Since the version of Tom Hiddleston's Loki featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe show isn't redeemed, fans have remained curious about what he's really up to in the series. Furthermore, there have been lingering questions about who Loki's villain is. Fans have theorized that Lady Loki (or another Variant Loki) is driving the central conflict, while others wondered if Kang the Conqueror could appear in some form. One option that hasn't been considered too much is the TVA, as their goal is preserving the timeline and multiverse. However, a new Loki clip indicates that they might have wanted to kill him at first.

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The latest Loki clip features an extended conversation between Hiddleston's Loki and Owen Wilson's Mobius in what appears to be their first encounter. After Mobius introduces himself, Loki immediately asks if he is being taken somewhere to be killed. Surprisingly, Mobius mentions that this is where Loki just came from and that they are now traveling to a place to just talk. This quick comment indicates that when the TVA wanted to kill the 2012 Variant Loki once he was captured. If that is the case, it appears that Mobius intervened and convinced the agency to spare Loki's life - presumably in exchange for his help under Mobius' supervision.

If this read on Mobius and Loki's exchange is correct, it adds another layer to the dynamic between Mobius and Loki. Other Loki footage has shown Mobius repeatedly championing Loki and the idea that he and the TVA can work together. Mobius' fellow TVA agents, such as Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), clearly don't hold the same opinion and likely view him as a major risk to their operation. Since the TVA knows that Loki was eventually redeemed in the main MCU timeline, Mobius could believe that this Loki could have a similar redemption arc, just much earlier. Although Loki is surely going to cause Mobius to look foolish at times, there is a strong chance that the belief in him could help Loki make that turn quicker and prove to be a worthy ally of the TVA.

Even if Loki is ultimately redeemed and accepted by the TVA, the Loki clip still paints the Timekeepers in a darker light. One would think that an organization designed to preserve the "sacred timeline" would want to put Loki back in his original timeline. However, the intent to kill him points to that potentially not being an option. Whatever the reason might be for Loki not being able to go back to where he came from, the idea of the TVA deleting anything that diverges from the proper flow of time could make them bigger villains in Phase 4 and beyond. Now we'll have to see exactly what Loki reveals about Loki, the TVA, and Mobius' potential role in making the two work together.

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