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On Feb. 24, 2021, Kathryn Hahn found herself in an unlikely position: featured No. 1 on the iTunes soundtrack chart with “Agatha All Along.” Hahn’s song in “WandaVision,” a Marvel Cinematic Universe Disney+ series, as her character, Agatha Harkness, reveals her villainous intentions.

The song, paired with Hahn’s charismatic and mischievous performance as Harkness, helped the relatively obscure character gain a new level of popularity among MCU fans. Her fate at the end of “WandaVision” left fans excited about her potential future in the universe.

Taking on the same name as the song “Agatha All Along,” the sequel to “WandaVision” premiered on Sept. 18. Hahn’s performance alongside a host of tremendous supporting actors brings energy to the show and makes it stand out among MCU television.

The show is set three years after the conclusion of “WandaVision,” with Harkness stuck in the spell Wanda Maximoff cast on her. Following Maximoff’s supposed death at the end of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the spell breaks and Harkness can regain her power as a witch.

As she casts off the spell, Hahn transforms from a confused small-town woman to a witch with an evil twinkle in her eye. Her tone and energy change instantly, becoming more boisterous as the scene goes on.

She then meets Teen (Joe Locke), a mysterious character who knows everything about who Harkness was before Maximoff put a spell on her. Teen tells Harkness that he is seeking the “Witches Road,” a mythical place that grants witches anything they want. For Harkness, the end of the road could restore her full power.

To access the road, Harkness and Teen need to form a coven of witches, which they do with Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone) and Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn).

Each coven member shows concern about working with Harkness, who has a reputation among witches for being selfish and ruthless in her quest for power. But, the promise of the road’s end is too much to pass up.

The writing for the nine-episode series gives each coven member a test to highlight their knowledge as witches. Along the way, we learn about the traumas each character carries.

The chemistry between the actresses gives depth and an emotional arc throughout the season. Kale, Calderu and Wu-Gulliver have all had their magic suppressed because of their pasts, and they must work together to reach the end of the road and regain their power.

LuPone and Zamata give especially incredible supporting performances, from witches reluctant to go on the road and work with Harkness, to fully embracing their journey and working together to make it to the end. Unfortunately, the entire coven can’t reach the end of the road, and Calderu and Wu-Gulliver sacrifice themselves to help Harkness, Teen and Kale move forward.

One character who remains a mystery throughout most of the show is Teen. Locke plays him as a mostly innocent kid interested in witchcraft but doesn’t know what he is getting into. As the story progresses, it becomes clear there’s more to Teen than meets the eye.

The series’ pivotal moment comes in episode five, “Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power,” when Teen reveals his identity as Billy Maximoff, or Wiccan, Wanda’s son who disappears after the events of “WandaVision.” Billy’s consciousness is transferred into the body of 13-year-old William Kaplan, giving the former a new lease on life. He’s on the “Witches Road” to find his brother Tommy.

The reveal of Teen as Billy adds an emotional layer to the show. The other coven members are trying to reach the end of the road to obtain power, while Billy just wants to see his brother again. Locke’s performance goes from an affable, curious sidekick to a determined, focused hero who’ll do whatever it takes to find Tommy.

Billy’s journey comes to a head in the series’ penultimate episode, “Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End,” when he has a chance to locate Tommy. Agatha pushes Billy to use his magic to find a body for Tommy’s consciousness, but Billy is hesitant to sacrifice an innocent life to help his brother.

“Agatha, am I killing this boy so my brother can live?” Billy asks. The breaks in Locke’s voice as he delivers the line demonstrates Billy’s internal conflict that Harkness is incapable of feeling.

Not only is this moment the most moving part of the series, but it’s also a great representation of what “Agatha All Along” accomplishes. Before the release, there were concerns that Harkness and the group of characters wouldn’t resonate with fans. But, the lack of prior knowledge and experience with the characters of “Agatha All Along” made the show more enjoyable and one of the most grounded MCU shows.

Since the release of “WandaVision” in January 2021, nine shows have premiered on Disney+ under the MCU umbrella. Outside of moments in “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Loki” and “Hawkeye,” the products have been underwhelming compared to the heights the MCU has reached in its previous movies.

The shows have struggled to tell compelling stories and often spend more time on bloated, CGI-filled fight scenes than character development. “Agatha All Along” perfectly balances Hahn’s humor and absurdity with Locke, LuPone and Zamata’s more emotional and dramatic moments.

Each coven member confronts something about their past and finds the strength to use their powers for good. “Agatha All Along” has an emotional weight largely non-existent in recent MCU projects.

It’s unclear where we will see Harkness and Billy again in the MCU or if the events of “Agatha All Along” will affect Marvel storytelling going forward; yet, that may be for the best. The series felt different and succeeded because of how singular and disconnected it felt. The stakes were high for the characters involved, but not for the entire universe, which is refreshing in an MCU story.

If you ask, “Who would help bring a new type of storytelling to the MCU?”

Turns out, “It was Agatha all along!”

Published on November 6, 2024 at 10:47 pm