Lady Sif and Loki

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Loki episode 4, "The Nexus Event." 

Lady Sif returns in Loki episode 4, finally giving the character a sense of justice in the MCU after being banished by the God of Mischief and not being seen since. Played by Jaimie Alexander, Lady Sif was one of the key components of Asgard in the first two Thor movies, thanks to her close bond with the God of Thunder and being an incredibly strong and fierce warrior to boot. Unfortunately, Sif's story came to a halt after Thor: The Dark World, as she hasn't been seen in a movie since then.

Sif did appear in two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., although its canon-status remains debatable at best, but otherwise has been MIA. Scheduling conflicts kept Alexander from appearing in Thor: Ragnarok, though Sif was given a brief mention, and it was later revealed that she was among the many victims of Thanos' snap. While Sif has yet to make a full return to the MCU, Loki does find a surprising way of bringing her back.

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

Lady Sif's return comes in Loki episode 4, as the trickster, having been apprehended by the TVA once more, is thrown into a time cell, where he's forced to play out a memory of being painfully beaten over and over again by Sif, in revenge for cutting off her hair. Aside from being a fun nod to Norse mythology - where the story of Loki cutting Sif's hair originates - it's also a chance for some justice and revenge for the character. Sif's absence in the MCU was explained as her being banished from Asgard by Loki while he was pretending to be Odin, and so her return coming at his expense feels rather fitting for the character. It may not be coming back in the present-day (yet, anyway), but it nonetheless gives viewers a chance to see Sif give Loki what he deserves.

Sif attacks Loki

That's just one of the reasons it made sense for Marvel to use Lady Sif in this particular sequence. While there would no doubt be plenty of other options for painful memories, her message to him - that he "deserve[s] to be alone and...always will be" - perfectly speaks to Loki's current fears. As he begins to form a connection with Sylvie, perhaps the most special link he's ever had with another person, then it's timely to call back to the loneliness and isolation that helped turn him into the MCU villain everyone knows. It was also no doubt easier to pull off than, say, bringing in Chris Hemsworth's Thor or Anthony Hopkins' Odin, who, busy schedules aside, would've risked being too big as cameos and overshadowing things. Sif is in the perfect sweet spot of being a fan-favorite that audiences have long wanted to return, but able to fit in well within Loki's story.

It's also a smart decision by Marvel to re-acquaint audiences with the character now. Lady Sif will return in Thor: Love and Thunder, slated for release in 2022, and so by re-introducing her in Loki - albeit in a time looped flashback, then it's a good reminder of her existence in the MCU after so long away. Whether Sif and Loki will have any more interactions remains to be seen, but bringing her back makes for a great surprise (even though there were rumors of an appearance in Loki previously), makes for a perfect character moment, and sets up a bigger return to come.

Next: Loki: Every MCU Easter Egg In Episode 4

Loki releases new episodes Wednesdays on Disney+.

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