The Marvel mythology it is almost infinite. To this wide universe of references in the comics are added the possible readings and interpretations that are made about them. Adaptations for film and TV have not yet been talked about and all the information in the comics could be considered immeasurable or, at the very least, require a good part of one’s life to know it in detail. That is why the games that Marvel Studios poses in series like Loki (Kate Herron, 2021).
Each chapter of the miniseries and films developed together with Disney has a particular universe. A poster can refer to a comic published forty years ago and, in turn, can have a reading within the narrative of the adaptations. Therefore, after each episode or after the premiere of a new production, it is common to see and read any amount of content about references, easter eggs and winks within the story.
A couple of the most recent ones, linking references in comics and adapting them in audiovisual productions to give them a new meaning, are in Loki. Since the appearance of one of the variants until the introduction of new characters. We address the curious case of Sylvie and of “The one that remains”, within the comics and in the Serie emited by Disney Plus.
Sylvie: Lady Loki or The Enchantress?
From the beginning, it was expected that Loki offered different versions of the character. The conceptual universe of the series went on to define them as “variants” that inhabited different timelines. The second chapter, titled “The Variant”, featured the first of them.
During one of its lines, this variant explains that it is not a Loki and does not like it when it is defined that way, even if it is. Between the mentioned chapter and the next, “Lamentis”, fans and critics defined it as Lady Loki. However, the development of the third episode revealed his identity: Sylvie. Then another branch of the discussion opened. The viewer had before him a character similar to Loki, in terms of clothing, way of being and with the recognition of the Time Variation Authority (TVA, for its acronym in English), but that was not assumed in such a way.
On LokiMarvel Studios’ fickle villain Loki (Tom Hiddleston) reprises his role as the God of Deception in a new series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Kate Herron is directing it and Michael Waldron is the main screenwriter.
On the other hand, the script presented her with a name that refers to the Lovely marvel, also known as Sylvie. Here it should be remembered that hair color is also a nod to that character. While Lady Loky wears it black, the Enchantress wears it blonde. In this way, Marvel integrated two into a single character. The resource offers some narrative license and, perhaps most importantly, it keeps viewers talking about the series and its particular universe.
“He who remains”: who is he, according to the Marvel comics?
The sixth chapter of Loki, “For All Time. Always ”, referred to “The one that remains”. This character appeared in Thor # 245, published in March 1976, under the authorship of Len Wein and John Buscema. The mention occurs through another character, who cites him as one of the possible names attributed to him.
Within the comics, “He who remains” is responsible for the TVA. It is found in the Citadel at the End of Times, where the Multiverse ends. So far, everything Marvel adapted in Loki stay true to the comics. The surprise appears when their profiles are contrasted. Jonathan Majors appears on the scene, confirmed as the villain of Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Interpreting Kang the Conqueror.
“The one who remains”, in the comics, is an old man. He is credited with creating the Time-Twisters, the opposite of the Time Keepers, whom, in another reality, he also created. For its part, Kang the Conqueror is a character who can travel through time at will.. The closeness between the narratives enables Marvel to activate its resource in the Cinematic Universe and integrate two characters into one. Again. It remains to be seen what follows, within Phase 4, in Disney Plus.