The upcoming Agatha All Along series on Disney Plus will bring Agatha Harkness’s rich comic book history into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), exploring her ancient origins, her connection to dark magic, and her ties to other Marvel characters like Wanda Maximoff and the Fantastic Four. In the comics, Agatha is a powerful witch whose life dates back thousands of years, even predating the legendary Atlantis.
Her long life and immense powers are the results of centuries spent practicing magic, often in ways that blur the line between light and dark. This ancient background establishes her as one of Marvel’s most complex and morally ambiguous figures, able to act as both ally and adversary to various heroes.
In her comic book past, Agatha has a layered history, including her involvement in the Salem Witch Trials, where she led a coven in Salem, Massachusetts. Unlike typical portrayals of the trials, Marvel’s version depicts Agatha as a formidable leader who saw these events as a “culling” to weed out weaker coven members.
Over the years, she continued her mystical practices and trained other witches, even aligning herself with American forces during the Revolutionary War and World War II. These elements add depth to her character, painting her as someone who pursues power for her own ends, while sometimes aiding heroes when it serves her interests. The series may use some of these historical aspects to ground her character further within the MCU’s mystical universe.
Agatha’s comic interactions with the Fantastic Four and her time as Franklin Richards’ governess connect her to the modern Marvel Universe, eventually leading her to cross paths with Wanda Maximoff. Her role as Franklin’s caretaker brought her into conflicts with magical threats like Salem’s Seven, a group led by her son, Nicholas Scratch.
Her complicated family relationships and her return from death after being burned by her own son’s followers add complexity to her character. By incorporating figures like Nicholas Scratch or Salem’s Seven, Agatha All Along could bring in Agatha’s mysterious past and her ongoing ties to the magical realms within Marvel.
One of the most important relationships in Agatha’s story is her mentorship of Wanda Maximoff. After her first death, Agatha’s spirit continued to guide Wanda, recognizing her potential in chaos magic and eventually helping her understand her powers. This relationship allowed Wanda to develop her abilities but also led her into darker territory, including using magic to create her twin sons, William and Thomas.
These children were later revealed to be extensions of the demon Mephisto, adding tragedy and complexity to Wanda’s life. Should Agatha All Along take inspiration from these storylines, it could deepen Wanda’s MCU story and introduce new mystical dimensions to the franchise.
In WandaVision, Agatha is reimagined as a younger, more overtly sinister character who sustains her power by absorbing the life force of her coven during the Salem Witch Trials. Her quest to harness Wanda’s “Chaos Magic” establishes her as a dangerous adversary, willing to manipulate others to increase her strength.
In Agatha All Along, her journey continues as she walks the Witches’ Road, hoping to rebuild her powers by gathering a new coven. This storyline promises to expand the MCU’s mystical lore, possibly linking Agatha to other magical entities and powerful artifacts along the way.
A particularly intriguing aspect of Agatha All Along is the appearance of a teenage character named “Teen,” portrayed by Joe Locke. Fans speculate that he could be Wiccan, or Billy Kaplan, Wanda’s son and a founding member of the Young Avengers in the comics.
Another theory suggests that he could be a new embodiment of the Darkhold in human form, similar to a recent comic arc where Agatha raises a humanoid version of the book. With the Darkhold temple destroyed in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, “Teen” might represent both the Darkhold and Billy Kaplan. The series is poised to answer these questions, potentially opening up new supernatural avenues in the MCU and setting the stage for future mystical narratives.
