The first two episodes of Agatha All Along arrived on Disney+ yesterday evening (you can read our recaps here and here) and while many fans are tuning in to hopefully learn more about the Scarlet Witch's fate, a bigger surprise might be staring us right in the face.
It's no secret that Legion star Aubrey Plaza is playing Rio Vidal, but the actor recently sent speculation into overdrive when she said, "I'm just so happy they let me play this character. I can't spoil it, but what happens, the reveal is pretty amazing. And I think for the fans especially, they're going to go crazy."
In other words, she's not just Rio...in that case, who is Plaza playing?
In the second episode of Agatha All Along, Agatha Harkness assembles a coven but, when they gather at her house, we learn she's deliberately decided against hunting down one of the witches Lilia Calderu listed for her and Teen.
She was an Earth witch and, in place of a name, Calderu drew a black heart. Agatha is very dismissive of the whole thing and instead chooses to force Sharon Davis, better known as Mrs. Hart inside the Hex, to join the group.
So, a Green Witch with a black heart. Or Blackheart, perhaps?
The prevailing theory right now is that, yes, Plaza is actually portraying a gender-swapped Blackheart, a villain who is the son of Mephisto in the comics. Created by Ann Nocenti and John Romita Jr. in Daredevil #270, the villain has immense supernatural abilities and is driven by a desire for power and independence from his father.
Blackheart has clashed with various Marvel heroes over the years, including Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the X-Men. His first and last live-action appearance was in 2007's Ghost Rider where he was played by Wes Bentley.
Marvel Studios is believed to have big plans for Mephisto in the coming years, so it's possible both her and his son/daughter will indeed debut in Agatha All Along before the devil appears in Ironheart (where he's reportedly being played by Sacha Baron Cohen).
There are definitely some hints there's to Rio than meets the eye in the first two episodes and, in the third and fourth chapters...well, you'll have to wait for our recaps to learn more about what happens there.
In our review of the series, we concluded by saying, "A spooky, scintillating, supernatural delight, Agatha All Along is a worthy successor to WandaVision and a showcase for the bewitching Kathryn Hahn as your new MCU favourite, Agatha Harkness."
Do you think Plaza is playing the MCU's Blackheart? As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments section.