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tori_reviewsNext week will be back to a more normal schedule, although I am almost done with HDM too, and I don't have anything else in the queue currently. I think I'll finish the TCW posts before I think about shaking it up (when does What If start? I'm not sure into the idea, but it will be something else to review).
Loki 1x06
I…don’t know what to make of that. I’m going to start by wondering when s2 is supposed to happen, because leaving us in the middle of the story for too long seems like a bad move. Because while I do want to know how this ends, I don’t really care that much about anything in it. It feels a bit like they’ve written themselves an out if this change to the working of the universe don’t go over well with the audience and I’m perfectly fine with them taking it, so I’d be happy to pretend none of this matters going forward.
I also kind of don’t buy any of the things that happen. I still kind of think the guy at the end of time is just Loki and all that we saw was an illusion. I still don’t trust Loki because the story hasn’t actually given him any character development in this series; it tells us that he’s changed but I don’t really buy it. The story also wants us to disapprove of what Sylvie does here, but feel sympathy for her in spite of everything else she’s done, and I’m not sure I do either.
The conclusion of this season is just the Matrix Reloaded and the Architect, and I’m not sure why anyone would do that. I certainly don’t think it was any more interesting that the scene in that movie; in fact I kind of think the movie might have been better (it’s been a while since I watched it though) because it was actually a nexus point on which that universe hinged. While this…this was just stalling by exposition. Of course Sylvie isn’t going to be persuaded and of course this weirdly mild-mannered Loki would see it a different way. Because of course it had to come to a fight between them, I was expecting that from the moment the other guy suggested they rule together.
It's a weird contradiction. Because I don’t think Loki is opposing Sylvie because he wants a throne (this show wouldn’t write him that way, even though that is actually what would be in keeping with Avengers-era-Loki); but I also don’t trust him with even the slightest amount of power, that he’d be a tyrant as soon as he had any base to work from. And I absolutely think he’d betray Sylvie if he thought it served his purpose (or at least that’s all true if this counts as Loki anymore). The problem right now is only that he doesn’t know quite what his purpose is.
Honestly, by the time s2 does happen, I probably will have lost what little interest I’ve ever had in this show. It did not give me much in the way of ways for May to beat Loki up, the writing thinks it’s a lot cleverer than it is, it’s still ugly to look at (bland except when it wants to be super flashy to distract from how boring it is), and I’m pretty sure I completely disagree with its morals. It’s not cracky enough to be a fun romp with the god of mischief, and it ends up playing the stuff that should be cracky with too much sincerity.
I think it speaks to how little character development there’s been on this show, that when we get to the last temptations of Lokis, it’s so boring. The clock offers Loki all the things he used to desire, but there’s no actual temptation to it, and there also hasn’t been nearly enough character arc for that moment to be the climax of an arc. And don’t get me started on how vague the promises to Sylvie are, that they wouldn’t think about anything specific that she wants, just good memories. Really, it’s almost sexist; fem-Loki is the one who doesn’t want to rule, to be set up with a palace and worlds that bow to her, she just wants vague happiness (or at least that’s how the clock seems to treat her).
You know who I kind of do like at this point; the judge lady. I mean, she not a good person, but I feel like she has more character and potential to be a spanner in the works than any version of Loki is currently. Admittedly, I’ve kind of been in this position before, where I wanted her to be the companion instead of Martha on Doctor Who, but I think it’s worth noting here, because she’s the only thing I find that interesting; and I want to see what quest she’s on (although, again, I think that the ‘he’ that gave her information could certainly be Loki).
I could go on a rant about the multi-verse and how I just kind of assume that other last guys are doing the same things in their universes, and probably other Lokis in those universes are messing up plans. But I also don’t like this show nearly enough to assume the writers are actually that clever. They think they’re clever, but they’re not; not for multi-verse dynamics or Whedon-esque writing that this show would have benefited from greatly.
That said, this was probably slightly better than F&WS. It’s kind of disappointing that WandaVision might be the best show they’ve done so far in this era. Really, my sympathies have never seemed to be in line with the morals the shows seem to espouse. Wanda’s a villain, John Walker’s a hero, Sam’s a moron and Bucky not much better, and I don’t care about Loki being redeemed or not (even if he ever is, I probably won’t think it’s earned the way it was in the main timeline).
Loki 1x06
I…don’t know what to make of that. I’m going to start by wondering when s2 is supposed to happen, because leaving us in the middle of the story for too long seems like a bad move. Because while I do want to know how this ends, I don’t really care that much about anything in it. It feels a bit like they’ve written themselves an out if this change to the working of the universe don’t go over well with the audience and I’m perfectly fine with them taking it, so I’d be happy to pretend none of this matters going forward.
I also kind of don’t buy any of the things that happen. I still kind of think the guy at the end of time is just Loki and all that we saw was an illusion. I still don’t trust Loki because the story hasn’t actually given him any character development in this series; it tells us that he’s changed but I don’t really buy it. The story also wants us to disapprove of what Sylvie does here, but feel sympathy for her in spite of everything else she’s done, and I’m not sure I do either.
The conclusion of this season is just the Matrix Reloaded and the Architect, and I’m not sure why anyone would do that. I certainly don’t think it was any more interesting that the scene in that movie; in fact I kind of think the movie might have been better (it’s been a while since I watched it though) because it was actually a nexus point on which that universe hinged. While this…this was just stalling by exposition. Of course Sylvie isn’t going to be persuaded and of course this weirdly mild-mannered Loki would see it a different way. Because of course it had to come to a fight between them, I was expecting that from the moment the other guy suggested they rule together.
It's a weird contradiction. Because I don’t think Loki is opposing Sylvie because he wants a throne (this show wouldn’t write him that way, even though that is actually what would be in keeping with Avengers-era-Loki); but I also don’t trust him with even the slightest amount of power, that he’d be a tyrant as soon as he had any base to work from. And I absolutely think he’d betray Sylvie if he thought it served his purpose (or at least that’s all true if this counts as Loki anymore). The problem right now is only that he doesn’t know quite what his purpose is.
Honestly, by the time s2 does happen, I probably will have lost what little interest I’ve ever had in this show. It did not give me much in the way of ways for May to beat Loki up, the writing thinks it’s a lot cleverer than it is, it’s still ugly to look at (bland except when it wants to be super flashy to distract from how boring it is), and I’m pretty sure I completely disagree with its morals. It’s not cracky enough to be a fun romp with the god of mischief, and it ends up playing the stuff that should be cracky with too much sincerity.
I think it speaks to how little character development there’s been on this show, that when we get to the last temptations of Lokis, it’s so boring. The clock offers Loki all the things he used to desire, but there’s no actual temptation to it, and there also hasn’t been nearly enough character arc for that moment to be the climax of an arc. And don’t get me started on how vague the promises to Sylvie are, that they wouldn’t think about anything specific that she wants, just good memories. Really, it’s almost sexist; fem-Loki is the one who doesn’t want to rule, to be set up with a palace and worlds that bow to her, she just wants vague happiness (or at least that’s how the clock seems to treat her).
You know who I kind of do like at this point; the judge lady. I mean, she not a good person, but I feel like she has more character and potential to be a spanner in the works than any version of Loki is currently. Admittedly, I’ve kind of been in this position before, where I wanted her to be the companion instead of Martha on Doctor Who, but I think it’s worth noting here, because she’s the only thing I find that interesting; and I want to see what quest she’s on (although, again, I think that the ‘he’ that gave her information could certainly be Loki).
I could go on a rant about the multi-verse and how I just kind of assume that other last guys are doing the same things in their universes, and probably other Lokis in those universes are messing up plans. But I also don’t like this show nearly enough to assume the writers are actually that clever. They think they’re clever, but they’re not; not for multi-verse dynamics or Whedon-esque writing that this show would have benefited from greatly.
That said, this was probably slightly better than F&WS. It’s kind of disappointing that WandaVision might be the best show they’ve done so far in this era. Really, my sympathies have never seemed to be in line with the morals the shows seem to espouse. Wanda’s a villain, John Walker’s a hero, Sam’s a moron and Bucky not much better, and I don’t care about Loki being redeemed or not (even if he ever is, I probably won’t think it’s earned the way it was in the main timeline).
