Marvel’s next TV series is kicking off spooky season, with the first two episodes of “Agatha All Along” hitting Disney+ on Wednesday. But you probably shouldn’t head into this one blind.
The good news is, you don’t need to remember the entirety of the MCU to understand what’s happening in this series. You just need a few key plot points from “WandaVision” and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”
The other good news is, if you don’t have time to go back and watch those, we’ve got you covered right here! You’ll find exactly what you need to remember below.
Agatha’s introduction
Agatha was first introduced as nosy neighbor Agnes in “WandaVision.” She was the embodiment of the trope, always popping in on Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) for thinly veiled snooping.
But when she finally reveals herself as Agatha Harkness — through an earworm of a song that became the series’ namesake — we learn that she’s actually a centuries-old witch who was drawn to Wanda’s magic radiating from the hex she put on Westview.
Agatha seeks power above all else, and we learn that she stole the powers of her own coven hundreds of years earlier (years that Joe Locke’s character in “Agatha All Along” has apparently studied dutifully).
How did “WandaVision” end?
The piece of Agatha’s “WandaVision” story that matters most to “Agatha All Along” comes in the limited series’ finale.
In their final battle, Agatha attempts to goad Wanda into blasting her, which is the only way Agatha is able to take another witch’s power (this fine print is also important to remember). But Wanda outsmarts her, casting runes around the hex; only the witch who cast the runes in a given space can use her powers.
And so, Wanda fully becomes the Scarlet Witch, stripping Agatha of her own powers. As extra punishment, Wanda puts Agatha under a spell, making her believe she really is Agnes the nosy neighbor and leaving her to live in Westview.
When “Agatha All Along” kicks off, Agatha is still under that spell. Aubrey Plaza and Joe Locke’s characters each work to break it for her.
Where is Wanda now?
Well in theory, she’s dead.
At the end of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” Wanda realizes how corrupted she’s been by the Darkhold — the ancient book of spells that Agatha possessed for years before Wanda took it from her (that’s important, too) — and opts to destroy the temple of the Scarlet Witch.
She does that by using her magic to collapse the fortress — on top of her. And that brings us to the start of “Agatha All Along,” where the cops find a Jane Doe with blackened fingers (that’s what happens when you use dark magic) dead in the wilderness from blunt force trauma.
So, with Wanda seemingly gone, Agatha is able to break free of her spell. We’re not totally convinced Wanda’s really gone though. More on that later.
In the meantime, you are now caught up and prepared to start watching “Agatha All Along.”
The first two episodes of “Agatha All Along” hit Disney+ on Wednesday, September 18 at 6 p.m. PT.
