Loki fans think they’ve spotted a major Marvel cameo in the background of one scene

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Is our mind playing tricks on us or is that who we think it is?

Tom Hiddleston as Loki
(Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

Loki theories are already on another level. Some Marvel fans are even convinced that a significant MCU character made a sneaky appearance during the premiere – without anyone realizing it until now.

Spoilers for Loki episode 1 follow. If you haven’t watched the episode, turn away now.

During Loki’s botched escape at TVA HQ, a woman can be seen being hauled in by the Minutemen in the background. One leading candidate for the seemingly minor background character is Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter. Take a look for yourself.

Honestly? It’s hard to tell. Given Marvel’s attention to detail in almost every frame of its movies and shows, it would have been easy to avoid using someone who looked like Peggy Carter, especially knowing it would send fans down a fruitless rabbit hole.

It is most likely an extra, however. For one thing, Hayley Atwell’s name doesn’t show up in the credits. Her presence, too, would likely distract from Loki’s own upcoming journeys through time and space.

But the theory does have merit. One user on Twitter posits that even though the Avengers’ time travel was allowed to happen in Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter’s final scene would have risked causing an alternate timeline. In the eyes of the TVA and the Time-Keepers, that’s a big no-no – hence Peggy Carter potentially being dragged in by the time cops.

Our advice? Try not to overthink it. We’ve been burned before by Mephisto in WandaVision and Paul Bettany… as Paul Bettany. Peggy Carter probably isn’t in Loki. Probably. But file this one under ‘Theories, Wild’ – and expect plenty more to be added to the already heaving folder in the coming weeks.

Case in point: there are plenty more sources of fan-led speculation to take in from Loki, even  if you’re not convinced by the Carter cameo. One minor moment in the premiere could already be setting up Marvel’s next big villain. There’s also the intriguing idea on how an exposition-heavy scene might be acting as a roadmap to an incredible MCU crossover.

Need to catch up on the MCU before next week? Here’s our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. And be sure not to miss out on an episode of Loki with the Loki release schedule.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.