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Image via Disney+
Oh, Lilia, we hardly knew thee (or thy power). The heartbreaking seventh episode of Agatha All Along had a lot to showcase: the series' love affair with costume and set design, the inimitable talent and range of Broadway legend Patti LuPone, and, notably, the enduring power of Tarot and divination. Tarot features heavily in "Death's Hand in Mine", as divination witch Lilia Calderu (Lupone) faces her own Witches' Road Trial and lays out a path for Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and her coven. Many cards are drawn during the episode, not only by Lilia, and upon closer inspection provide some potential insight into the fate and motivations of Agatha All Along's remaining coven.
Could Agatha's Tarot Reading Be Hinting at Something Deeper?
Billy (Joe Locke) only draws two cards before Agatha takes over, but one of those cards was extremely telling. Billy describes the first card drawn — The Chariot (or the Horse-Drawn Carriage, if you like) — as representative of leaving something behind, but the card traditionally represents control and willpower, as well as action and determination. Agatha is both determined and active in achieving her goals, and her lust for magic and ability to absorb power center around her will and sense of control, so this card makes sense in the "Traveler" placement, given that the placement represents the querent.
Next, Billy draws the Seven of Swords, representing deception and betrayal, which Agatha quickly agrees to and aligns herself with. However, Billy reveals that the card was drawn reversed, and in actuality represents truth and loyalty. This reminds us that a façade has been built up around the witch that Agatha All Along has slowly been dismantling: whether or not Agatha has previously traveled the Witches' Road is called into question, and there are doubts cast on whether she truly traded her son for the Darkhold. Could Agatha be perpetrating rumors and misconceptions to add to her own mythos, and could the Seven of Swords be an attempt to communicate that to Billy?
Lilia Proves That All Roads Lead to Death in 'Agatha All Along'
Image via Disney+ Though Billy's brief attempt at tarot was fairly revealing, we're given a true lesson in divination when Lilia takes over. To begin, Lilia draws the Queen of Cups in the Traveler position. Lilia has traveled through her life to reach this exact moment — meaning, her path winds out of time — and her life ends when the spread is complete. In the What's Missing position, Lilia draws the Three of Pentacles, representing collaboration and community, which she and the coven had been missing before traveling the Witches' Road together. Next, Lilia draws the Knight of Wands and the High Priestess for the Path Behind and Path Ahead, which represent Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn) and Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), respectively. Alice lost her life and the coven continue traveling down the road, meaning the tragedy of Alice’s death is behind them, while Jennifer has yet to reclaim her powers and still walks with the coven, hinting that she could be the coven’s means of reaching the end of the Witches' Road.
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For Agatha, Lilia draws the Three of Swords in the Obstacles position. Agatha’s antagonism and perceived selfishness has been a constant obstacle to the coven while traveling the Road, but the card represents heartbreak and sorrow, meaning the pain Agatha feels could be her own obstacle to reaching the end of the Road. The Tower is drawn reversed for Billy and placed in the Windfall position, meaning Billy's past (or future) miraculous transformation could be a source of good fortune to the coven. Given that Windfall is placed after Obstacles, it could also mean that Billy might save the coven from the obstacles Agatha presents.
Finally, for the Destination position, Lilia draws Death. Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) has been conspicuously missing from the last few episodes, and now we know why: all roads lead to Death, who is revealed to be none other than Rio herself. In tarot, the Death card can mean a literal death but also the ending of things. Considering the episode acts as a penultimate to the last two episodes of the season, which will be aired together, this is a fitting destination. When the reading is complete, the path to the coven's next destination is revealed and lit Green Witch green, meaning the next and final destination is Rio. The coven has nearly reached the end of the Witches' Road, and it looks like their greatest trial is imminent.
New episodes of Agatha All Along stream weekly on Wednesdays on Disney+
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.
Release Date September 18, 2024
Seasons 1
Creator(s) Jac Schaeffer
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