Death, one of Marvel's most powerful characters, has been confirmed as Agatha's coven comprises witches who specialize in several forms of witchcraft including divination and alchemy. The series is a worthy contributor to the MCU's horror-tinged offerings, as unnerving trials, the Salem Seven, and Death herself contribute to the spirit of Halloween.

The effects of Thanos' arch-villainy in the Infinity Saga can still be felt halfway through what the MCU can expect from Death now that she has emerged five years after Thanos' defeat.

Rio Vidal Is Confirmed As The MCU's Death

The Reveal Came After Several Clues

Aubrey Plaza's Rio Vidal was introduced in the first episode of Agatha All Along as a character with whom Agatha is intimately familiar. She plays a clandestine role from thereon, communicating mainly with Agatha as it becomes increasingly apparent that the two share a romantic and somewhat tumultuous history. Several clues that Rio Vidal is Death herself litter Agatha All Along. These include the following:

  • Rio s the coven on the Witches' road via Sharon Davis' grave and states that she "was around" when summoned moments after the tragedy.
  • Rio tells Agatha that she wants "her bodies" during the second Witches' Road trial.
  • Agatha tells Rio "Don't" when it looks as though Billy is near death.
  • Rio laughs when the Ouija board of the third trial mentions Death.

Agatha All Along episode 7 finally vindicates these suspicions. Lilia encounters Death in the tunnels beneath the Witches' Road before her tarot reading trial confirms that Death is among the coven. Rio ostensibly fills the role of Green Witch in Agatha's coven, a role cynically bestowed on Sharon Davis despite her lack of magical know-how. When questioned about her Green Witch credentials, Rio retorts that she is "The" Green Witch - hinting that she is the original entity to fill such a role, which makes sense given Death's comic book origins.

Death's Comics Origin & Powers Explained

Death Is The Personification Of An Abstract Concept

Death is an abstract being in Marvel Comics. These comprise the personification of abstract concepts including time (Eternity), space (Infinity), order (Master Order), and chaos (Lord Chaos). These entities are primordial, with Death and the aforementioned beings brought into existence at the beginning of time, while others like the Living Tribunal and Oblivion are older still. Death is the progeny of Oblivion, the abstract entity that represents non-existence in the Marvel Universe. As an abstract concept, Death has no gender, though she most commonly manifests as the feminine Lady Death. Her powers can be simply summarized.

Near-Omnipotence

Death transcends reality and is therefore capable of manifesting just about anything she wills. This power is significantly limited, however, by the fact that Death is mostly unconcerned about carrying out anything other than her purpose, though she has meddled in mortal affairs on occasion. Demonstrations of her omnipotence include taking whatever form she chooses and teleporting individuals to other realms. Her power is sured only by such other abstract entities as the Living Tribunal and the Beyonder, both of whom have the proven capacity to kill Death itself.

Control Over All Death

Death's main power is the oversight of death in whichever universe she inhabits, which entails claiming souls from bodies and holding sway over lost souls in her own realm of death. Death is also capable of restoring a soul to life, which she has done on a handful of occasions but makes no habit of. Should death die, which has happened thanks to the Beyonder, then all death halts in the universe, threatening to overpopulate it and ironically lend credence to Thanos' MCU motives.

Death has granted immunity from death to multiple beings in the Marvel Universe, including Doctor Strange after he defeated Death in a battle of wills.

Death, along with other primordial Marvel gods, represents the natural order of things in the Marvel Universe. Her lesser-known counterpart is Life, though Death is more commonly depicted as an enemy of Eternity. Death has played a significant role in Marvel Comics thanks in no small part to Thanos' affections towards her, though she has also shared a romance with Deadpool, who becomes Thanos' love rival as a result.

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Death would ultimately retire in Marvel Comics, having her responsibilities assumed by Marlo Chandler. She also developed a desire to live among humans recently, though this would culminate in Thanos tracking her down and defeating her entirely, transforming her into the Death Stone that he keeps. With Death in this form, death continues to work as a natural force throughout the Marvel Universe.

How Powerful Death Is Compared To Other MCU Characters

Death's Power Sures All But The Most Obscure MCU Characters

Death is more powerful than most MCU characters. As an abstract being, Death is rivaled by only the universe's most powerful cosmic beings - of which very few have thus far been seen in the MCU. Eternity is one of the only other entities to physically manifest in the MCU in Thor: Love and Thunder, while others like the Living Tribunal and Entropy have appeared as statues and effigies throughout various MCU installments. It remains unclear whether Loki can count himself among these entities now that he maintains the entire multiverse in a space outside of time.

Cosmic Entities Featured In The MCU

Cosmic Entity

Main Function

Appearances

Death

The embodiment of death

  • As an effigy in the temple vault on Morag in Gaurdians of the Galaxy
  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder
  • As Rio Vidal in Agatha All Along

Eternity

The embodiment of time and creation

  • As an effigy in the temple vault on Morag in Gaurdians of the Galaxy
  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Physically in his own realm in Thor: Love and Thunder

Uatu The Watcher

Observer of the Multiverse

  • Physically throughout What If...? seasons 1 and 2
  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Physically in I Am Groot season 2

The Living Tribunal

Cosmic Judge of the Multiverse

  • As a statue in the Void in Loki season 1
  • As a statue in a universe inhabited only by Living Tribunal statues in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder

Infinity

The embodiment of space

  • As an effigy in the temple vault on Morag in Gaurdians of the Galaxy
  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder

Entropy

The embodiment of destruction

  • As an effigy in the temple vault on Morag in Gaurdians of the Galaxy

Eon

The offspring of Eternity and overseer of the Protectors of the Universe

  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder

The One Above All

The leader of the Celestials

  • As a statue at the Gates of Eternity in Thor: Love and Thunder

This means that Rio Vidal is easily the most threatening figure the MCU has seen in the flesh. While Eternity exists in another realm presiding over time itself and granting wishes to the first person that finds him, Death is happy to get her hands dirty and meddle with mortals who are infinitely less powerful than her. This is demonstrated by the deals she seems to strike with Agatha, stating in Agatha All Along episode 4 "You get your power, and I get my bodies." Evidently, the MCU's Death's motives aren't exactly impartial.

The Asgardian Goddess of Death, Hela, is a subordinate of Death in Marvel Comics and likely filled a similar role in the MCU before her apparent death in Thor: Ragnarok.

The fact that Thanos has recently bested Death in Marvel Comics raises the question of whether he could do the same in the MCU with a fully-stocked Infinity Gauntlet. Other "gods" like the Asgardians, meanwhile, would stand little chance against death, as they owe their godhood more to their Asgardian physiology and magic proficiency than being primordial. Agatha All Along may have therefore debuted the most powerful actively participating MCU character ever seen on-screen. Whether her active role will persist past the series remains to be seen, but as long as MCU characters die, Death will always be looming.

Agatha All Along 2024 TV Show Poster

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Agatha All Along
Release Date
2024 - 2024-00-00
Showrunner
Jac Schaeffer
Directors
Jac Schaeffer, Gandja Monteiro, Rachel Goldberg
  • Headshot Of Kathryn Hahn In The 49th Annual People's Choice Awards 2024
    Agnes O'Connor / Agatha Harkness
  • Headshot Of Joe Locke
    Joe Locke
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WHERE TO WATCH

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Agatha Harkness, after the events of "WandaVision," seeks to regain her magical powers. ing forces with unexpected allies, including the son of an old adversary, she battles new mystical threats while uncovering hidden secrets in the magical realm.

Writers
Jac Schaeffer
Seasons
1
Streaming Service(s)
Disney+

MCU Movies