In the finale of the first season of Loki, Ravonna Renslayer vanishes through a Time Door, informing Mobius she is going to search for free will. If you thought this was a strange thing to say and have been wondering what she meant all this time, especially with her absence from the first episode of the show’s second season, we believe we have a clear answer for your troubles.
While this is only speculative, we are convinced Ravonna left the TVA in search of a Kang of the past. As the creator and ruler of the TVA and essentially the only person aware of the true workings of the branching timelines in the multiverse, He Who Remains was the only being left who could enjoy true free will. With him now gone, slain by a revenge-stricken Sylvie, Ravonna is out to find him again in the past or an alternate timeline before he was killed. The trailer for season 2 also shows the TVA judge hanging out at the same Victorian era showcase Loki, Mobius, and Victor Timely are at in the post-credits scene revealed at the end of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania.
If you’re not as deep into the Marvel Blackhole as we are, you might be wondering why Ravonna would know about Kang or where to find him if Mobius didn’t. At first glance, Ravonna seems to be like any other TVA official brainwashed into thinking they served a greater purpose, without questioning the ramifications of pruning entire timelines out of existence. In fact, Ravonna was one of the TVA’s most loyal servants, always against breaking protocol and believing the cause even when Mobius told her the truth about the Time-Keepers and the organization. While that could be written off as Ravonna’s loyal and conformist personality type, there might be a twist coming our way, based on her character’s history in the comics.
Could Ravonna know Kang?
The quick answer is yes. Everyone in the TVA, or at least its earlier members, knows Kang/He Who Remains, even though he later erased their memories of him, creating the Time-Keepers as a façade to protect his true identity. However, could Ravonna actually remember him and be the only person in the TVA fully aware of what’s going on?
In the first episode of Loki‘s second season, we’re teased with an audio recording of He Who Remains telling Ravonna that she was essential in stopping the multiversal war and thanking her for being on his team. All of that fits the idea that He Who Remains was once a charismatic leader who could brainwash his soldiers. Still, some of what he says crosses the line from leader to something more intimate, perhaps even romantic. He calls Ravonna “a marvel,” declaring that he “will be proud to lead with [her],” and promising that whatever he’s done has been “for [them]” and “for all time.”
We don’t know for sure if Ravonna remembers all this, but her final line in Loki‘s first season, as well as her comic book history, has us strongly leaning toward “yes.” There’s a big possibility Ravonna was in on He Who Remains’ plans all this time and is now trying to team up with him once more.
What is Ravonna and Kang’s history in the comics?
In the comics, Kang and Ravonna have an extensive and complicated romantic relationship. She’s initially turned off by his villainy when he attempts to invade her father’s kingdom, but ultimately falls for him, even stepping in front of a blast to save him. From that point on they go back and forth between love and revenge after Kang uses the power given to him by the Grandmaster to kill the Avengers instead of bringing Ravonna back to life. She is later revived by the Grandmaster and, understandably upset that the person she sacrificed herself for didn’t pick her, decides to go after the conqueror.
Their story in the source material has plenty of juicy twists and turns, but their connection is at the heart of it all and could very well be adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a way to ground Kang’s character and complicate his quest to rule the multiverse. Similarly, like her comic book counterpart, Loki‘s Renslayer doesn’t have to be essentially good, bad, loyal, or disloyal to Kang, but rather maintain a complicated relationship with him that is not devoid of intentions of self-preservation and self-interest.
Whatever happens, there’s no doubt Ravonna will be a crucial piece of the puzzle in this new season of Loki, and possibly the MCU moving forward, as we approach the climax of Kang’s storyline in the Avengers double-header arriving in 2026 and 2027.