Who Is Richard E. Grant’s Variant? Classic Loki Explained

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

Loki has introduced the concept of Loki variants, but who is Richard E. Grant's Classic Loki variant? The end of Loki episode 4 introduced several new variants including Classic Loki, who dons Loki's vintage comic costume. While very little has been revealed about Classic Loki in the universe of Loki so far — he's only had one line at this point — Grant's variant has its basis in Marvel comics lore.

In Loki episode 4, Loki and Sylvie have once again been captured by the TVA after their presence on Lamentis-1 created a previously unseen branch from the Sacred Timeline. Upon their return, the pair are separated and interrogated. Mobius begins to grow suspicious of the TVA after he learns that the TVA pruned Agent C-20 for discovering the truth about her past. Mobius’s suspicions result in him also getting pruned, and Loki and Sylvie are dragged in front of the Time-Keepers. Instead of peacefully accepting their punishment, they clear the room of agents and Judge Renslayer to discover that the Time-Keepers are nothing but robots. At that moment, Ravonna Renslayer comes to and prunes Loki.

In the end credits scene, however, it’s revealed that pruning isn’t exactly as it’s made out to be. Loki wakes from what is supposed to be certain death into another world and sees variants of himself, some of which comic book fans might recognize: Kid Loki, Alligator Loki, Boastful Loki, and Classic Loki. These introductions bring the Loki variant count up to six total, with the potential to discover more. But who is Classic Loki? Here’s a breakdown of the Classic Loki variant and what his appearance means for the MCU.

Classic Loki In Marvel Comics (Origins & Powers)

In the very early Marvel comics, Loki had a slightly different origin story than the one shared in the MCU. In his first comic appearance, Venus No. 6 in 1949, Loki was a member of the Olympian gods who had been banished to the Underworld. Classic Loki planned on traveling to Earth in order to spread hate, tricking Jupiter into allowing him to step foot on Earth when he had previously been forbidden from leaving the Underworld. The Underworld is Loki's domain, where he reigns as King — King of the Underworld, God of Evil, and Lord of Hate — surrounded by an army of demonic minions. Classic Loki had the ability to enter the bodies of humans, cover the city in dark clouds of hate, and astral projection. Loki was reintroduced in his modern form 1962 in Journey into Mystery No. 85 as Thor's greatest nemesis, and he can be seen wearing the costume Grant dons in Loki episode 4. In the Marvel comics, the reintroduced Loki has a similar origin story to his origin in the MCU; he was born to Queen Farbauti and King Laufey, the leaders of the Giants of Jotunheim. While he no longer has demonic dwarves at his beck and call, he has his traditional powers of astral projection, hypnosis, and more.

How Classic Loki Is Different To Hiddleston’s Loki

There are some stark differences between Classic Loki and Hiddleston's Loki. Hiddleston's Loki is not the God of Evil, nor does he rule over the Underworld; instead, Hiddleston portrays the God of Mischief. In the comics, Loki's bitter anger and antics frequently led him to be exiled from Asgard and punished by Odin in strange ways derived from the original Norse myths, including being trapped inside of a tree until another wept for Loki's fate. Comic Loki has a few powers that haven't presented in Hiddleston's Loki, including the ability to control animals, animating inanimate objects, and reincarnation. Classic Loki is from Earth-616, the main universe in Marvel comics; Hiddleston's Loki is from Earth-199999, the MCU. Loki's personality differs between the original classic comic book Loki and the MCU Loki, too. Comic Loki is more of a true villain, while MCU Loki lands more in antihero territory. Hiddleston's Loki is more charming — a side effect of being played by Hiddleston — who has a more complicated relationship with Thor instead of the pure hatred he displays in the comics. Hiddleston's Loki is a misunderstood, hurting man with a hidden soft spot for his brother with a desperate need for attention. Classic Loki is a bitter man who wants to spread mayhem and hatred until everyone is as unhappy as he is; starting with the downfall of his brother. Though the comics have made Loki more of an antihero in recent years to bring him in line with the MCU version, the Classic Loki that Richard E. Grant plays is an iteration of Loki that was far more of a villain, at least in the comics.

Richard E. Grant Plays The Classic Variant In Loki

The Classic Loki variant is played by actor Richard E. Grant. Grant is a Liswati-English actor who made his debut in the film Withnail and I in 1987. Since then, Grant has played roles in films like Can You Ever Forgive Me? and Gosford Park. Grant is no stranger to the sci-fi genre, either; he’s made appearances in Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Logan. With all of this experience, Grant is a perfect choice to play Classic Loki beyond the fact that he pulls the look off perfectly. Grant's casting in Loki has long been known, and fans have been making new theories weekly about where he might show up, but it wasn't until Loki episode 4 that his role was finally revealed as Classic Loki. Grant's Classic Loki looks like a no-nonsense kind of guy; his long face and scowl say he likely isn't going to be amused by Hiddleston's mischievous antics.

What Classic Loki Means For The MCU

Every new variant opens doors for the MCU to explore Loki's character. Loki episode 4 isn't the first nod the MCU has given to classic comic book costumes, either; both Wanda and Vision donned their classic costumes for Halloween in WandaVision. But what does Classic Loki's appearance mean for the MCU? One common theory is that the character King Loki will be tied into Grant's Classic Loki. King Loki was first introduced in Loki: Agent of Asgard as an enemy of Loki. King Loki is an entity from the future, a Loki who has turned back to evil. King Loki has returned from the future to kill Thor while he cannot wield Mjolnir and he is at his weakest. If King Loki is rolled into Grant's variant, it would provide an intriguing avenue for Loki to grapple with his inner demons, a repeating theme in Loki. Classic Loki also provides another connection between the separate universes of Earth-616 and Earth-199999 besides small references to Earth-616 in Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The MCU has been slowly building towards the idea of the MCU multiverse, but this connection would allow Marvel to explore the idea of multiverses further leading up to the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.