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Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Agatha All Along Episodes 1 and 2.Agatha All Along introduced one of the coolest characters to ever appear in the MCU. Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) has a lot of mystery surrounding her. She’s an absolute badass witch, and it’s easy to see why she quickly became a fan favorite. Her sarcasm and wit balance nicely with Agatha Harkness’s (Kathryn Hahn) outgoing personality. It’s going to be so exciting to see more of her as the series progresses. Which begs the question: who exactly is Rio Vidal? What is her connection to Agatha? Just how powerful of a witch is she?
Who is Rio Vidal in the MCU?
Not too much is known about Rio Vidal yet. She was introduced in the first episode of Agatha All Along, posing as a detective in the spell that Wanda had put Agatha under. From the start, she and Agatha have a bad history. Rio wouldn’t have tried to kill Agatha otherwise. Like Agatha, Rio is a witch with strong powers. She can easily use wind magic to force Agatha against walls or floors. Her abilities lie with nature as a Green Witch.
Green Witches are witches that possess earth magic, like the nature elements. Her ability to create blasts of wind was just one example of her power over the elements. In the second episode of Agatha All Along, a green witch is needed to open the door to the Witches’ Road. Although Rio’s name wasn’t on the list that Agatha was given, a single black heart was drawn on it. Green witches have black hearts, and Rio tells Agatha that her heart is black, and it beats for her.
Rio Vidal Is Based on Multiple Magic Users in Marvel Comics
Plaza’s character is a brand-new character in the MCU. Rio does not have a comic counterpart like the majority of the MCU does, including Agatha and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). There has been some speculation that Plaza’s character is based on a few characters in the comics who can wield magic. One specific character comes to mind thanks to Rio’s mentioning of her heart being black. In Marvel Comics, there is a character by the name of Blackheart, who is the son of Mephisto, a powerful demon. Blackheart can manipulate his physical form and has power over dark energy. If Rio is based on Blackheart, then she would be a demon instead of a witch. It’s already confirmed that Agatha cannot absorb Rio’s powers without killing herself. If Rio really was a demon, Agatha would not be able to absorb her powers.
Another potential influence on Rio’s character is Gaea, the Earth goddess. Like her Greek counterpart, Gaea is the mother of life and had many children, including the Titans and Cyclopes. She is an Elder god who birthed the new gods, thus creating generations of gods on Earth, and has immense power. Being a goddess, Gaea is immortal and she can heal people. It can be assumed that Rio is as immortal as Agatha and the other witches are. Plus, Rio also has the ability to heal someone’s wounds, as she does by licking Agatha’s wound on her hand. While she may not be Marvel Comic’s Gaea, Gaea definitely seems to have influenced the creation of Rio, especially since Agatha would die if she tried to absorb Rio’s powers.
Agatha and Rio Might Have Been Lovers
Agatha’s and Rio’s chemistry in the first two episodes of Agatha All Along is undeniable. From their first meeting in Wanda’s spell to their fight in Agatha’s home, it’s clear that these two go way back. Especially since Rio harbors a vengeance towards Agatha after she took the Darkhold and started using dark magic. There’s no precise reason yet why Rio is out for Agatha’s blood. However, it’s safe to assume that the two of them may have had a romantic connection in the past.
During an Agatha All Along press conference with the cast and creators, Plaza not-so-subtly hinted at the dynamic between Agatha and Rio. She stated that fans of the show should expect a “very intense dynamic” that “has all the colors of the rainbow”. Whether the two witches were lovers in the past or not, Plaza’s hint tells fans that they may have a romantic involvement as the series goes on. Rio Vidal is already proving herself to be one of the most interesting characters in the current era of the MCU. It’s going to be one hell of a ride, seeing her character develop and witnessing her get closer to (or further from) Agatha. And the theories will continue to bounce back and forth until her true identity is revealed.
New episodes of Agatha All Along stream on Disney+ every Wednesday.
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