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Do I Need to Watch Loki Before Avengers: Doomsday?

Verdict: Yes, essential. Loki (Seasons 1 and 2, 2021 to 2023) is the single most important prerequisite for Avengers: Doomsday. No other Marvel title explains how the multiverse works, and it is the only Disney+ series on Marvel's own "Need to Watch" list for the film.

What it sets up

Season 1 introduces the TVA (Time Variance Authority), variants, the Sacred Timeline and He Who Remains, the man behind it all. Its finale lets the timeline branch freely, which is where the modern multiverse comes from. Season 2 deals with the fallout: the Temporal Loom can't cope with infinite branches, and in the finale Loki takes the throne at the End of Time and holds the timelines together himself. Our TVA explainer covers the organization in more detail.

What you'll miss if you skip it

Why the multiverse is fragile in the first place, who the TVA are and why they keep turning up (they drive the plot of Deadpool & Wolverine too), and why Loki himself now sits at the center of every timeline. Tom Hiddleston is in the Doomsday cast, and whatever the film does with Loki will build on where Season 2 leaves him. Loki is also where Kang was set up as the saga's villain; if you're wondering why he vanished and Doom took his place, see what happened to Kang.

The quick alternative

Short on time? Read our Loki watch order for the character's full arc and the multiverse explainer for the rules, but honestly, this is the one prerequisite worth the time. Twelve episodes come to roughly ten hours, and if you only have a weekend, Season 1 alone (six episodes) covers the essentials. It is also one of the best-reviewed Marvel series, so it won't feel like homework. Both seasons stream on Disney+. For the full prep list, see what to watch before Doomsday and our prerequisite hub.

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