Thanks to his variant creating a new branch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s main timeline, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has become one of the most important characters in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, so much so that he could end up being Iron Man’s replacement, though in a tragic way. As the character who kicked off the MCU as it’s now known, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) led the Infinity Saga and the original Avengers team (with the help of Captain America), and it was only fitting that he would be the one who saved the universe by sacrificing himself in Avengers: Endgame.
Although the MCU struggled to recover after the events of Avengers: Endgame and the death of Iron Man, it's now back on track and busy with another, bigger issue: the multiverse and its many dangers and mysteries. The Multiverse Saga has already introduced its official Iron Man replacement thanks to Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne), a young genius who builds armors inspired by those of Iron Man, but in of where their story will take them, their role in the Multiverse Saga, and their impact in it, the character who will end up being this era’s Iron Man will be none other than Loki – and here’s why and how.
Loki Has A New Purpose In The MCU
Time Heist in Avengers: Endgame. When the heist in 2012 didn't go as expected, that version of Loki saw an opportunity to escape with the Tesseract and he took it, creating a new branch in the timeline and becoming a Loki variant himself – and because of that, his story has been different from that of the original Loki.
The current version of Loki didn't go through any of the events that occurred after the first Avengers movie, and yet, he has already redeemed himself in ways the original Loki couldn’t, and he’s now more on the side of the heroes than the villains. Loki no longer has the need to prove himself to anyone nor is he only looking after himself, as seen in his own TV series, where he and one of his variants, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), uncovered the truth about the Time Variance Authority (TVA). Unlike Sylvie, Loki was more concerned about the consequences of unleashing a new multiversal war than getting revenge against He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), and he will now have to find a way to stop major multiversal chaos in the second season of Loki.
Loki Is Already On A Similar Path To Iron Man’s
The path of the current version of Loki is mirroring that of Iron Man in interesting ways. Tony Stark went through a major (and necessary) change when he was kidnapped in Iron Man, an experience that triggered his transformation into a superhero, and Loki was also in captivity after stealing the Tesseract, though he was/is trapped in the TVA. This led Loki to change his perspective and way of thinking and is what led to him leaning more towards a heroic side than an antagonistic one. Just like Tony back in Avengers: Secret Wars, as happened with Iron Man.
Theory: Loki Will Save The Multiverse By Sacrificing Himself
A theory shared by He Who Remains’ plan wasn’t what it seemed and he lied, as he realized that Loki (and his variants) is the only person who can defeat him if another multiversal war is unleashed. With that in mind, Loki could have no other choice than sacrificing himself in Avengers: Secret Wars to save the multiverse, just like Iron Man did in Avengers: Endgame by holding the Infinity Stones with the help of his suit's technology and snapping his fingers.
Why Loki Mirroring Iron Man's Ending Is Good For The MCU
Although the original Loki died while trying to save his brother and the rest of the Asgardians, his story ended abruptly and he didn’t really get to redeem himself nor was he able to defeat his inner demons and struggles. Loki was given a new chance, something that doesn’t happen often in the MCU, but his path is still meant to be tragic, though now in a heroic way. Loki sacrificing himself to save the multiverse in Avengers: Secret Wars would mark the fulfillment of his real “glorious purpose” and would prove that he and his variants aren’t meant to lose, while he would also be showing his brother and the rest of the characters who met his original version that he is capable of redemption and selfless acts. While it wouldn’t be ideal to have another character go through the same ending as Iron Man, in Loki’s case it would be the best conclusion to his new path.
