Just when it felt likeAgatha All Alongcouldn’t get any better,Jac Schaeffer’sMarvel series had to go and gut-punch us with this week’s episode. The most wistful installment of the show so far,Agatha All AlongEpisode 7, “Death’s Hand in Mine,“stays true to its title by finally confirming fans' long-running suspicions thatAubrey Plaza is indeed playing the MCU’s version of Death, presenting a major escalation of stakes ahead of next week’s final two episodes. Yet, what really makes this week’s episode stand out is its unique aesthetic. Told mainly from Lilia’s (Patti LuPone) perspective,the episode adopts a non-linear structure to tell its story out of order, finally revealing the truth behind Lilia’s chaotic mind in the process.
‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 7 Reveals Lilia’s Visions Stem From Her Unique Relationship to Time
Out of all the witches in Agatha’s (Kathryn Hahn) makeshift coven, Lilia has been one of the most difficult to understand inAgatha All Alongso far. A far cry fromher villainous comic counterpart, Lilia is seemingly more empathetic than her fellow witches and more reasonable than Plaza’s chaotic tenure as Rio, but her character struggles with staying present. As early as her introduction in Episode 2, Lilia’s conversation with Agatha andJoe Locke’stight-lipped Teen is interrupted by a brief bout of screaming, andfrom there the divination witch only experiences more disruptive visionsas the coven makes its way down the Witches' Road. These cryptic disassociations never feel too out of character for a witch who peddles in predictions. However,Agatha All AlongEpisode 7 finally clarifies thatLilia’s visionsoriginate from her unique way of experiencing time.
Mentally jumping between her coven’s Tarot trial, her journey with Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) underneath the Witches' Road, and a lesson from her Italian upbringing first teased inAgatha All AlongEpisode 3’s visions,Lilia finally discloses the cause of her disorganized thoughtswhile fleeing the Salem Sevenduring the first half of Episode 7. Attempting to make sense of past conversations with Jen she can’t immediately remember,Lilia explains that she experiences the flow of time differently from most people, sometimes moving through the scenes of her own life out of sequence. Lilia further describes these brief flashes outside of linearity as “gaps,” revealing that she suppressed the ability after experiencing a morbid series of them as a child, with the increasing regularity of Lilia’s gaps in Episode 7 similarly foreshadowing Lilia’s heartbreaking sacrifice at the episode’s end.
As a result, Lilia’s revelation increases Episode 7’s narrative urgency, making the audience feel like we’re being strung along an increasingly panicked mentality, butthe truth behind Lilia’s powers also allows us to re-evaluate her character.Rather than succumbing to an external power of fate perpetually plaguing her, the fact that Lilia’s gaps originate from her unique command of time demonstrates that she’s actually been one of the most powerful members of the coven all along. Last week’s revelation thatLilia put the sigil onJoe Locke’sBilly Maximoffhinted at the divination witch’s versatility, butEpisode 7 underscoresAgatha All Along’sthemes of empowerment by revealing the extent of Lilia’s abilities. Her final Tarot reading allows Lila to master her skill, transforming the woman her fellow witches called kooky into one of the MCU’s most unique sorceresses.
‘Agatha All Along’ Finally Reveals Who Rio Really Is, But What Does It Mean for the Show?
No, she’s NOT Mephisto, okay?
Lilia’s True Power Enhances the Tragedy of ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 7’s Story
Sadly, the power that expands our understanding of Lilia also lends Episode 7 its air of tragedy in two main ways — through memory and foresight. In the latter case, Lilia’s final predictions in her Tarot reading grant her a clear glimpse of a startling future,treating audiences to a brief look at a stricken Agatha standing over Billy in a future episode. Similarly, Episode 7 goes to great lengths to demonstrate how Lilia’s ability can exacerbate her personal tragedies. Her flashbacks to Italy painfullyremind Lilia of those she already mourned once due to plague, and her desperate attempts to retroactively saveAli Ahn’sAlice Wu-Gulliverbeforethe character’s shocking death in Episode 5illustrate the heartbreaking limits to Lilia’s largely unrealized influence.
That said,Agatha All AlongEpisode 7 also highlights the beauty of Lilia’s gift,ending with the beginning of her lessons in the pastas a testament to time’s fluid and enduring nature.Likewise, Lilia seemingly uses her new command over her powers to warn Agatha before sacrificing herself to stop the Salem Seven, informing her, “When she calls you a coward, hit the deck,” in a cryptic statement that is sure to explain itself in time. This positive manifestation of Lilia’s abilitymakes Episode 7’s ending feel more bittersweet than outright heartbreaking, capping off the divination witch’s personal growth with a structurally innovative episode that easily ranks among themost groundbreaking aspects of Schaeffer’s series. And who knows? After next week’s hotly-anticipated finale, maybe Agatha will look back on Lilia’s sacrifice with a smile, too.
Agatha All Alongis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
Agatha All Along
Agatha Harkness, following the events of “WandaVision,” embarks on a quest to reclaim her lost powers. Teaming up with unlikely allies, including the son of her former enemy, she faces new mystical threats while navigating a complex world of magic and intrigue.
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