‘Tis the season for friendship, family, merriment – and for one of the upcoming Marvel TV shows to finally grace our screens. Season two of What If…?, which we know a bit about, is nearly here to provide fans with more animated stories that take place across the multiverse. The first trailer for the new episodes dropped weeks ago and teased that this season would even include a fun-looking Christmas episode (complete with a Die Hard reference). On that note, the latest batch of footage to be shared features a festive reference to the second season of Loki. It’s a wonderful sight, and it has me in my feelings all over again.
Loki Season 2 had an emotional finale, as the titular antihero managed to stop the destruction of the multiverse and save his friends at the Time Variance Authority in the process. Disney+ subscription holders saw the Norse god take control of the various timelines and take his seat on the throne as the God of Stories. In the process of managing the branches, he rearranged them in such a way that they now collectively resemble Yggdrasil, which in Norse mythology is known as the Tree of Life.
The beautiful-looking structure popped up again in the latest What If…? Season 2 trailer (which can be viewed above), but there was a holiday twist. During a scene that shows The Watcher conversing with Captain Carter, the two end up viewing the multiversal tree. However, as part of the season, it’s been decked with Christmas tree lights and ornaments. Check it out:
“O, Yggdrasil, O Yggdrasil…” Alright, so maybe those lyrics won’t catch on, but the sentiment still rings true. That’s an excellent nod to the events of Loki Season 2, which was also one of the biggest titles on the 2023 TV schedule. And of course, it makes for a perfect way to further signify to viewers that this new batch of animated episodes is being released over the holiday season. Quite frankly, you love to see such Marvel Cinematic Universe goodness mixed with holiday cheer.
As much as I love it though, I’m still getting some serious feels for another reason. That’s because it’s a bittersweet reminder of the Tom Hiddleston-led series’ second-season capper. It brought the former God of Mischief’s journey full circle in a truly perfect way. However, given his new post, it seems that the character is all alone. I had the opportunity to speak to Hiddleston following that defining episode, “Glorious Purpose,” and he even confirmed that the creative team compared his character to Atlas, “holding up the world” and doing so “without witness.” That may sound sad to those who’ve come to love the cheeky Asgardian. However, if it’s any consolation, the actor also believes his all-seeing god is holding Thor and his family close as he continues his duties.
Now, fans seem excited to see just what’s occurring across the various realities that make up Yggdrasil. The first trailer for What If…? Season 2 teased a lot of shenanigans across the multiverse, including a quasi-Avengers team facing a young Peter Quill and familiar faces participating in a deadly race on Sakaar. Also, as was the case with this latest footage compilation, there were also teases of Kahhori, an original character created for the MCU. The yuletide vibes were also more than present, and the latest trailer perfectly expands on that by parodying “"The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
The new season looks exciting, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store this time around. I’m also happy that when it comes to promotion, the marketing team is fully embracing the holiday season and decided to make Loki a part of that.
What If…? will return on December 22 and, from there, a new installment of the nine-episode season will be released daily. In the meantime, you can stream both seasons of Loki to get you warmed up.
