Murphy's Multiverse

Author: Arlyn Murphy

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 5 Primer

    After a little bit of lull in episode 3, episode 4- Nexus Event- brought more to the table. It’s a little cringy that Loki fell in love with a version of himself, but it’s also the most Loki-like thing in the show. Seeing he is so self-centered it’s not really a surprise. While the TVA splits up Sylvie and Loki, Mobius gets time to reconnect with his bestie, Loki, and express his disappointment; Loki, on the other hand, tried to convince Mobius that he and everyone else in the TVA are variants and that they have been lied to. Sylvie and Hunter B-15 were having a similar conversation that led to B-15 breaking free of her program. During his conversation with Ravonna, Mobius steals her Tempad, confirms Loki’s story, and hatches a plan to break Loki out and destroy the TVA. Unfortunately, Ravonna catches him and deletes him. Ravonna then takes the two variants to the Time-Keepers, B-15 has another plan and helps them break free which eventually leads to Sylvie decapitating one of the Time-Keepers revealing that they are not the all-powerful time gods they are cracked up to be, they are cheap robots. Sylvie and Loki’s big revolution ends with Ravonna deleting Loki, but a post-credit scene shows Loki waking up to be surrounded by other variant Lokis.

    Marvel Had Concerns About Loki Episode 4 Time-Keepers Twist

    The TVA is just a great big lie, I’ve thought all along that there must be someone running the show other than the Time-Keepers the reveals in this episode seem to prove my theory. In episode 1, Loki believed that the TVA was the greatest power he has ever seen, maybe they still are but we know it’s not the Time-Keepers who wield the power. Kang was the first person who came to mind that might truly be in charge, especially when I saw Ravonna. The other big reveal from the episode is when variants get deleted they don’t die. This gives Loki hope in finding his way back to Sylvie. We know from the trailer the wasteland is filled with other Lokis and it will be exciting to see if they are a help or make it more difficult.

     

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    We know that Loki is getting out of this wasteland because we see Loki and Sylvie fighting in a location we haven’t seen yet, most likely Kang’s castle. Mobius isn’t dead so there is a chance Loki can get him out of his wasteland. I’m looking forward to this next episode being crazy fun with all of the different Lokis.

    The next episode of Loki streams tomorrow!

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 4 Primer

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 4 Primer

    I loved the last episode of Loki. After the Variant set off all of the time bombs to distract the TVA, she popped into the building followed by Loki. They worked together to fight off the guards but that’s the least of their worries. Ravonna found out the building is being infiltrated and went after them. Interestingly, we found out that Ravonna was once a hunter. When Loki realized Ravonna was coming for them, he opened a door to Lamentis, the site of another apocalypse.

    Loki: Season 1 – Episode 3 'Lamentis' REVIEW | Cultured Vultures

    Sylvie, the Variant, has been on the run from the TVA her whole life. While Loki grew up as royalty and with great memories of his mom, Sylvie can barely remember her mom and had to learn to take care of herself. The two seem to fight A LOT but by the end of the episode, they seem to have a bond. They work together to get to the evacuation ark to recharge the Tempad; however, the evacuation ark gets destroyed so now they can’t get out of Lamentis. Unfortunately, the episode just kind of ended on a pretty silly cliffhanger since we know they aren’t going to die there.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    There are lots of things that can happen in this next episode. The new trailer shows them in the TVA’s custody, so the TVA will clearly pull them out of Lamentis. But them being in the TVA could lead to them getting deleted, especially since Mobius seems to be really unhappy with Loki. I don’t think things are going to end well for our Lokis in this next episode . We only have three episodes left and I expect Ravonna to have a bigger role in these next few episodes, including our first meeting with the Time Keepers (*cough*Kang*cough*) which will probably expose the TVA for the fraud that it is….poor Mobius.

     

    The next episode of Loki premiers tomorrow!

  • ‘LOKI’ Episode 3 Primer

    ‘LOKI’ Episode 3 Primer

    I, like everyone else, am super excited for the next episode of Loki. In the last episode, Loki discovered that the clever Variant was hiding in apocalypses. This is a great hiding spot because you have materials and resources you will need and you can do whatever you want because eventually the whole place will get wiped out and no one will remember you. The Variant known as Sylvie is a time terrorist and sets off time bombs that create dozens of new timelines. The Sacred Timeline is in huge trouble and they are going to have to work very hard to get it back to normal.

    The Best Loki Episode 2 Easter Eggs and References – /Film

    Sylvie’s plan is very clear: she uses the time bombs to get the TVA agents out of there so she can get to the Time-Keepers. At the end of the episode, we see everyone emptying out of the TVA so her plan worked and thanks to C-20, she knows where to go. But what does she want from them? One more thought, are the Time-Keepers even real or is someone else behind the TVA’s curtain?

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    At the very end of the episode, Sylvie tells Loki it’s not about him. Curious about what Sylvie is up to, Loki follows her through a door; in this next episode, we are going to find out who Sylvie is and why she is after the TVA. We’ll also probably be visiting some of the other apocalyptic places we saw in the trailers for the series.

    If the Time-Keepers aren’t real I think that the person running the show and taking care of the sacred timeline is Kang the Conquerer. I first met him playing Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 on my Switch. In the video game, Kang is working with Ravonna, the same Ravonna who has a big role in Loki.  I do believe that everyone in the TVA works for Kang but doesn’t know it. Therefore, Kang is the Time-Keepers. The real question is, will the TVA be able to undo all of the damage that Sylvie has done? Or will it kick off the next multiversal war? Maybe Secret Wars?

     

    The next episode of Loki will premier tomorrow!

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Finale Primer

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Episode 5 Primer

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER’ Episode 5 Primer

    I still have yet to be disappointed with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The new episode was wild! I said in last week’s primer that John Walker would go crazy if something happened to his friend and partner…and he definitely did. They did a great job of showing him breaking down after each shortcoming up until he killed a Flag-Smasher with the shield! He did it right in front of everyone with their phones out and there have to be consequences. He wanted to be a hero so badly that he couldn’t sit back and let Sam do what he needed to do. There are TOO many problems that they are dealing with right now, including… Zemo running away, the death of Hoskins, Wakanda is not happy at all with Bucky, and Sam losing his one chance to actually talk with Karli. They are going to have a lot to work out in the next couple of episodes.

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 4 – What Did You Think?!

     

    The new trailer shows Walker is fighting Bucky and Sam picking up where they left off in episode 4. Now that Walker has the Super Soldier serum, the fight will be a little bit more interesting. Either way, I think that Bucky and Sam are going to win because why else would Sam have the shield? Walker is clearly not going to just give it up.

    What’s going to happen with Zemo, seeing that he’s escaped? We know he hates the idea of Super Soldiers and we know he and Bucky aren’t quite done with one another. Karli and the Flag-Smashers have one big attack left, according to the trailers, but they have Walker, Bucky and Sam, and the Power Broker on their tails. They have a lot coming at them and they may not be able to handle it.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    Falcon and the Winter Soldier Spoilers Reveal Major Change to Captain America Villain

    There are a lot of things to wrap up over these next two episodes. John Walker’s actions are going to have to be dealt with because Captain America can’t be murdering people all over the world. Leaks have indicated that he will become the U.S. Agent by the end of the series. With Hoskins gone and his reputation damaged, someone else will have to help him out and have his back. We also know that Batroc will team up with the Flag-Smashers to help them with their final plan. They are definitely desperate now with the serum destroyed and I think they’ll turn to even darker tactics to get their way. I don’t think Sam has given up on Karli though and won’t stop trying to save her.

    The next episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier streams tomorrow!

     

  • ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Episode 4 Primer

    ‘THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLIDER’ Episode 4 Primer

    I can’t be the only one who really likes the new episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. I also can’t be the only one who thought that Madripoor was CRAZY! Sam, Bucky, and Zemo get in to trouble very quickly, but somehow get bailed out by Sharon Carter. Sharon has been on the run since Captain America: Civil War, and isn’t very thrilled to see them at first. She has definitely gotten on the criminal side of things and, because of that, gets them to the doctor who recreated the serum. Dr. Nagel’s scenes were very important because he is the only guy who has been able to recreate the Super Soldier serum. Nagel’s lines strongly suggest that he used Isaiah’s blood and inidcate that there are still 12 vials still out there. The boys are back to looking for Karli and the Flag-Smashers, Karli has gone too far by killing a bunch of people for no logical reason. As the episode wraps, Ayo reveals that the Wakandans are looking to get their hands on Zemo, the murderer of their previous King.

    The Falcon And The Winter Soldier: Who Is Dr. Wilfred Nagel? Explained

    Zemo is never willing to work with other people, so why is he helping Sam and Bucky? There were several times where he could’ve run off but he didn’t, so he must be somehow benefitting from sticking around. This episode leans very heavily in the direction of Sharon possibly being the Power Broker. If she is, why? Is she working by herself? Or is she tied up into the government somehow in some sort of Winter Soldier-Hydra level conspiracy? We know that Walker and Hoskins are going after the Flag-Smashers by tracking Bucky and Sam. We also see that Hoskins may be the only one thing that is stopping Walker from going crazy, but what happens if Hoskins is taken out of the equation?

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier's Baron Zemo is Marvel's Next Meme Machine

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    Lamar Hoskins/Battlestar has been the one keeping Walker’s emotions balanced, I am concerned about his health in this next episode. We have set pictures of Walker maybe killing someone with a shield. We have another picture of him on his knees, possibly crying because he realizes what he did with the shield. Hoskins has been there to balance out Walker so far; losing him could easily be the thing that pushes Walker over the edge. As great as Clé Bennett has been as Battlestar, I’m afraid this might be his last episode.

    The next episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier streams tomorrow.

  • ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Episode 3 Primer

    ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Episode 3 Primer

    We all really liked the latest episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Sam and Bucky obviously are hurting after seeing John Walker become the new Captain America; they definitely don’t like the fact that he is taking over Steve’s job. Things get crazy when Sam and Bucky follow the Flag-Smashers and have an awesome fight scene! Sooner rather than later, Captain America and Battlestar show up and we realize that the government is tracking Sam through Redwing. Later on, Bucky takes Sam to meet Isaiah. This makes things a whole lot more interesting because it seems like the Flag-Smashers might only exist as a result of running tests on Isaiah whilst he was in jail. On another note, Sam and Bucky refuse to work with Walker building tension between them. As the episode ends, we learn Bucky and Sam are on their way to talk with Zemo to figure out if Hydra has anything to do with the serum getting out.

    Them going to see Zemo is VERY dangerous because Zemo is the one who brainwashed Bucky and reactivated The Winter Soldier. Bucky’s mind is supposedly better and with the trigger words from Captain America: Civil War being cleared from his mind, Zemo shouldn’t seem like a threat. However, if the comics are any indication of what could happen in the show, there is one word that could cause some real commotion: Sputnik. Zemo is ALWAYS full of surprises. Additionally, Walker obviously got his butt kicked by the Flag-Smashers, could he possibly try to even out the playing field by trying to get his hands on the serum?

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    We have no idea how Zemo gets out of jail and goes to Madripoor with Bucky and Sam or why they go to Madripoor. They have to run into somebody there and my best guess would be Sharon Carter. Look at the facts, she hasn’t been in the show yet but has been in most of the marketing for it. She has to come on the show at some point in time. In the comics, Madripoor is a CRAZY place. My guess would be that Hydra is secretly alive and well in Madripoor.

    The next episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier streams tomorrow!

  • ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Episode 2 Primer

    ‘The Falcon and The Winter Soldier’ Episode 2 Primer

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is one of the most anticipated shows of 2021 and Episode 1, “New World Order”, didn’t dissapoint. Sam is now working for the Air Force, gave Steve’s shield away to the Smithsonian Institute, and is trying to help his sister with the family business. Bucky is trying to make up for all the wrong he did as The Winter Soldier and part of the terms of his pardon is that he has to go to therapy. We also see that Thanos’ snap changed the world a lot, because all of these people have been gone for five years and their return was another complication. For example, Sam wanted to get a bank loan but he couldn’t because he had no recent financial history. We also met some new villains in the MCU, the Flag Smashers. But what exactly are they? Some of them seem to have super powers, and they want one thing: a world without borders.

    Obviously, Sam is having some self- doubt, he doesn’t think he is good enough for the shield so he gave it up. But what was really painful was when they announced the new Captain America, John Walker. Steve thought that Sam deserved it but why did he give it up? Why doesn’t he think he deserves the shield? Why did Walker get the shield specifically? What makes him a better choice than the person Captain America hand-picked to have the shield?

    Falcon and the Winter Soldier': New Captain America interview

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    Since John Walker was introduced in this last episode, that we will definitely get a good chunk of the episode devoted to him. You can’t introduce a new character and then just not talk about him at all and these exclusive set pics from Fall of 2019 seem like they could help tell his story. There are actually a couple of characters we know are in the show that haven’t been introduced yet in Zemo and Sharon Carter. We did see glimpses of them in the trailer but we have no idea at all how the Blip has affected them. Zemo said that he doesn’t want to leave his work unfinished, so that could mean he is going after Bucky and with his name on Bucky’s list as well, we’re set up for a lot of fun with these two. Director Kari Skogland said they shot this like a 6-hour movie, so we are definitely getting the rest of the first act in this episode before getting into some crazy action in Episodes 3 and 5 when the plot really starts to unfold.

    The next episode of The Falcon and The Winter Soldier streams tomorrow.

  • ‘WANDAVISION’ Episode 9 Primer

    ‘WANDAVISION’ Episode 9 Primer

    The last episode of WandaVision helped us see how we got to where we are. There are two major things that were presented clearly in the flashbacks. 1: Wanda has always had powers, 2: Her grief has shaped everything that has happened to her. The combo of those two things led to the BIG psychotic break that recreated the whole town of Westview to fit Wanda’s ideal life, including creating Vision out of nothing.

    What Fate Awaits WANDAVISION's Twins, Billy and Tommy?

     

    There are a few unresolved things that are going to have to get worked out in the finale. Vision is headed back to the house where the twins are being held captive by Agatha. Also, Woo, Monica, and Darcy have to wrap up their stories in some way. We also saw that they took Vision apart only to put him back together and create White Vision. Seeing this new version of her dead husband could really add another weight to Wanda’s shoulders.

    Arlyn’s Assumptions

    WandaVision' Episode 9: Predictions for Finale | Hollywood Reporter

    The episode is probably going to be pretty intense right away with so many things to work out. Monica is sure to escape “Fietro” and find some way to try to help and finally show off her new powers but is she powerful enough? I think the series is going to end off with Dr. Strange showing up and teaming up with Wanda and the real Vision to defeat White Vision and Agatha. This will end up being a big fight scene that might mess something up in this reality. My one concern is who will fix it? Well there is a new Dr. Strange movie coming out and maybe the whole plot will be trying to fix what Wanda messed up in this reality. Real Vision will not make it out of this mess as the show has proven that he will fall apart outside of the HEX, so if this reality were to fall then he would die. But what about the twins?! With all the loss Wanda has already experienced, losing them too would be too much.

    The final episode of WandaVision streams tomorrow

  • Arlyn Reviews ‘RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON’

    Arlyn Reviews ‘RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON’

    I always anticipate the arrival of the next Disney movie. Being a 12 year old kid, I have grown up with Disney animated movies and watching them has taught me life lessons like courage, bravery and the importance of family. I love all of the movies but of course I have my favorites that I will always return to: Tangled, Brave, and Moana. I like these movies because they have comedy as well as adventure. Disney’s latest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, delivered a life lesson that was relevant to me while delivering the adventure and comedy that I always look forward to.

    Raya and the Last Dragon is about a place called Kumandra that was split into 5 different pieces of land. The piece that Raya lives on is called Heart, they are the ones who protect a magic gem that was created by the now nearly-extinct dragons to keep an ancient evil away. Through a series of events, the gem damaged allowing the return of the ancient evil. Raya leaves home in search of Sisu, the last dragon, and ends up on an adventure that teaches her she can’t save the world by herself and to trust in others.

    Part of Raya’s journey is learning to trust “others.” That’s difficult for Raya because the history of Kumandra has painted them in a bad light. This is a valuable lesson because it still happens the world right now. When people don’t share the same backgrounds and opinions, they see the “others” as enemies . Raya has to overcome those prejudices to help save the world.

    The animation in Raya and the Last Dragon represents a whole new level of awesomeness for Disney. Moana stands out in my mind as a great example of Disney animation but the character design here is at a superior level. The parallels aren’t too surprising because Raya co-director Don Hall also directed Moana. The design of the dragons were very beautiful. Plus the design of all of the places Raya visited all had a unique and distinct look, helping bring the screenplay of Malaysian screenwriter Adele Lim to life.

    Though I have only seen this movie once, I can say it is at the top of my Disney favorite’s list. I recommend this movie to everyone; it isn’t just for kids. The jokes that Sisu, voiced by Awkwafina, made will get everyone in the family laughing. The film’s lesson that in order for the world to be a better place we have to be able to trust others, has always been true and still rings true today.