Things We Want In The Agatha Harkness Spinoff
As soon as "WandaVision" was announced, faithful Marvel fans suspected that Agatha Harkness might be seen in the series — after all, in the comics, she was responsible for helping train the Scarlet Witch in the proper use of her magical abilities. When the mysterious "Agnes" (played by the scene-stealing Kathryn Hahn) first appeared onscreen, teasing viewers with hints that something sinister was afoot, many viewers were split between whether she was actually Agatha or a red herring for a bigger reveal like Mephisto.
In the end, Agnes was in fact revealed to be Agatha — as we learned, "It was Agatha All Along!" It was Agatha who was responsible for most of the events in the show, tormenting Wanda in a twisted attempt to unleash the fabled Scarlet Witch, one of the most powerful beings known to magic. It was Agatha who was responsible for pushing Wanda to the edges of sanity with a long list of nefarious deeds that included giving Ralph Bohner the identity of Wanda's dead brother Pietro. And she killed Sparky!
With an Agatha Harkness series reportedly in the works at Disney+, and Hahn set to reprise her role as the troublesome witch, we're wondering what we'll get. Will the series delve into Agatha's backstory? Will it explore her connection to the wider MCU? We've done some thinking, and here's a look at some of the things we most want to see in the Agatha Harkness spinoff.
Her history with the Salem Witch Trials
In the opening moments of "Previously On," the eighth episode of "WandaVision," we bear witness to the secret origin of Agatha Harkness, and her "trial" in Salem, Massachusetts. Agatha's own mother, another powerful witch named Evanora – along with the rest of her coven — condemns Agatha, attempting to destroy her for crimes she has apparently committed against their dark arts.
Agatha's mother leads the coven in binding her to a stake, telling the young witch "You have stolen knowledge above your age and station. You practiced the darkest of magic!" We later learn this is a reference to the Darkhold, but in the moment, we don't know which knowledge she's stolen exactly or why. Agatha is able to break free and turn the tables, easily overpowering the entire coven. She drains the life force from their bodies, her mother's included — an early example of what we later learn is her ability to steal power from the undeserving. But how did she get so powerful and how was she discovered? What dark magic does she possess and what was she planning on doing with it back in Salem? Glimpsed only briefly thus far, her time in Salem is ripe for exploring in her solo series.
Agatha Harkness, Agent of SHIELD
In Marvel's "Ultimates" continuity, separate from the main Marvel 616 Universe, Agatha Harkness was introduced in the pages of "Ultimate Fantastic Four" #54 in 2008. Appearing as a hydra that mutates into the form of a human woman, she infiltrates S.H.I.E.L.D., posing as a psychiatrist, to get access to the government-funded think tank they call "The Baxter Building" — where the Fantastic Four, among others, conduct a variety of experiments and develop advanced new technologies.
Though S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer exists in the MCU thanks to the events of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," they have been essentially replaced by S.W.O.R.D. We still know very little about the clandestine government organization other than that it has existed since 1995 and was founded at least in part by Maria Rambeau, whose daughter Monica clashes with Agatha during "WandaVision." Harkness masquerading as an agent of either S.H.I.E.L.D. or S.W.O.R.D. could give some good background to the events of "WandaVision," including a possible professional relationship with Monica's mother. It would also help tie her history more closely into the events of the first three phases of the MCU.
The extent of Marvel witchcraft
It took nearly a decade for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to come right out and incorporate magic with "Doctor Strange." And while we've seen the good doctor practice plenty of his own brand of the stuff, from protection spells and portals to foresight and crimson binding bands — and we'll no doubt see plenty more in "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness," which will co-star the Scarlet Witch — we still haven't seen the full extent and the true power of magic in the MCU.
It's also not quite clear yet if Strange's magic is the same as Wanda's, or the witchcraft practiced by Agatha Harkness and her coven. In fact, the visual representation of their spells and powers could suggest otherwise. So what exactly is the true nature of witchcraft in the MCU, and just how powerful is it? We've only seen a few hints, including energy draining spells, transmutation, mind control, and illusions.
We also don't know if Agatha and Wanda are the only two witches still around. It's entirely possible, and perhaps even likely, that more covens still exist, and are using their powers around the globe. Agatha Harkness' own series will be the first time we'll get a real glimpse of an experienced MCU witch in action, and it's a great place to explore just what a Marvel witch can do — and what other witches may be up to.
Agatha as mentor
In Marvel Comics, one of Agatha Harkness' most important roles has been mentor to Scarlet Witch, a role she desperately offers up to Wanda in the final moments of the "WandaVision" finale after she's defeated — and one that Wanda firmly rejects. In the series it's said that Wanda has the power, but not the knowledge, to control the magic she wields. Though Wanda is seen in the post-credits scene studying from the Darkhold, she could still use a teacher to help her use and control her chaos magic. Who better than the centuries-old Harkness?
We still don't know Agatha's true purpose in her attempt to steal the powers of the Scarlet Witch. She may have had less than sinister motives, perhaps even a noble end goal that required an experienced witch to wield those powers ... such as avoiding the end of the world, as had been prophesied, perhaps? It's also possible that after the events of "Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness," she'll be rescued from Westview by Strange and tasked with helping properly train and mentor Wanda, giving Agatha a path to redemption. If the comics are any sort of roadmap to the future of the character, we're betting something that may just happen, especially as the "WandaVision" showrunners have revealed that early versions of the story had Agatha as the mentor figure.
Babysitter to a famous foursome
In addition to being Scarlet Witch's mentor, Agatha Harkness has also been the babysitter for Marvel's First Family, the Fantastic Four. She watched over little Franklin Richards (and eventually his sister Valeria), protecting them from a list of villains that includes the Frightful Four and Annihilus — and proving as capable and powerful as any hero in the Marvel Universe.
While there is currently no Fantastic Four in the MCU, they are expected to be introduced, perhaps as soon as 2023, in the "Fantastic Four" movie to be directed by "Spider-Man: No Way Home" helmer Jon Watts. As Deadline reported, Kathryn Hahn's deal to reprise her role as Agatha Harkness includes a commitment for appearances "across the MCU — on streaming and in movies." What better place for her to pop up than as an ally and babysitter for Reed Richards and Sue Storm in "The Fantastic Four"? It might even make sense for Marvel to introduce the team with Reed and Sue already married with children.
Perhaps Harkness, if she does turn hero at the end of her series, might be looking for a job ... and the final scene could show Agatha arriving for her first day at the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four.
How Agatha fits into the wider MCU
We've seen Agatha Harkness at the Salem Witch Trials and we've seen her in the present day, so we know she's hundreds of years old. If she's been around that long, who else has she interacted with in the MCU? It's certainly possible that she has a history with the Eternals, heroes who are said to have been on Earth for thousands of years, if not longer. It's also possible that she has some knowledge of the Ten Rings.
Beyond the bounds of Earth, we've also seen that certain sorcerers in the MCU have awareness of cosmic goings-on. The Ancient One and Wong were well aware of the Infinity Stones, Asgardians, Celestials, and more. Could Agatha be acquainted with beings like the Skrulls and the Watcher? We know from the "Spider-Man: No Way Home" trailer that Doctor Strange is at least aware of the existence of the multiverse. Maybe Agatha knows more than we realize. If she does, that might even explain why she chose Ralph Bohner, who bore a striking resemblance to another universe's Pietro Maximoff, to play the part of Wanda's brother.
We've seen Marvel retcon characters into parts of MCU history, so showing us how Agatha factored into past events could be a fun idea to explore in her own series.
Nicholas Scratch and Salem's Seven
If you're just getting acquainted with the history of Agatha Harkness in Marvel Comics, you're in for some wonderfully bizarre, trippy stories — including the story of her son, Nicholas Scratch, who becomes one of Marvel's pantheon of powerful wizards and fathers seven children by seven different mothers. Together they form a villainous group called Salem's Seven, who debut in "Fantastic Four" #186. The group is based in New Salem, Colorado, a hidden magical city founded as a safe haven for victims of the Salem witch trials. This feels like a natural route for an Agatha Harkness series to explore. What if after her expulsion in the 1600s, she founded New Salem and became a mother to Nicholas?
In the comics, the team attacks Agatha for living among humans and betraying their magical community, and this too seems like good source material for Agatha's spinoff series. Over the years, Nicholas Scratch and Salem's Seven have come into conflict with a variety of Marvel heroes, including Scarlet Witch and Vision, Doctor Strange, and even Deadpool.
Her time at Wundagore
Marvel Comics are known for incorporating a variety of unique and wondrous fictional locations, and in "Thor" #134, fans saw the introduction of the Wundagore Mountains. Created by the High Evolutionary, it was originally intended to be a safe harbor for the villainous mad scientist to conduct his genetic experiments, and it's occasionally been home to Agatha Harkness as well. Scarlet Witch has been connected to Wundagore ever since she and her brother Pietro went looking for the place of their birth. According to their original origin story, they were born in one of the High Evolutionary's laboratories, but not as one of his experiments: Their mother stumbled on Wundagore while seeking to escape her villainous husband (who we'd later learn was the X-Men's Magneto), and gave birth there.
The "WandaVision" finale could have already shown us a glimpse of Wundagore: in the post-credits sequence, we see Wanda hiding out in a cabin in a mountainous region. If this is in fact Wundagore, it could have a similar history in the MCU as a nexus point for magic and science. Could there be a history there with Harkness too, as in the comics? In "WandaVision," Harkness is seen carrying a potted plant that could be the Wundagore Everbloom, and her solo series could explore this further.
Agatha and the Daughters of Liberty
More recently in the comics, Agatha Harkness was revealed to have been once recruited for an all-female super team dubbed the Daughters of Liberty, who were founded centuries ago as a sisterhood of guardians spreading knowledge and freedom in the early Americas. The leader of the group is a mysterious hooded figure known as The Dryad, a mantle passed down through generations. They were trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat, but also in the ways of magic — taught by none other than Agatha.
The team was reassembled most recently by the Dryad — revealed to be a rejuvenated version of Peggy Carter — to help clear Captain America's name when he's framed for the murder of Thaddeus Ross. This roster includes Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman), Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird), and Misty Knight, most of whom were recruited by Sharon Carter. Even a passing reference to Agatha being a member of the original group in the early days of the 13 colonies would be a fun nod, and set up a reemergence of the team in the modern day, with or without her. With the recent rumors that Captain Carter may make her way to live action, the Daughters of Liberty would be an interesting story to explore.