Loki episodes 4 and 5 are where the series 'takes off', says Tom Hiddleston

Loki episode 1
(Image credit: Marvel/Disney)

If you think you know what Loki is after episode 1, think again – it sounds like episodes 4 and 5 are where the series really starts to shake things up. 

"It's a tough one," says actor Tom Hiddleston when asked which of this season's episodes he's most excited about on TikTok. "They're all so different, which I love about it. And every episode is almost a self-contained story, partly to do with the brilliance of everybody involved – not me, but Owen Wilson, Kate Herron and cast members I'm afraid I cannot yet name for you, but wait and see."

Still, Hiddleston highlighted those particular episodes as something of a turning point for the entire series. "I think episode 4 and 5, the two of them together, the whole series takes off in a direction that I certainly didn't see coming when I read it, and I'm really excited for the audience to see it.

"That's where we just expand into new territory," Hiddleston concluded.

As for those cast members Hiddleston can't name yet, it's possible the actor is referring to Richard E. Grant and Sophia Di Martino – neither of which appeared in episode 1, though both were confirmed as part of the official Loki cast back in December. 

It's likely, then, that Marvel Studios has something bigger in its back pocket. Could we be looking at more MCU cameos, or something else?

Loki continues every Wednesday on Disney Plus

Analysis: This really could be anyone

We have a rough idea of what the premise of Loki is after episode 1 – the god of mischief is helping the Time Variance Authority, specifically Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), track down a rogue 'variant'. That is, someone who's messing with the fabric of the timeline, and upsetting the course of reality in a way they shouldn't be. That's why this show's version of Loki got arrested in the first place.

The twist, of course, is that the perpetrator is actually another Loki – one who's traveling across time and murdering TVA agents as they go. While the trailers for the show have teased some fairly radical shifts in setting for different episodes, it feels like a lot of Loki's secrets are being kept under wraps.

When it comes to additional cast members, then, it's possible we could see Loki encounter other MCU characters in subsequent episodes at different times in their lives. 

Or, it could be that Hiddleston doesn't want to say much about who this second Loki is – who's largely speculated to be Lady Loki, or old man Loki, played by Di Martino or Grant respectively. Having two Lokis interacting on-screen has a lot of potential for fun.

Still, after a long wait for this series, at least we're only a few weeks away from finding out what the creators have planned for the end of the season.

Samuel Roberts

Samuel is a PR Manager at game developer Frontier. Formerly TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor, he's an expert in Marvel, Star Wars, Netflix shows and general streaming stuff. Before his stint at TechRadar, he spent six years at PC Gamer. Samuel is also the co-host of the popular Back Page podcast, in which he details the trials and tribulations of being a games magazine editor – and attempts to justify his impulsive eBay games buying binges.