Entertainment

How the Ending of 'Loki' Season 1 Sets Up Marvel's Next Big Bad

Kang the Conquerer has arrived. But who is he?

Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios

Forget Thanos. Loki Season 1-and now we know for sure there will be a Season 2-ends with the introduction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next Big Bad. If you missed the name, that’s because the finale withheld it, but the same actor, Jonathan Majors, has also been cast in the upcoming threequel movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania as the time-hopping Marvel villian Kang the Conqueror. But who is he?

Loki Episode 6 doesn’t answer that question, exactly-the sassy clock Miss Minutes refers to the character as He Who Remains-but it does serve as a showcase for Majors, who just earned an Emmy nomination for his work in the canceled-too-soon HBO series Lovecraft Country. He’s introduced when Loki and Sylvie arrive at his citadel at the end of time and he takes over the plot with a whole bunch of exposition about who he is and why he’s been controling the timeline. He then gives the unreliable gods of mischief two options: They can kill him and create the multiverse, which would also cause all of his own variants to converge and foment chaos. Or the duo can run the TVA themselves as a way to maintain the timeline and keep the status quo.

Loki is hesitant to decide and wants to think for a minute, while Sylvie, fueled by anger and distrust, chooses the former. After kissing Loki, she pushes him through a portal back to TVA headquarters and drives a knife through the heart of He Who Remains. But it’s a Pyrrhic victory. After Loki arrives back in the orange halls of the Time Variance Authority and discovers that his pal Mobius does not know who he is anymore, he sees a statue resembling He Who Remains, which indicates that HWR’s warning came true.

In this new, chaotic scenario, it appears that a variant of He Who Remains is now the face of the organization, rather than the anonymous Time Keepers, who were revealed to be robots operating the TVA in a Wizard of Oz situation. So is this Kang the Conqueror? Most likely!

Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios

There were clues earlier in the season that Kang’s hands were somehow involved in the plot of Loki, specifically given the presence of Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Ravonna Renslayer. In this episode, we learn that Ravonna was a schoolteacher before she got pruned from the time, but in comics lore she hails from the 40th century and is both an ally and a love interest for Kang. Even having been disavowed of the notion that the Time Keepers exist and that she is a variant herself, she remains loyal to the idea of the sacred timeline. When she leaves Mobius, she tells him that she’s in search of “free will” after having previously stated that the only person who has free will is the person in charge. That indicates that she’s either planning to overthrow Kang or join up with him. Based on her comics history, we would guess the latter.

So who is Kang? Well, He Who Remains basically tells you all you need to know in his major exposition dump. He Who Remains was a scientist who discovered proof of the multiverse and found multiple versions of himself who were intent on taking over everywhere. War ensued, and He Who Remains created the TVA to keep the timeline in check and prevent a multiverse scenario. Now that Sylvie has killed He Who Remains, other, more murderous versions of himself have been unleashed. One of these is Kang. Whether the statue Loki sees is Kang, or another militaristic variant remains to be confirmed, but it’s likely Kang.

Now the question becomes when we can expect to see him next. As mentioned, Majors had been tapped to star in Quantumania, but now it seems like he’s going to be making many more appearances, in the way that Thanos popped up across multiple MCU movies in Phases One, Two and Three. Loki is getting a season 2, though it’s unclear when that will air, but some have speculated that the cast and crew shot the first two installments back to back.

Mostly the Loki Season 1 finale seems like be directly setting up Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Marvel’s first Disney+ TV show, WandaVision, also situated itself as a lead-in to that Sam Raimi-directed movie, scheduled for March 25, 2022. Could Kang appear earlier, though? Three MCU movies-Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3), Eternals (November 5), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 17)-are scheduled for release ahead of the upcoming Doctor Strange movie, and it’s conceivable that Kang could be referenced or pop up in a mid-credits scene in one of them. Could Spider-Man: No Way Home introduce the multiverse to the MCU movies by way of baddies like Alfred Molina’s Doc Ock reappearing from Raimi’s 2004 film, but facing off against Holland’s Spidey instead of Tobey Maguire’s? Well, anything’s possible now. The sacred timeline is over.Want more Thrillist? Follow us on InstagramTwitterPinterestYouTubeTikTok, and Snapchat.

Esther Zuckerman is a senior entertainment writer at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @ezwrites.

Entertainment

Where to Celebrate Lunar New Year 2023 in Australia

And what it means to be in the year of the Rabbit.

where to celebrate lunar new year australia

Starting with the new moon on Sunday, January 22, this Lunar New Year ushers in the year of the Rabbit. We’ve put together a guide on celebrating the Lunar New Year in Australia.

What is special about the year of the Rabbit?

As you might know, each year has an animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac, which is based on the moon and has a 12-year cycle. This year, we celebrate the year of the rabbit, known to be the luckiest out of all twelve animals. It symbolises mercy, elegance, and beauty.

What celebrations are taking place and how can I get involved?

There are plenty of festivals happening all around the country which you can get involved with. Here they are per state.

New South Wales

Darling Harbour Fireworks
When: Every year, Sydney puts on a fireworks show, and this year, you can catch it on January 28 and February 4 at 9 pm in Darling Harbour.

Dragon Boat Races
When: Witness three days of dragon boat races and entertainment on Cockle Bay to usher in the Lunar New Year. The races will commence on January 27 and finish on January 29.

Lion Dances
When: Catch a traditional Lion Dance moving to the beat of a vigorous drum bringing good luck and fortune for the Lunar New Year. The dance performances will happen across Darling Harbour on Saturday, January 21, Sunday, January 22, and Sunday, February 4 and 5, around 6 pm and 9 pm.

Lunar New Year at Cirrus Dining
When: Barangaroo’s waterfront seafood restaurant, Cirrus, is celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with a special feast menu. Cirrus’ LNY menu is $128pp with optional wine pairing and is available from Saturday, January 21, to Sunday, February 5.

Auntie Philter
When: Hello Auntie’s owner and executive chef, Cuong Nguyen will be dishing out some of the most classic Vietnamese street foods with his mum, Linda. All of Philter’s favourites will be on offer, as well as Raspberry Pash Beer Slushies and other cocktails being served at the Philter Brewing rooftop bar on Sunday, January 22 and Sunday, January 29.

Victoria

Lunar New Year Festival
When: Ring in the Lunar New Year with food, music, arts, and more on Sunday, January 22, from 10 am to 9 pm.

Lunar New Year at the National Gallery of Victoria
When: Celebrate the year of the rabbit at the National Gallery of Victoria’s festival of art, food, and art-making activities for everyone from 10 am-5 pm.

Queensland

BriAsia Festival
When: From February 1-19, Brisbane will come alive with performances, including lion dances and martial arts displays. There will be street food, workshops, comedy and more.

South Australia

Chinatown Adelaide Street Party
When: Adelaide is set to hose a fun-filled day celebrating the Chinese New Year on Saturday, January 28, from 12 pm to 9 pm.

Western Australia

Crown Perth
When: Across January and February, Crown Perth hosts free live entertainment, including colourful lion dances, roving mascots, and drumming performances. The restaurants will also throw banquets and menus dedicated to the Lunar New Year.

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