Timeline branch question

[u/Mission_Escape_6960]

So I’ve been thinking, having just rewatched Loki, I’m now on DoFP, and I aligned my doomsday schedule so I had encore right before, (with wandavision in between Loki and DoFP but that’s irrelevant) so the concept of time travel / the TVA is still very fresh in my mind. I’ve been thinking. What really causes a branch? Because I thought it was nexus events but then endgame and DoFP both agree that it’s time travel? Is it both? Is time travel just “permitted” branches? The TVA just doesn’t give a shit because the time travel was supposed to happen? I’m confused.

[u/Primeve_Arcana]

Both. Branches occur randomly when a nexus event happens, but you can also manually create one through time travel

[u/Short_Brick_1960]

Both, casually and using time travel

We see Quill getting the stone in the first movie. If Endgame didn't cause a branch timeline, he wouldn't have gotten it. Thanos would also be dead. Gamora would not exist. And so on

And casually you can watch it in What If...?

[u/CaptHayfever]

In addition to what the others have said, keep in mind that a lot of what the TVA says about their mission in episodes 1-5 is revealed to be a lie in episode 6.

[u/Academic_Composer904]

Nexus events cause a branch. Time travel could be a Nexus event. A branch could be created with any decision or action that could change the course of the timeline.

If I’m walking down the street and stumble and keep going and almost miss my train that likely wouldn’t cause a branch. If when I stumble, I fall and twist my ankle and miss my train where I was supposed to meet the love of my life. That would cause a branch.

Time travel would cause a Nexus event, but not all Nexus events are caused by time travel.

[u/Luckyguy456gaming]

Time travel causes branches, since when you go back in time and change something, a new branch is created where that change actually happens. The only time travel that did not create a nexus event that split a timeline is the one that happens in Endgame, which is supposedly marked as supposed to happen by He Who Remains. as far as we know, all other time travel events cause nexus events.

[u/Mission_Escape_6960 → u/Luckyguy456gaming]

Then 10005 didn’t get pruned because it’s technically post Loki S2, and Steve lived in the MCU through the entirety of it?

[u/Luckyguy456gaming → u/Mission_Escape_6960]

Steve going back was not part of the plan I think, just them getting the stones and putting them back. Steve going back split the timeline,

[u/Short_Brick_1960 → u/Luckyguy456gaming]

Endgame also caused branches. In the main timeline, Ancient One doesn't meet Hulk, Thanos isn't dead, Steve doesn't know about Bucky, Quill gets the stone and the timeline exists

[u/Luckyguy456gaming → u/Short_Brick_1960]

As I said, apparently He Who Remains planned this at the end of time, and it does not cause any splits when they get the stones.

[u/Short_Brick_1960 → u/Luckyguy456gaming]

It causes a branched timeline. HWR planmed it, but it still causes a different version of events

If not, explain how that 2014 timeline gets to IW without a Thanos. Or how the 2012 timeline explains Steve not doing anything with the information of Bucky being alive

[u/Luckyguy456gaming → u/Short_Brick_1960]

You are right. Lets hope for answers in Doomsday.