The following article contains spoilers of the latest Loki episode. Only continue reading at your own risk.
Ever since the second episode, we’ve all been wondering what is the secret behind Sophia Di Martino‘s Loki Variant. Her existence goes against the well-established rule of how these characters spin out of the Sacred Timeline. They all commonly look like Tom Hiddleston, even if he went through different transformations. We thought she might just be Loki changing his form. but literal documents are mentioning her as Sylvie. She confirmed it in the latest episode but then reveals that she chose the name. Hell, she even detests the Loki mantle. Is there perhaps a bigger secret at play with her character’s identity?
Now, there are a few things we learn about Sylvie throughout the latest episode. She taught herself how to use enchantments and seems to only possess that specific ability. The version we follow from Avengers: Endgame learned his countless abilities from Frigga, with whom she has no recollection. On multiple occasions, he even questions her if she is, in fact, a Loki. Her personality is similar but doesn’t match with what we understand from the character. She even gets defensive when she is called a Variant. The whole point of the episode seems to create the illusion that Sylphie isn’t truly a Loki.
Well, what do we know about her? The documents found in the TVA offices hint at her name being Sylvie Laufeydottir. It alludes that she was indeed born as the daughter of Laufey, which is a custom in Nordic namings. She also talks bout knowing that she was adopted early on. Yet, we can also assume she never was an Asgardian royalty. She mocks Loki on multiple occasions and never speaks of her time with the Asgardians. It’s almost as if she was down on her luck for most of her life. If she is perhaps part of an old multiverse before the Sacred Timeline was formed, she may be trying to find her old life again. She does hint that she has been fighting this fight for quite some time now.
It makes you wonder if we can even trust the words she is speaking throughout the episode. One thing that stands out is that this episode has a strong thematic tie built around “love.” Even before Loki’s ill-conceived metaphor about invisible daggers, we get a glimpse of her softer side. There is a slight vulnerability and reasoning for her actions that she still is keeping close to her chest. Perhaps she has taken on the mantle of someone she once loved. The planet’s name, besides being a comic reference, as Lamentis might be on purpose. While on the nose, grief plays an integral role in this story. Loki is heartbroken over his “glorious purpose” and is the reason his mother dies.
Perhaps Sylvie isn’t a Loki Variant but an illusion. She knows how the TVA’s technology works but was surprised when her abilities were mute while being present in the location. So, she doesn’t seem to have all the information that we thought she did. Her horn is also strongly inspired by a version of Lady Loki in Loki: Agent of Asgard. In that comic storyline, a younger version of the character was being manipulated by his former self. Perhaps they’re playing around with a similar concept. A Loki Variant achieved their goals but realized there is an even higher power at play. To get them off of his tail, he created a fake version that has some of his memories. The TVA believes she is a female Variant as she is, in essence, a copy of Loki but not the way they think. She is a means to an end while the true mastermind is waiting for his moment.
