Agatha Harkness is finally back.
After wreaking a bit of havoc and helping to end Wanda Maximoff’s idyllic small-town family life in “WandaVision,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s favorite insidious and perfidious witch will take center stage in “Agatha All Along,” a new spin-off series premiering Wednesday on Disney+.
Played by Kathryn Hahn, the character was introduced as Agnes, Wanda and Vision's nosy neighbor. The New Jersey housewife's true identity was eventually revealed to be Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch who had been drawn to the neighborhood by Wanda's magic.
As usual, Marvel Studios has kept much of the new series under wraps. “Agatha All Along” picks up shortly after the events of “WandaVision” and will follow Agatha, who has had her powers taken away. Presumably, the series will see the witch back to her old tricks with the help of new friends.
“WandaVision” aired in 2021 and most of the characters, including Agatha, haven’t been seen or mentioned in the MCU for years. Ahead of the premiere of “Agatha All Along,” here’s a refresher on the character, her history, and everything you need to know.
“Agatha All Along” picks up some time after the events of “WandaVision” and will follow an Agatha who has been stripped of her powers.
(Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel)
Who is Agatha Harkness?
Agatha's backstory is revealed in episode 8 of “WandaVision.” In 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts, a younger Agatha was dragged off and tied to a stake to face accusations of betraying her coven. Among her alleged crimes were stealing knowledge beyond her age and social standing and practicing “darker” magic.
After Agatha pleaded for mercy, insisting she had only broken the rules, her coven, led by her mother, attacked her. Agatha then absorbed all of her coven's magical powers, killing them in the process. In the “WandaVision” finale, Agatha says her “thing” is to “take power away from those who don't deserve it.”
What was he doing in 'WandaVision'?
Unlike the other residents of Westview, Agatha is aware of the town's haunted state and was merely following along with Wanda's fantasy. Drawn to Wanda's reality-altering powers, the centuries-old witch had been manipulating events to figure out how Wanda was pulling off the immense magical feat of casting a spell on an entire New Jersey town. (Speaking of evil: Agatha even admits to killing Wanda's family dog.)
Eventually, Agatha's patience wears thin and she attempts to force Wanda to reveal her secrets. She discovers that the grieving Wanda is a wielder of chaos magic, making her the mythical Scarlet Witch. Agatha's desire to steal Wanda's power for herself leads to an epic magical showdown in the “WandaVision” finale.
Despite centuries of knowledge, Agatha is unable to defeat the Scarlet Witch. Wanda uses one of the elder witch's lessons against her and absorbs all of Agatha's magic. Wanda also uses her power to wipe Agatha's mind so she can live her life in Westview as nosy neighbor Agnes.
The teenager (Joe Locke), left, Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) in “Agatha All Along.” The series will presumably see the witch back to her old tricks with the help of new friends.
(Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel)
What has Agatha been up to since 'WandaVision'?
Agatha Harkness hasn’t been mentioned in the MCU since the events of “WandaVision,” so she’s presumably still living a magic-free life like Agnes.
Is Agatha like this in the comics?
Not really. With comic book origins dating back to the late 1960s, Agatha was introduced in the “Fantastic Four” series as the governess to the daughter of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman). Marvel’s first family is set to make its official MCU debut (the 2005 film was released by 20th Century Fox, before it was acquired by Disney) in the upcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” scheduled for 2025.
Usually depicted as an older woman, Agatha is a powerful witch who is eventually asked to help Wanda with her magic and becomes her friend and mentor. She has been killed several times over the years, but that hasn't stopped her from appearing when needed, even as a spirit. Her son, Nicholas Scratch, is a villain who has clashed with the Fantastic Four.
Agatha has played a major role in several storylines involving Wanda's relationship with her sons, Billy and Tommy. In the 2015-2017 comic book series Scarlet Witch, Agatha accompanies Wanda on her journey down the Witch's Path.
Joe Locke and Kathryn Hahn in “Agatha All Along.”
(Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel)
What is 'Agatha All Along'?
Set after the events of “WandaVision,” “Agatha All Along” will see the eponymous witch team up with a goth teen to form a coven of misfit witches in an attempt to regain her powers. The spinoff series takes its title from the catchy song written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez that revealed Agatha’s identity in “WandaVision” Episode 7.
Created by “WandaVision’s” Jac Schaeffer, the nine-episode series also stars Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, Patti LuPone and Aubrey Plaza.
Wait, what happened to Wanda and Vision after 'WandaVision'?
At the end of the series, Wanda is shown studying Agatha's copy of the Darkhold, a tome of dark magic also known as the Book of the Damned. Her desire to reunite with her sons Billy and Tommy leads to the events of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (2022). Wanda was last seen destroying all copies of the “Darkhold” and being crushed under a pile of rubble in the process.
The Vision that Wanda created with her magic disappeared at the end of “WandaVision” after Wanda undid the magic spell that altered Westview’s reality. But the rebuilt Vision sent to destroy Wanda flew away from the town after gaining access to his previous memories as an Avenger. The story of this Vision will continue in the upcoming series “Vision Quest,” which is scheduled to premiere in 2026.
