DISCLAIMER: This recap of Loki Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, TVA agents and variants! I’d like to note that “Breaking Brad” is also the name of a Mythic Quest episode released in 2021. So, apparently, Hollywood is fond of breaking anyone named Brad. Anyway, this outing is another solid installment in the Marvel canon. Tom Hiddleston gets to whip out Loki’s playful, mischievous side again. It’s been a while since we’ve seen him lean into his identity as the god of mischief. Hiddleston is so deliciously charming, wicked, intimidating and cheeky in this episode. Rafael Casal also proves to be a strong boxing partner in their scenes together.
(L-R): Owen Wilson as Mobius and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.
“Breaking Brad” provides nuanced, impactful character beats and new dynamics to explore (O.B. and Casey are a delight). It also gives us the Loki/Sylvie reunion we’ve been waiting for. Even though she’s cross with him, I imagine they’ll patch things up at some point. Mobius eats desserts and loves them. Plus, the plot plows ahead at a brisk pace, culminating in a devastating (and potentially illuminating with Renslayer’s TemPad update) ending that’ll affect the Multiverse as a whole.
Side note: I love the color palette and the vintage design of the TVA in this show. It’s inexplicably comforting and sort of emits Wes Anderson vibes.
Ready to delve into “Breaking Brad”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Loki (Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) landing in London in 1977. They spot Hunter X-5 (Casal) stepping out of a plush black car in front of a dazzling theater. We see his face on the marquee. He’s the star of Zaniac! However, here, he goes by Brad Wolfe, an actor whose meteoric rise to stardom seemingly transpired overnight. He spots Loki and Mobius.
Rafael Casal as Hunter X-5 in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
After a brief chat, X-5 runs, leaving Loki and Mobius in the dust. They chase him. Our titular god of mischief even utilizes his magic on X-5 to get him to stop. At one point, he throws up a mirage of punks who try to lay the smackdown on X-5.
Finally, Loki corners X-5 — well, three Lokis do, at least. They send up two giant Loki shadows, complete with his signature horns, to hold X-5 in place. Mobius thinks it’s over the top, but I believe it’s just right. I’m giggling and kicking my feet like a schoolgirl. At the TVA, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) escorts X-5, now boasting the trademark tan jumpsuit and metal collar, to his cell for a spell. Perhaps sitting in time out will jog his memory regarding Sylvie’s whereabouts.
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Next, Loki and Mobius take X-5’s TemPad to O.B. (Ke Huy Quan) for examination. However, O.B. is busy ensuring a potential temporal meltdown doesn’t screw them all over. They decide to tamper with the TemPad themselves. Hey, O.B. is only one person. He can only do so much. O.B. gives them the TVA Guidebook he wrote to assist them. Meanwhile, B-15 asks Casey (Eugene Cordero) about Renslayer’s TemPad. He reveals she erased everything from it. However, he was able to find the last message on it. Hmm.
Then, we see Loki and Mobius, our favorite silly billies, attempting (and failing) to take apart X-5’s TemPad. Apparently, the TVA Guidebook is too advanced for ole Moby. B-15 brings Casey to them to impart what he learned. Miss Minutes is working with Renslayer. Loki realizes he overheard part of a conversation between Renslayer and He Who Remains. Why are they working together, though? Casey promises to keep searching for Renslayer and Miss Minutes. See, this is why you can’t trust AI.
Ke Huy Quan as O.B. in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.
Casey examines X-5’s TemPad, revealing that X-5 lied about having a blocker on it. He’ll look into it further. Speaking of X-5, Loki, Mobius and B-15 visit our little movie star criminal in his cell. They try to get X-5 to divulge Sylvie’s location. Naturally, X-5 keeps mum, instead resuming the role of the a-hole. Loki attempts to intimidate him by tapping into his villainous side. When that doesn’t work, Mobius steps in. However, X-5 quickly gets under Mobius’ skin. Mobius slaps him.
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After that failed interrogation, Mobius and Loki cool off with some key lime pie. Yum. They chat about anger and suppressed feelings. Loki reminds Mobius that he seized control of NYC with the aid of an alien race and threw Tony Stark off a building because he was pissed at his brother and father. Anger is weird. Mobius encourages Loki to channel his innate mischievousness to craft a creative way of getting X-5 to spill the beans.
Meanwhile, O.B. wanders into the Temporal Loom to take care of business. Unfortunately, he’s denied access. The computer states there’s an “invalid temporal aura.” Suddenly, the electricity flickers off and on. Uh-oh. Then, Loki adopts a new approach. After bringing in a fancy device, he locks Mobius out of X-5’s cell. Next, he entraps X-5 in a box. That box shrinks every time X-5 lies about Sylvie. Hey, desperate times, man. When it looks like Loki might squeeze X-5 in that box until he explodes, the latter finally talks. He knows where Sylvie is. Was that so hard?
(L-R): Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15 in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.
Later, B-15 and Casey enter the Temporal Loom to find O.B. exclaiming they will all die. Casey geeks out over meeting O.B. He’s committed the Guidebook to memory. Aw, I’d love for these two to become BFFs. Anyway, O.B. reveals the blast doors won’t open. Only the person who designed them can open them with a live scan of their temporal aura. That would be He Who Remains. However, he’s dead.
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Next, Loki, Mobius and X-5 wind up in Broxton, Oklahoma 1982. They enter a McDonald’s to find Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) behind the counter. She works there now. Loki chats with Sylvie during her break while Mobius and X-5 get some apple pie. I wish all McDonald’s still looked like this. Loki realizes he’s the last person Sylvie wants to see. He warns her about the TVA collapsing and the arrival of He Who Remains’ variants. They’ll be hellbent on starting a war. Right now, TVA is the last line of defense.
Loki tells Sylvie that he saw her in the future at the TVA as it was folding. He needs to know why. They also must prevent the TVA’s destruction. He encourages Sylvie to enchant him to determine if he’s telling the truth. She wants nothing to do with the TVA. Sylvie’s built a life here in 1982 Oklahoma and is happy.
(L-R): Owen Wilson as Mobius and Tom Hiddleston as Loki in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.
Inside, Mobius and X-5 watch Loki and Sylvie talk. Mobius admits that it must be challenging to be in love with yourself. Normally, opposites attract, but Loki and Sylvie are two peas in a pod. Mobius changes the subject to X-5’s movie. He wants to see it. However, X-5’s strange behavior turns him on to something else. Mobius asks X-5 if this is a setup. After all, weren’t General Dox and her crew on the hunt for Sylvie?
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Mobius and X-5 head outside to warn Loki and Sylvie. They’re all going to die. Dox plans to prune all the branches so only the Sacred Timeline remains. Our trio pushes X-5 through a time door, so he returns to the TVA while they pursue Dox. Sure enough, they see Dox (Kate Dickie) and her crew in action as they erase the branches in tandem. B-15 watches in horror at the TVA as the branches vanish before her eyes.
Suddenly, our heroes step in and kick some butt. Loki and Sylvie even combine their powers to attack, as they did in Season 1. I loved it. After arresting Dox and the others and escorting them back to the TVA, our trio joins B-15. Joined by Casey and O.B., they all watch in shock as every branch disappears, even after Dox is stopped. B-15 mourns the lives lost. Sylvie’s eyes well with tears. Loki approaches her, but she’s too angry. She doesn’t believe the TVA is capable of doing any good. It’s not the last line of defense — it’s rotten. She storms out through a time door.
Sophia Di Martino as Sylvie in Marvel Studios’ LOKI, Season 2 Episode 2, “Breaking Brad,” exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.
Next, Casey gets a ping on Renslayer’s TemPad. They now have her location. Sylvie returns to 1982 Oklahoma. We see her lounging on the hood of her truck as she listens to music in the McDonald’s parking lot. She tells her manager goodnight before pulling out a piece from He Who Remains’ TemPad. Does this mean she can travel anywhere she wants? One would think.
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Will Sylvie stay in 1982 Oklahoma or return to the TVA to help Loki? Will we see multiple Kang variants in Season 2? Is X-5 really going to put Loki and Sylvie in the highly anticipated Zaniac sequel? Only time (and more episodes) will tell.
Loki drops new episodes every Thursday at 9 pm EST/6 pm PST, only on Disney+.
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Melody.McCune@geekgirlauthority.com
What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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