The Big Picture
- Episode 3 of Loki focuses more on the plot than hidden Easter eggs, with the introduction of Kang-Variant Victor Timely impacting the future.
- The inclusion of H.H. Holmes at the World’s Fair in 1893 references the infamous serial killer’s attempt to lure fair attendees to their deaths.
- The mention of Ferdinand Lang, a singer at the fair, is likely a reference to Scott Lang/Ant-Man, hinting at his musical roots. The SS Herron is a tribute to director Kate Herron.
Episode 3 of Loki has found its way onto the sacred timeline. While O.B. (Key Huy Quan) and B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) stay at the TVA, hoping to find the means to stop the Temporal Loom from killing them all, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Mobius (Owen Wilson) trek into the past once again. Whether their best option is to track down Ravonna Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a variant of He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), or the increasingly creepy A.I. apparition Miss Minutes (Tara Strong), they know for certain that they better do it before Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) gets to them. This episode was more heavily focused on driving forward the plot than sneaking in hidden Easter eggs, with Kang-Variant Victor Timely (Majors) coming head to head with the many figures whose lives he doesn’t yet know he’ll impact so monumentally. There are still a few notable references worth mentioning, however, and we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you may have missed!
Chicago’s World’s Fair and H.H. Holmes
Chicago’s World’s Fair, also known as The World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893, is the centerpiece of our time-skipping series this week, and it comes with more than simply the accompaniment of a timely score and tone. Mobius, as they’re entering the event, expresses to Loki his delight over the notable figures that were present at the celebration. Of particular interest, he gleefully includes H.H. Holmes in his list of exciting potential run-ins. That’s because H.H. Holmes wasn’t an inventor or entrepreneur, as you’d expect the principal folks at the fair to be — he was a serial killer. When it comes to the Exposition of 1893, Holmes is infamously known for having attempted to renovate a hotel (dubbed “The Murder Castle”) with the intent of luring attendees of the fair to their brutal end.
Balder the Brave
At a vignette displayed at the World’s Fair, Loki and Mobius come across a set of Norse god statues, except Loki isn’t one of them. There’s a depiction of Odin, his son Thor, and his other son, Balder. “Why’d they include Balder?” Loki asks incredulously. “No one’s even heard of him.” No exlcusively-MCU fans have, at least. It’s a cheeky nod to the MCU’s exclusion of Balder as a character at all, opting to give Loki the prominent spot in its entirety. In Marvel Comics, Balder the Brave is half-brother to both Thor and Loki.
Was an Ancestor of Scott Lang Referenced in ‘Loki’ Episode 3?
It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but on a sign promoting Victor Timely’s presence at the fair, another notable name is listed — a last name, at least. Ferdinand Lang, who was apparently a notable singer at this junction of the sacred timeline, is set to perform at the fair with an authentic “German military band.” While that’s all the information we get, it’s surely a reference to Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) of Ant-Man fame many years later. Scott does like to drum, so it makes sense that he’s got some musical roots.
The SS Herron Is a Nod to ‘Loki’ Season 1’s Director
The most definite (and lovely) Easter egg of Episode 3 came from the name of Victor Timely’s ship, which he, Ravonna, and Miss Minutes set sail on toward his lab in Wisconsin. Dubbed the “SS Herron,” the ship’s name is a nod to Kate Herron, who directed each episode of Loki‘s first season. Herron did not continue with the series for Season 2, but after her impeccable work on Loki‘s first venture, it’s a fitting dedication.
