Loki Recap: Episode 6 | Beyond the void is he who remains

WRITER’S NOTE: The following post contains spoilers.

The season finale of Loki is finally here.  So much is unpacked in this episode and though it will be very sad not seeing the God of Mischief grace our screens every Wednesday like we have been used to this summer, one thing for sure is that the rest of Phase 4 of the MCU is going to be absolutely amazing.

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Before we get into the recap, let’s discuss the opening title card of Marvel Studios. The fact that we hear recordings from the last 10 years from almost every MCU character was such a genius idea to incorporate. Hands down, one of the best openings so far in the show but also the MCU.

Episode 6 is titled “For All Time. Always.” and continues with the recordings that we hear in the opening title card but then transitions into different recordings from history. While this is going on, we see a visual of the universe and the timeline.

At the end of Episode 5, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) were able to enchant Alioth and are now making their way towards the castle they saw in the distance. As they approach the doors, Sylvie at first is apprehensive to kick down the door. Loki asks her if she’s okay and before he can continue, Sylvie reminds him that before he existed, she had been pruned, and standing before these doors is something she has been waiting for her entire life.

Before Sylvie finally gets to kick the doors down, they open on their own, and she and Loki cautiously venture on inside. On guard, the two enter into the castle very slowly and are then faced with might I add a very terrifying-looking Miss Minutes (Tara Strong). For those who felt Miss Minutes was very suspicious, you were right!

Miss Minutes greets both Loki and Sylvie and tells them they have reached The Citadel at the End of Time and that He is impressed. Sylvie asks who this He she keeps referring to, and Miss Minutes tells them that it is He Who Remains.

Loki adds on and asks exactly who He is and Miss Minutes informs them both that He Who Remains has created all, controls all, and at the end, it is only He Who Remains. Miss Minutes also informs them that because of their journey and work to make it to the Citadel, He Who Remains wants to offer them a deal.

In making as what Miss Minutes tells them are a few creative adjustments,  He Who Remains has worked everything out, and that he can reinsert both Loki and Sylvie into the Timeline in a way that won’t cause any disruption.

Sylvie asks what she means when she says that He Who Remains can put them back in a way that won’t cause disruption and Miss Minutes tells her that with He Who Remains doing this, the TVA can continue their “vital” work and that she and Loki can live the lives they have always wanted.

Loki asks Miss Minutes as to what exactly it is they have “always wanted,” and she tells him that he knows exactly how he got into all of this. Miss Minutes reminds him of The Battle of New York and in reminding him of this, she then asks Loki if this time, he would like to win. Not just winning in New York but in killing Thanos, getting the Infinity Gauntlet, and claiming the Throne of Asgard.

The moment you've waited for has arrived 🕰 The finale of Marvel Studios' #Loki and all episodes of the Original Series are now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/Lc4Xyxs4oP

— Loki (@LokiOfficial) July 14, 2021

All of this which she tells him, Miss Minutes says the same to Sylvie and how she too can get everything she has ever wanted. In this case, because Sylvie was on the run and was mostly alone her entire life, she would finally get to wake up with a lifetime of happy memories.

At the prospect of both Loki and Sylvie getting what they have always wanted, Miss Minutes also tells them that in getting this, both of them would be in the same place and would be together on the Timeline. Miss Minutes tells them that it does sound crazy but that He Who Remains can make it work, all of it, and they can both have it the way they want it, together.

Though this is such big news for the two, Sylvie tells Miss Minutes that all she has just informed them is fake. Loki too says that they both write their own destinies now. Bidding them goodbye in an all dark manner, Miss Minutes wishes them good luck and then vanishes.

Back at the TVA, while files are being downloaded onto her TemPad, Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is going through case files and comes across the water stain from the many times Mobius (Owen Wilson) placed his cup down on the table.

Miss Minutes then appears and Renslayer asks her what took so long. Miss Minutes tells her that some things had to be worked out but the files she had requested are finally downloading.

Renslayer takes a look at the files and notices that it’s not what she requested. Miss Minutes tells her that she’s aware but that He thinks that the files she has been given will be more useful. Renslayer asks who this He is, but before she can get an answer, Miss Minutes yet again vanishes.

At the Citadel, Loki and Sylvie continuing walking and come across a room that is adorned with statues. In taking a look around, Loki notes that this place has been around for a very long time and wonders if whoever lives here is even still alive.

Before they can continue looking around, one of the doors in the room they have entered begins to slowly open and with their swords drawn, Loki and Sylvie come face to face with He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors). For those who already know who this is, did you scream out loud like me?

He Who Remains introduces himself to the two and notes that having both Loki and Sylvie in front of him is absolutely wild. The three of them enter an elevator and make their way to his office. As they make their way up, Loki notes that He Who Remains is just a man.

He Who Remains asks if they are disappointed but Sylvie remarks that because he’s a man, that makes it easier to kill him. As she says this, Sylvie goes to strike him but before she can, He Who Remains time twists and appears behind the two, making Sylvie miss hitting him with her sword. He Who Remains continues to time twist himself, jumping from place to place.

Loki and Sylvie then feel the elevator stop and when the doors open, He Who Remains appears before them in his office and tells the two to follow him. Prompting them to take a seat, He Who Remains then offers the two some tea.

Side note, part of me was like, “Hmm, He Who Remains has some manners” but the other part of me was also like, “No, he’s a villain!”

Back at the TVA, as Renslayer puts together her briefcase and there’s a knock on her office door. Renslayer tells the person that she had asked not to be disturbed, but when the door opens, it’s revealed to be Mobius.

Renslayer tells him that if anyone were to make it back from The Void, it would be him. Because he’s holding one pruning baton, Renslayer asks Mobius if he is going to prune her. Mobius tells her that he likes that idea, however, his standards are higher in that area compared to hers since they are close personal friends.

Renslayer apologizes to Mobius and explains to him that she had to prune him because she couldn’t allow him to interfere with their mission. Mobius asks her exactly what mission she is talking about and reminds her that the Time-Keepers are fake and that everyone is a Variant.

Renslayer tells him that with all they have done at the TVA, it couldn’t have been for nothing. She then calls for Hunter D-90 to come to her office but Mobius tells her that her plans won’t work any longer now that they know her secret. In telling her this, Mobius then holds up the pen that Renslayer has always used when signing off casefiles and when Renslayer sees this, she becomes worried.

The God of Mischief has arrived in the finale of Marvel Studios' #Loki! @TWHiddleston is here with a special message. Be sure to watch the finale, now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/tFGJrNGY1A

— Loki (@LokiOfficial) July 14, 2021

We then see Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) in Fremont, Ohio in 2018 at a school and then enter an office. Hunter D-90 (Neil Ellice) follows and demands her to stand down. However, Hunter B-15 tells him that he needs to listen to her, and before he can say or do anything, someone who looks like Judge Renslayer appears.

This person is obviously a Variant of the Renslayer we know but Hunter D-90 is not aware of this. Renslayer’s Variant asks the two what they are doing in her school, which prompts Hunter B-15 to inform Hunter D-90, who is now confused and curious, that there is much for them to talk about.

Back in the office of He Who Remains in the Citadel, He Who Remains asks Loki and Sylvie of their long journey. For Sylvie, it’s been a long and painful one and for Loki, He Who Remains tells him that he’s been a flea on the back of a dragon.

Loki informs He Who Remains that he has lost and that they discovered him. In responding to this, He Who Remains, in his own words says, Duh, of course you did. This answer aggravates Sylvie which then has her going to attack He Who Remains but before she can strike him, he time twists himself again and jumps away from her.

In getting “everything out of the way,” He Who Remains then brings a file up onto his desk and shows both Loki and Sylvie papers that mark what their every move is about to be. He explains to the two that they can’t kill him because he knows what is already going to happen.

There's nothing low key about this. The finale of Marvel Studios' #Loki has arrived and all episodes of the Original Series are now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/B8feeKFo58

— Loki (@LokiOfficial) July 14, 2021

Loki takes a look at one of the papers and sees a transcript of the conversation they’ve already had and what they will discuss in the next few seconds. Loki then remarks that this is all a trick but He Who Remains then asks them if they wonder how exactly he’s able to move away from them before they try to kill him.

Sylvie tells him no and that the only way he’s able to escape is because of the TemPad he has. He Who Remains tells her that could be it, but then asks her how he could possibly have it loaded up with everything that he needs to know to keep from being killed by the both of them.

He Who Remains tells them that it’s a simple answer and that it is because he knows it all and has seen it all. Everything from what they did on Lamentis-1, everything that the TVA didn’t know about, all the scheming, talking, and the intimate looks Loki and Sylvie have shared.

Sylvie, again, not believing a word that He Who Remains says, tells him that they broke out of his game and that is the only explanation as to how they arrived at the Citadel. He Who Remains, however, tells her she’s wrong and explains that every step they took to get to the Citadel, all the way from Lamentis and The Void, he paved the road for them to do so.

He Who Remains then shows both Loki and Sylvie everything else that is going to happen and points out to them that there is only one way it will go. Sylvie asks him why they are there and He Who Remains tells them both that it is to get them all in the right mindset to finish the quest. Loki tells He Who Remains that it’s all a manipulation which has him telling Loki that it’s interesting for his mind to go there.

With this, He Who Remains then asks Sylvie if she can trust Loki. In telling Sylvie not to listen to him, Loki sees that He Who Remains already knew that was what he would tell her. He Who Remains then asks Sylvie if she thinks she’s capable of trusting anyone, but Sylvie remains quiet and instead, just gives Loki a look.

At the TVA, Mobius continues talking to Renslayer about how people are ready to hear the truth and that the TVA has been a lie this entire time. Renslayer asks him if this lie they were told was necessary and that the creation of the Time-Keepers and all of the TVA was to give everyone a purpose.

Mobius disagrees and tells her that there is no reason behind the TVA and the reason why he knows this is because he’s seen the horror waiting for people when they get pruned and that there is nothing necessary about that.

Renslayer tells him that if they didn’t prune the Timeline, chaos and death would occur. But in saying this, Mobius asks her about free will. Renslayer dismisses the thought and tells him that the only person who gets free will is the one in charge.

Mobius quotes to Renslayer what she would always tell him which was “Friends across time, allies to the end.” He tells her that this quote was always beautiful but then she sent him to die and in saying all of this to her, Mobius then asks Renslayer what happened to her.

Renslayer tells Mobius that nothing happened to her, that she didn’t change. However, Mobius then tells her that she betrayed him. This response causes Renslayer to tell Mobius that he betrayed her by befriending Loki and Sylvie.

Mobius tells Renslayer once again that they can’t take away people’s free will but not listening to him, Renslayer takes her TemPad and then opens up a portal. Asking her what she’s about to do, Renslayer just informs him that she is doing what she needs to do.

Trying to stop her, Mobius tells Renslayer that together, the two of them could maybe build the TVA into something better. Renslayer disagrees, which prompts Mobius to turn on his pruning baton. Renslayer notes to Mobius that even though he has the baton, he is no danger to him.

Mobius goes to strike Renslayer, but before he can, Renslayer takes it out of his hands and knock him down to the ground. Mobius tells her to go ahead and prune him once more, but Renslayer disengages the baton and grabs her briefcase. But before she exits through the portal, Renslayer tells Mobius that she is in search of free will and finally leaves.

Back with Loki and Sylvie, He Who Remains explains to both of them that without him and the TVA, everything burns. Loki asks him what he’s afraid of and He Who Remains tells them that he is afraid of himself. Sylvie asks him who exactly he is, which then has He Who Remains telling the two of them that he has been given many names.

He Who Remains explains to them that he has been called a ruler, a conqueror (I’m screaming!), He Who Remains, a jerk. However, he tells Loki and Sylvie that it’s not as simple as a name and then goes on to explain to them exactly who he is and his reasoning behind everything.

In using his powers, he creates a visual for both Loki and Sylvie and explains to them both that eons ago, before the creation of the TVA, a variant of himself, who was a scientist, lived on Earth in the 31st century. This variant of He Who Remains discovered that there were universes stacked on top of his own and simultaneously, other versions of himself were learning the same exact thing.

He Who Remains explains that each of these variants came into contact with one another and that for a while, there was peace. In coming together, the variants shared their technology and knowledge with one another and used the best of their universes to improve the others.

But in this, He Who Remains explains to Loki and Sylvie that not every version of himself was pure of heart. For some variants, new worlds meant new lands to be conquered and that the peace between these realities broke apart and exploded into war. This war had each variant fighting to preserve their own universe and destroy the others, which has He Who Remains telling Loki and Sylvie that this is almost the end of everyone and everything.

Sylvie remarks on He Who Remains’s explanation and states that because the Time-Keepers came along, they saved everyone. This has He Who Remains rejoicing in amen and then tells her that wasn’t it. Instead, as he puts it, This is where we diverge from the dogma.

He Who Remains tells them that he came face-to-face with a creature, one that is made from all the tears of reality and can consume time and space itself. This being Alioth, He Who Remains explains that he was able to harness Alioth’s power and began to experiment on it.

In doing so, He Who Remains was able to weaponize Alioth and that he was the one who ended the Multiversal War. In isolating their timeline, He Who Remains explains that all he had to do was manage the flow of time and prevent branches from occurring — which is the reasoning behind the TVA and the Time-Keepers.

He Who Remains asks Loki and Sylvie if they came all the way to the Citadel to kill the devil and in asking them this, He Who Remains informs them that he keeps them safe and if they think he is evil, he tells them that his variants are far worse.

He Who Remains tells them that that’s been the plan the entire time —either stifling order or cataclysmic chaos. Sylvie calls him out and says that he could be lying and Loki then asks He Who Remains if he plans on continuing to prune innocent timelines.

He Who Remains says no and informs them that instead of him, it would be the two of them. Giving them two options, He Who Remains explains to Loki and Sylvie that they can either kill him and destroy everything and not have one devil but an infinite amount or the two of them can take over everything.

Loki believes that He Who Remains is lying and asks him why he would ever give up being in control. Tiredly, He Who Remains tells Loki that he’s older than he looks and that this game is no longer for him but rather someone who is young.

He Who Remains informs them that he has gone through many scenarios to find the right person to take over his spot and when he did find the right person, it turns out that it was actually two people perfect for the role — Loki and Sylvie.

In being honest with Loki and Sylvie, He Who Remains tells the two again that they can either kill him, completely expose the Sacred Timeline and cause a Multiversal War or they can control or they can return to the TVA and take over as its new rulers.

He Who Remains tells them that all of this was never personal, but rather practical. However, for Sylvie, she remarks that it was personal but He Who Remains shouts at her and tells her to grow up. He Who Remains tells them that they are all villains and points to Loki that they’ve all done terrible things and that now, they have the chance to do them with good reason.

As He Who Remains tells them this, he begins to sense something and then honestly informs Loki and Sylvie that he knew about all that would occur, but up until about ten seconds ago, he no longer knows how things will go. Outside of the Citadel, the Sacred Timeline begins to branch into many timelines.

Loki asks He Who Remains if this is what happens once reaching the end of time and it’s up to him and Sylvie to decide his fate. He Who Remains asks them what the worst thing could happen and tells them they either take over and continue his life’s work or they stab him in the chest and an infinite amount of himself starts another Multiversal War with him ending back up where he already is. Side note, in watching this back (specifically this scene) to write this recap, He Who Remains is so clever and he is now my favorite villain!

Sylvie doesn’t agree with what He Who Remains tells them and tells him that it’s another manipulation that he is telling them. He Who Remains tells her that it’s not that and then proceeds to take off his TemPad.

Sylvie abruptly stands up and goes to attack He Who Remains but Loki interferes and stops her. Loki asks her to stop and just talk everything out. Sylvie still adamant about killing He Who Remains, goes back to strike him but in using his powers, Loki pulls her back to him.

Loki asks Sylvie whether to He Who Remains is telling the truth and tells her that he believes everything that he has told them. Sylvie on the other hand still does not believe one word and tells Loki that He Who Remains is a liar.

Loki tells Sylvie that he too is a liar and believes that even though all that He Who Remains has said is insane, it may be the truth. Sylvie thinking that all that Loki wants is the throne doesn’t believe him. Loki reassures her that that’s not what he wants and that instead, in taking over, they prevent from unleashing something that’s even worse.

Loki then tells her that all he wants for them to do is just think everything over and he promises her once again that with what he’s doing, it isn’t about claiming a throne. Sylvie, still not believing a single word, asks him if everything has been a con after all this time.

Informing her that what they are facing is bigger than anything they have ever experienced, Sylvie then asks Loki why they aren’t seeing this in the same way, and Loki tells her it’s because she cannot trust and he can’t be trusted. Because they cannot see eye-to-eye, Loki and Sylvie then get into a fight.

As Loki tries to prevent Sylvie from killing He Who Remains and Sylvie preventing Loki from stopping her, the two use their magic to halt one another. Loki tells Sylvie that He Who Remains could be wrong or right, but that the cost of getting this all wrong is too great.

Sylvie then tells Loki to kill her so he can claim his throne but Loki tells her he won’t. The two continue fighting one another and Sylvie then uses her magic to make Loki disappear. In now getting an opportunity to kill He Who Remains, Sylvie goes to strike him with her sword but before she can make contact with him, Loki appears in front of her and blocks her hit.

Loki tells Sylvie that he understands where she is and that he too has felt all the emotions she is currently feeling. Not sure how he knows, Loki tells her he just does but the one thing he is certain of is that he doesn’t want to hurt her. Loki goes on to tell Sylvie that he does not want a throne and instead, all he wants is for her to be okay.

Overcome with emotion, Sylvie kisses Loki but when she pulls away, she tells Loki that she isn’t him,  and in using the TemPad she took,  Sylvie goes and pushes Loki through a portal and sends him back to the TVA.

With Loki now gone, Sylvie goes and stabs He Who Remains through his chest. Sylvie then realizes that in doing this, just as he mentioned to her and Loki earlier on, a multiverse has been unleashed and its timelines cannot be pruned.

At the TVA, as they look up at a screen watching the timeline branching out into multiple ones, Mobius tells Hunter B-15 that there is no possibility of anything turning back to the way it was which prompts her to ask Mobius who said anything of that sort. As they continue looking at the timeline, the two share the words, For all time. Always.

In traveling back to one of the Time Theaters, Loki is distressed from what happened between him and Sylvie. But in not dwelling on it for too long, Loki sets out to find Mobius.

As he makes his way out of the Time Theater, Loki looks around and sees TVA agents running around, sensing that something has gone wrong. When he finally finds Mobius with Hunter B-15 in the Archives, Loki overhears them discussing how there have been 63 new branches in their unit and how they plan to stop it.

Loki shouts to them that they can’t stop it and explains to them that they made a terrible mistake. Loki informs Mobius and Hunter B-15 that he and Sylvie freed the Timeline and that they found the person behind the TVA who not only planned everything but is terrifying.

Completely distressed, Loki tells Mobius and Hunter B-15 that someone is coming after them, more so, countless different versions of this terrifying person and that they are set on war and everyone needs to prepare themselves for when he does arrive.

Mobius calms Loki down and asks him if he’s an analyst and if he knows what division he’s from. Confused, Loki asks him what he’s talking about but then gets his answer once he looks over and sees that a statue in the TVA, which now resembles He Who Remains, has replaced those of the Time-Keepers.

In a post-credits scene, we then see Loki’s case file being stamped and it saying that Loki will return in Season 2.

All episodes of Season 1 of Loki are now available to watch on Disney+.