Everything to Remember Before Watching Agatha All Along

It’s time to start blasting that catchy song from WandaVision on repeat because our favorite witch is returning to the small screen! Agatha All Along, named after that eponymous tune, is poised to take Disney+ by storm as the next live-action series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Starring Kathryn Hahn as the down-but-not-out Agatha Harkness, the show looks to darken our Spooky Season with plenty of Marvel magic.

I adored WandaVision. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s my favorite Marvel live-action series (well, save the Netflix shows), with Loki not far behind it. I love the sitcom homages, unbridled magic, and kookier elements. Plus, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda floors me every time I watch. What a performance. Hahn is also compelling as the delightfully wicked Agatha.

I’m hoping we’ll get similar vibes with this spinoff, especially with the same creative team for WandaVision behind it. To celebrate the show’s impending arrival, I’ve compiled a list of things to remember before you dip your toes (or dive right into) Agatha All Along.

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Agatha Harkness’ Comic Origins

Agatha Harkness made her comic book debut in Fantastic Four #94 in October of 1969. She’s one of many Stan Lee/Jack Kirby character creations. An ancient and powerful witch, Agatha has lived so long that she recalls a time well before Atlantis made its home in the ocean’s depths.

Agatha developed an interest in witchcraft during the Salem witch trials, bearing the distinction of being one of the original witches. For most of her comic run, she was an elderly woman; however, she eventually regained her youthful appearance. At one point, Agatha became a member of the Daughters of Liberty, an organization dedicated to protecting freedom for all.

Then, she met Wanda Maximoff, AKA Scarlet Witch, and took the latter under her wing. She trained Wanda on how to harness her magical abilities. Eventually, Agatha erased Wanda’s memories of her sons, Billy and Tommy, after it was revealed that Mephisto – Marvel’s version of the Devil – absorbed them.

During her long life, Agatha had a son, Nicholas Scratch, who became a major antagonist for the Fantastic Four.

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Agatha in WandaVision

In WandaVision, the first live-action TV series in the MCU, Agatha Harkness resides in Westview posing as Agnes, Wanda and Vision’s eccentric neighbor. While Wanda and Vision, along with their children, live through various sitcom tropes spanning the 1950s to the 2000s, “Agnes” continues to meddle in their affairs.

When Wanda discovers that Westview is a fabrication of her own devising, borne from her grief over Thanos killing Vision, Agatha reveals her true identity. She was drawn to Westview because of Wanda’s use of chaos magic to create it.

Later, we see Agatha’s origins in the MCU via flashbacks to the Salem witch trials, wherein her own coven accuses her of practicing dark magic. Though Agatha and Wanda’s relationship is more antagonistic than that of mentor/mentee, Wanda picks up a few tricks from the centuries-old witch.

Agatha attempts to steal our Scarlet Witch’s chaos magic. However, Wanda defeats Agatha in the WandaVision series finale, stripping the latter of her powers and entrapping her in Westview in perpetuity.

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The Plot of Agatha All Along

Somehow Agatha finds freedom from Wanda’s spell, which bound her to Westview, with the aid of a goth teen. He begs her to take him to the Witches’ Road, a plane only accessible to sorcerers. They piece together a coven to embark on this journey, where they must endure a series of trials to regain what they’ve lost. I’m assuming, in Agatha’s case, it’s her magic.

Meanwhile, a bevy of tragedies strikes Westview, which will undoubtedly tie into the overarching narrative.

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The Cast and Crew of Agatha All Along

The nine-episode miniseries stars Kathryn Hahn as our titular witch; Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu, another powerful witch; Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal, the Green Witch; Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale, a sorceress of the Cult of Zhered-Na; Ali Ahn as Alice Wu-Gulliver, a witch specializing in protection (via abilities inherited from her mother per the comics), and Joe Locke, the aforementioned goth teen.

We’ll also see the return of a few familiar faces from WandaVision, including Emma Caulfield Ford as Dottie Jones and Debra Jo Rupp as Mrs. Hart.

Jac Schaeffer, the creator of WandaVision, serves as head writer for the series and directs one episode.

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How Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Factors into Agatha’s Story

After her time in Westview, Wanda absconded with the Darkhold, a grimoire of immense power once owned by Agatha, and continued to hone her abilities. She lost her family at the end of WandaVision, and upon noticing that her sons are alive in every reality but her current one, Wanda endeavors to bring them home. Of course, Doctor Strange catches wind of Wanda’s dark turn and attempts to stop her.

Wanda eventually grapples with the repercussions of her actions and the unfathomable body count in her wake. She sacrifices herself by obliterating the Darkhold Castle, which sits atop Mount Wundagore. Now, whether Marvel decides to revive her remains to be seen (I sure hope so, though).

As for the Darkhold itself, Wanda destroys it in Multiverse of Madness, along with all the other copies in existence. I’ll be curious to see if Agatha discovers this in Agatha All Along and how it’ll affect her as its former owner.

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