If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This seems to be the logic behind Marvel Studios’ next Phase 5 outing, Agatha All Along, and specifically, MCU newcomer Aubrey Plaza’s character. So who does she play in the Disney+ series, and why is she so important to the franchise’s future?
Marvel doesn’t exactly have a perfect track record these days, with the Multiverse Saga being something of a trial and error period coming off the success of its much-beloved Infinity Saga. Still, there’s one thing Kevin Feige & Co. have yet to mess up, and that’s witches. From the Elizabeth Olsen-helmed WandaVisison to 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, I’d argue that Marvel is doing the whole “magic” thing right—and from the sound of it, the upcoming Agatha All Along is no exception.
The show stars Kathryn Hahn, who will reprise her role as our favorite bewitching sorceress. This time, Agatha’s got her coven by her side as she sets out on a quest to “regain her former powers,” which were taken from her by the Scarlet Witch in the final episode of WandaVisison. We’re not in Westview anymore! And even though we’re all excited to see Patti LuPone and Joe Locke make their MCU debuts, perhaps no character is sparking as much online discourse as Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal.
Who is Rio Vidal in Agatha All Along?
Aubrey Plaza’s Agatha All Along character remained shrouded in mystery for quite some time, but with the series’ premiere right around the corner, we finally know who she’ll be playing in the MCU: Rio Vidal. Specially designed for the show and (seemingly) not a character plucked from the Marvel comics, Rio Vidal is part of Agatha’s coven, and harnesses some kind of green magic—more on that later.
Plus, she may have something of an, ahem, history with Agatha, as some have speculated that the two witches are actually exes.
The extent of Rio Vidal’s powers remains unknown, but it seems like she’ll be one of the “good guys” here—or so we think. More so, her green costume seems to imply that’ll be using a similar kind of magic from within the same spectrum as Agatha and Scarlet Witch, both of whom rock violet and red-colored auras, respectively. If Wanda wields Chaos Magic and Agatha taps into Dark Magic, where does this leave Rio?
The Green Witch has some major ramifications for the MCU
With Plaza’s character wielding some kind of mysterious green energy, this could mean that Marvel is setting up a “Witch Rainbow.” If this theory has any validity to it, this means that even more witches will be introduced down the line, perhaps to establish a magic-centric corner of the MCU led by Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and maybe even Wanda (she’s not dead, OK?!). A witch showdown/team-up? Yes, please.
It’s also worth noting that some fans have theorized that Rio is actually a gender-swapped version of Declan Dane, a.k.a. the Emerald Warlock. While there’s not much basis in this rumor given the only thing they have in common is a certain fondness for the color green, it could be an easy tie-in to Marvel comics lore. After all, the Emerald Warlock was considered to be an extremely powerful adversary, and Wanda was never able to fully defeat him—even when fighting on the Road, which is essentially a power amplifier for female witches. He also joins forces with Agatha in the comics, which could mean nothing … right?
Marvel has proved time and time again that it knows how to make magic users interesting, as I’d argue that Wanda is one of—if not the—franchise’s strongest characters. So if a “Witch Rainbow” really is in the cards, Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal could be the next step in building an entirely new corner of the MCU. And if she ends up turning to the dark side in Agatha All Along, well, surely trouble lies ahead for this coven.
The two-part premiere of Agatha All Along lands on Disney+ this Wednesday, September 18 at 6PM PT/9PM ET.
Published: Sep 17, 2024 03:10 pm