Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Agatha All Along, Episode 13 years later WandaVision opened the TV division of the MCU, spin-off Agatha all the time has returned to Westview and brings more mysteries with it. The first two episodes set the stage for Kathryn Hahn’s returning Marvel villain and not only explore the consequences of Scarlet Witch’s spell in WandaVision‘s ending, but also forces her to face the demons of her own past.
The most captivating of these demons is Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal, a formidable Green Witch who brings herself and their shared history into Agatha all the time episode 1 by trying to kill Agatha. Despite Agatha’s loss of power, Rio is unable to continue as it turns out she can’t kill her. It’s a passing moment, but one that could be confusing considering how enthusiastic Rio seems about Agatha’s death. So why can’t the new Marvel magician kill Agatha? The clues are all there…
Aubrey Plaza’s Marvel character can’t kill Agatha because of a witch’s code
When Scarlet Witch’s spell breaks and Agatha is freed, Rio reveals her intention to Vidal: revenge. She goes so far as to stab Agatha with a dagger before revealing that she is not actually allowed to kill Agatha during the conversation. This could indicate that Rio is under orders to bring Agatha alive or leave her to a more gruesome fate at the hands of the Salem Seven, but it is actually a reflection of a code of conduct for witches, which was first published in WandaVision.
In Scarlet Witch’s own show, Agatha is put on trial in Salem for practicing forbidden black magic, which she claims was unintentional. Her mother and coven sentence Agatha to be executed, but she kills them all first and takes away their powers. Crucially, WandaVisionThe flashback shows that all witches must follow a set of rules, including the prohibition of using black magic beyond their status.
Although Rio wants to kill Agatha, she is apparently unable to do so. This could be because Agatha has not been tried by other witches like in Salem, so it would be a violation for Rio to pass judgment herself. It is not that magic stops witches from killing each other, as Agatha herself has disproved that.
Are there witchcraft rules in Marvel Comics?
The concept of a set of rules for witches does not originate in Marvel Comics. Witches tend to operate independently in geographically regulated covens rather than following a larger, unified order. The goddess of witchcraft does exist in Marvel lore, but witchcraft itself is not a religion that prescribes commandments.
Why does Aubrey Plaza want to kill Marvel character Agatha?
Agatha and Rio Vidal have a shared past. The marketing for Agatha all the time has relied heavily on the assumption that they had a romantic relationship some time before Agatha’s time in Westview, with Plaza herself providing a dynamic “that has all the colors of the rainbow” in reference to LGBTQ symbolism. Her burning desire for revenge clearly means that the dynamic has changed dramatically, as murder is not usually a pleasant partner to love.
Agatha all the timeThe first two episodes practically confirm that the couple had a romantic relationship. The Black Heart in Lilia Calderu’s List of Agatha all the timeThe new witches refer to Rio, a well-known Green Witch who Agatha deliberately chooses not to recruit due to their shared past. Rio’s desire to kill Agatha could easily be attributed to a heated lovers’ quarrel or an unknown story related to how Agatha came into possession of the Darkhold or how she murdered her mother and the other witches.
The latter seems likely, as Rio knows of the impending arrival of the Salem Seven in Westview and presumably also knows why Agatha is their target. This theory is supported by the fact that in Agatha’s distorted perception of Westview, Rio appears as an FBI agent investigating Scarlet Witch’s death. The idea that she is interested in a crime could be Agatha’s repressed psyche revealing a hint of truth: Rio’s “job” is to uphold rules, and that’s also why she won’t break them.
As a Green Witch, Rio would not be bound to the Darkhold, so her connection with the Seven, who appear to be agents of the person Agatha stole the Darkhold from, doesn’t seem to make sense. Green Witches are traditionally connected to the earth and the elements. It seems like more needs to be revealed about why Rio wants to kill Agathapossibly related to the deaths in Salem.
At the same time, her mission is clearly personal, but the very fact that she cannot break the no-kill rule despite her personal vendetta suggests that she has orders. It also suggests that she is not really an agent of a yet-unrevealed dark power: villains, after all, do not care about rules, even in Agatha all the time‘s distorted view of morality.
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