‘Loki’ may have just told us why Mobius and friends were selected for the TVA

Throughout both seasons of Loki the TVA characters have wondered what their lives were on the sacred timeline and why they in particular were chosen by He Who Remains as TVA staff. As of this week’s episode, “Science/Fiction” we have no concrete answers, though the show quietly delivered some important clues that I think paint a pretty clear picture of what’s going to happen.

This episode sees Loki admit that his actions are driven by his desire to protect his friends at the TVA because “I don’t wanna be alone,” to which Sylvie responds “See? We’re both selfish.” Then, as the episode ends, Loki has finally figured out how to control his time-slipping, saying: “It’s not about where, when, or why. It’s about who.”

Why were Mobius, B-15, Casey, and Ouroboros chosen for the TVA?

The first half of the episode shows Loki jumping around the timelines, visiting each of his TVA colleagues in what appears to be their genuine timelines. Mobius is a jetski salesman, B-15 is a doctor, Casey is Alcatraz prison escapee Frank Morris, and Ouroboros is a particle physics professor and would-be sci-fi author.

What’s telling are the subtle details in these scenes, all of which I think add up to evidence that Loki, not He Who Remains, is the reason these four were plucked from their lives to work at the TVA.

For example, the title card when we meet B-15 tells us she’s working in New York in 2012 ⏤ the same year The Avengers’ Battle of New York takes place. Mobius’ son appears to be a budding pyromaniac and must be told to stop playing with matches. Casey is a prison escapee in a dangerous situation.

What if Loki realizes all his friends are about to die, and the only way he can save them is by transporting them to the TVA to begin their careers? B-15’s hospital may be obliterated by a Chitauri Leviathan crashing through it, Mobius may die in a blaze caused by his firebug son, Casey’s fellow escapees may turn on him to remove witnesses. Only Ouroboros isn’t in imminent danger of death, though perhaps it’s telling that Mobius nervously looks around his lab and asks “Is this room safe?”

Loki’s selfish act

Given that we’ve just seen Loki admit that his desire for friends is selfish, it’d be appropriate for him to be the person responsible for kidnapping them, wiping their minds of their pasts, and installing them as TVA staff ⏤ knowing his past self will eventually encounter and befriend them. And now he seems to have the power to do just that.

Here’s hoping we find out next week in the finale!