Loki season 2 isn't teasing the X-Men's arrival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), according to one of its directors.
Speaking to TechRadar, Kasra Farahani – who, alongside directing this season's third episode, is Loki's production designer – shut down a wild fan theory concerning the X-Men's MCU debut.
Loki season 2 debuted on Disney Plus on October 6 and, while fans were delighted to be reunited with the trickster god and his TVA allies, one X-Men-related discussion has dominated the scene over the last three weeks. Fans believe Loki is setting up the X-Men's first appearance in Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, with many suggesting a specific episode 1 Easter egg all-but-confirmed their hypothesis. The reference in question? A door that gives TVA employees access to the Temporal Loom – by way of a harpoon device, anyway – which resembles the door leading to Cerebro (Professor X's mutant detector) in Fox's X-Men movies.
Did this scene in 'LOKI' remind you of something? 👀 #Loki pic.twitter.com/gSQayVRFdXOctober 6, 2023
Marvel fans pointed to further evidence in Loki season 2 episode 2. When the god of mischief and Mobius apprehend AWOL TVA agent X-5, the latter is seen standing in front of a brick wall with graffiti reading "All M are brothers" daubed on it. Again, viewers seemingly put two and two together, suggesting that the 'M' stood for 'mutants'.
As fun as this theorizing is, you'll be disappointed to learn that there's no connection to be made between Loki season 2 and its apparent X-Men references. Indeed, I asked Farahani about the possibility of this fan theory holding any weight – and he was unequivocal in his response to the suggestion.
"That I can definitely answer," he said. "No, that's just a coincidence. There was no intention from a production design standpoint to connect to any of that [X-Men] imagery.
Farahani's comments aren't what Marvel fans will want to read, but we know that the X-Men are coming to the MCU in the near future.
The iconic superhero group has already been referenced on multiple occasions in the MCU. WandaVision included a clear reference to Evan Peters' Quicksilver from the X-Men prequel films, while Madripoor – a location synonymous with the X-Men in Marvel comics – was visited by Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes in Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
In the months and years that have followed those 2021 TV shows, more obvious references have been made, including Professor X's appearance in Doctor Strange 2, Kamala Khan being revealed as a mutant in Ms Marvel's season 1 finale, and Namor – historically another mutant – being the primary antagonist in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Finally, after numerous teases, the X-Men will also make their official MCU debut in Deadpool 3, one of the Marvel Phase 5 movies that's currently set to launch in theaters in 2024. Hugh Jackman will reprise his role as Wolverine for one final runout (or so we've been led to believe), while online rumors have suggested other mutants from Fox's defunct X-Men universe will cameo. Heck, there's even speculation that Loki season 2 will actually set up Deadpool 3's plot, depending on how the show's latest season ends.
So yes, it's disappointing to see that Loki season 2 hasn't been teasing the X-Men's arrival in its early episodes. Nevertheless, though, it could still play a big role in bringing them into the MCU. Watch this space, everyone.
