Since Agatha All Along‘s premiere, there have been numerous theories about Rio Vidal’s (Aubrey Plaza) true identity. Now, a Funko Pop leak appears to confirm which Marvel character she is portraying.
Rio was initially marketed as an original character created specifically for Agatha All Along. However, viewers quickly began suspecting that this powerful witch is hiding her true identity. In the show, Rio has a history with Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), as it’s implied they were once lovers. Somewhere along the way, their relationship soured, leaving Rio desperate to kill Agatha. Her powerful magic and sadistic ways strongly suggest there’s more to her character than meets the eye.
One of the first fan theories that arose was that Rio is Blackheart, the child of Mephisto. During the two-episode premiere of Agatha All Along, there were two references to “black hearts.” First, Rio declared that her heart was “black,” and then, a small black heart was drawn to represent her placement in Agatha’s coven. The theory raised quite a bit of excitement as viewers have waited years for the MCU to introduce Mephisto. However, a Funko Pop leak suggests a different fan theory was correct.
Spoilers for Agatha All Along ahead!
Did Funko Pop confirm Rio Vidal’s identity?
A now-deleted listing for Funko Pop on Smyths Toy Superstore site seemingly confirmed the identities of two Agatha All Along characters, including Rio. A Reddit user took a screenshot of the toys, revealing that Plaza’s Funko Pop is labeled “Death.” Death, also known as Lady Death, is a cosmic entity in Marvel Comics that personifies death. While the character has never appeared in the MCU before, it has been referenced through a mural and statue in Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Love and Thunder, respectively.
Rio’s identity won’t surprise some viewers, as the theory that she is Lady Death has already been posited. Early promotional art for Agatha All Along was released in the form of tarot cards. Viewers quickly pointed out that the Death Tarot card contained a figure resembling Rio. In the card, Death is wearing an outfit similar to Rio’s get-up and is wielding the same knife she used to try to kill Agatha.
Instead of being a reference to Mephisto’s child, Rio’s black heart comment may insinuate that she’s Death and her heart beats for Agatha’s life, considering Agatha has evaded death for a long time. While viewers had hoped she was a gender-swapped Blackheart, her identity as Lady Death makes more sense for her personality and motivation for wanting Agatha dead. The leak also means that she is much more powerful than originally thought. In the comics, Death is immortal and a cosmic-level entity with near-omnipotence. It has complete control over life and death and extremely powerful abilities to manipulate time, space, and matter to achieve nearly any desired effect.
Ultimately, if Rio truly is Death, she has the potential to be a real game-changer in the MCU, raising further interest in how her story develops in Agatha All Along.
Published: Sep 26, 2024 12:36 pm