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kimpinepel · 3 years

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How does the Sacred Timeline and Multiverse even work in Loki?

It’s extremely easy actually! You just have to pay attention to Miss Minutes’ cartoon from episode 1 and He Who Remains’ speech in episode 6.

The Sacred Timeline isn’t just one universe. It consists of numerous separate, unique universes/realities/timelines (they use that interchangeably, but as shown in Ep.1 & Ep.6 it’s ultimately the same thing) that are all roped, woven into one stream of time, manipulated to follow the same path. That path is called The Sacred Timeline.

The meaning of The Sacred Timeline and what it actually represents is both visually as well as verbally explained in Episode 1 and 6.

“Eons ago, before the TVA, a variant of myself lived on Earth in the 31st century. He was a scientist and he discovered that there were universes stacked on top of his own.”

He Who Remains starts by explaining how one of his variants (a Kang variant) found out about the multiverse, how there were other universes stacked on top of his own.

His variants were then able to made contact, interact and for a while everything was OK.

“They shared technology and knowledge. Using the best of their universes to improve the others.”

However, that peace didn’t last. Variants started conquering other universes.

“The peace between realities…erupted into all-out war, each variant fighting to preserve their universe and annihilate the others. This was almost the end…ladies and gentlemen, of everything and everyone.”

Which brings us to Miss Minutes’ video. It’s not just propaganda, there’s lots of truth in there regarding the creation of The Sacred Timeline. Except that the Time Keepers are basically just a stand in for He Who Remains.

“Long ago, there was a vast multiversal war. Countless unique timelines battled each other for supremacy, nearly resulting in the total destruction of…well, everything.”

Miss Minutes’ video basically echoes everything said by He Who Remains.

Again, universes = realities = timelines. It’s used interchangeably.

To put it simply, the most important part of the video is the very beginning of the cartoon. We see these different, unique timelines/universes (they even pointed out their differences with different colors) all being roped into one singular stream.

The Sacred Timeline isn’t just one timeline/universe, but it comprises of an infinity number of unique universes.

“But then, the all-knowing Time-Keepers emerged, bringing peace by reorganizing the multiverse into a single timeline, the Sacred Timeline. Now, the Time-Keepers protect and preserve the proper flow of time for everyone and everything.”

The Time Keepers are basically He Who Remains himself in this case. He explains to Loki and Sylvie in episode 6, that in order to stop the war and preserve peace, he weaponized Alioth, created The Sacred Timeline and once he did that, all he had to do was manage the same flow of time.

“I weaponized Alioth and I ended… I ended the Multiversal War. Once I isolated our timeline, all I had to do was manage the flow of time and prevent any further branches.”

Again, The Sacred Timeline is just a path. It’s a rope, full of different threads (universes).

Each universe is different, people, beings are different, the world is different, they are all unique in their own way. But once He Who Remains created The Sacred Timeline, they all started following the same flow of time, a path predetermined by He Who Remains.

That’s how we have different Lokis. Our Loki. Sylvie. Boastful Loki. Gator Loki. Bandit Lokis…..they’re all unique beings, they’re not the same person, they share no biological relation, their parents, families are different, their worlds are different, literally everything about them is different.

The only thing they share is the same role. The role of a Loki. That’s it.

And that role should end with death at Thanos’ hands.This is their predetermined path.

For example, and this is a bit of a spoiler for No Way Home I suppose….

…

in No Way Home we’re gonna get three different Peter Parkers. One played by Tom Holland, one by Andrew Garfield and one by Toby Maguire. They will all play variants of each other. They’re all Peter Parkers, they all have Aunt Mays, Uncle Bens, families etc….but ultimately none of them are the same. They’re all different in their own way. They look different, their aunts are different, their uncles are different, their families are different etc….basically they share no genetic relation to each other. Absolutely none. They all hail from different universes, they all play the same role in their universes, but they aren’t biologically related to each other.

That’s why the TVA uses Temporal Aura to detect variants. Because being a variant isn’t about being the same person and sharing the same DNA. It’s all about the role and if you want to be more poetic, a soul. But that’s it.

Loki, Sylvie, Boastful Loki, Alligator Loki, Bandit Lokis…absolutely none of them are related to each other in any shape or form.

He Who Remains made sure that all universes, all different, unique beings who live in those unique universes will move in the same direction. To preserve some resemblance of order and prevent another war started by Kang variants.

It doesn’t matter how different everything between universes is. It doesn’t matter if in one universe Loki resembles a human being and in another he’s an Alligator. As long as they follow the same path chosen by He Who Remains.

And when something happens and timelines split from The Sacred Timeline, these branches could be created from numerous universes. Because again, The Sacred Timeline isn’t just one universe, it’s made of infinite number of different universes (yes I intentionally keep repeating myself)

And these branches from different universes can and could further branch off into infinite number of timeline branches and/or eventually clash with each other thus creating another war led by Kang Variants. That’s basically where the TVA comes in with their pruning. To stop branching, prevent Kang Variants to run free and start a new war.

When Sylvie stabbed He Who Remains she didn’t create the multiverse. She merely freed it, allowing the unique universes to create their own path. The Sacred Timeline, which is basically just a path, no longer exists at this point. Sylvie gave each universe freedom.

Ultimately this will lead to another Multiversal War, but for the time being each universe, each being has freedom to take the path not predetermined by He Who Remains.

TLDR:

1. The Sacred Timeline isn’t just one universe/reality/timeline. It’s a just a path and it consists of numerous different unique universes that all simply just follow the same flow of time.

2.The multiverse always existed but was manipulated to follow the same flow of time. Sylvie merely freed the multiverse, she didn’t create it.

3. Each universe is different, unique in their own way. People are different, their worlds are different. That’s how we get such different variants.

4. Variants aren’t the same being. They’re all their own person, unique in their own way, they have different DNA, different parents, different families, different worlds,…the only thing they ‘do’ share is the same essence, soul, a role they play in their respective universe.

5. If you want to read more about how the multiverse works, here’s the interview where Michael Waldron explains it nicely

I hope this explains it nicely. Literally everything you need to know about how the Multiverse/The Sacred Timeline works is in the show. And yet people stil think there was no multiverse before Sylvie stabbed HWR, that the Sacred Timeline is just one universe and that multiverse is created from that one universe…which is all just…no

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kimpinepel · 3 years

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Loki x Sylvie Fanfic for Sylki week Day 4: Romance Tropes @sylkiweek

Tropes used: Marriage of convenience, Enemies to Lovers, Jealousy, Rated: strong T for language and content.

Asgardian AU, in which Thor and Loki are children of Odin while Sylvie is the daughter of Laufey, engaged to the prince of Asgard.

---

Asgard and Jotunheim had achieved peace wish a promise- the promise of an alliance by marriage of Laufey's only born daughter Sylvie with Odin's first born son Thor.

[[MORE]]

Princess Sylvie had been deemed too small, too weak for Jotunheim, and sent to Midgard, to be brought up by several families over the years, till she attained adulthood and was capable of fending for herself.

That had backfired gigantically. Sylvie had grown up into a strong, independent woman, with powers of enchantment that she used for hedonistic purposes, and no loyalty or attachment to Jotunheim. Her skin was pale and her hair was blonde, far from the blue and rugged appearance of a frost giant, and she wanted nothing to do with her father, or his alliance.

Naturally, Laufey took her by force and imprisoned her, threating to tear her apart limb by limb if she did not agree to the marriage. He was old, and growing weaker, and he would need someone to ensure the survival of Jotunheim, even if that someone was the offspring he detested.

A message was relayed to the alfather, requesting the betrothal.

Thor, Prince of Asgard, simply refused. He was reminded of his obligation to the kingdom, as Prince and future King, but his heart lay with a human in Midgard, and he vowed to take no other as a wife. Odin offered him a chance to live out the rest of her limited lifespan with her, before returning to Asgard and marrying Laufeydottir, but Thor did not relent, choosing instead to step out of his role as heir, relegating it to his younger brother.

Loki Odinson had always wanted to be king, yet never found himself in a position where it was in the realm of possibility. His father clearly preferred his older brother, and he would never do anything to actually harm his brother and get him out of his way, no matter how many times he made his brother the victim of his cruelest practical jokes.

Now the role was his, in a way that assured the happiness for both of the brothers, and he was ready to step up, make his father proud and earn the approval he desperately longed for.

And if it meant marrying Laufey's daughter? So be it. He did not care for love, had never found it anyway, and he could always take mistresses and concubines to satisfy his other needs. Any wife would do as Queen, Laufey's daughter included.

---

"What is the meaning of this?" Laufey roared from his throne when Odin informed him about the change of plans, that Loki was to wed Sylvie instead of Thor. "The Princess was promised to the future King."

"Loki is the future King", Odin assured. "He is my son, and my heir, and your daughter shall be his Queen."

"The hell I'll be!" Sylvie screamed from her place at the corner of the cold, barren, throne room, pulling at her enchanted shackles that prevented her from accessing her magic.

"Silence!" Laufey warned her. "You'll have to excuse my silly daughter." He told his Asgardian guests. "Midgard has softened her."

Loki followed the voice, and was greated by the sight of a woman dressed in typical twenty first century Midgardian garments- skinny jeans, ankle boots, and ruffle-sleeved top. Her hair was short and blonde and unkempt, her eyes burning with rage. He smiled at her. She sneered.

"Your daughter is your prisoner?" Odin asked, surprised.

"Until she agrees to the marriage." Laufey said simply.

Loki's heart stopped. If this woman did not go through with the marriage, then peace between Asgard and Jotunheim would be broken. More importantly, if the marriage didn't happen, then there was no reason for him to ascend the throne instead of Thor.

Loki decided he was not going to let this woman screw up his plans. He was Loki Silvertongue, and he would talk her into doing his bidding. "Father, King Laufey, may I please be allowed to have a word with my future wife in private?"

Odin stared at him. It was improper for a Prince to formally request a meeting with his future bride without proper chaperone.

Laufey didn't care. "Have at it. See if you can beat some sense into her."

Loki nodded, ignoring the blatant misogyny, before making his way to the princess.

Sylvie pulled at the shackles again, wanting to get as far away from his as possible. He looked around, to see his father and Laufey exit, leaving them alone.

"Alright, cards on the table. Tell me why you object to this marriage."

"Marriage?" She mouthed the word with extreme distaste. "Please! This is not marriage. I am being sold like cattle, in exchange for favors from Asgard."

Loki smiled. "Ah, I see. You were raised in Midgard. You share their belief that marriage should be for love. Perhaps..." he studied her carefully. "If you get to know me, maybe you can-"

"Stop!0" She snarled. "I am not going to fall in love with some stranger I meet through a fucking arranged marriage!"

"Fair enough." He shrugged. trying a different approach now. "What if I tell you, that even as my wife, you'll be free to pursue love elsewhere, so long as it doesn't bring my kingdom and my family disgrace?"

"Oh, you're giving me permission to cheat? How sweet of you!" Her smile was venomous. "I suppose you'd be cheating too?"

"I believe the earthlings call it an open relationship", he replied cooly.

"I don't want an open relationship!" She screamed. "All I want is to return to Oklahoma and just live my damn life."

Loki pretended to think for a moment. "And where do you think refusing to marry me will lead you? Not to Oklahoma, that's for sure. Maybe if the Fortunes favor you, your death will be quick. Or maybe Laufey will draw it out for centuries."

She let out a bitter laugh. "As if marrying you will be any better!"

Loki grinned. He had her where he wanted her. "It will be. I assure you. You will not be shackled, for one. You will enjoy all the luxuries of the palace and all the power that comes with being Queen. And", he paused, forever a fan of theatrics. "You will have the liberty to visit Midgard any time you wish."

She looked up at him sharply, and his grin widened. He knew he had her. "The bifrost will be at your service. I assure you, I will grant you everything in my power."

"What's in it for you?" She asked.

"I will be king." He told her honestly. "You are only useful to me for the marriage. What you do afterwards is none of my concern. Do we have an understanding?"

Sylvie eyed the cuffs around her wrists, trying to use her magic one last time and failing. Reluctantly, she nodded.

---

The marriage took place within a month. She felt physically repulsed as her hand was joined with his. And then she was his wife.

His mother, Frigga, gently brushed her hair back. "I am your mother now. You can come to me with any of your troubles." The kindness in her voice made her refrain from offering her a rude reply.

She was taken to his bed-chamber by the ladies of the court that night. It was grand, like the palaces of the kings back in period dramas on earth, the gold accentuated by sporadic green. She sat down on the bed, trying to steady her breathe, trying to decide what to do if he tried to force himself on her.

She had her magic again. She could just kill him and run away. But she could only go so far before Laufey found her again, and this time, her fate would be worse than bedding a stranger. Her best option, was sadly, Loki.

The door opened, revealing the familiar dark-haired man. He eyed her for a moment, sitting uncomfortably on his bed, dressed in the finest Asgardian gown, one fit for a princess. His fingers danced in the air, and she found in the bed beside her a change of clothes- light green pajamas.

She touched the soft fabric, before turning to face him.

"I keep my promises", he said in a serious tone, before his face broke into a mischievous grin. "Generally."

He disappeared behind a partition, and she saw his Cape being discarded on the floor. She decided it was the perfect time for her to change as well.

"Don't princes have servants to undress them?" She asked curiously.

He laughed. "I do. But I do not make use of their services for something so trivial."

He emerged from the barrier, bare-chested and dressed only in silk pajamas. Sylvie remembered, once again, that she was alone in his room. She took a step back instinctively, until her back hit the wall.

He waved his hand in the air again, and the gigantic bed now split into two small ones. "You should sleep here, lest you rouse their suspicions." He suggested.

She nodded, grateful and relieved. Maybe Loki wasn't all bad, after all. "No one good is truly good, and no one bad is truly bad", her earth-mother used to say. "Have you ever been to Earth?" She asked.

"Oh, many times." He reminisced with a smile. "I am the God of Mischief. And humans are the perfect victims for mischief."

She rolled her eyes, tucking herself under the covers. "Why have I never heard of you then?"

Loki grinned. "Surely you've heard of D.B. Cooper."

Sylvie gasped. "No. Way! That was you?"

Loki took an exaggerated bow, before settling into bed himself.

"And have their been any earthy... affairs?"

"Plenty", he said with a shrug. "But nothing that mattered. What about you? Do you have someone back at home?"

She shook her head. "Nothing that mattered."

"What is it then?" He asked with genuine interest. "What is it about Midgard that appeals to you so much?"

She stared at the ceiling, trying to will the colours to change into the simple faded paint of her bedroom. "It's my home. I have a life there. My whole life was stolen from me." The tiniest hint of rage was back in her voice again.

"I will help you return", he promised. "Perhaps one day we may conquer Midgard and rule it together." He said semi-seriously.

She shook her head again. "I don't want to rule. I want to live."

He nodded. "I know ways out of Asgard. I will show you."

"Thank you." She said, gratefully, before she felt the first touch of sleep.

---

Frigga gave her a tour of the palace, telling her stories about her children along the way, asking her questions about her own family back on earth.

She found herself warming up to the matriarch, despite her role as the silent spectator in this arrangement.

Before they parted ways, Frigga gave her an embrace. "I know how difficult this is for you. You are a strong woman, and you shall emerge out of this stronger."

---

Loki took her to Midgard the next week.

"So you're following me now? Making sure I don't run away?" She accused when she learnt he would be joining her.

He turned serious suddenly. "I talked father into letting us enjoy our post-nuptial vacation at Midgard. Honeymoon, as you lot call it. Whether you spend it with me or not is up to you."

He turned then, and started walking. She felt her heart ache unexpectedly as she watched him go.

"Wait!" She called after him.

He stopped, turning around to face her again. She jogged till she closed the distance between them. Crossing her arms in front of her, she put on her most confident tone. "You can stay with me. But we follow my rules. We go where I want to go. We do what I want to do."

"Fine by me."

---

He beat her at both laser-tag and paintball, she cursed him, and he grinned triumphantly. She drank him under the table, and it was her turn to grin.

The smile faded when she saw him up on stage, ready to sing at karaoke. "And this is for my lovely wife, Sylvie!" He pointed at her as the crowd cheered, and she felt her cheeks burn with embarassment.

She took him back to her apartment, and it almost felt like a normal date.

She set up the couch for him, while she slept in her bed once again after what felt like an eternity.

---

The knock on the door was too early, and he groaned his protest. It was Sylvie's landlord, threatening to evict her if she did not pay rent.

She had been gone for two months now, without a job for just as long, and without the means to keep her apartment.

Loki paid the rent for the full year.

"I don't need your help!" She declared once her landlord left, satisfied. "I will pay you back."

"No need", he said gently. "Consider this my way of showing my gratitude for letting me be king."

She pursed her lips, fighting back the disappointment. Of course he did not actually care for her. And that was fine. She did not care for him as well.

---

Days two, three, four and five were all spent catching up with her friends, trying to explain her sudden disappearance as a family emergency for which she had to relocate. He spent the time catching up with Thor and his girlfriend, remembering to properly thank the woman for the role she played in his ascent to the throne.

Day six was when she asked him what he wanted to do. That was how they discovered their shared love for theatre.

Day eleven was spent at a shooting range, and Loki vowed to never anger this woman, after watching her shoot guns like they were an extension of her body itself.

On day fifteen, Sylvie hugged him after they beat another couple in bowling.

He had never indulged in so much meaningless domestics, had never understood the human need for the same, but having Sylvie's arms wrapped around him for ten brief seconds helped him realize the appeal.

They returned to Asgard after twenty-five days. Sylvie gifted Frigga a pendant from earth that matched the colour of her eyes.

---

The royal family always dined together, with Odin at the head of the table, Frigga and Loki on his two sides, and Sylvie next to Frigga.

She found herself instinctively sitting next to Loki one day.

Sylvie froze, staring at Frigga to see if she had caused offense. Frigga gave her a reassuring smile.

Loki was surprised as well, but did not comment.

Five days later, she found herself stealing berries off his plate. And he let her.

---

She found him talking to a lady of his court one afternoon, their bodies close, her hand playfully brushing his arm.

She felt the ground beneath her shake.

Of course he had taken a lover.

And why shouldn't he? They weren't actually man and wife.

They were friends. Yes, that's all they were. And that was perfectly alright.

---

He retired to his chamber that night with a huge smile on his face, and it made her blood boil. "Are you sure you want to sleep here?"

He looked at her in confusion. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged, her shoulders tense. "I don't know. Maybe you'd like better company."

He studied her, trying to understand what had brought about this sudden change in her demeanor. "And what company would that be?"

She shrugged again. "You're a prince. Surely you have a long line of ladies throwing themselves at your arms."

Loki laughed. He sat down on the bed, next to Sylvie, and brought a hand up to her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Are you jealous, wife?"

"Of course not." She said quickly, though her glare betrayed her true emotions.

"Good." He smiled. "Because you have nothing to be jealous about." He planted a kiss on her cheek, rendering it red with the blush that followed.

---

She caught him flirting with the woman again the next day, and this time, she decided to flirt with a man from the court, consequences of the scandal be damned.

His jaw tensed when he saw her laughing at the man's joke, and he excused himself from the company of others for the day.

She found his bed empty that night, and she wondered if her action had finally drove him into another's bed.

---

"Where were you last night?" She asked when she saw him the next day, alone with Odin.

Odin's features masked his feelings, as always

Loki looked at her with irritation. "Perhaps we can discuss this some other time."

"The hell we can", she hissed, digging her heels in. "I asked you a question."

He smiled at her sweetly yet menacingly. "I was with a woman." He lied. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

The hurt was written all over her face, and he realized too late what a great mistake he had made. "Sylvie, I-"

She didn't let him finish. She bowed her head at the Alfather, and made a hasty exit. Loki chose to stay and deal with the matters of the kingdom first, like a future king should.

---

She took the bifrost to Midgard. Those were the terms of their deal, after all. They get married, he gets the throne, she gets her freedom- that was how it was supposed to work.

It was her own damn fault she had started catching feeling for the man. Stockholm syndrome, that was all it was, she told herself.

She found him at her door within the hour. She tried to slam it closed on his face, but he held it open with his feet. "I'm sorry." He said, before either of them had a chance to say anything else. "I hated seeing you with Merlin. And I reacted poorly. I spent the night with the warriors three, drinking away my annoyance. And I lied to you about it because I was-"

She cut him off with a kiss. He was startled, and almost lost his balance, before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer.

"If I ever find you with another woman, again", she said when they parted for air, "I will cut your heart out."

"What about a man?" He asked.

"Same threat", she clarified, before capturing his lips again. She pulled him inside the apartment and locked the door.

---

Lying on the bed, naked under the covers, he looked at her seriously that night. "If you think you're happier here in Midgard, I would gladly speak to Father and release you of your bond. You shall never have to return to Asgard again." He laced their fingers together, his eyes shining with untamed emotions. "I don't want a throne. I just want you to be okay."

"I-" she paused, sitting up.

She had just been granted the freedom she craved. If she chose to leave, Asgard and Jotunheim would be at war, but Laufey would not chass her, nor if Loki was the one to release her. She would be safe, and she would be home.

Or what once was her home, anyway. In the one hour that she found herself alone in her apartment, all she kept thinking of was the view from the balcony at Asgard, the cheer of the children, the Greecian hairstyles of women, and the golden drapes in her room.

And him.

She was not with him because their fathers dictated so, but because she wanted to be. "I want to stay with you. At Asgard." She confessed.

Loki beamed at her, proceeding to kiss her forehead. "We can still visit Midgard sometimes, like we do now." He assured.

She nodded, a small smile forming on her face. "You were right. This is indeed better than being shackled at Jotunheim."

He grinned mischievously. "Well, shackles are not all bad."

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