Episode 5 of Marvel’s Loki show on Disney+ saw Tom Hiddleston’s God of Mischief traversing the Void, a strange place at the end of time filled to the brim with danger, mystery, and, as it turns out, heaps of Marvel Easter eggs! We’ve combed through the episode, titled “Journey Into Mystery,” and rounded up all of the Easter eggs for your viewing pleasure.
Don’t forget to check out our review of Loki’s fifth episode.
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Journey Into Mystery
The title of Loki’s Episode 5 is “Journey Into Mystery,” which was the name of a long-running Marvel Comic book series that began in 1952. This episode in particular was likely given that name because the episode shows Loki venturing into the unknown and, more to the point, the Journey Into Mystery series eventually went on to star Kid Loki as the lead in 2011.
Qeng Tower/Stark Tower/Avengers Tower
During the episode’s first look at the Void’s collection of destroyed buildings, you may think you saw a half-destroyed Stark Tower/Avengers Tower in the distance, but upon closer inspection, it’s actually Qeng Tower. In the comic book All-New, All-Different Avengers #1 from 2015, a company called Qeng Enterprises acquired Stark Industries. As it turns out, the head of Qeng is revealed to be none other than the time-traveling Marvel villain Kang the Conqueror.
Alioth the Usurper
The giant, smokey monster known as Alioth the Usurper is a Marvel Comics villain with ties to Kang the Conqueror, who just happens to be an upcoming MCU baddie set to appear as the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, played by Jonathan Majors. The creature first debuted in 1993’s Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #1, starring Kang and his love interest Terminatrix. In the comics, Terminatrix is the alias of Ravonna Renslayer, who in the Loki show we know as a TVA judge.
Yellowjacket’s Helmet
There are numerous Marvel artifacts littered throughout the fields at the end of time in the Void.
After Loki’s first chat with the four new Lokis, in the fields we see a massive version of Yellowjacket’s helmet. The yellow-and-black headpiece was worn by villain Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) in the first Ant-Man movie. He met his end when he shrunk down and exploded in a tiny spark. Given the colossal nature of the helmet in Loki, perhaps there was an alternate timeline where he grew to extraordinary size instead and had to be pruned by the TVA.
Thanos-Copter
As the Lokis approach their hideout, the infamous Thanos-Copter makes a brief appearance. This is a reference to the comic book Spidey Super Stories #39 from 1979 where Spider-Man and Hellcat battled Thanos, and the Mad Titan pursued the heroes in a yellow helicopter branded with his own name. It has since become a fan-favorite joke that has spawned memes, action figures, and now a place in MCU lore.
Frog Thor aka Throg Cameo and Mjolnir
As the Lokis descended into their underground bunker, the camera panned downward and offered a glimpse of Throg trapped in a jar trying to reach Mjolnir buried alongside it. The jar is labeled “T365,” a reference to Thor #365 where, after Loki turned Thor into a frog in the previous issue, the amphibian Odinson used Mjolnir to transform into Frog Thor. It appears this actually happened at some point in the MCU but this variant of Thor was deemed unfit for the Sacred Timeline by the Time Keepers and was pruned by the TVA. And honestly, what a monumental loss for all of us.
RoxxiWine
As the Lokis swap stories in their hideout, we see they’re sipping on some fine RoxxiWine. The company Roxxon (an evil corporation from Marvel Comics) was featured in Episode 2 when Loki and the TVA tracked Sylvie to a Roxxmart fated for destruction. Perhaps this RoxxiWine comes from that very store.
SHIELD Helicarrier
Crashed in a field of debris is a SHIELD Helicarrier. We can’t tell which one it is, but we’ve seen enough of these things crash that it’s frankly not a surprise to see another one has gone down.
Ronan the Accuser’s Ship the Dark Aster
Also crashed in a field is Ronan the Accuser’s flagship Kree vessel known as the Dark Aster.
The Living Tribunal
Another relic in the fields is an odd statue head bearing three faces draped in a cloth. This is a cosmic entity in Marvel Comics known as the Living Tribunal, a powerful being that works to maintain balance across the infinite realities of the Multiverse.
Vote Loki
A Loki looking like he’s ready to run for office makes a surprise appearance in the middle of the episode. This variant is a reference to the Vote Loki comic from 2016 that featured Loki attempting to take the White House.
Pizza Delivery Car “GRN-W1D” License Plate
The pizza delivery car Owen Wilson’s Mobius drives bears the license plate “GRN-W1D.” This is a tribute to Marvel Comics legend Mark Gruenwald who not only worked on concepts and characters used in the show (the TVA, Alioth the Usurper, etc.) but whose likeness was used as inspiration for the look of Mobius in the comics and his mustachioed countenance was carried over to the Loki show. Gruenwald was among the Marvel Comics creators given a special thanks in the Loki credits.
USS Eldridge
There’s more to the sudden appearance of the USS Elridge than a fun (and horrifying) action sequence. The US Navy warship is tied to a conspiracy theory involving a government cover-up and aliens. In a story that has since become an urban legend known as the Philadelphia Experiment, a man named Carlos Miguel Allende alleged that the USS Elridge was transported to another dimension and its crew was killed by vicious aliens. So you can see where the Loki writers picked up the ball and ran with it.
Oswald and the Martians
An old movie theater sign lists a film called Oswald and the Martians. Those familiar with Disney company history will remember Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as the character who pre-dated Mickey Mouse and very well could have become the face of Disney had Universal not claimed the character in a legal dispute. It seems in the alternate, pruned timeline from which this sign came from, Oswald went on to be the face of Disney and Mickey Mouse was, presumably, never created. The title “Oswald and the Martians” refers to the real-life cartoon called Mars where Oswald traveled to the red planet and met aliens.
Loki’s Sword
The short sword Kid Loki summons and gives to Loki has significance in both Marvel Comics lore and Norse mythology. The weapon Lævateinn was used by Loki in Norse mythology, and its Marvel Comics version Laevateinn can be magically summoned by Loki at will.
Chronopolis
The mysterious building seen at the end of Loki Episode 5 may very well be Chronopolis, home to Kang the Conqueror in the comics. We’ve already seen Kang supporting characters Alioth the Usurper and Ravonna Renslayer, plus Qeng Tower, and this may be his signature city, so perhaps the mystery of the creation of the TVA will all lead to Kang in Episode 6. As the name implies, Chronopolis is a city, but we see just a single building–what appears to be an old estate–in Loki, so either Kang’s base was redesigned for the show, or it’s something else entirely…
What other Easter eggs were in Loki Episode 5? Let’s discuss in the comments!
