Who is Brad Wolfe AKA Zaniac in the Comics?
Ah, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) never fails to keep us on the edge of our seats! Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about the many timelines and characters in the Disney+ series Loki, meet the new guy on the block: Brad Wolfe, also known as Zaniac. In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+, director Dan Deleeuw dished on the character’s slightly different trajectory in the show compared to his comic book roots. “I think, within the multiverse, in terms of him being Brad Wolfe, he’s on a timeline that’s not really gone to the evil version of that,” Deleeuw quipped.
In the comics, Zaniac had a less than ideal childhood, plagued by abuse and neglect from his mother. He ultimately turns his life around to become an actor. Still, things go south after he lands a role as a misogynistic serial killer in a low-budget slasher film and gets hit by an explosion, leaving him with superpowers and a demonic possession. Yep, you read that right!
MCU’s Toned-Down Take on Zaniac
For fans familiar with Zaniac’s backstory in the comics, his appearance in the Loki series might come as a bit of a surprise. In the Marvel TV series, he’s not the villainous character you’d expect but rather a snarky jobsworth known to his Time Variance Authority (TVA) colleagues as X-5.
“We wanted to play around with that Easter egg and introduce a character that was fairly obscure in the comics,” Deleeuw elaborates. “But also, we couldn’t resist the idea of exploring someone that wasn’t really believing in the reality of the TVA, and the artifice of the Timekeepers and all that, being an actor.”
A Meeting at McDonald’s: Brad and Mobius Unveil Realities
In a humorous and laid-back exchange over a meal at the McDonald’s where Sylvie works, Mobius (played by Owen Wilson) and Brad have a conversation that shows just how different this version of Zaniac is. When Mobius enthusiastically asks, “Tell me about Zaniac… it looks scary,” Brad coolly replies, “It’s not… scary, it’s an elevated thriller.”
“X-5 was more of a straight villain, more of a heavy; a foil for Loki. But he definitely brought the humanity to that idea of why he wanted to make the choice to be Brad Wolfe,” Deleeuw explained. This pivot adds another layer to Loki’s ever-expanding narrative about free will and identity.
Free Will and Identity: The Underlying Themes of Loki Season 2
Turns out, Zaniac is a perfect fit for Loki’s season 2 theme about the exploration of free will. He represents a character who refuses to let his reality be controlled by anyone else, not even by the all-powerful TVA. “His reality is, ‘I want to be out here where I’m not controlled’. Again, it all goes back to the season’s theme of free will. He’s kind of the avatar for that,” Deleeuw reveals.
So, with the introduction of this toned-down but still captivating version of Zaniac, Loki fans have yet another reason to keep their eyes peeled. The Marvel Multiverse has never been more intriguing, and we can’t wait to see where this new character’s journey will take him in the overarching narrative of gods, time, and free will.
