Loki Season 2 Episode 1 Ending Explained: What Happened at the End?

The ending of Loki season 2 episode 1 could use some explaining, as the fate of Loki and Sylvie remains unclear. Here’s what you need to know about the surprise pruning and Sylvie’s newfound McDonald’s obsession.

Who pruned Loki at the end of Loki season 2 episode 1?

It is likely that the person who prunes Loki is an ally, and could be a future version of Loki, Ouroboros, Mobius, Hunter B-15, or even a friendly Kang variant.

Towards the end, we see Loki and Mobius trying to stop the former from time slipping while attempting to save the TVA from the effects of infinite timelines branching out. However, because of his time-slipping condition, Loki ends up in the future.

When Mobius successfully attaches the Temporal Aura Extractor to the temporal loom, Loki’s timer turns green. While looking for a time stick in the future, he finds a ringing telephone by the elevator. Sylvie emerges from the elevator. But just as Loki is about to have an emotional reunion with her, he gets pruned and his temporal aura gets pulled back to the present. That way, he literally saves Mobius’ skin.

Whether the pruning was a coincidence or someone helping him out remains to be seen. However, considering that Loki needed to be pruned at that very moment, it’s like an ally stepped in to quickly save him.

Looking at the above promo, it’s clear that this moment of Loki’s pruning will be revisited in the TVA’s future. Seeing Loki, Ouroboros, Hunter B-15, and Mobius together in the footage could hint that one of them prunes Loki’s present version in the future.

But as the aforementioned image shows, Victor Timely will also step foot into the TVA at some point in time, planning the time loom walk. Hence, it’s also possible for him to prune Loki.

Why is Sylvie in the past at McDonald’s?

After killing He Who Remains, Sylvie ends up in 1980 Broxton in a branched timeline, gets some food from McDonald’s, and starts working there.

The post-credits scene of Loki season 2 episode 1 shows Sylvie entering a McDonalds in Broxton. After spending a lifetime hiding in apocalypses and hunting for her food, Sylvie finally gets to live an easy life as she gets her food from McDonald’s.

As the trailers have suggested, she starts to work at McDonald’s, and Loki will reunite with here there in an upcoming episode.

Why was Sylvie in an elevator in the future?

In the future, Sylvie gets separated from Loki again and starts looking for him. She ultimately finds a past version of him who gets pruned right before her eyes. Judging by Sylvie’s outfit in the elevator, this scene chronologically takes place after her reunion with Loki at McDonald’s (which might happen in episode 2).

At McDonald’s, Loki and Mobius recruit Sylvie to save her from Kate Dickie’s General Dox, who was charging out of the TVA with a battalion to go after Sylvie. Then, on the mission to stop Victor Timely/Kang, she somehow gets separated from them again, only to find a past version of Loki outside the elevator.

The timeline should, eventually, all make sense and come full circle.

For more Loki season 2 updates, here’s where Loki season 2 is set in the MCU timeline. Also, find out how McDonadls fits into the latest season.