The Avengers Doomsday trailer dropped and everyone lost their minds over Chris Evans picking up Mjolnir again. But while you were busy crying about Steve Rogers being worthy, a weirder theory has been building. What if the Steve Rogers in that trailer isn’t Steve Rogers at all? What if it’s Loki?
Hear me out before you close this tab. The theory centers on a few very specific details that Marvel probably hoped nobody would notice. First, there’s the TVA badge that appears in the trailer. The hand holding it is wearing a gold wedding ring. Steve Rogers is the only major character we know who would be wearing a wedding ring in this context, since he went back in time to live with Peggy. Loki has never been married in any timeline we know of. So why would Loki’s badge be held by a hand with a wedding band unless someone else was holding it?
Then there’s the shadowy figure standing behind Evans during the Mjolnir scene. Eagle-eyed viewers spotted someone lurking in the background, and the theories have been absolutely wild. Bucky Barnes, Wolverine, Doctor Doom, even Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man have all been suggested. But the most narratively satisfying answer is Loki. Think about it. Thor still believes his brother is dead. The Loki from the main timeline died in Infinity War. If a variant Loki wanted to help without causing an emotional meltdown, disguising himself as Steve Rogers is exactly the kind of theatrical nonsense he would pull without hesitation.
Loki has impersonated Steve before. Remember that scene in Thor The Dark World where Loki transforms into Captain America to mess with Thor? Even Steve himself thought a variant version of himself was Loki during the Time Heist in Endgame. That was literally his first thought. The MCU has been planting this seed for years, and now it might actually be paying off in the most ridiculous way.
The emotional weight of Loki being worthy enough to wield Mjolnir would be devastating. After everything he sacrificed to become the God of Stories, after all his growth and pain and isolation at the end of time, proving his worthiness by picking up Thor’s hammer while disguised as his brother’s best friend? That’s Shakespearean drama in a Marvel blockbuster. Loki spent his life trying to prove he was more than just a villain. Wielding Mjolnir would be the ultimate validation.
There’s also Loki’s TVA uniform in the Doomsday footage. He appears to be wearing his old TVA gear rather than the green God of Stories robes from his series finale. This suggests he might be operating from an earlier point, or he’s choosing to blend in rather than announce his cosmic ascension. Either way, it complicates things. Maybe the Loki we see isn’t the fully evolved version but a variant who hasn’t reached that point yet.
Is this theory absolutely bonkers? Yes. Does it also make perfect sense given everything we know about these characters? Also yes. Marvel loves a good misdirect, and hiding Loki in plain sight as Steve Rogers would be the kind of twist that breaks the internet for a solid week. Loki has always been the trickster. Maybe his biggest trick is making us believe he wasn’t in this movie at all.
Also Read: He Who Remains Planned Doomsday And Secret Wars From The Start