The Shape Of Loki's Throne In The Season 2 Finale Is More Crucial Than You Think
Contains spoilers for "Loki" Season 2, Episode 6 — "Glorious Purpose"
From his very first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in "Thor," Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has long desired to sit on a throne, and in the Season 2 finale of "Loki," the Asgardian God finds himself on one of his own designs. However, it's not on Earth, Asgard, or another realm he's tried to rule in the past as a villain; instead, Loki becomes the nucleus of the Marvel multiverse as the protector of timelines, with the antihero finally taking his place on a throne he could never have predicted he'd end up on.
In the beautiful scene, Loki tells his friends, "I know what I want. I know what kind of God I need to be. For you. For all of us," before walking across the dangerous chaos of the Temporal Loom and bringing dying branches together. The inverted Loom looks like an hourglass – a consistent visual theme in "Loki" seen in imagery for the Time Variance Authority and He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) representing time. After magically restoring the timelines, Loki sits on a throne with branches wrapping around him, forming a tree-like structure. The shape of his throne is significant, as it resembles Yggdrasill, the World Tree. In the comics, Yggdrasill connects the Nine Realms. But, in "Loki," it connects the timelines to the multiverse. The timelines being literal branches of Yggdrasill is a brilliant touch and representative of his journey. Loki has more purpose and importance than ever before as God Loki.
Loki finally gets his throne
Loki ending up within the World Tree is one of the more unlikely and important paths a character has taken in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has strived to rule since his first attempt at taking the Throne of Asgard in "Thor," famously saying he's "burdened with glorious purpose." However, "Loki" shows his purpose has evolved and contrasts his past actions. While trying to stop Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) from killing He Who Remains in the Season 2 Finale, he even outright admits, "The last thing I want is the throne."
Ultimately, Loki finally got what he once wanted. But, it didn't happen as he had planned it to. Instead, he sacrificed himself to sit inside the branches of the Multiverse at the center of all things - when sitting on a throne became one of the last outcomes he desired. In Loki's case, It takes the rejection of his long-wanted place on a throne to allow him to earn his spot inside the World Tree — a fitting endpoint wrapping up one of the MCU's best character arcs, showing even its most selfish villains could find redemption.