Are timelines also universes?

Watching Dr Strange MOM last night, and I started thinking. Are all the branched timelines we see allowed to live in Loki, considered separate Universes in the Multiverse, or are they just multiple timelines all within the same Universe?

Like, when Steve decided to stay with Peggy in the 1940s, that created a branched timeline. But, did it also create a new Universe in the Multiverse?

Or does all the Universes in the Multiverse, also have their own set of infinite branching timelines?

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moonknightcrawler2025-10-08 15:27

This is just my headcanon for how the MCU’s multiverse works, so take it with a grain of salt.

I’m going to use Yggdrasil as seen at the end of Loki Season 2 for my explanation due to the tree structure being a useful comparative device.

If you look at a tree, you’ll see several branches sprouting off at different points. Some of these branches even branch off into smaller branches. The entire tree is the multiverse. The branches are universes. The small branches are timelines.

If I climb up a tree and stand on a branch 10’ off the ground, I’m on universe B10. If I walk further down that and stand on a smaller branch coming off of it, I’m in universe B10a, a branched timeline from universe B10.

Now I climb up the same tree and stand on a branch 20’ off the ground. I am now in universe B20. I could go find branches from B20, or I could move to a different part of the tree to change universes.

jjenkins_412025-10-08 15:30

The multiverse is the collection of universes.

Timelines are events within a single universe.

NiSiSuinegEht2025-10-08 15:57

Each universe *is* a timeline unto itself.

The difference between timelines in a universe and what is commonly considered universes of the multiverse is simply a matter of how far back the branching event occurred.

Differences in the starting conditions of the universe results in dramatically different rules underpinning those universes, giving rise to the claymation, cartoon, and abstract universes as a small example subset.

Turbulent-Spirit-5682025-10-08 16:16

No. It's been a bit confusing until thankfully What If S3 kinda gave us an answer in episode 7. In 1x08, we see an alternate universe where Ultron manages to transfer his consciousness to Vision's body then destroyed the world and the universe. In that episode, once he destroys his universe, he hears the watcher narrating and realises that there are other universes. In 3x07, the same events play out however this version of Ultron doesn't hear the watcher and just stands there for eons before Captain Carter tries to recruit him.

In essence, universes are the different branches of Loki's ydrassil tree seen in Loki Season 2 and timelines are the events in a particular universe; one universe can have multiple timelines (kinda like how the X-Men timeline is portrayed). This also kinda explains the problem they faced in Loki S2 where the temporal loom couldn't contain the ever expanding timelines of each universe of the multiverse

No_Imagination_24902025-10-08 16:33

They basically mean the same thing, although the further back in time two universes branched off each other, the more different they will be - if a universe branched off at the Big Bang then it could have completely different physical laws. So when you're talking about universes like that, the term timeline is less appropriate. But whatever you call them, the multiverse is made up of a countless (and ever increasing) number of branch universes/timelines

ReddiTrawler20212025-10-08 17:04

It's a blurry territory unfortunately, but I suppose they are a parallel set of events which lead to different outcomes.

CaptHayfever2025-10-08 18:46

Branched timelines are effectively separate universes, but there are *also* other universes with disparate origin points.

tenehemia2025-10-12 08:49

I would also say that there are universes that are branches of the sacred timeline but which branched so early in its existence that major departures from our universe were made possible. Like who's to say the paint universe wasn't a branch that split shortly after the big bang when the laws of physics were still sorting themselves out. It would still be a branch universe / different timeline, just with tens of billions of years of difference instead of decades.

Morgoth18142025-10-08 23:00

Yes all the different timelines are universes. Like if we talk about the Raimi and Web universes due to the events of NWH, there are multiple timelines of those universes due to the events of NWH. The events of Loki allow for multiple branched timelines in universes.

LexiYoung2025-10-08 23:11

I think timeline == universe, the terminology is I think synonymous. Except for the sacred timeline- I think that encompassed (past tense since it no longer exists?) a number of adjacent timelines that were allowed to exist under the purview of the TVA under HWR

I think dimension and realm is something else, some existing between universes (quantum realm, dark dimension), some being kinda regions within a universe (Asgard, shadow realm)

eagc72025-10-09 00:18

yes

marvelcomics222025-10-09 13:47

Timelines are not universes. Timelines belong to specific universes. Everything we saw in What If...? were timelines in the MCU 616 universe. Other universes like 828 and 10005 are different universes, which have their own timelines.

Individual-Peach95932025-10-09 14:23

I think they are. Mainline timelines and under-timelines. The Yggdrasil comparison makes totally sense. Just like a tree has strong and weaker branches.

OnlyBeGamer2025-10-09 14:29

Yes. The way I see it is:

A dimension is a universe with set laws of physics. So an alternate dimension will be a universe in which the laws of physics are different from our own (dark dimension).

A Universe is pretty self explanatory, but an alternate universe specifically would be another universe where the laws of physics are different in either a small way or a massive way. And formed independently.

A timeline is a line of time, duh. But an alternate time line would need to be one of those line which eventually meets back to your universe at some point.

There can be universes which are completely different but are actually the same universe but with vastly different timelines.

And there can be very similar universes which formed independently from each other and the events just so happened to be similar without ever sharing a timeline.

Every Dimension has universes, Every Universe has Timelines.

Timelines are the branches of a tree.

Universes are the trees.

Dimensions are the forests. With different tree species being different laws of physics.

Visible_Safe_89012025-10-10 09:07

Timelines & universes are the same thing but an alternate universe(stacked universes as hwr calls them) & divergent/branched universe are not. A universe can be called a timeline bcz it follows a certain path in time. It has a history.

There are 3 types of universes, & they are all universes, & you can also call them timelines bcz they all follow a path in time, they all have a history. But they are different, the difference is subtle. Their origin points.

An alternate(stacked) universe is created by a big bang but that's not all there is. Each Alternate Universe contains infinite amounts "instances of time". It is like a cable which is made up of smaller wires inside it or like a rope which is made up of smaller strands. They start from the big bang, fluctuate throughout history, and only after passing a threshold, do they create a divergent universe. That threshold is called a "Nexus threshold" and the "branching" event is called a "Nexus event".

There are also "branched" universes, which are the consequences of time travel. They are offshoots.