Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame Encore.
Although Avengers: Endgame Encore doesn’t officially hit theaters until this Friday, September 25, the internet is abuzz this morning with reported leaks from early screenings of the movie—and they could have massive implications not just for Avengers: Doomsday but also for a beloved MCU show. Chatter online suggests that Endgame Encore contains four new scenes: one involving Loki arriving at Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter’s house at the end of Endgame once Steve has stayed in the past, one in which Doctor Doom comes to “collect” Bruce Banner, one showing Doom creating his mask (which has already been heavily featured in trailers for Doomsday and even in The Fantastic Four: First Steps), and the final one showing Miss Minutes, Mobius, Casey, and OB in the TVA watching a potential collision between two universes.
It’s the first scene in particular that MCU fans worry is going to run the risk of ‘ruining’ Loki, which continues to be seen as one of the MCU’s best shows, especially when talking about live-action. Already, there were concerns that Loki’s appearance in Doomsday could impact the conclusion of Loki, in which he becomes the God of Stories and (arguably) perfectly completes his arc. Now, with talks that Loki will be visiting Steve Rogers at the end of Endgame—assuming that these rumors are true—those concerns have only intensified. One X post simply states, “That doesn’t seem to fit with the ending of Loki Season 2,” to which people have responded with various theories and viewpoints, including that this scene, if real, doesn’t make sense. However, there are still ways that this could fit.
It’s understandable that fans are worried about the effects Endgame Encore and Doomsday could have on Loki, as that show really was brilliant and remains a fan favorite. However, there are myriad ways that his appearance in both (again, if the reportedly leaked scene is legitimate) could make sense without disrupting Loki. One prominent fan theory is that Endgame Encore and Doomsday could be set before the end of Loki season 2, although that doesn’t quite make sense. Loki was, obviously, very preoccupied with other things throughout the entire show, and he also wouldn’t be the God of Stories yet. Presumably, that role will be a key part of his character in Doomsday, although that remains to be seen.
Much more likely is the fact that Loki is simply projecting himself while still holding the timelines together, rather than actually appearing physically in these various scenes. He is incredibly powerful at this point in the MCU, and he was already able to project himself as shown previously, so this isn’t that difficult to imagine. It also makes sense in terms of his character. There wasn’t much of a chance, if any, that Loki was seriously going to simply sit at a distance, observing his friends and (with Thor) family without getting involved in some way. It actually tracks that, especially with the massive threat Doctor Doom will no doubt pose, Loki would feel compelled to get involved. In that sense, while the rumored Endgame Encore changes might ruffle feathers, they don’t automatically mean Loki is going to be affected in any grave way.
