The Variant

"The Variant" is the second episode of the first season of the American television series Loki, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Loki. It follows an alternate version of the character who cannot return to his own timeline and is now working with the mysterious Time Variance Authority (TVA) to hunt down a fugitive variant of himself. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Elissa Karasik and directed by Kate Herron. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki from the film series, with Sophia Di Martino, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Eugene Cordero, Sasha Lane, Tara Strong, and Owen Wilson also starring. Herron joined the series in August 2019. Filming took place at Pinewood Atlanta Studios, with location filming in the Atlanta metropolitan area. "The Variant" was released on Disney+ on June 16, 2021. Critics praised the episode's twist ending. Plot