Aubrey Plaza's Rumored Marvel Role May Be MCU's Most Powerful Cosmic Being Yet
"Agatha: Coven of Chaos" is definitely one of the more intriguing Marvel projects coming out in the near future. The "WandaVision" spin-off will center on Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), but outside of that, there's not much we know about the show as of yet. However, the addition of Aubrey Plaza in the witchy series is more than enough to get people interested, and if sources are to be believed, Plaza may be playing one of the most powerful characters in Marvel Comics.
As of this writing, this is just a rumor, so take it with a grain of salt. However, Giant Freakin Robot reports that the actress will portray Death, meaning the personification of the concept of death, in "Agatha: Coven of Chaos." Plaza previously told GQ Magazine that she had "a really pivotal role" in the upcoming Marvel project, and Death would certainly fit that bill.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has explored more cosmic beings as of late, such as bringing Eternity into "Thor: Love and Thunder," so Death would be a good continuation of that trend. But if this rumor turns out to be accurate, what should fans expect out of the part that Plaza admittedly seems made for?
Who is Marvel's Death?
Death is one of the most powerful cosmic beings in Marvel Comics. While she's often seen as the enemy of life, she mainly functions as a silent observer. She maintains the cosmic balance of the universe because, as she so eloquently said herself at one point, "Still, do not forget–Death claims everyone, sooner or later."
Death is the twin of Eternity, which has already been introduced in the MCU. She exists alongside other powerful entities, such as Lord Chaos and Master Order. She's played an integral role throughout numerous events in Marvel Comics; however, most readers probably associate her with Thanos. In the comics, Thanos aims to wipe out half of all life in a bid to impress Death as he's fallen in love with her.
Naturally, Death, as the embodiment of death, owns every lost soul and has the ability to bring a being back to life, but that's only happened rarely. Death typically appears to those about to die, often taking the form of a loved one or a general soothing appearance to ease the transition from one plane of existence to the next.
Does Aubrey Plaza's character mean Thanos could return to the MCU?
Assuming the rumors are accurate (and that's still a big "if" at this point), it'll be interesting to see how Death factors into the story of "Agatha: Coven of Chaos." Naturally, her relationship with Thanos (Josh Brolin) will be different, if it exists at all. Thanos' motivations in the MCU changed from wanting to impress Death to wanting to bring balance to the universe to avoid depleting resources. Still, there could be a way the Mad Titan and the events of the Blip could impact the character.
It's possible Death has a score to settle with the Avengers, seeing how they brought back half of all life. Death is obviously her domain, and depriving her of all those souls could easily set her off. Then again, Death typically isn't portrayed as an evil mastermind. She's merely a cosmic force — an all-powerful entity whose machinations go beyond concepts like good and evil. It's unlikely Thanos will return in any capacity, given the finality of his demise in "Avengers: Endgame," but it's possible Death took notice of what he did and will be influenced by his actions.
Again, this is all assuming Aubrey Plaza is indeed playing Death, which isn't confirmed yet. However, if this rumor turns out to be true, it may suggest "Agatha: Coven of Chaos" could factor more into the larger MCU than previously anticipated.