THE UCM just introduced one of its most powerful characters, and I'm glad it didn't turn into a classic villain cliché. Most of the MCU's most powerful characters are villains, with the likes of Thanos, Hela, and even a chart-topping villain Scarlet Witch. This helps raise the stakes when they face off against Earth's Mightiest Heroes, setting up some spectacular fights in the MCU before the good guys show the extent of their own powers and their ability to band together and overcome the odds.
Then there are the MCU's cosmic beings, who are in a league of their own, with power levels equivalent to omnipotence. Thor: Love and Thunderfor example, Eternity debuted, a being capable of fulfilling desires such as the resurrection of Love. Loki has undoubtedly joined their ranks as responsible for holding the entire multiverse together. Other cosmic beings have been referenced in the MCU, such as Entropy and Living Tribunal – but Agatha all the time recently proved how important it was by debuting two of the newest and most powerful characters - and I'm glad they both survived.
MCU Death Avoided Having Death Defeat Agatha All Along
I'm glad Death survived meeting Agatha and Billy
Agatha all the time it introduced Rio Vidal, who was later revealed to be the personification of Death within the MCU. It also revealed that Billy Maximoff was resurrected in the body of teenager Billy Kaplan and apparently inherited his mother Wanda Maximoff's powers. This would make him one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, capable of taking on some particularly formidable enemies. Fortunately, however, These powers were not enough to defeat Death himself - which is good for several reasons.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was the first film in the Multiverse Saga to debut then-big bad Kang the Conqueror - only to kill him off in that film. This was a questionable decision that sapped Kang's power levels after he was defeated by one of the weaker Avengers. The same did not happen with Death in the MCU, helping to ensure that she remains a formidable figure while keeping the method of killing her a mystery - although I bet killing the personification of an abstract is nearly impossible.
Instead of, Death was "defeated"in a less conventional way: meeting your demands. The confrontation at the end Agatha all the time came about when Death felt deceived, demanding that Billy or Agatha hand over their souls to her. Agatha even points out that fighting Death is futile before finally accepting death and placating her lover. She would then return as a ghost accompanying Billy Maximoff on his quest to find his brother, Tommy.
Death is already one of the most terrifying villains in the MCU
Death is also now one of the most powerful in the MCU
I feel like this is relatively self-evident, but death is scary. Agatha all the time did an exceptional job conveying this physically, as Rio's perfectly harmless face would be partially replaced by a skull - probably its true form. The strange way she appears to Lilia on two occasions also contributes to this aura. Still, it's not just his appearance that makes Death a particularly terrifying entity within the MCU.
It's unclear whether these were the extent of his powers, as Death's comic book counterpart is a near-omnipotent being, and toying with his enemies seems more in line with Rio Vidal's characterization.
Throughout their final fight, Rio Vidal cackled at Agatha and Billy's attempts to overcome her, ignoring their powerful magic while displaying the lethal extent of her own. It's unclear whether these were the extent of his powers, as Death's comic book counterpart is a near-omnipotent being, and toying with his enemies seems more in line with Rio Vidal's characterization. What I find most disturbing, however, is the fact that this divine entity is only too happy to get its hands dirty and intervene when it wants to harvest it"Bodies."
Death's debut in the MCU means I'm already excited to see her in future releases
It's a good thing death threat levels haven't decreased
The fact that Death was not defeated in his MCU debut opens up the possibility of his return. Her services will undoubtedly be needed in future MCU installments, as villains like Doctor Doom threaten to cause her many more deaths in the MCU. This is an exciting prospect - not just because Aubrey Plaza's own portrayal of Death warrants reprisal, but because she is literally one of the most powerful beings to exist in the MCU - and bringing her back in any capacity would significantly change what was in play.
Death was shown as an enormous force of nature in Agatha all the time. His inclusion in any cataclysmic battle would lend itself to his epic scale, whether rallying against a larger, menacing figure from the multiverse alongside heroes or as one of the aggressors. The severity of her involvement would have been significantly lessened if she had been defeated in Agatha all the time. I am grateful, therefore, for Death's possible return to the UCM will be particularly exciting.
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- Release date
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February 14, 2025
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- Release date
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July 25, 2025
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- Release date
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July 24, 2026