It turns out that the 'Loki' finale came together at the very last minute.
The final episode of the hit Marvel series saw Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) come face to face with He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors).
In spite of learning that the antagonist is key to protecting the Sacred Timeline, Sylvie is overwhelmed by her desire for revenge.
Loki tries to get her to reconsider killing He Who Remains, saying: "The cost of getting this wrong is too great.
"I've been where you are. I've felt what you feel. Don't ask me how I know. All I know is I don't want to hurt you. I don't want a throne. I just want you to be okay."
The director of the Marvel series, Kate Herron, tells EW of working on those heartfelt words: "Me, the [finale] writer Eric [Martin], Tom, and Sophia, we were working on that speech that Loki says to her right up until the day before shooting, because we just wanted to get it right.
"I think those words — and this came from Tom, 'I just want you to be okay' — were so key because there's pain in that, right? Because he's evolved in ways and he's moved beyond his pain and anger, and he doesn't want that for her.
"You don't want that for someone you care about. But, she's just not quite on that path yet and she does still have that."
After the speech, Loki and Sylvie kiss. But then she pushes him Loki through a time portal and kills He Who Remains anyway.
"I think for me the kiss was really beautiful because I don't think it was a deception, and I don't think it was a trick necessarily," says Herron.
"I think for her, it was almost a goodbye, I think she does care about him, but it's just her feelings toward having to complete the mission overtook because she's not emotionally in the same place he was."
She added: "I always think of Sylvie in this episode almost like how Loki was in 'Thor'.
"She has all this anger and pain, and she isn't necessarily going to make the best decision with it."
'Loki' has been renewed for season 2, but Herron confirmed she won't be involved in it.
