BY MATT TUCK
Loki’s fifth episode may have stealthily connected the MCU to the Power Cosmic, and that could have huge implications for the coming of Galactus, Silver Surfer, and maybe even Sentry. WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND.
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY
At the end of the fourth episode, Loki found himself in what we now know is simply called the Void. It is the place at the end of time where “pruned” variants are sent. With its mysterious cloud guardian, Alioth, the Void serves as the TVA’s prison for variants. It is mostly populated by Lokis, whom we meet in the God of Mischief’s quest to discover the true power behind the TVA.
As with practically every episode of a Marvel show, “Journey into Mystery” was packed with winks and nods to the history of Marvel Comics. There was the ridiculous Thanos-Copter from Spidey Super-Stories #39, the head of the Living Tribunal, Throg trapped in a jar, and what appeared to be Yellow Jacket’s helmet.
While the allusions were less about plot and more for sight gags, there is another message being delivered. All these items along with the Lokis from assorted timelines establishes that basically every Marvel story that has ever been written, drawn, or filmed exists in the MCU. That includes a timeline in which Thanos stole the Cosmic Cube and was arrested after trying to escape in his personalized helicopter.
Between the different Loki variants and the numerous greater Marvel allusions, it is easy to overlook what could be the most important factor out of the entire episode: the Void and Alioth.
WHAT IS THE VOID?
Fans of Sentry should know all about the Void, or at least the comic version. In the pages of Sentry #1, it was revealed that Bob Reynolds, a junkie at the time, drank a mysterious liquid in an attempt to get high. The concoction bonded him with the Void, an all-powerful cosmic entity made of darkness. The Void granted Bob powers that basically made him Marvel’s Superman with the power of a thousand exploding suns. Bob then created his Sentry personality in order to counter the evil Void, and the two battle for control of Bob’s mind.
One of the better Sentry stories came about during Dark Reign. During that time, Sentry was manipulated by Norman Osborn into joining the Dark Avengers. Throughout the story, the Void became increasingly stronger until it eventually took control of Bob and destroyed what remained of Asgard in Siege. In one of the most excessive and visually impressive deaths in all of Marvel, he ripped Ares in half.
During Dark Reign and Siege, it was revealed that the Void had existed since basically the dawn of time. The force was even seen as the Angel of Death in Marvel’s telling of the story of Passover. But the big reveal was when Bob's wife, Lindy, demanding to know what the Void was. The reply: “I am Galactus...Devourer of Worlds.”
Not much else came of the Void/Galactus connection, though we can assume that it is part of the Power Cosmic, which is controlled by Galactus.
A LARGER CONNECTION
The Void we see in Loki does not appear to be the same as the one from the comics. However, the episode gave viewers only a glimpse. There could be a much larger story involved, and we could see that in the next episode thanks to Sylvie and Loki enchanting Alioth.
Alioth seems closer to the living entity of the Void from Sentry. In fact, its cloud form is reminiscent of Galactus’ form from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, though I doubt there is any connection between the two. Since Alioth guards the Void and the end of time, it could very well be an extension of the Void and introduce the Power Cosmic to the MCU. That would open the door for Galactus and, by extension, the Silver Surfer. In fact, since the TVA is concerned with the Nexus events that changed timelines, Galactus devouring an entire planet could easily qualify as being just that.
There is a vague connection to Silver Surfer already in Loki. The third episode took place on Lamentis, which was part of the Annihilation crossover that featured the Surfer. While I do not anticipate the Surfer getting even an Easter egg in Loki, it could herald his arrival in the future. Still, I admit that one is a bit of a stretch.
HEADING TO THE FINISH LINE
There are many loose ends that need to be tied as Loki prepares for its final episode, and the revelation of the true intentions of the TVA will be at the top. It would not be entirely surprising for there to at least be a mention of the Power Cosmic, and that would have major repercussions for the future of the MCU.
Matt Tuck is the author of the novel, Lost Bones of the Dead. He is a professional writer, avid comic collector, former teacher, and an international man of mystery. You can follow him on his Facebook page, The Comic Blog.