Loki Season 2: Episode 2 Review – Come On, Lets Break The Man

Loki strikes again with Episode 2 of season 2. With such a hit last week with 10.9 million views in just 3 days, making it the “second most viewed season premiere on Disney+ in 2023,” according to The Walk Disney Company. Loki‘s season 2 has been the most anticipated MCU show to come out thus far. It has hit TV screens with a force with it’s intriguing story line, reoccurring characters, and a new set of characters to help progress the MCU. 

Loki continues to engage its audiences with fun moments, intense scenes and a wow factor by the end of the episode. With the show urging us to catch up, we take small breathers here and there to receive important information about the timeline. Characters talk back and forth amongst each other and stand side by side to fight against the end of the TVA. But for now, lets take a look at this weeks episode!

Loki streaming now on DisneyPlus. Spoilers Ahead.

And please, if you missed last weeks episode, be sure you catch up with my Episode 1 Loki review here!

Story: A Little Run Around Business

This time with a pun as its title, Episode 2, “Breaking Brad”, resides next to episode 1 as a fun and engaging episode. You sit alongside Loki and Mobius as they run and chase for information. First, they arrive in the time of 1977 dressed all dapper as they step foot on Earth. Which timeline? The Sacred Timeline. All we know is that they seem to be on a mission to look for Sylvie, to try and reel her back into the gang. But, first they need to gather that information.

But from where? And, from whom? Well, do you remember in episode 1 when B-15 and Mobius were sitting with the two Generals, and they spoke about each and every one of them having lives? Surprise, surprise. We end up finding out that Hunter x-5 abandoned his post to find a life in that timeline as Brad Wolfe, an actor to fulfill that chance of having his own life. 

A Little Fun Time For Loki

The beginning sequence was fun. I would have to say that it would probably be one of my favorite scenes out of this whole episode. I really enjoyed seeing Loki all dressed up for the occasion using his magic that we all longed to see. It had been too long since we’ve seen Loki use his powers for something like a chase scene and to capture someone for holding. After Mobius and Loki try to catch Brad up and he suggests getting some “drinks,” he ends up running and Loki chasing after him. Once he reaches a dead end, Brad cheats his way out, using a rigged temp pad. But, Loki has some other plans.

Thats where the fun starts. As Brad thinks he’s gotten away, he ends up sliding into a crowd of civilians, ragged and unhappy. He tries to slick his hair back, seem cool but the crowd doesn’t see him as a friend. Instead, they seem to close in and gang up on him because they don’t like Brad Wolfe. But as one steps up to him to take Brad on, Brad thinks fast and swings a metal pipe which goes through him. Like one would do if it was a hologram working through someones magic. Loki had created a whole diversion to slow Brad down, then multiplying himself to make Brad confused and uneasy. 

Eventually, with the use of Loki’s powers and pushing him back, he uses his shadows to hold him back as they collar and cuff him to take him back to the TVA. 

Loki using his magic to get Brad to confess

The True Reason Why He Abandoned His Post. And Why The Episode Is Called Breaking Brad

Now, after the fun and games ended with Loki having a little bit of his own fun, we get to the part of the episode where Brad has to be broken down. He has to give them answers and has to do it fast. This series of scenes was one of mockery and getting under everybody’s skin to see them break. Sadly, Brad does that first. But, it plants an idea for Loki and sends Mobius into a fury of rage which Loki has to escort him out.

Although I enjoyed Loki’s initial response of “are you ok?” I thought this particular scene was a little forced. In my head, the small consoling didn’t sound natural to me. It was repetitive, understandably, but it just felt a little off for me. What I did like was the little sit down while they ate their key lime pies and talked about if Mobius had ever wanted to see what his life could have been. But Mobius said he didn’t want to have that rolling around his head, which is totally understandable. Because why would you want to try and find something that was better than the life you’re living now just to know that you can’t have it at all. It was against regulations and Mobius knew it. Yes, he wanted to see but he liked where he is now.

With Loki understanding and backing off the situation, Loki and Mobius breathe a new plan of attack. This time, Loki becomes who he initially; the villain, the one who tortures.

Loki Showing His True Self

Now I gotta say, this has got to be one of my most favorite scenes out of this entire episode because of Loki going back to his true ways. Yes, this is a redemption arc, but whats a little hero time without a little bit of interrogation? Acting all oblivious on how to work this strange device, Loki locks Mobius out of the room and talks to Brad himself. We find the true reasons why he did what he did this way.

Because of the fear Mobius is inducing, the urgency to open the door, Loki unable to know how to use it, but eventually gets the hang of it. Brad ends up becoming skiddish, fearful. Such a wonderful tactic between the two I have to say. Loki captures Brad in a cube that can shrink and move in any direction and Loki uses that to his advantage. He doesn’t let up as Brad continues to bounce around the questions.

Then, as it gets too small for him to handle, it ends up breaking Brad. It snaps his mouth to spill the beans on the fact he knows where Sylvie actually is but didn’t want to pursue because he wanted to live his own life, hence the abandonment of his post. this whole scene was so on par and I truly loved it. Both Mobius and Loki had such a smart plan to get him to talk with the mix of acting and emotional play.

But, with this whole diversion, Brad knows something bigger though. As he stalled them with acting like he had zero knowledge of Sylvie and keeping his mouth shut as Mobius continued to pry him at McDonald’s, we end up realizing that General Dox is pruning all of the other timelines and destroying, and essentially killing, peoples lives.

Ending the episode with devastating news that most of the branched timelines were wiped out, we end up catching a location on Renslayer.

Loki showing his true colors during the interrogation scene

Characters And Performances: Getting A Little More About The Characters

Like always, Tom Hiddleston and Loki continue to impress people with his character and performance. In Episode 2, Breaking Brad, Tom portrayed Loki so well especially during the scenes he had with Brad. First, when Brad was trying to get under his skin. The way Tom relayed his emotions perfectly with that scene. It made us think he truly got under Lokis skin, because we all know how he felt. This was basically replaying the same issues from Thor 1. But, thats the thing. This wasn’t new news, this was old news and Loki knows it. He learned a lot since then, and Tom showed it very well.

Owen Wilson still did a great job at performing as Mobius, especially when Brad was getting under his skin. What I enjoy about Mobius is that he’s very optimistic so it was interesting seeing someone get under his skin like that. And because of it, it made him become angry which is very real. Owen Wilson plays Mobius amazingly like always. I always love how Mobius tries to keep the mood lightened and real, not masked or anything. Mobius is just a naturally happy person and I like that. He’s like a warm comfort character to the audience, but mostly for Loki especially after all he’s been through.

Supporting Characters

Rafael Casal plays a convincing Hunter X-5 and Brad Wolfe in Loki Season 2. Brad wasn’t necessarily a villain in this episode, more like a hiccup in the plan on their way to Sylvie. He had information and he acted like he didn’t have any knowledge whatsoever. Rafael did play Brad well in the fact that he felt high and mighty, as if he was the greatest that happened because he actually found a life worth living. Rafael Casal played him so well that I disliked him a lot. I didn’t like Brad, seeming like a know it all, a high and mighty person, who tried to play puppet but ended up playing himself.

And lastly, the one and only Sophia Di Martino. Although Sylvie didn’t have much screen time, Sophia Di Martino features Sylvie as a content fast food worker who doesn’t want to leave her post because of, well, being happy. She portrays her emotions well with hating to see Loki considering how she flicked him through the time door in the season finale. Sylvie felt real. Her ignorance to try and help Loki and the TVA was understandable, even if she herself was slightly unbearable. I do get why she acts this way; she was taken by the TVA at a young age for no reason at all so she felt resentment for them. And since Loki was working with them, she resented him too. Sophia portrayed her emotions through her expressions and body language perfectly through the few scenes she was in.

Brad locked up, looking smug

Cinematography And Sounds: Always On Par, Except It Could Be Slightly Better

Loki Season 2, Episode 1 and Episode 2 are holding up to their cinematography. I really enjoyed the scene changes and the camera positions. It helps make the scenes feel more impactful, more intriguing to watch. For example, the scenes during the chase scene was very fun to watch them run around. The camera positions felt immersive as the audience. It made my heart race as Loki ran after Brad, the camera following close behind and paneling around the scene to make us see it from a birds eye view in some cases.

The interrogation scene felt more intense. As the camera flipped it back and forth, the music gives aid to the suspense. I really liked how they flipped the cameras from Brad, Loki and to Mobius. It gave it a similar fear factor towards Brad because we can feel it too. The gradual zooming out from Mobius made it feel like this whole scene was intentional by Loki, and that Mobius had no part in it. 

The sounds and music through this episode was more immersive than the cinematography I would say. They used more to make the scenes feel suspenseful for what they had planned. I’ve always liked it when they would gradually build up the music to the climax. Because then, they will stop it to prove that they’ve got their point across. That the whole scene was a set up like in the interrogation scene. What this show does is make really nice magical chimes throughout the episodes, giving it a more majestic feeling. And, I’ve noticed they use more time sounding dings to adhere to the setting of time.

Editing And Pacing: Pretty Decent This Time Around

The pacing of this episode was not bad, but, I noticed that it barely contributed to the story. It did make sure we knew that without Sylvies know about’s, the worlds as they knew it is in grave danger. It did make for a fun sequence of scenes, but episode 2 was mostly taking its time with getting through the story. I understand that it was for the effect to give this episode it’s importance.

The editing of this episode was like the usual, pretty good for the episode. Episode 2, Breaking Brad, felt like it had a potential to make the episode better. The music and sound effects were placed in the right places, making the episode nice. I feel like this episode could have been a little better, but nonetheless it was decent.

Final Thoughts

All in all, Loki Season 2 has been going well. But this episode in general could have gone better, the timing and pacing could be more inspected before putting it out. Breaking Brad was a pretty decent episode, more so enjoying the scenes Loki was in especially the beginning and middle. I really and truly loved the scene where Loki interrogated Brad. It made me feel like a part of the old Loki was back, but he has been working on himself. He seems like he’s cared for others more than we’ve seen before 2012, so he would go to the lengths to find that friend.

To keep up with my reviews, please take a gander at my Episode 1 review for Loki, Season 2 here.