Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Loki episode 1, "Glorious Purpose."
Despite all of WandaVision's buzz around the MCU debut of Mephisto, it was actually Loki that featured an actual reference to the Devil — but not Marvel's version of the entity. Not only are the MCU Phase 4 Disney+ shows revolutionizing how live-action superhero stories are told, but they're also pushing the boundaries when it comes to worldbuilding. Series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision dive deeper into the psyche and personal lives of popular superheroes while also setting up future big-screen events such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The arrival of the multiverse, the introduction of a new generation of heroes, and the presence of time-traveling characters like Loki and Kang the Conqueror in Phase 4 have led fans to speculate and theorize about every little detail of recent Disney+ shows. This is one of the most entertaining parts about a shared universe, but it also results in theories that miss the mark by a long shot. Such was the case with WandaVision, which, as the MCU's first Disney+ series ever, kept viewers questioning just how much of Phase 4 it would set up. From ambiguous references to the Devil to Wanda Maximoff's sudden pregnancy, many viewers expected Mephisto to have a role in Wanda's Hex. However, WandaVision concluded with no real connection to the villain.
On the contrary, the very first episode of Loki made the Devil an active part of the plot. When Mobius M. Mobius travels to 1549 France, he finds a child who had interacted with a Satan-like figure. This demon also appears in the church's stained glass window and seems to have given the child a mysterious pack of Kablooie chewing gum. Loki director Kate Herron has debunked the theory that this figure is actually Mephisto, given that the main focus of the show is the God of Mischief and presumably his rogue variant. Nevertheless, Loki's allusion to the Devil is much closer to a Mephisto reference than anything WandaVision said or showed.
Moreover, Loki explained more about the MCU's multiverse in its short "Miss Minutes" sequence than WandaVision did in nine episodes. Besides Mephisto, one of the revelations many viewers expected from WandaVision was the concept of alternate realities, with the addition of Evan Peter's Quicksilver to the MCU as a strong piece of evidence. To the chagrin of many fans, WandaVision revealed that Pietro Maximoff was actually an actor named Ralph Bohner. Doctor Strange also never showed up to warn Scarlet Witch about the multiverse and Wanda was never shown affecting a different dimension. Loki instead delivered a clear and concise description of the multiverse before moving on to the exploration of the God of Mischief's inner struggles.
With Evan Peters' identity reveal as Ralph Bohner in WandaVision, Loki's confirmation that the Avengers were always destined to time travel in Avengers: Endgame, and news of previous Spider-Man villains being cast in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the only safe assumption about the MCU's Phase 4 plans is that no fan theory is safe from getting debunked at the very last second. Some may find this constant uncertainty disquieting, but the truth is that the Marvel Cinematic Universe clearly has many more exciting surprises in store for its fans.
Loki releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+.
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