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Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agatha Harkness is a character portrayed by Kathryn Hahn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Agatha is depicted as a powerful witch who has long dabbled in dark magic. After murdering her original coven and failing to prevent the death of her son Nicholas Scratch, Agatha spends centuries as a conwoman, using the "Ballad of the Witches' Road" to lure in gullible witches and siphon their powers.
| Agatha Harkness | |
|---|---|
| Marvel Cinematic Universe character | |
Agatha Harkness as portrayed by Kathryn Hahn in Agatha All Along episode "Circle Sewn with Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate" (2024). | |
| First appearance | |
| Based on | |
| Adapted by | Jac Schaeffer |
| Portrayed by | Kathryn Hahn |
| Voiced by | Kathryn Hahn (What If...? season 3) |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Witch |
| Affiliation |
|
| Weapon | |
| Family | Evanora Harkness (mother) |
| Significant other | Death (ex-lover) |
| Children | Nicholas Scratch (son) |
| Origin | Salem, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | American |
Most recently, Agatha infiltrates the Westview anomaly and inserts herself into Wanda Maximoff's life in hopes of unraveling the mystery of her reality-warping abilities. Once her identity comes to light, Agatha battles Maximoff and is trapped in a spell that overrides her identity. She spends three years in Westview playing the part of a harmless, nosy neighbor, until Billy Maximoff breaks her out of the spell. With the Salem Seven and her ex-lover Death chasing after her, Agatha forms a coven of troubled witches and sets out on the Witches' Road in search of power. Having survived the Road's trials, Agatha and Billy face Death in battle, with Agatha sacrificing herself to save Billy's life. She returns as a ghost to guide Billy on his quest to find his twin brother Tommy Maximoff.
The character made her debut in the 2021 Disney+ miniseries WandaVision, and has since appeared in its spinoff, Agatha All Along (2024). An alternate version of Agatha appeared in the third season of the animated series What If...? (2024). Hahn's portrayal of the character has been well-received, and she has earned several accolades for her performance, notably being nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2021 and a Golden Globe Award in 2024.
In 1693, Agatha Harkness murdered her coven, the Salemites, including her mother Evanora, after they attempted to execute her for practicing dark magic. She absorbed the powers of her fellow witches but spared their children, who later formed the Salem's Seven, a group that sought revenge against her. In 1750, Agatha had a son, Nicholas Scratch, who was fated to die at birth. Agatha negotiated with her lover Death to extend Nicholas' life. Over the next six years, Nicholas traveled with his mother and reluctantly assisted her in luring witches to their deaths. Together, they created a song that gained popularity as a folk tune called "The Ballad of the Witches' Road". After Death claimed Nicholas in 1756, Agatha maintained a centuries-long practice of deceiving witches with tales of the Witches' Road in order to drain their powers and kill them.
Agatha Harkness was allegedly present at several major historical events in the 20th century, including the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. In the 1920s, Agatha lived in Boston where she sold spells for financial gain. By the 1970s, she had relocated to Nashville, where she crossed paths with Dolly Parton. Parton slapped her, an event that was caught on camera and inspired the song "Jolene."
In late 2023, Agatha Harkness is drawn to the anomaly of Westview, New Jersey. Intrigued by Wanda Maximoff's ability to alter reality, she infiltrates the Hex and, unaffected by its properties, adopts the persona of "Agnes," a nosy neighbor. As Agnes, Agatha inserts herself into Maximoff's life to learn more about the source of her powers. She becomes involved in various events in Westview, such as helping Maximoff with household tasks and attending the Westview Talent Show. She subtly manipulates situations to raise suspicion about newcomer Geraldine (Monica Rambeau) and later controls the mind of local actor Ralph Bohner to impersonate Maximoff's deceased brother, Pietro. Agatha is involved in looking after Maximoff's children, Tommy and Billy, while intentionally causing Maximoff and Vision to question their reality.
She eventually reveals her true identity as Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch, and manipulates Maximoff into showing her how she created the Westview anomaly. Using the Darkhold's power, Agatha demonstrates her own magical abilities and tries to extract the source of Maximoff's power, chaos magic, while holding Maximoff's children captive. Agatha frees Westview's residents from Maximoff's influence and taunts Maximoff, demanding to learn the secret behind her abilities. In their final confrontation, Maximoff overwhelms Agatha by using runes to limit her magic. Maximoff then traps Agatha in her "Agnes" persona and leaves her in Westview, intended to remain a powerless, harmless neighbor.
For three years, Agatha remains in Westview under Wanda Maximoff's spell as Agnes O'Connor. After Maximoff's death in 2026, Agnes takes on a detective persona to investigate a mysterious corpse found in town. She is forced to collaborate with FBI agent Rio Vidal, with whom she has unclear history. Agnes apprehends a teenage boy for attempted robbery, but his cryptic answers lead her to question her environment. She later visits the coroner's office and, with Vidal's help, identifies the victim's name to be "W. Maximoff". Agnes recalls her true identity as Agatha Harkness when she sees her own name on the victim's library card next to Maximoff's.
After breaking free from Maximoff's spell, Agatha finds herself without magic. She is confronted by Rio Vidal, who vows to disclose Agatha's location to the Salem Seven before departing. Intrigued by the boy she apprehended—whose true identity remains obscured by a magical sigil—Agatha agrees to take him on the Witches' Road: a perilous series of trials that greatly rewards surviving witches. In order to access the Road, Agatha and Teen set out to gather a coven. Using persuasion, threats, and appeals to their desires to regain their powers, the two recruit Lilia Calderu, a divination witch, Jennifer Kale, a potions witch whose magic is bound, and Alice Wu-Gulliver, a blood witch. The coven's final member is Sharon Davis, a local gardener with no magical abilities. When the witches fail to open the Road, Agatha attempts to provoke them into attacking in order to steal their power. A gate unexpectedly forms as Teen bursts in, and Agatha follows the group down the Witches' Road to escape the Salem Seven.
Agatha and her coven emerge onto the Witches' Road, expecting to face trials focused on different branches of witchcraft. The coven enters a coastal house, where they share a bottle of poisoned wine. As they brew an antidote, Agatha hallucinates a crib containing the Darkhold. She encourages Jen to finish the antidote just before the time runs out and escapes with her fellow witches, only to realize that Sharon is dead.
The coven call upon a replacement green witch and, to Agatha's dismay, Rio Vidal raises from Sharon's grave. At a recording studio tied to Lorna Wu, a famous witch musician and Alice's late mother, Rio approaches Agatha and they flirtatiously discuss betraying the group. Attacked by Alice's generational curse, Agatha concludes that Lorna's renowned cover of "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" functions as a protection spell. To destroy the curse, the coven play Lorna's version of the Ballad, with Agatha stepping into the role of frontwoman. On Agatha's distressed urges, Jen successfully heals an injured Teen. Agatha oversees Teen's recovery and they discuss his sigil, but Agatha refuses to engage in conversation about her son Nicholas. Later, Rio approaches Agatha privately, but when Agatha attempts to kiss her, Rio stops her, telling her that Teen is not hers.
Chased by the Salem Seven, Agatha leads the coven in an attempt to flee on makeshift flying broomsticks. They enter a forest cabin and Rio identifies the trial as Agatha's. The witches use a Ouija board to contact the dead and Agatha is possessed by the spirit of her mother Evanora Harkness, whom she murdered. Alice intervenes, attacking with her magic and successfully expelling Evanora. Agatha seizes the opportunity to absorb Alice's power, killing her. Following a violent argument with Teen, Agatha deduces that he is Billy Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff's reincarnated son.
Coming across and entering a castle, Agatha and Billy are presented with the next trial: a tarot reading table. The two attempt reading for each other, but each time they draw a wrong card, a sword falls from the ceiling. Lilia and Jen join them, and, during Lilia's reading for the coven, Agatha's card is revealed to be the Three of Swords—depicting grief, betrayal and heartbreak. Rio Vidal is exposed as the personification of Death and Agatha's ex-lover. Agatha strikes a bargain with Death to ensure Billy's surrender in exchange for Death never seeking her out again. As she rejoins the survivors, Billy and Jen, the trio are transported to the final trial, where they must cultivate a plant within a time limit. It is revealed that Agatha is the one who bound Jen's magic. Agatha assists Billy to locate Tommy's soul and transfer it to the body of a drowning boy. Acknowledging her grief over Nicholas Scratch's death, she completes the trial by herself and escapes the Road.
Agatha emerges in her backyard in Westview, still without magical powers, where Rio confronts her for rejecting her affection and failing to deliver Billy Maximoff. Billy comes to Agatha's rescue, attacking Rio and letting Agatha siphon some of his magic to restore hers. Agatha clashes with Rio but soon admits that it is futile to fight Death. Rio demands that either Agatha or Billy accompany her. Billy volunteers and Agatha agrees to let him proceed. Infiltrating her mind, Billy asks her if this is how her son died. This prompts a change of heart in Agatha, who kisses Rio and dies, with flowers growing where her dead body fell.
In the aftermath of her death, Agatha appears as a ghost in Billy's room to explain it was him who created the Road with his magic—a fact she was always aware of. Billy returns to Westview and attempts to banish Agatha to the afterlife, but reconsiders when Agatha admits she isn't prepared to face her son, whom Billy reminds her of. Billy agrees to work with Agatha and seals off the entrance to the Witches' Road as the two set out to find Tommy.
A version of Agatha is depicted in an alternate reality of the MCU multiverse, appearing in the second episode of the third season of the animated series What If...? (2024), also portrayed by Kathryn Hahn.
In an alternate version of the 1930s, Agatha Harkness discovers the Celestial Tiamut within Earth and devises a plan to steal his energy through a ritual requiring vast resources. To achieve this, she collaborates with Howard Stark, starring in his production to access the necessary tools, and eventually convinces co-star Kingo to join her plan to stop the Emergence. To complete her ritual, Agatha taps into Kingo's energy to siphon Tiamut's power, transforming herself into a godlike being. Arishem arrives to confront her, but Agatha traps him with a rune and absorbs his power. With Arishem gone, Agatha reveals her true plan: to use her newfound Celestial power to dominate the world. Kingo convinces her otherwise, appealing to her love of fame and the transformative power of cinema. At their film's premiere, Agatha and Kingo speak about their vision to inspire humanity, whereas the latter worries that other Celestials will not leave the news of Arishem's death unanswered.
Agatha Harkness first appeared in Fantastic Four #94 (October 1969)[1] as the governess to Franklin Richards, serving as an ally to the Fantastic Four.[2] She trained the Scarlet Witch / Wanda Maximoff in the art of magic[3] and was revealed to be the mother of the warlock Nicholas Scratch and the grandmother of the Salem's Seven. She has also been a member of the Daughters of Liberty. Originally depicted as an elderly woman, Agatha was able to become young again and increased her strength.[4]
The character made her MCU debut in the 2021 Disney+ miniseries WandaVision. Kathryn Hahn's casting in the role of "Agnes", Wanda and Vision's neighbor, was announced at Disney's biennial D23 Expo convention in August 2019. [5][6] Hahn was informed about her character's true identity from the beginning, a revelation that occurs in episode 7, "Breaking the Fourth Wall".[7] Head writer Jac Schaeffer explained the decision to introduce Agatha Harkness was made due to her Marvel Comics connection to Wanda Maximoff's stories.[8] In the early development stages of the show, Agatha was conceived as a mentor figure for Maximoff, more closely referencing her comics counterpart, but Schaeffer realized that making her a proper antagonist would serve the show's structure well. The possibility of Agatha seeking Maximoff's powers to bring her mother back was also explored, but not included in the show. Back when Agatha was planned to be Maximoff's mentor, she was intended to teach her a binding spell that Maximoff would use in the final episode while saying goodbye to the Vision.[9][10] By the end of WandaVision, Agatha is defeated by Maximoff and trapped in a spell suppressing her identity.
Following the conclusion of her character's story in WandaVision, Hahn signed an overall deal with Marvel Studios to reprise her role in multiple projects.[11] A spinoff of WandaVision focusing on Agatha was announced to be in the works by October 2021, with the project undergoing several title changes as part of a marketing strategy until eventually being revealed as Agatha All Along, based on the Wandavision song of the same name.[12] The miniseries was released on Disney+ from September 18 to October 30 and told the story of Agatha and Maximoff's reincarnated son Billy assembling a coven to go down the Witches' Road in search of power.[13] Having sacrificed herself to save Billy, Agatha is transformed into a ghost by the series' conclusion.[14]
What I see is someone grieving. She can't get full. She can't fill herself up, and so she's just eating and eating and eating. [...] I was really enchanted with the idea that Agatha's truth, and her true pain, was very human and very pedestrian.
Preparing for her role in WandaVision, Kathryn Hahn researched her character's comics counterpart. Hahn imagined Agatha "really enjoyed sticking around and being in these sitcoms", and portrayed her relationship with Wanda Maximoff as a witch who has been "flying around for a couple of centuries without a coven" and "would love to have a friend for a second". Hahn called Agatha's real persona "very done-up and very big", and felt her character had a "restless" quality as she studied Maximoff.[16]
When continuing the character's story in Agatha All Along, showrunner Jac Schaeffer and Hahn deemed it important for Agatha to maintain the character's "acerbic, sarcastic, self-involved" demeanor while placing her in a position where she begrudgingly needs a community.[17] Schaeffer has described Agatha as a "frustrated, mean mentor" whose best self emerges when teaching others.[18]: 5:00 Hahn has referred to her character as "the ultimate conartist" and "a blooming onion, because there's so many layers that are yet to be peeled".[19] It was decided early into development for Agatha All Along that Agatha would not have a redemption arc. Following the series' conclusion, Schaeffer commented, "I do think we witness change in this woman, but she's not a good guy at the end of the show, and I don't think she ever will be."[20] Schaeffer intended Agatha's past with Nicholas Scratch to serve as an emotional core for the character and be representative of "her truth". Schaeffer maintained that Agatha would "understand the permanence of his [Nicholas'] death" and subvert the villain trope of being motivated by a desire to resurrect a loved one.[15] Agatha's relationship with Death stemmed from a natural discussion about the kind of character Agatha would be drawn to and who would, in turn, be drawn to her. Schaeffer described their dynamic as reflecting Agatha's attraction to power and her desire to be challenged, serving as a metaphor for her complex and enduring relationship with the concept of death.[18]: 6:28 [21] Addressing the character's sexuality, Hahn remarked: "I don't think you can put Agatha in a box".[22]
In the MCU, Agatha Harkness possessed a range of magical abilities prior to being trapped under the Scarlet Witch's spell. She wielded dark magic and was able to absorb life force energy and power from others, as seen in the trial flashback in WandaVision and her centuries-long Witches' Road con in Agatha All Along. Most of her magical prowess is displayed during WandaVision episodes "Previously On" and "The Series Finale" when she faces Wanda Maximoff, and in Agatha All Along episode "Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End" when she battles Death. Agatha casts binding runes that disable other witches' magic within her controlled space, and creates illusions to deceive others, such as transforming herself into a 1950s, black-and-white look to blend in with Maximoff's Hex upon arriving in Westview. She influences and manipulates memories, emotions, and perceptions, as she does extracting Maximoff's memories. She demonstrates the ability to alter the form of objects, transforming a cicada into a bird in "Previously On", and takes control of Ralph Bohner's mind in "Breaking the Fourth Wall", forcing him to play the part of Pietro. In her battles against Maximoff in "The Series Finale" and Death in "Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End", Agatha levitates, manipulates objects with her magic, and generates magical energy, often displayed as purple-hued blasts or shields. Having studied the Darkhold, Agatha possesses knowledge of ancient and forbidden magic. In addition to being able to look inside and manipulate other people's minds, Agatha can also guard her own against psionic intrusions from the likes of Wanda and Billy Maximoff. She incapacitated Jennifer Kale's magical abilities in the 1900s through a binding spell. Agatha has a longer lifespan than the average human, with flashbacks of her past set as early as 1693. As a ghost, Agatha is initially incapable of interacting with physical objects, but is able to pick up her brooch within minutes.[23][24][25]
Agatha in the MCU has had a distinctly villainous depiction compared to her comic book counterpart, who is an ally to the Fantastic Four and a long-term mentor to Wanda Maximoff.[26] Originally intended to align with her Marvel Comics role as a magical teacher, Jac Schaeffer pivoted the character to a villain to serve as a foil for Maximoff.[9] By the end of Agatha All Along, the character references her comics version more extensively as she transforms into a ghost and guides Maximoff's son, Billy, on his journey.[15] Portrayed by Kathryn Hahn, Agatha's physical appearance in the MCU is aged-down in comparison to the comics prior to her revival and the restoration of her youthful look. At the end of Agatha All Along, she adopts some of the comic character's significant design traits, such as a translucent look, white hair and a purple gown.[27] While both versions of the character possess extensive magical knowledge, Agatha's power in the MCU revolves around siphoning other witches' energy. She is also a known practitioner of dark magic, and wielded the Darkhold before losing it to Maximoff.[24] Instead of a black cat called Ebony,[26] Agatha's MCU familiar is a bunny named Señor Scratchy.[28] Agatha's son Nicholas Scratch, a villainous character in the comics,[26] has not been introduced as an adult into the MCU, having passed away as a child.[15] Agatha's connection to the Salem Seven is reimagined, shifting from being their grandmother[26] to having killed their mothers, who were once part of her former coven.[29]: 2:47 Agatha's quest on the Witches' Road draws inspiration from Wanda Maximoff's journey in the comics, where Agatha appears as her guide.[30] Unlike her comic books counterpart, Agatha in the MCU is often associated with musical numbers, including "Agatha All Along" in WandaVision,[31] multiple performances of "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" in Agatha All Along,[32][33][34] and a swing dance number in the third season of What If...?.[35]
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In WandaVision, Agatha was celebrated for her comedic timing and her subsequent transition into a genuine threat for the character of Wanda Maximoff.[36][37][38][39][40] Her theme song, "Agatha All Along", went viral after appearing in "Breaking the Fourth Wall",[41] peaking at number one on iTunes' Soundtrack chart, reaching fifth on iTunes' Top 100 singles chart,[42] and debuted on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart at number 36.[43] It also earned the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media.[44][45]
Following the conclusion of Agatha All Along, many appreciated the character for presenting a more vulnerable side without overriding her dark nature. Jean Henegan of Pop Culture Maniacs celebrated the Agatha-centric miniseries for "letting her [Agatha] simply be the morally bankrupt character we loved from WandaVision – just with much more personally at stake this time around."[46] Caroline Framke of Vulture praised Agatha's depiction, writing, "[She] was not a good person, but she is a great character."[47] CBR's Joshua M. Patton concluded that avoiding a redemption arc for Agatha allowed her to become "more human and sympathetic" without compromising her villainy, which he described as "the best choice for a villain-focused series like this."[48] The character has garnered praise from queer critics and the LGBTQ+ community following her relationship with Death in Agatha All Along.[49][50][51][15]
Hahn's portrayal of Agatha has been critically acclaimed. She is one of three actors to receive a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for their work on an MCU project, and one of four actors to receive a Golden Globe Award nomination.[52][53] In 2021, critics praised her portrayal of Agatha's reveal in WandaVision, concluding, "Hahn looms large and seriously in charge of her craft".[54] Writing for Tell-Tale TV in 2024, Mufsin Mahbub stated that Agatha All Along "does well in showcasing Hahn's ability to play this role and why audiences have been captivated by her mischievous character" as Hahn "continues to own the role [...] with her quippy dialogue and deliciously devilish persona". [55][56] Taylor Gates of Collider praised Hahn's performance in Agatha All Along, writing: "Hahn continues to one-up herself every week with the range of emotions this part demands her to play — not to mention the speed this show asks her to toggle between them."[57] Reviewing Agatha All Along's conclusion, Alan French of Sunshine State Cineplex summarized Hahn's portrayal of Agatha as "stunning" and "providing an excellent coda to the virtuosic [...] episodes she already delivered".[58]
For portraying the character in WandaVision episode "The Series Finale", Hahn was named TVLine's Performer of the Week on March 6, 2021. The website's commentary reads, "Agatha's cruel power was made clear through Hahn's acting choices, like the way her eyes lit up just before her old coven turned on Wanda, or the pleasure she took in revealing that the Hex couldn't actually be fixed with a new spell. Plus, that witchy cackle of hers? Top-notch." [59] For her work on Agatha All Along's fifth episode, "Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power", Hahn was a featured performer once again, this time as an honorable mention for the week ending October 12, 2024. Rebecca Iannucci commented that "Kathryn Hahn has one of the most formidable acting ranges in the business" and commended her for "her comedy chops [...] and her subtle dramatic skill".[60] The publication went on to include Hahn among their 20 finalists for Performer of the Year in December 2024, with R. I. praising her "delicate moments: her hints of genuine longing for Rio; the glimpses of grief over her son's death; and her surprising — ill-advised, even! — protectiveness over Teen".[61] In 2024, Agatha Harkness and Billy Maximoff were among TVLine's Top 20 Non-Romantic TV Duos of 2024. Agatha and Rio Vidal's fight scene in Agatha All Along episode "Seekest Thou the Road" was featured as one of the website's 20 Sexiest Scenes of the year.[62][63]
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