The Nexus Event

"The Nexus Event" is the fourth episode of the Disney+ streaming television series Loki. It premiered on June 30, 2021.
==Synospis==
Frayed nerves and paranoia infiltrate the TVA as Mobius and Hunter B-15 search for Loki and Sylvie.
==Plot==
During a flashback, a young Sylvie is playing with her toys at Asgard's palace when she is abducted from her alternate timeline. A Minutemen unit led by Ravonna Renslayer takes Sylvie in custody and prunes her timeline before bringing her to the Time Variance Authority facility. Young Sylvie is put on trial for creating a branch, but she manages to escape through a Time Door after stealing Ravonna's TemPad. 
In the present time, Ravonna speaks to the Time Keepers inside their chambers. When she leaves, Mobius is waiting and she tells him that the Time Keepers blame her after the Variant invaded their headquarters and then escaped with Loki, because she was the one who gave Mobius permission to let Loki help them. Ravonna tells Mobius that it is very hard to keep the Sacred Timeline stable, with the Time Keepers being the only ones that stand between them and full-scale calamity, so they should worry about the Variant trying to reach them. Mobius asks her to have access to Hunter C-20 to figure out why she was so confused after she was enchanted by the Variant. He wants to interrogate her about what the Hunter saw when she was with the Variant, because this could give them information to help to locate the two Lokis. However, Ravonna surprises him by stating that C-20 had gone mad and died. 
Ravonna explains that the Variant messed up C-20's mind and she could barely speak when she returned to the TVA. Ravonna claims that C-20's health declined fast, quickly leading to her death. She asks Mobius to keep this information a secret, because spreading it would cause panic within the TVA. Ravonna then presses Mobius to locate and capture the two Loki Variants that are missing. In the Chronomonitoring Wing of the TVA, Mobius and other analysts work hard trying to find where Loki and Sylvie went, but they are not able to find anything even after magnifying the nexus threshold. B-15 appears and tells Mobius that she also did not find anything searching Roxxcart again. She assumes that the two Variants are now leaping across time and planning their next attack against them. She asks Mobius if he has any news on C-20. Having promised to Ravonna not to reveal anything, he replies that there are none.
Still stuck on Lamentis-1, Loki and Sylvie sit beside each other as they prepare to die with the imminent destruction of the moon. Sylvie tells Loki about her past and how she learned to hide within several apocalyptic events to survive after escaping the TVA when she was still a child. She reflects on her life as a fugitive, and how she grew up living in these apocalyptic events and now is going to die in one. Sylvie asks if what makes up a Loki is that they are destined to lose, Loki replies that despite losing, they will continue to survive in the face of death. Loki states that Sylvie's past is a proof of this, since she almost managed to take down the TVA by herself and tells her that she is amazing for this. Moved by his words, Sylvie touches Loki's arm, and he returns her gesture by holding her hand. While the pair hold hands and await their deaths, their developing romantic feelings for each other cause a nexus event, creating an abnormal straight-up branch which is detected by the TVA. At the organization's headquarters, becoming perplexed as they watch the branched timeline grow on the chronomonitor, Mobius questions Hunter B-15 if she ever saw a branch like this one before. B-15 replies that she hasn't. 
As soon as the nexus event is created, the TVA shows up on Lamentis. Two Time Doors appear before Loki and Sylvie, as the TVA arrests the pair and bring them into the headquarters. There, they are separated and put into different Time Theaters. Mobius accompanies Loki and accuses him of betrayal, also stating that he is just an "asshole" and a "bad friend". As Mobius prepares to punish Loki by putting him in a Time Cell, Loki tries to tell him that the TVA is lying about his true origins, but Mobius ignores him. In the Time Cell, Loki relieves a memory of Sif beating him up because of a prank he pulled on her, in which he cut her hair. Loki tells Sif that she is not real and that she is a creation of the TVA. He then asks for her help, with no avail as Sif hits him and keeps saying that he will be always alone. After being repeatedly beaten up, he tries to apologize to Sif and admits that he play pranks because he craves attention and is scared of being alone. This causes the memory of Sif to stop and not hit him, but she continues to say that being alone is what Loki deserves. 
Meanwhile, Mobius goes to Ravonna's office and asks to interrogate Sylvie. Ravonna refuses, saying that the Variant is too dangerous and nobody should speak with her. She tells him just to "work his Loki" and Mobius suspects that something is up, but he accepts and leaves. Outside Sylvie's Time Theater, Mobius complains to B-15, who is guarding the door, why two demi-gods have to give them so much trouble after they efficiently dealt with so many other kinds of Variants. B-15 reminds Mobius about him being the one who wanted one of the Lokis to be brought to the TVA. When B-15 asks him if Loki has said anything, Mobius relays what Loki told him. The information seems to unnerve her, but she states she only asked because it is her job.
Mobius then returns to interrogate Loki. Mobius asks Loki to explain what he told him earlier and also about his relationship with the Variant. Loki states that him and Sylvie are not partners, because she is difficult, irritating and keeps hitting him all the time. He refuses to say anything else if he is not freed and without any assurance that he won't be pruned afterwards. But Mobius threats to sent him to Lady Sif again, so Loki makes up a lie to answer his questions. Loki claims that he is the mastermind behind everything. He says that Sylvie met him on Asgard a long time ago and they made their plan, but he is just using her as a pawn and will get rid of her eventually. Not fooled by this story, Mobius decides to test Loki and falsely tells him she had been pruned by B-15 in an attempt to escape her cell. He adds that Loki should thank B-15 for this, because turns out he is the "superior Loki" after all. Loki is in shock hearing that Sylvie is gone and is very close to tears, however, he tries to keep a straight face and pretend he is not hurt by the news. Mobius notices how Loki is showing emotion, and starts to laugh, realizing that Loki is in love with the Variant. Mobius explains that two Variants of the same being falling in love with each other is pure chaos and could break reality, and is what caused the nexus event on Lamentis. He pokes fun at Loki, saying that Loki falling in love with himself proves he really is an "incredible seismic narcissist". Loki hears Mobius and does not deny anything, instead Loki points out to him that the Variant's name is Sylvie. 
Frustrated as Mobius keeps teasing him about his love for Sylvie, Loki questions if she is still alive and is relieved when Mobius confirms that she is. Mobius continues questioning about their plans and Loki explains that he allied with Sylvie because of their similar interests. Loki says that the Time Keepers need to be overthrown and that Sylvie relied to him something that affects everyone. Mobius, however, refuses to believe in any story coming from Loki or his "terrorist girlfriend". Irritated, Loki yells that the members of the TVA were not created by the Time Keepers, they are all Variants that have been pulled from their lives on the timeline. He explains that they all had their memories erased, but Sylvie can access these memories through enchantment. Mobius pauses processing this reveal but seems not to believe in Loki. He orders the Minutemen to put him back in the Time Cell. As the Minutemen drag him, Loki says that Mobius is the biggest liar in the TVA. Mobius asks if Loki is still upset because he lied about his girlfriend, but Loki replies he is talking about the lies Mobius tells himself.
While celebrating the end of the case with the capture of the Loki Variants, Mobius speaks to Ravonna regarding C-20 again. He asks Ravonna why she won't let him interrogate Sylvie. Unfamiliar with the name, Ravonna questions who Sylvie is, so Mobius tells her that is what Loki calls the Variant. Ravonna explains that C-20 had lost her mind after being enchanted and attempts to change the subject by asking him where he would like to go if he could travel to anywhere on the timeline. Mobius answers he likes to be at the TVA working with her and then starts inquiring about C-20 again, saying that something feels off in this whole story. Ravonna states she is just trying to protect him by keeping him away from the Variant because he is her close friend and she would not like anything bad to happen to him. She makes a speech about how fulfilling their mission to defend the Sacred Timeline is also a way to protect their unique long-time friendship and says that the two of them are "friends across time, allies to the end". Mobius seems to accept her explanation and then asks about her new trophy, Sylvie's machete. As soon as Ravonna turns her back to him to place the machete on a shelf, Mobius swaps her TemPad with his own and tells her he is leaving, claiming to be exhausted from dealing so much with Lokis.
Mobius later goes to hidden quiet aisle of bookcases the Archives and checks Ravonna's TemPad. He sees that C-20's profile lists her as "Deceased", before finding the footage of Roxxcart mission debrief. The video shows a lucid C-20 talking about what she saw when she was under Sylvie's magic. C-20 says that she recognized the bar she saw while enchanted, and explains that it was a memory of her past life, because she had been at that bar, had friends and an entire life on the Sacred Timeline. C-20 states that she is now aware she is a Variant and that every single member of the TVA also is. As Ravonna appears on-screen in front of C-20 to end the recording, Mobius realizes that Loki was the one who was telling the truth. Hunter B-15 confronts Sylvie and takes her back to Roxxcart. Sylvie thinks that the Hunter just wants to fight her, but B-15 claims to have seen something when she was enchanted demands Sylvie to explain. Sylvie reveals that the members of the TVA are Variants that were taken from the timeline and B-15 initially refuses to believe. Sylvie tells her she cannot create memories and B-15 asks to be put under her magic again. She realizes that she is in fact a Variant and that she was happy in her previous life, making her distraught. 
Mobius goes talk to Loki inside the Time Cell and asks if he truly loves Sylvie. Mobius asks him if he really thinks that he deserves to be alone, which confuses Loki, who says he no answer. Mobius tells Loki that his romantic connection to Sylvie created a nexus event so poweful that could destroy the TVA. He asks Loki if is certain that Sylvie didn't implant any memories in C-20, but Loki replies that she is telling the truth and that he believes in her. As Mobius states that he finds himself cornered in having to trust the word of two Lokis, Loki assures that he can trust him as his friend instead. Mobius says that he is now aware of the truth and that Loki was right about the TVA. Mobius asks Loki to trust him if he really wants to save Sylvie and tells him that he could be whatever he wants to be, even a good person, to reassure him in case anyone has ever told him any different. Mobius frees Loki, but as they leave the Time Cell, they are confronted by the Minutemen and Ravonna, who knows about Mobius swapping the TemPads. Mobius returns Ravonna's TemPad and states that he got the wrong device by accident, but he sees that she does not believe in this lie. Mobius answers her earlier question of where he would like go on the timeline, telling Ravonna that he would like to return to wherever he came from, to his previous life before the TVA and ride his jet ski. Ravonna orders the Minutemen to prune Mobius, although she is distressed and looks away. Loki helplessly watches Mobius being pruned and mourns the loss of his friend. 
Ravonna then goes to the Time Theater where Sylvie is imprisoned, to take her away to face the Time Keepers along with Loki. Entering the room, Sylvie is still wet from the storm at the Roxxcart store, so Ravonna asks who talked to the Variant. When a Minuteman replies that it was B-15, Ravonna puts up an alert on the Hunter because she also has been compromised by the Variant. Sylvie smiles at Ravonna because the members of the TVA are becoming aware of the truth, which will make the organization crumble. Loki then reunites with Sylvie and reassures her that he is okay when she notices his saddened expression. Inside the elevators to the Time Keepers' chambers, Sylvie asks Ravonna if she remembers capturing her as a child and what her nexus event was. Ravonna replies that she remembers Sylvie but claims not to recall what her nexus event was. 
Loki and Sylvie are both put in front of the Time Keepers to answer for their crimes. Sylvie and Loki confront the Time Keepers, but Ravonna controls them with a Time Twister. Loki claims he is not scared because he died countless times before. The Time Keepers sentences them to be deleted, but B-15 arrives to save them, freeing the pair from their Time Collars and returning Sylvie's machete to her. Ravonna orders the guards to protect the Time Keepers, B-15 briefly fights them before being knocked out. Ravonna confronts Sylvie, promising to eliminate her, but is defeated. After defeating all their opponents, Sylvie beheads one of the Time Keepers, revealing that they are merely mindless androids, making Loki question who truly created the TVA. Feeling defeated over the numerous questions, Loki attempts to comfort Sylvie and confess his romantic feelings for her, only to get pruned by Ravonna. Sylvie becomes infuriated and disarms her of the Time Stick. Ravonna asks to be pruned, but Sylvie demands answers instead.
In a mid-credits scene, Loki awakens in a strange area, where he is confronted by four other Lokis Variants.
==Cast==
===Main Cast===
*Tom Hiddleston as Loki
* as Sylvie
*Owen Wilson as Mobius
*Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ravonna Renslayer
*Wunmi Mosaku as Hunter B-15
*Sasha Lane as Hunter C-20
===Guest Stars===
*Neil Ellice as Hunter D-90
*Richard E. Grant as Classic Loki
*Jack Veal as Kid Loki
*DeObia Oparei as Boastful Loki
*Cailey Fleming as Kid Sylvie 
*Jon Levine as Paperwork Clerk
*Aaron Beelner as Scanner Clerk
*Philip Fornah as Minuteman #1
*Dave MacDonald as Minuteman #2
*Michelle Rose as Minuteman #3
*Sarafina King as Minuteman #9
*Alvin Chon as Minuteman #10
*Ilan Muallem as Minuteman #11
*Isabelle Pierre as Analyst #4
*Lauren Halperin as Analyst #5
*Nicholas Zarrillo as Screaming Man
*Matthew Gannon as Judge
*Lauren Revard as Time Keeper On-Set Reader
*Robert Pralgo as Time Keeper On-Set Reader
===Uncredited===
*Jaimie Alexander as Sif
*Jonathan Majors as Time Keeper On-Set Reader
==Gallery==
==Trivia==
*In the flashback during the beginning of the episode, a young Sylvie is seen with dark brown hair, although she has blond hair as an adult. According to Sophia Di Martino, Sylvie changed her hair color in the process of creating a new identity for herself.
*This episode has Loki's third fake death in the MCU, as in the films Thor and Thor: The Dark World, before the post-credits scene reveals that the characters who were pruned aren't actually dead. In total, counting all fake deaths and the real one in Avengers: Infinity War, this is the fourth time Loki is shown dying on-screen.
**In the episode, Loki also refers to this by stating "I've lost track of the number of times I've been killed" while confronting the Time Keepers, who are threatening to delete him.
**Loki telling Sylvie that a Loki always survive is also a reference to this, since Loki keeps coming back no matter how many times he is killed, and was able to return to the MCU even after his real death in Infinity War.
**This is mentioned again in the following episode, when Classic Loki tells Loki that "Lokis survive. That's what we do."
*This marks the first appearance of Sif since the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episode, "Who You Really Are".
*The cutting of Sif's hair by Loki is a reference to Norse mythology in which the same incident happened.
*Loki disappearing in front of Sylvie parallels Vision disappearing in front of Wanda, when the Hex is destroyed in the series finale of WandaVision.
*One of the Variants that Loki meets, Classic Loki, is dressed in a comic-accurate costume. Another Variant is Kid Loki, who is an established alternate version of Loki in the comics.
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Loki episodes