All 3 Timelines Loki Jumps To

Loki season 2 finds the Asgardian God of Mischief dealing with the problem of time-slipping – a process in the MCU that seems remarkably similar to glitching from the Spider-Verse franchise. The comparison is a fair one, given how the Spider-Verse and Loki season 2 cast both deal with the concept of a disorganized multiverse and variants traveling to times and spaces not their own. It is unclear, however, if there is a technical difference between time-slipping and glitching, or if the only difference between the two conditions is terminology.

The concept of time-slipping was first introduced in the Loki season 2 trailer, as Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson) met with O.B. (Ke Huy Quan). A member of the TIme Variance Authority’s “Repairs and Advancement” division, O.B. was able to identify the strange condition that seemed to be paining Loki and causing him to randomly teleport across time and space as “time-slipping.” A more worrying problem, however, was the fact that it was supposed to be impossible for anyone to time-slip within the Time Variance Authority’s offices, and yet Loki was somehow managing it.

Loki Time-Slipping Timelines Explained

Loki Season 2’s Present-Day Timeline

Loki season 2’s main timeline is in present-day – specifically, just after the events of the Loki season 1 finale. This naturally makes it the most important timeline thus far in the show, as it covers the current events of series, including detailing Mobius and O.B’s efforts to help Loki tackle his unusual condition. However, the other two timelines shown in Loki season 2, episode 1 are also definitely noteworthy.

Loki Season 2’s Past Timeline

Loki is sent far into the past in the show, providing a look at a whole new period of the MCU multiverse’s history. This is the result of Sylvie sending him back in time in the Loki season 1 finale, allowing her to kill He Who Remains without interference. However, being sent back in time appears to have created more issues for Loki than just the initial transportation into the past, as it may well be responsible for his time-slipping in season 2.

Loki Season 2’s Future Timeline

Loki season 2 episode 1 also shows a glimpse into the future, which doesn’t look promising for either Loki, the TVA, or the MCU, to say the least. This glance at the future shows it on the brink of destruction, which is worrying enough by itself without the extra information that Sylvie appearing in it looking the same means it can’t be that much further in the future. Hopefully the efforts of Loki and his allies can prevent this from staying what the future looks like, though nothing is certain at this point in time.

Why Loki Slips Through Time In Season 2

It is still uncertain precisely why Loki is time-slipping in Loki season 2. What is clear is that he is being pulled randomly “between the past and present” and between multiple points in time as well as space. It is possible that the time-slipping is some manner of side effect of Loki’s encounter with He Who Remains in the Loki season 1 finale and the chaos that was unleashed when the Sacred Timeline was broken, or a result of Sylvie sending him back in time. It is also possible that the time-slipping is a time-based attack being inflicted on Loki by one of the many Kang variants now running unchecked across reality.

Whatever the reason for Loki’s time-slipping, it cannot be denied that the physical symptoms are remarkably similar to glitching from the Spider-Verse films. Glitching occurs when beings enter a universe that is not their own and begin to experience intense physical pain as their bodies shift wildly, rebelling against the differing reality around them. The Spider Society were able to avoid glitching with the use of advanced technology, which is apparently unknown to the Time Variance Authority if glitching and time-slipping are the same thing.

However, while the symptoms are similar, there is no guarantee that time-slipping and glitching are the same thing. A number of multiverse travelers entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe during the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and none of them showed symptoms similar to either glitching or time-slipping. There could be some other factor in play, such as Doctor Strange’s magic negating the effects of time-slipping or glitching. It is also possible, as one theory suggests, that the Raimi Spider-Man and Amazing Spider-Man universes are similar enough to the MCU to not cause immediate glitching. In any case, this is one mystery that Loki season 2 will have to unravel.

What Loki’s Glitching Means For Loki Season 2

Whatever the cause of Loki’s time-slipping, it may prove to be as much a boon as it is a hindrance. While Loki is clearly pained by the process, his random travels through time set the story of Loki season 2 into motion, with the God of Mischief describing how he saw much during his travels across time and that “if what I saw is true, there is nothing that stands between this world and utter destruction.” This could make Loki into an oracle of sorts, being able to guide the present into a different path that ensures a better future.

This presumes, of course, that the information Loki is seeing during his time-slips is accurate and that he and his allies will be able to plot the correct course based on what Loki sees. That might prove challenging enough, even without the suggestion that Loki’s time-slipping is the result of Kang attacking him directly or a side effect of Loki confronting the Kang variant known as He Who Remains and re-creating the multiverse. In any case, it is ironic that Loki, a being often associated with chaos and confusion, should suddenly be a source of illumination who can help restore order.

Loki season 2 releases every Thursday on Disney+.