This week's episode of Loki kicks off with a flashback to the moment Sylvie was taken from Asgard by Renslayer (then an agent rather than a judge). Seeing what it's like to be processed by the TVA from a child's perspective is undeniably harrowing, but the Loki "Variant" is able to escape after stealing Renslayer's TemPad. Back in the present, Ravona goes to meet with the Time-Keepers before bringing Mobius up to speed. Apparently, C-20's mind was so scrambled that she died after being enchanted by Sylvie, but Mobius seems to have his doubts.
Back on Lamentis-1, Loki and Sylvie are seemingly ready to accept their fate. In the TVA, Mobius and a rattled Hunter B-15 are keeping an eye on the Sacred Timeline, but something strange then happens. As Loki praises Sylvie, a Nexus event is created and it's a branch that neither Mobius nor B-15 have ever seen before. Both versions of the God of Mischief are taken into custody, and Loki is put in a Time Cell where he's continuously confronted by Jaimie Alexander's Sif (and repeatedly hit below the belt).
Renslayer won't let Mobius interview the other Variant, while B-15 still seems pretty shaken up after being enchanted. Loki shares some hard truths about himself with Sif and is eventually retrieved by Mobius. Attempting to take responsibility for Sylvie's actions, Loki is devastated to learn that Sylvie has been pruned. However, the TVA agent was just toying with the God of Mischief and comes to the conclusion that they've fallen in love (which created that Nexus event). Mobius is taken aback by Loki revealing that everyone in the TVA is a Variant, while B-15 heads back to Roxxcart with Sylvie and gets her to show her the life she had before being recruited by the TVA. Mobius steals Renslayer's TemPad and discovers that C-20 didn't die and what Loki told him was true; deciding to help Loki destroy the Time-Keepers, he's confronted by Renslayer and her men and ends up being pruned.
This is particularly heartbreaking after he and Loki formed such a close bond just moments before, and Renslayer realises that B-15 has also gone rogue. Both Lokis are taken before the Time-Keepers (shortly before that, Renslayer refuses to answer Sylvie's question about why she was taken from her timeline simply because she doesn't remember the reason). The Time-Keepers decide that both Variants should be deleted, but a timely assist from B-15 means they're able to overpower Renslayer and her men. Despite being told that she's "a child of the Time-Keepers too," Sylvie beheads one of them, prompting the other two to laugh as they're deactivated: they're revealed to be androids!
Just as it seems Loki is about to confess his feelings for Sylvie, he's deleted by Renslayer. Sylvie demands that the villain tell her everything, and that's where we leave things...well, until one of the best mid-credits scenes we've ever seen from Marvel Studios (you can read all about that right here).