Loki Is Full Of MCU Easter Eggs

Though Owen Wilson’s Agent Mobius is pulled from the comics, he does incidentally share a name with the same mathematical concept that Tony Stark used to figure out time travel in Avengers: Endgame. The Mobius strip refers to a surface with one side and a twist in the middle that makes it seem infinite. As Scientific American writes, “a typical thought experiment to demonstrate how the three-dimensional strip operates involves imagining an ant on an adventure,” in which the insect would traverse the strip’s 180-degree loop but still technically be on the same original side. Could Scott Lang be near?

Actually... maybe. According to Marvel, Mobius has a “working relationship” with a major upcoming MCU villain: Kang the Conqueror, who is set to appear in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Though Loki hasn’t introduced Kang yet, the character’s time-traveling antics frequently put him on the TVA’s radar in the comics — plus, he has a relationship with Ravonna Renslayer, who is played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the series.

While Mobius investigates an attack on TVA Minutemen in 1549 France, a stained-glass image of a red, horned, devil-like figure can be seen — i.e., maybe the most Mephisto thing we’ve witnessed on Disney+ yet (even after all those WandaVision clues proved fruitless). Many viewers took this to be an obvious Easter egg, but Loki director and executive producer Kate Herron cleared it up quickly. “It's honestly just a super weird coincidence,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “Like, it's genuinely a reference to Loki — the horns, he was cast out of heaven, that's what it's a reference to.”

Further proof that Loki isn’t just trolling fans for the thrill of it — as Herron explained, WandaVision hadn’t even aired by the time the church scene was filmed.

At the TVA, Loki discovers a treasure trove of confiscated items — including, to his shock, a bunch of Infinity Stones haphazardly thrown in a junk drawer. There are even several apparent duplicates (multiple red Reality Stones and green Time Stones, for example), suggesting that the stones might come from other universes than the one at the heart of the MCU. With Loki head writer Michael Waldron also co-writing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the clue seems like a small but significant nod to the rising conflict of Phase 4.

In a quaint but low-key ominous video narrated by Miss Minutes, it’s revealed that the TVA was established in the fallout of a “vast Multiversal war” in which different timelines “battled each other for supremacy.” To prevent history from repeating itself (or however that phrase works in the timeless TVA), the Time-Keepers keep a close watch on the Multiverse — which sounds like it’s due for some trouble in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel.

Miss Minutes also talked about “Nexus Events,” which is caused when someone — like Loki — veers off the Sacred Timeline. This kind of event, she explains, can “branch off into madness” (another Doctor Strange nod) if not checked. This isn’t the first time viewers have seen the term in the MCU, though. In WandaVision, Nexus was the name of an antidepressant that could “anchor you back to your reality... or the reality of your choice.” And, as Reddit user Empyrealist pointed out last year, the term made an appearance on Erik Selvig’s chalkboard in Thor: The Dark World.

As Loki explains at the TVA, “you can smell the cologne in two Tony Starks,” a reference to how the Avengers’ time travel led to two versions of the character being in 2012 New York. It’s not the first time someone criticized Iron Man’s scent of choice — back in Endgame, while Ant-Man was sneaking inside Tony’s suit, the tiny hero was repulsed, asking, “Is that Axe body spray?”

One big Easter egg arrived before Loki even premiered. On June 6, many fans noticed that a promotional clip from the show’s official Twitter account featured a TVA file for Loki that listed his sex as “fluid,” a confirmation of the character’s dynamic, genderfluid identity in the comics and Norse mythology. “Breadth and range of identity contained in the character has been emphasized and is something I was always aware of when I was first cast 10 years ago,” Hiddleston told Inverse.

Loki can’t stop himself from telling strangers he’s “burdened with glorious purpose,” and the iconic line returns just three minutes into the new series. “Glorious Purpose” even serves as the title of Episode 1 — but here, the line might foretell something more significant than Loki’s dreams of domination. As Mobius tells Loki, “I can’t offer you salvation, but maybe I can offer you something better.” Perhaps Loki’s quote is symbolic of his new purpose and emotional journey, wherever that might lead beyond Episode 5, which also included multiple references to Loki’s motto.

At the TVA, Mobius catches up Loki on his life — from his heartbreaking past (like the role he inadvertently played in Frigga’s death in The Dark World) to his redemptive future, where Odin and Thor embrace him as an important part of the family. Herron tells Bustle she was careful not to reference these memories (and the flashes to past MCU titles) like a “clip show,” instead opting “to be in the room with our Loki and see how he's reacting” to those moments in real-time.

If you look closely just after the 34-minute mark on Episode 1, you can spot a woman being brought into the TVA, much like Loki was at the beginning of the episode. Her hairstyle and outfit reminded some viewers of Peggy Carter (she sports similar looks in Agent Carter and Captain America: The Winter Soldier for reference). Of course, if anyone is going to answer for crimes against the Sacred Timeline, it really should be Steve Rogers himself — but then again, the show explained early on that something as seemingly innocuous as being late to work could land you at the TVA. Either way, Hayley Atwell has appeared in several MCU movies, including Ant-Man and Age of Ultron, so it seems she’d be game to return as Agent Carter if the story allowed for it.

Once you get over the shock of seeing Wilson sans his signature blonde waves, you might start to wonder about that mustache — which, as it turns out, is an Easter egg in itself. A deep one. As Inverse reports, Mobius’ unique look was a nod to Mark Gruenwald, a prolific Marvel writer who sported a very similar stache. Like Mobius, Gruenwald was intent on organizing potentially messy timelines — so much so that the writer co-created The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe to help make sense of the ever-expanding lore.

Tony Stark may be gone, but his influence on the MCU is still going strong. Case in point: Loki’s crash landing in the desert. As Herron explained in a tweet, the imagery was intended as a nod to the cave escape in the first Iron Man. “[It] felt like a fun way to reference the film that started it all and wanted it to represent Loki’s new journey ahead,” she wrote. Just like early Tony, this Loki variant is coming from a pretty raw, egotistical place — perhaps this Easter egg is foreshadowing major redemption (or at least, some growth) for the God of Mischief.

The Avengers proper may boast the big, flashy movies — but the scrappy Revengers featured in Thor: Ragnarok are finally getting the recognition they deserve. At least by the TVA. As Loki researches to find the elusive variant, he stumbles across the file for Ragnarok and the destruction of his home realm. “CODENAME: REVENGERS” is listed on the report, a nod to the makeshift team of Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, and Hulk, who helped fulfill the Ragnarok prophecy in order to prevent Hela from wreaking further destruction.

While chatting with Loki, Mobius praises the early-’90s advent of the jet-ski — a “beautiful union of form and function,” he calls it, lamenting that he can’t actually ride one without messing up the Sacred Timeline somehow. He also loves his Josta Soda, which turns out to be a real thing from that decade, too. Of all the countless eras he’s surely traveled to, this one stands out for the agent — perhaps it’s mere appreciation, or maybe Mobius actually has a personal connection to the ’90s since he is a variant.

At about 47 minutes into Episode 2, one TVA employee warns that “something just bombed the Sacred Timeline,” and significant places begin popping up on a computer — some of which include Sakaar (the Ragnarok trash planet) in 1984, Ego (Peter Quill’s planet dad) in 1382, Titan (Thanos’s home) in 1982, Asgard in 2004, Vormir in 2301, and New York in 1947. It looks like the TVA’s worst fears just came true, with countless moments in time going kablooie before their eyes. Whether all of these familiar locations will actually be explored in the series or were just used to illustrate the sheer scope of timeline chaos, things aren’t looking great for the TVA — and the mess seems set to continue in upcoming films like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

As Nerdist observed, the credits for Episode 2 showcased a very telling clue — and don’t worry, it wasn’t a post-credits scene you somehow missed. Rather, several new names were given special thanks: Steve Englehart, who co-created the Roxxon Corporation in the comics, and the team of Olivier Coipel and J. Michael Straczynski, who penned the Thor comics run in which Lady Loki is first introduced. At the time of this episode, there was definitely room for speculation on the identity of Sophia Di Martino’s mysterious character, Sylvie, and this credits clue adds another layer of credence to the idea that she is, at the very least, inspired by Lady Loki’s origin in the comics.

As TikTok user infinityrue pointed out, Mobius’ jet-ski magazine in Episode 2 is Volume 26, No. 4, which could be a reference to Thor No. 264, “which features Loki ruling Asgard by seeking the help of Enchantress.” Sylvie wasn’t introduced by name until the next episode — and even though she doesn’t appear to be Amora the Enchantress, Sylvie is a sort of Enchantress copycat in the comic books, which makes this tiny Easter egg a fun nod to what was coming.

The Asgardians love a good drink — a fact proven for the second time when Loki threw his glass on the ground in Episode 3 and cheerily demanded “another!” much like his brother did back in 2011’s Thor. Another fun fact: Tom Hiddleston actually improvised this scene, as Herron later revealed.

The glass-smash moment happens after Loki sings a lively Asgardian song — and while you may have been too busy focusing on that melodious voice to wonder what the lyrics actually meant, we now have an answer. As Screen Rant reports via Bergens Tidende, the song was written specifically for Loki — and its lyrics, penned by Norwegian writer Erlend O. Nødtvedt, seem to speak to Loki’s homesickness for Asgard and the people he’s lost: “In storm-blackened mountains, I wander alone ... In the apple orchard the fair maiden stands and sings, ‘When will you come home?’”

Loki has a knack for falls — always followed up by an iconic hair flip, of course. As Twitter user romanoffnparker pointed out, the God of Mischief experienced his third such landing in Episode 3 of Loki, his first happening at Doctor Strange’s place on Bleecker Street in Thor: Ragnarok.

As Den of Geek pointed out, the soldiers who try (and fail) to keep Loki and Sylvie off the train in Episode 3 are credited as “Corporal Hicks and Private Hudson,” two names from the 1986 film Aliens. This wouldn’t be the first time Loki took inspiration from the hit sci-fi series. Herron told Bustle that Hunter B-15, much like Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, was originally conceived of as a male character before Wunmi Mosaku instantly won over the creative team.

Moons are always causing trouble (or receiving it) in the MCU. Just as one of the earliest scenes in Loki referenced the desert landing in Iron Man, Episode 3’s Lamentis-1 lunar apocalypse features shades of Thanos’ attack on Tony Stark in Avengers: Infinity War, in which the titan threw a moon on the hero.

Loki and Sylvie might be the TVA’s most troublesome variants yet — but as Mobius casually reveals in Episode 4, the agency has dealt with its fair share of chaos. “We brought in Kree, Titans, vampires,” he says. “Why is it the two orphan demigods are such a pain in the ass?” Wait a second... Kree and Titans are familiar names to anyone who’s seen Captain Marvel or Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. But vampires? The blood-sucking species hasn’t been seen in the MCU as we know it, but the recently announced reboot of Blade starring Mahershala Ali will change that. Mobius’ quip here appears to be a subtle but significant nod to the future film.

Loki’s first thought when he wakes up post-pruning is, “Is this Hel?” Note the unique spelling, confirmed by the series’ subtitles. He’s not referring to a fiery inferno, but to the general place where Asgardians go after they die. It is ruled by Hela, though, so it’s probably a pretty scary thought for Loki or anyone else who dared defy the Goddess of Death.

It’s still unclear what Sylvie did to cause a nexus event and become a variant — but the toys she’s playing with when the TVA picks her up could be significant to her character. For starters, the way she moves her figures is adorably reminiscent of Loki’s Ragnarok salad demonstration in Episode 2, fortifying how similar the two variants are. She also leaves behind a toy dog, which likely represents the giant wolf Fenris that Hulk fights during Thor: Ragnarok.

In a surprise appearance during Episode 4, Lady Sif (portrayed by Jaimie Alexander from the first two Thor films) retaliated against Loki after he cut her hair in a past prank. Fans know that Loki found Sif “ravishing” based on that Dark World Asgard escape scene, but they haven’t quite seen this side of their dynamic before. According to Marvel Comics, Loki, “fearing retribution” after cutting his friend’s hair, “bargained with the dwarves Eitri and Brokk to fashion Sif new locks. However, because Loki reneged on their payment, the dwarves caused the hair to turn black when placed on her head,” explaining why the character has dark hair instead of blonde like in Norse mythology.

As Mobius steals away to the TVA library to investigate Renslayer’s TemPad, the section “FE3” can be seen in the background. Fe is the symbol for iron on the periodic table, so could the combination be a nod to Iron Man 3? Though it seems like a stretch, it wouldn’t be the first time Loki referenced billionaire/playboy/philanthropist Tony Stark; one of the series’ first shots was an homage to the genius. Plus, as CBR reports, an Advanced Idea Mechanics weapon can be seen in the first episode of Loki (AIM was Iron Man 3 villain Aldrich Killian’s organization). Could the 2013 film provide more clues? Maybe — the movie begins in the ’90s, aka the decade where Mobius likely hails from.

During Episode 4, Hunter B-15 guards Sylvie in Time Theater 47, and that number might not be a coincidence. In 1984’s What If? No. 47, the idea of Loki wielding Mjolnir (as opposed to Thor) is explored — and of course, in this episode’s end-credits scene, a Loki variant can be seen holding a hammer of his own. Perhaps the number is a nod to how the rest of the series will play out or serves as a reference to the upcoming What If... ? series on Disney+.

Several fans compared the Episode 4 post-credits scene to the framing of Loki’s arrest by the Avengers back in 2012 — and according to Herron, that’s by design. The director and executive producer took to Twitter to cite the original shot as a reference for both herself and the director of photography, Autumn Durald.

The wasteland of Episode 5’s Void serves as a natural backdrop for many easy-to-miss Easter eggs — such as Throg. As Twitter user feanoors pointed out, Mjölnir can be seen in the ground next to a red-caped frog stuck in a jar labeled “T365.” That designation points to Thor No. 365, in which Throg (Thor in frog form, thanks to some Loki magic) hops alongside rats and alligators alike.

After the episode aired, Herron shared another key Throg secret with the For All Nerds podcast: Chris Hemsworth actually voiced the amphibian! Of course, Throg doesn’t say much — he really just grunts and yells as he tries to escape his little jar — but give it a rewatch and you’ll instantly recognize the God of Thunder’s familiar voice.

Another blink-and-you-miss-it detail can be found in the form of a fallen yellow helicopter with “Thanos” written on the side. As Twitter user daniloo_pr noted, the oddball vehicle’s design is pulled straight from the comics — where the Titan uses the “Thanos Copter” to get around and commit some of his many misdeeds, Inverse explains.

At the very beginning of the Loki credits, a coffee pot with a label reading “800 BC” can be seen for a brief moment. The date might have some significance when it comes to the greater MCU — as Comic Book reported in 2019, a behind-the-scenes shot from Eternals included the setting “Babylon 800 BC,” so it’s certainly a tie-in to look for when the film arrives this November.

Episode 5 marked a small but significant switch in Loki’s naming conventions. Unlike past episodes’ titles, “Journey Into Mystery” takes its name directly from the comics, and for good reason. This is the name of the Marvel Comics line in which Loki is first introduced, beginning more than half a century’s worth of mischief (and counting).

As Herron revealed to the For All Nerds podcast, the long-wondered-about Teletubbies connection finally came to fruition in Episode 5, where the Void’s “rolling hills of dystopia” pulled inspiration from the Teletubbies’ landscape.

In Episode 6, He Who Remains died with an extremely ominous warning to Sylvie — “See you soon,” he told her, in reference to his dangerous variants that would be set free in the impending Multiversal War. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard the phrase in Loki. As TikTok user isuperebba pointed out right after Episode 4, “See you soon” can be heard in a barely perceptible whisper after Sylvie decapitates the Time-Keeper android. Even then, isuperebba suspected that the voice belonged to “someone is watching Loki and Sylvie” and even offered Kang as a possible speaker.

Set to the song Steve and Peggy dance to in Avengers: Endgame and featuring quotes from throughout the MCU, Episode 6’s intro was an emotional reminder of how many stories we’ve seen so far — and a prescient clue that the MCU we know and love could be changing forever with the impending Multiversal War. The snippets come from many characters, including Loki himself (“We have a Hulk”) — but interestingly, a solid handful of them connect to Ant-Man. The first voice we hear is Sam Wilson’s, telling the tiny hero, “Way to go, Tic Tac!” in Captain America: Civil War. The next is Hope van Dyne telling Scott Lang, “That’s how you punch” in Ant-Man. We also hear Scott’s “No, you wouldn’t have heard of me” and Hank Pym’s “I’ll show you ferocity” from the same film. Though it may not be intentional, the connection to Ant-Man does seem significant since the episode introduced Jonathan Majors as a variant of Kang the Conqueror, who will be the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

When Hunter B-15 travels to Fremont, Ohio, and finds Renslayer (or who Renslayer once was) working as a high school vice principal, a diploma with the name Rebecca Tourminet can be seen hanging on the wall. In the comics, Rebecca Tourminet is the alias Renslayer assumes when she lives with Kang the Conqueror on Earth in the 20th century. Here, an earlier version of Kang “established a sleepy hamlet to manufacture futuristic technology to revolutionize the time era.”

So even though the woman we meet at the school doesn’t appear to know anything about time travel or the TVA (she could have been mind-wiped like the variant agents we’ve met), the use of this specific moniker could be a nod to Renslayer and Kang’s ties throughout time.

Ahead of the Season 1 finale, Loki writer and producer Eric Martin shared a fun behind-the-scenes Easter egg. On the Roxxcart set, there are multiple pool floaties on display, including a jet-ski and an alligator, which seem to serve as nods to Mobius and the soon-to-be-revealed Alligator Loki.

As Twitter user SbuDaBuddist pointed out, a crack can be seen on the floor between Loki and Sylvie as they speak to He Who Remains — foreshadowing their ultimate split minutes before it actually happens, when the God and Goddess of Mischief disagree on helming the TVA or killing the new villain.

Twitter user epCN wondered if a TVA poster in the Episode 6 credits — featuring text in a “4”-shaped symbol — could be a nod to the upcoming Fantastic Four film, the first to be an official part of the MCU. Because Kang the Conqueror is suggested to be a descendant of Mister Fantastic, or Reed Richards, the poster could definitely be a subtle nod at Marvel’s First Family and their approaching introduction to the franchise.