Loki isn’t your normal MCU anti-hero: he’s a god. Between that and his time travel hijinks, he’s rather difficult to eliminate. We’ve seen him literally bite it on screen, but even then, a past version of him was transported to the TVA... and to a lead role in his own Disney+ TV series.
Now, after Loki Season 2 seemed to finally give Loki the “glorious purpose” he’s gone on and on about, fans considered that the end of Loki’s — and Tom Hiddleston’s — MCU journey. But no one’s ever really gone in the comic book universe, and that goes double for a fan-favorite character like Loki. Even Hiddleston is hesitant to completely write off a return to the green and gold.
In an interview with Comicbook.com, Tom Hiddleston revealed that while Loki’s story may feel like it’s reached a conclusion, he’s been through this scenario before. “I have at least twice in my life said goodbye,” Hiddleston said. “I’ve written to Kevin Feige and Louis de Esposito and Victoria Alonso and been like, ‘Thank you so much. It’s been like the role of a lifetime,’ and they’ve written notes back saying, ‘Come and see us anytime. You’re always part of the family. We’re always here. You’ve given us so much and tears have been shared.’ So I think I’d be unwise at this point to be conclusive about any of it.”
Loki itself established that variants of characters exist, so it’s impossible to ever write a character off entirely. But Loki was built on Tom Hiddleston’s electric performance, and knowing he’s open to returning to the role under the right circumstances is a fun development for fans. Maybe he could return as the Loki we saw in this series, now at the center of a Temporal Tree. Maybe he’ll be a variant, like President Loki from Season 1, or he could even be another Loki variant plucked from an obscure branch of the timeline. It might not be a narrative essential, but if Hiddleston is willing to return, there will be a way for him to come back.
Of course, it’s also possible that Hiddleston is just being diplomatic. He was, after all, just on The Tonight Show telling Jimmy Fallon that the Loki Season 2 finale was “the conclusion to six films, and 12 episodes, and 14 years of my life.” The journey may be over... but then again, maybe it’s not just yet. Either way, his comments make an important point about the MCU: thanks to variants, no character is ever completely gone for good, and strategic use of that fact could let Marvel bring back some beloved heroes without looking too desperate to recapture the glory days.
For now, there’s no telling if, how, when, or in what form Loki will return again, but if there’s one character who can seamlessly slip back into MCU canon like nothing ever changed, it’s Hiddleston’s trickster god. He’s always welcome in this franchise. For all time, always.
