WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Loki, streaming now on Disney+.
Disney+'s Loki series is a time-traveling tale that follows the God of Mischief as he tries to make sense of the strange new world he has found himself in. It contains a lot of similarities to another time-traveling show, Doctor Who. For example, Loki shares small phrases such as calling the titular character holding the Tesseract a "criminal with a blue box," similarly to how the Doctor is often called an "idiot with a blue box," referencing his blue police box/time machine, the TARDIS. However, the God of Mischief is more accurately a mirror to the Doctor's mortal nemesis, the Master, more specifically, a recent reincarnation known as Missy.
Missy often encounters the 12th and 13th Doctors and struggles with her commitment to being evil. Unlike her previous regenerations, this version isn't fully committed to killing the Doctor and is far more self-serving and even willing to help her lifelong enemy. She operates similarly to Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in that he only ever acts in his best interest. But if Loki is the Master, then the Time Variance Authority, specifically Agent Mobius (Owen Wilson), is the Doctor.
As agents of the Sacred Timeline, the TVA live to disrupt chaos and maintain order, ending any branched realities before they extend too far. Mobius is an agent of the natural flow of time, much like the Doctor, and would rather maintain its security than jeopardize it with chaotic possibilities. Loki working with the TVA is similar to Missy aiding the Doctor. But that doesn't mean she is all good. In fact, she has proven on more than one occasion that her allegiances waver.
A great example of this is when Missy teams up with an earlier version of the Master played by John Simm. At first, they join forces to kill the Doctor. However, Missy turns against her younger self, and the two end up killing each other instead. Aside from her shifting allegiances, the two Masters teaming up mirrors Loki's interactions with his variant, Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino). Not only does her first appearance shout out to Jodie Whittaker's debut as the 13th Doctor, but her more villainous urges also align her with the younger versions of the Master.
Her tentative relationship with Loki is like sailing in a sea of uncertainty as there is a possibility that one will betray the other as Missy and the Master experienced. However, in Season 1, Episode 3, "Lamentis," the two tricksters begin to reminisce and bond, acting more like siblings than rivals. While this could all be a ruse by both parties, their constant bickering is similar to when the 10th and 11th Doctors met in the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, Day of the Doctor.
While it's impossible to see if Loki will continue to homage Doctor Who, the series has carefully crafted a creative parallel to the long-running BBC series. It offers exciting time-traveling hijinx, layered characters who never cease to surprise and unexpected locations and situations. Loki may not be Missy or the Master, but the similarities are enough to let fans know that just like Doctor Who, expect the unexpected.
Loki stars Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Wunmi Mosaku, Sophia Di Martino, Richard E. Grant, Sasha Lane and Eugene Cordero. New episodes air Wednesdays on Disney+.
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