Event"

The Loki episode 4 post-credits scene confirms that Tony Stark was always right in shifting all his focus toward protecting the world as Iron Man, as the apocalypse was always around the corner. Loki episode 4 is filled with shocking twists. Sylvie and Loki find out the Time-Keepers are cybernetic puppets, Mobius is pruned by Ravonna Renslayer, and Loki is welcomed by other Loki variants in a post-apocalyptic New York during the episode's post-credits scene.

Loki's reappearance teases a few major revelations. First is the possibility that pruned variants are sent to secret timelines instead of dying, which suggests that Mobius may not be gone after all. The real intentions of the TVA are also put into question, and the existence of a demolished New York is revealed to be hidden at some point in the Sacred Timeline. This scenario could derive from a Loki variant that succeeded in bringing the Chitauri to Earth, though where exactly this moment is located remains a mystery.

Related: Loki Episode 4 Time-Keepers Twist Explained

The image of an obliterated Manhattan perfectly encapsulates Tony Stark's worst nightmare. Ever since he survived the Ten Rings' attack, Stark promised to focus all his efforts on protecting the world, and after he nearly died trying to stop an atomic bomb at the end of the Battle of New York in The Avengers, Stark developed a deep fear of catastrophes that kept pushing him to save the world at all costs. His obsession led to tragic events such as the destruction of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron and the breakup of the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. Despite Iron Man's constant failures, a bittersweet conclusion to Tony Stark's constant worry finally came in Avengers: Endgame with the defeat of Thanos and Iron Man's death.

Iron Man's Avengers Nightmare Materialized in Loki Episode 5

Loki now shows that the world wasn't so lucky in at least one timeline. Of course, Iron Man wouldn't have been able to do anything to protect every possible universe — not even the Infinity Stones have that much influence — but the existence of a distant Earth where the Avengers couldn't save New York underlines the role of Iron Man as the MCU's greatest savior. Loki's theme of "predestination vs. free will" highlights just how crucial Iron Man and the Avengers were in preserving order, but it also confirms that chaos always looms across the multiverse. Even without counting the wrecked New York as a possible future, the TVA has confirmed that endless new disasters will always keep coming. As Thanos famously said in Avengers: Infinity War, "dread it, run from it; destiny arrives all the same."

Loki episode 4 leaves plenty of questions to be answered, among which is how much Loki and the Avengers really had to do with New York's destruction in this post-apocalyptic timeline. Perhaps the Avengers never assembled in the first place, and perhaps Tony Stark gave up trying to save the world at some point. Loki has proved that anything is possible in the MCU. Still, Iron Man's arduous battle against destiny cannot be overstated.

More: Loki Episode 4 Post-Credits Scene: 4 New Variants Explained

Loki releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.

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