Agatha all the time introduced a prime replacement for Kang the Conqueror, whose power levels more than rival Thanos’ in the MCU’s Infinity Saga. Full of dark magic and big twists as Agatha and a group of other witches made their way down the Witches’ Road, the MCU debuted one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. As such, it’s quite possible that she will become an ongoing antagonist as the current Multiverse Saga continues.
As seen in the latest Marvel Studios series, it was eventually revealed that Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal was much more than he initially seemed. It was also confirmed that she had a romantic history that turned into rivalry with Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha. To this end, the final episodes of the program confirmed Rio’s true name and power as none other than Lady Death, a major Marvel force to be reckoned with, who could easily become the perfect Kang/Thanos replacement in the future of the MCU.
Agatha Has Always Presented a Marvel Villain Who Could Replace Kang
Lady Death is an extremely powerful new MCU villain
Originally appearing in Agatha all the time debut as a vengeful flame of Agatha’s attempt to kill her, Agatha made “Rio Vidal” wait until she could regain her power. However, Rio ends up joining Agatha’s newly formed clan in Agatha all the time episode 4 following the death of Sharon Davis, aka Mrs. Hart, becoming her replacement, Green Witch. However, the truth about Rio and her true identity as Lady Death is not revealed until Agatha all the time episode 7 thanks to Patti LuPone’s Lilia Calderu and her powers of divination.
Tasked with guiding the recently deceased to the other side, Rio is the living embodiment of death itself in the MCU (and the original Green Witch). Like Lady Death, Rio also aims to maintain the cosmic balance between life and deathexplaining why she sees the spirit of Billy Maximoff and his reincarnation in William Kaplan as a total abomination to that balance. That said, she is also driven by her desire for revenge against Agatha as well as her love for the witch, confirming that she is by no means immune to emotion and her own agenda despite her cosmic duties.
Lady Death is also extremely violent, without fear of death (naturally). To this end, it’s quite possible that Lady Death could become a dynamic replacement for Kang the Conqueror in the MCUpotentially having multiple appearances in the Multiverse Saga going forward. Furthermore, she is much more powerful than the time-traveling despot, and even than Thanos himself, the Mad Titan.
Lady Death is the best MCU villain to rival Thanos
She could easily become an equal (if not greater) threat level
In the comics, Thanos and Lady Death are romantically intertwinedas the Mad Titan’s conquests and erasing half of all life with the Infinity Gauntlet were motivated by his desire to prove himself worthy of her love. However, he almost always couldn’t get Lady Death to reject his advances. However, Josh Brolin’s MCU Thanos has not demonstrated the same nihilistic passion for Death, being motivated by his desire to bring balance to the universe. Ironically, this drive is something the MCU’s Lady Death would perhaps find more appealing, given her similar duty to maintain cosmic balance.
That said, Lady Death is inherently much more powerful than Thanos, an exciting prospect if she ever becomes an ongoing threat in the MCU. As old as the comic book universe itself, Lady Death is confirmed to be nearly omnipotent and immortal on the pagemeaning she is not alive as the personification of death itself, nor can she be erased without major cosmic laws being altered. As such, the same is likely true in the MCU, which has already shown how powerful she is in Agatha all the time ending by killing Agatha with a simple kiss.
“It would be very exciting to see Lady Death making further appearances in the MCU after Agatha all the timea new and much more powerful villain focused on maintaining cosmic balance, while also being equally capable of forming her own dark vendettas…”
It stands to reason that Rio could have easily killed Wiccan as well. However, Billy Maximoff would have been able to reincarnate in another body unless he voluntarily gave himself up to Mistress Death (as Agatha does). Anyway, It would be really exciting to see Lady Death make further appearances in the MCU after Agatha all the timea new and much more powerful villain focused on maintaining cosmic balance while also being able to form her own dark vendettas.
Why Lady Death would be a fantastic Avengers villain
The most powerful on Earth against death itself
Although it’s hard to imagine how they would have a chance, the opportunity to see the Avengers one day fight Lady Death herself would be very exciting. That being said, the laws of the cosmos and reality will likely be altered soon, depending on how much Avengers: Secret Wars adapts from the events seen in the comics. Perhaps the concepts and laws of Death will be weakened or rewritten, resulting in a conflict where Earth’s Mightiest Heroes can be on equal footing.
Regardless, Aubrey Plaza’s performance as Lady Death was widely seen as one of the Agatha all the time better casting decisions. Having her in just one MCU project and nothing else would be tragic. Likewise, there’s a lot of potential for Lady Death to be a great villain in the future. At the very least, Lady Death should be a recurring presence as the MCU continues (even if it’s just in the background, guiding souls to the afterlife).
When the MCU’s Lady Death could return in a future Marvel project
Will she try to stop Billy and Agatha’s new mission?
It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which Lady Death could try to stop Wiccan and Agatha’s ghost from meeting the recently reincarnated Tommy, potentially in a second season of Agatha all the time. After all, Tommy Maximoff should be considered an abomination to cosmic balance, just like Billy. Likewise, Rio confronting Agatha again could also shed new light on their relationship and more of his complex history with the witch.
Additionally, Marvel Iron Heart is set to feature the debut of Anthony Ramos as The Hood, a crime lord empowered by a demon-possessed hood that could lead to appearances from Mephisto or Death himself. That being said, it would be very exciting to see Lady Death have a role in Avengers: Secret Wars as mentioned above, especially if the entire multiverse is rewritten and collides as expected. Wherever it is, we hope a future appearance for Aubrey Plaza’s Lady Death in the MCU is in the works.
All episodes of Agatha all the time are now streaming on Disney+.