Tag: MCU TV

  • ‘Agatha All Along’: Teen’s Big Episode 6 Origin Reveal Explained

    ‘Agatha All Along’: Teen’s Big Episode 6 Origin Reveal Explained

    Through its first six episodes, Marvel Studios’ first WandaVision spinoff, Agatha All Along, has been nothing short of spellbinding. In Episode 5, “Darkest Hour/Wake They Power”, creator Jac Schaeffer revealed that Joe Locke‘s unassuming Teen was actually Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy. Though it was certainly not a surprise to hardcore fans of either the MCU or Marvel Comics, general audiences who don’t read comics or scour the internet for every leak, rumor and scoop may have found themselves not only surprised but a little confused about how Earth-616 Billy, who disappeared when Wanda undid The Hex, could be alive and rather well. More multiversal shenanigans? More magic? Fortunately, the wait to find out was not a long one as Episode 6, “Familiar By Thy Side”, set out to explain the previous episode’s twist.

    Though the big Billy reveal was indeed part of multiple and widespread leaks about Agatha All Along, the “how” of it all was not necessarily front-page news. And as is Marvel Studios’ way, Schaeffer chose not to follow along step-by-step with the way Marvel Comics handled Billy Maximoff’s “rebirth”, opting to create a more connected in-universe option. For those who haven’t seen it yet or find themselves a little confused, let’s look at how it all went down.

    Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024

    Even if the mechanics of it all aren’t quite clear right away, the bare bones explanation for what’s going on is that just as Billy Maximoff and his brother, Tommy, disappeared as their mother ended the hex that created them, a teenager named William Kaplan (Locke) was killed in a single car accident. As Kaplan’s soul left his body, Billy’s soul moved into the “empty vessel” and as the body reanimated, it was Billy behind the wheel.

    As he explains in the episode, Billy has none of William Kaplan’s memories and has been essentially posing as the teen for three years, a stranger within the body of another person. Interestingly enough, Billy retained the psionic powers he displayed in WandaVision while also, obviously, learning spellcraft along the way.

    Moving forward, it should be clear that Locke’s Teen is truly Billy Maximoff wearing the skinsuit of William Kaplan. How the studio will choose to proceed with identifying the character is already a topic of conversation among Marvel Comics fans with the very simple solution of calling him Billy Kaplan deemed as a solid compromise. Whatever the case, it’s now clear that Locke’s character has a future beyond Agatha All Along, though with the studio taking its time producing new streaming series, it could be years until we see the next chapter.

  • ‘Avengers’ Star Casts Doubt on Prospects of Solo Spinoff Project

    ‘Avengers’ Star Casts Doubt on Prospects of Solo Spinoff Project

    Don Cheadle‘s MCU debut as James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 was played as an ironic, in-universe joke meant to make light of him replacing Terrance Howard in the role. Over a decade later, it’s starting to seem as though Cheadle’s latest appearance may end up being his last and, unfortunately, an unironic joke.

    Cheadle played a supporting role in the universally panned Disney Plus streaming series Secret Invasion. As revealed at D23 2022, Rhodey’s role in the series was intended to directly tie into Armor Wars, a Rhodey-centric project first announced during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day presentation. Originally conceived as a streaming series, the studio began developing Armor Wars as a film when, according to Marvel Parliament member Nate Moore, they realized “it felt too big for that show.

    Our Disney+ shows are awesome and we love them, but the budgets are not the same as the features, that’s not secret. And when you’re talking about a show that wants to be about seeing all the cool armors, and Don Cheadle interacting with all these armors, and the legacy of Tony Stark, that became cost-prohibitive to do as a show.

    -Nate Moore

    Indeed, according to Moore, the studio’s plans for Armor Wars had grown so large that the project would not only connect to Secret Invasion but also “affect other movies down the line.

    And we realized as a feature, not only can we get into some of the beautiful imagery that is from publishing and there’s certainly an Armor Wars run, but also there’s ways then to leverage the ideas of that movie that affect other movies down the line. So it becomes a multiplication really of, once you figure out what is cool about something…

    -Nate Moore

    Now, it’s beginning to look like that line of movies that were set to be affected by Armor Wars might just have to find another project to be products of. In an interview with TV Line, Cheadle cast some incredibly serious doubt on whether or not Armor Wars will ever see the light of day.

    Don Cheadle as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    When asked if he knew where Armor Wars stood on the studio’s rapidly evolving slate, Cheadle replied, “You can find out and let me know.” When TV Line followed up by indicating the last real news on the project was that it had “switched from a TV series to a movie”, Cheadle made it clear that Rhodey’s solo project was not happening anytime soon. “Yeah. I think the word that’s the most salient in that sentence is “switched.” [Laughs] I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now. I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.

    Even the most optimistic interpretation of Cheadle’s comments would not leave much room for hope that Armor Wars remains a priority for Marvel Studios as they look to wrap up the Multiverse Saga and further comment from Cheadle does nothing to change that. After being asked about how the revelation that the Rhodey seen in Secret Invasion was a Skrull, meaning there’s no real indication of when the last time any significant time had been spent with the character, Cheadle replied, “Yeah, no shit.” The star then went on to explain that while he was willing to take the detour in Secret Invasion, it certainly seemed like it was part of a package deal that included Armor Wars.”Uh… you know, there was no… it wasn’t a demand. It was a request. “What do you think about playing this?” And it was to set up stuff in the following thing,” explained Cheadle. “So, if the following thing happens, and all those things were set up, then that’s one thing. If, as you said, it doesn’t, then we can talk about how I feel about it after!” As the studio looks to move ahead, it seems more and more likely that Armor Wars has been left behind.

    Source: TV Line

  • Marvel Studios Officially Reveals the Identity of Joe Locke’s Teen

    Marvel Studios Officially Reveals the Identity of Joe Locke’s Teen

    For MCU fans who are also comic book fans or those who spend a great deal of time online, the identity of Joe Locke‘s Teen was never truly a mystery over the first 5 episodes of Agatha All Along. More casual fans, however, may have found themselves a bit more engaged in the series’ fun teases that led to the revelation in Episode 5 that Teen was a powerful witch in his own right. While the episode’s ending, which showed Teen in a magical blue crown, was all the confirmation most fans needed of who Locke was playing, Marvel Studios has erased all doubt ahead of Episode 6.

    In a post shared across its various social media platforms, Marvel Studios has confirmed that Locke is playing Billy Maximoff, the son of Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch!

    Though the secret was out long ago, series’ creator Jac Schaeffer and the writing room did an admirable job of attempting to lead the audience in other directions. Those misdirects worked so well that, according to Locke, the majority of fans missed a tease that linked his character to Wanda in one of the series’ earlier episodes: his mother’s crown stitched into the back of his sweater.

    You can do the most unsurprising thing in the most surprising way, and that’s how you hook an audience.

    -Joe Locke on his character reveal in Agatha All Along

    As the series heads into the back half, Locke, now free from the stress of keeping secrets, teases how the shift in power dynamics will play a major role moving forward. “The show starts with Billy being very much the familiar, the secondary to all the witches. Now we know he is also a witch, and that changes things,” explained Locke. “Also, we now know that he has the ability to cause harm to them. Therefore, he is now the most powerful person on the Road. What does that change in the dynamic of the group and how does that change the future of those relationships?

    Just how powerful is the most powerful person on the Road? Fans of the comics may have already figured that out and given the character’s ability in the comics to manipulate reality, they may well be right…

    Source: EW

  • ‘Agatha All Along’ Crowns Wanda Jr.

    ‘Agatha All Along’ Crowns Wanda Jr.

    For the first four episodes of Agatha All Along, creator Jac Schaeffer let fans dabble in their theories about who Joe Locke‘s Teen may or may not be. Thankfully, following Agatha Harkness’ heartbreaking trial, there’s no longer any doubt about who Locke is playing or who is in charge on the Witches’ Road.

    Those who have enjoyed the mystery of Teen’s true identity shouldn’t despair now that the show revealed him as Wanda Maximoff’s son, Billy. Indeed the mystery was spoiled long ago and more mysteries are yet to be solved. While fans may find themselves a little too focused on the “revelation”, perhaps a little more attention should be paid to the enormous power Billy displayed in the episode’s final moments where he not only took control over two other witches but, possibly, the Road itself.

    While Marvel Studios has yet to officially acknowledge Teen as Billy Maximoff, aka Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, Episode 5 of Agatha All Along crowned the Demiurge-to-Come and, in doing so, subtly referenced one of the character’s more popular arcs, The Children’s Crusade. Following Agatha mocking Teen for being like his mother, the character proved her right by displaying not only the magnitude of his power but also his apparent lack of control of it when he unleashes it.

    Of course, the real question here is if Billy has been capable of these great feats of power all along, why has he been so meekly playing along on the coven’s trip down the Witches’ Road? Or has he been meekly playing along at all? At his strongest in the comics, Billy was a reality warper capable of creation, transmutation and essentially accomplishing any and every thing he wished. Sure, he’s out of control at the end of Episode 5 but what might we have missed along the way?

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing ‘Agatha All Along’ Spinoff

    Three and a half years after Marvel Studios’ first Disney + streaming series, WandaVision, took audiences by storm and led to a weekly deluge of theories and speculation, the studio’s latest series has followed a similar pattern. Through its first four episodes, Agatha All Along has been highly entertaining and despite being plagued by plot leaks, has managed to keep general audiences in its trance and keep them guessing. While the series’ biggest mysteries are yet to be revealed, Agatha All Along has further carved out space in its own corner of the MCU that’s being curated by series creator and WandaVision writer Jac Schaeffer. And it seems as though the studio is more than willing to let Schaeffer continue to work her own brand of magic.

    While Agatha All Along is the first project delivered by Schaeffer after signing a three-year overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television it certainly won’t be the last. Already rumored to be developing a Scarlet Witch solo film, Schaeffer is quickly becoming one of the studio’s most valued creators which means she may find herself incredibly busy over the next few years.

    Jac is unbelievable. Any chance I get to walk around that woman’s imagination is like a gift. She’s an absolute genius storyteller. 

    -Brad Winderbaum, head of streaming, television and animation for Marvel Studios.

    Though the Scarlet Witch solo project is something Schaeffer is keen to make happen, it’s only a rumor at this point; however, it is worth noting that after developing a Vision-centric WandaVision follow-up series for some time, Schaeffer departed that project, handing it over to Star Trek: Picard Season 3 showrunner, Terry Matalas. It’s worth asking why Schaeffer would leave a project she had begun to develop and the simplest answer is because she needed more time to develop another project. And while the Scarlet Witch film may be that project, a new report by a Marvel Studios insider may provide another option.

    According to Daniel RPK, Marvel Studios is developing an Agatha All Along spinoff series that will feature the search for Tommy Maximoff.

    While it’s long been believed (and may still be true) that Tommy would have a role in the studio’s VisionQuest series, RPK’s report seems to indicate that this series is quite separate from the upcoming Paul Bettany-led spinoff. To be clear, the insider’s report does not indicate that Schaeffer is working on the project but given how Agatha All Along concludes, it’s very reasonable to assume that is the case.

    Source: Variety

  • Speak of the Devil: ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 3 Lays Bare Its Bad Witch’s Shocking Secret

    Speak of the Devil: ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 3 Lays Bare Its Bad Witch’s Shocking Secret

    Despite being the lead character of a Disney Plus series, Agatha Harkness is no hero. Kathryn Hahn‘s wicked witch with over 300 years of dirty deeds to her credit. Flashbacks in WandaVision revealed that in the 1690s, Agatha broke the rules of her coven by practicing dark magic. Accused and put on trial by the coven’s leader, her mother, Evanora, Agatha revealed the extent of her abilities by absorbing the powers of all the other witches and killing them all, including her mother. She done a bad, bad thing…but unfortunately, as revealed in the third episode of Agatha All Along, “Through Many Miles of Tricks and Trials”, she was just getting started.

    Episode 3 pits Agatha and her coven of chaos against the first of their many trials as they walk the Witches’ Road and, according to series’ creator Jac Schaeffer‘s grand design, lays bare each witch’s worst nightmare. While the house by the sea is technically where Jennifer Kale’s trial as a potions witch is held, a little is revealed about each member of the coven after they drink the wine poisoned with Alewife’s Revenge and begin to hallucinate. Working to locate the ingredients for an antidote for the poison, everyone who drank the wine is forced to relive her worst nightmare and for Agatha it’s a shocking revelation that lays bare the depths of her depravity and lust for power…and one that likely explains not only why the rest of the witches don’t trust her but also why Rio is rip roaring angry with her and wants her dead.

    (L-R): Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) and Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Dating back to WandaVision, there have been plenty of teases–both subtle and not-so-subtle–about Agatha’s comic book son, Nicholas Scratch. From the bunny she called Senor Scratchy to the child having an empty room in the house her spellbound persona Detective Agnes O’Connor inhabits, Agatha’s son has made quite an impression by NOT being there. And now we know why. As shared with Teen by Jennifer Kale and confirmed by Agatha’s hallucination, Agatha traded her son to Mephisto in order to acquire the Darkhold. Kale’s story alludes to the possibility that Teen may well be Scratch but we all know that’s just more misdirection but it does help make clear why Agatha has been so protective of the character: even she’s not sure how her own son might look. At this point, Agatha seems pretty irredeemable and there’s really no longer any reason to wonder why Rio–obviously a former lover of Agatha’s–wants her dead. It would seem Scratch wasn’t Agatha’s son but the son of both Agatha and Rio.

    With these shows, so often there is something that is at once a joke and a wink and a nod, and actually has something legitimate underneath it. As we all know, Mephisto is a character who’s very wrapped into Agatha’s storyline. I mean, people have to watch, but we’re always playing with the audience in that way.

    -Jac Schaeffer on Mephisto’s role in Agatha All Along, EW, September 25, 2024

    While theorists who’ve been claiming for the past three years that Mephisto will show up in every MCU project can finally thump their chests at the name drop, the search for Scratch continues. In the comics, Scratch went on to father the members of the Salem’s Seven. That spooky group of shape-shifting freaks showed up in Episode 2 but don’t expect them to be Agatha’s grandkids in the MCU. Once Mephisto has his claws in someone, it’s typically for good but who knows exactly what becomes of a baby raised by a Class Two demon? Maybe we’ll find out at the end of the Witches’ Road.

    Source: EW

    AGATHA ALL ALONG. © 2024 MARVEL.
  • One of Marvel Studios’ Highest-Rated Series Reportedly Facing a Major Season 2 Slowdown

    One of Marvel Studios’ Highest-Rated Series Reportedly Facing a Major Season 2 Slowdown

    After a rough 2023, Marvel Studios turned to the X-Men to help reclaim its position at pop culture’s top dog in 2024. Deadpool & Wolverine was always expected to do big business at the box office (and it did just that, currently sitting as the 5th highest-grossing MCU project of all time) but it was another X-Men project that provided a spark of renewed hope when the studio needed it most.

    While Deadpool & Wolverine landed as expected, Marvel Studios’ animated streaming series, X-Men ’97, delivered more than anyone could have hoped, immediately capturing its audience and holding onto it over its 10-episode run. The animated revival, dripping with nostalgia, showed fans just what stories about the band of mutant heroes can be and left fans on the edge with its season-finale cliffhanger. In the wake of the finale, the studio shared encouraging news that Season 2 wouldn’t be too far off but now, a new report brings some potential bad tidings on that front.

    According to Nexus Point News, Season 2 of X-Men ’97 is unlikely to hit Disney Plus before 2026, citing changes to the story following the firing of showrunner Beau DeMayo earlier this year.
    (L-R): Beast (voiced by George Buza), Roberto Da Costa (voiced by Gui Agustini), Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale), Morph (voiced by JP Karliak), and Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Before his dismissal, DeMayo had completed work on the scripts for the sophomore season and had outlined a 5-season plan for the series which he teased involved the villain Onslaught and an adaptation of the revered Age of Apocalypse Marvel Comics crossover event. Ms. Marvel and What If…? scribe Matthew Chauncey landed the job as the new head writer of the series and while his duties were expected to begin with Season 3, NPN reports he is now rewriting DeMayo’s drafts for Season 2.

    Earlier this year, it was reported that Season 2 of X-Men ’97 was in post-production and eyeing a 2025 debut on D+. However, in May, Marvel TV and Animation head honcho Brad Winderbaum cautioned fans to exercise patience, saying the series was “still in animatic phase“, adding that “animation takes so long to make.” Should this new report hold true, it looks like fans will have to exhibit a bit more patience than they’d probably care to do.

    Source: Nexus Point News

  • Marvel TV Boss Finally Addresses Long-Standing ‘Ghost Rider’ Rumors

    Marvel TV Boss Finally Addresses Long-Standing ‘Ghost Rider’ Rumors

    While the events of Agatha All Along spin out of Marvel Studios’ first streaming series, WandaVision, the new Marvel Television also plays as a bit of a spiritual successor to Werewolf By Night. Darker and spookier than WandaVision, Agatha All Along examines witchcraft through a far more supernatural lens than its predecessor, embracing old-school horror in a way reminiscent of Michael Giacchino‘s 2022 Special Presentation. Curses, demons, ghosts, haunted houses and more await Agatha’s coven of chaos, fleshing out the MCU’s supernatural corner in a way no project other than Werewolf By Night has done.

    While choosing Agatha All Along as the vehicle to explore the supernatural world further, that exploration is something that Marvel Studios has been rumored to have an interest in for years. In addition to the studio’s struggling Blade feature film, rumors have suggested that development on projects such as Midnight Sons and Ghost Rider has been underway at different points in time over the past several years.

    In the case of Ghost Rider, rumors have ranged from the studio having lined up The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus to portray Johnny Blaze to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor Gabriel Luna jumping to the MCU to reprise the role of Robbie Reyes to Nicholas Cage making a cameo appearance as the character in Deadpool & Wolverine. To date, of course, there’s been nary a Ghost Rider to be found but that may change soon if Marvel’s head of streaming, television and animation, Brad Winderbaum, gets his way.

    In an interview with Collider, Winderbaum revealed that if he had the option to green light one Marvel Television streaming series, it would indeed be Ghost Rider; however, there’s a catch…

    I would wanna do the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider,” revealed Winderbaum. “I think there are a lot of people who would be here for some Ghost Rider.

    On Winderbaum’s last point, there can be no doubt. While any version of Ghost Rider may never be one of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters, the character’s aesthetic is inarguably one of their most iconic. And while Blaze was the comic’s OG Ghost Rider, he’s hardly the only character to house the Spirit of Vengeance. And while Winderbaum’s choice to focus on Ketch may catch some fans by surprise, it would certainly not preclude Blaze from making his MCU debut. Indeed, making Ketch the lead of a Ghost Rider series almost certainly means that Blaze, who is Ketch’s brother, plays some role.

    Of course with Winderbaum continuing to trot out the company line that Marvel Television is developing more projects than it intended to produce, don’t start your Hell Cycle engines just yet on that Ketch-focused Ghost Rider series ever being more than an idea than a reality.

    Source: Collider

  • Scratch That, Reverse It! Joe Locke’s Teen May Not Be Who You Thought He Was

    Scratch That, Reverse It! Joe Locke’s Teen May Not Be Who You Thought He Was

    The two-episode premiere of Agatha All Along certainly didn’t disappoint the legions of fans who had been waiting to return to Westview. Star Kathryn Hahn stepped right back into the role of the spellbound Agnes O’Connor before quite literally stripping away the layers that created that persona until Agatha Harkness reemerged. And while fans are rightfully looking forward to Agatha and her coven of chaos making their way down the Witches’ Road, series’ creator Jac Schaeffer had a good old Easter egg hunt planned first.

    Before Agatha escapes the spell cast on her by Wanda Maximoff, she finds herself living out her days as a Westview PD detective. As she works a mysterious murder case, Detective O’Connor grows frustrated in her attempts to deduce any reasonable conclusions from the clues she’s collected which include a familiar-looking locket. Upon returning home for the evening, a distressed Agnes opens a door to a room in her house which, in turn, opens a great big can of worms related to one of the central mysteries of the series.

    Revealed to be the room of her son, the room is shown to be filled with drawings, trophies and otherwise everyday kid stuff…but there’s no kid. Oh, and the kid who isn’t there: it’s Nicholas Scratch. Son of a bitch!

    Who Is Nicholas Scratch?

    Like his mother, Agatha’s comic book son, Nicholas Scratch, has a bit of a sordid history. Scratch was referenced as somewhat of an Easter egg in WandaVision, with Harnkness’ pet bunny (who returns for Agatha All Along) sharing the name, but in the comics, he was a powerful warlock in his own right who had less than a loving relationship with his mother.

    Schaeffer smartly seeded Scratch into the tapestry of Agatha All Along out of the gate…and Episode 1 is hardly the last time he’ll be referenced.

    Scratch Where It Itches

    Teen (Joe Locke) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Scratch’s presence in Agatha All Along has been predicted and debated since the series was announced and speculation reached a fever pitch when Joe Locke was cast in a role that has yet to be fully disclosed. Despite some evidence to the contrary, dozens of dedicated fans of Nicholas Scratch and at least one once prominent “leaker” held fast to the belief that Locke was cast as the son of Agatha Harkness.

    Unsurprisingly, Schaeffer not only refuses to resolve the debate over the course of the first two episodes but rather encourages further discourse around it. The recovery of Agatha’s Neopaganistic Triple Goddess broach/locket complete with a lock(e) of curly dark hair shrewdly sustains the suspense over the true nature of Locke’s character, providing hope to the Nicholas Scratch fan club, now 36 strong.

    AGATHA ALL ALONG. © 2024 MARVEL.

    The first two episodes of Agatha All Along are streaming now on Disney Plus.

  • Review: A Divine Kathryn Hahn Walks a Familiar Road and Conjures Up a Potential Hit for Marvel Television in ‘Agatha All Along’

    Review: A Divine Kathryn Hahn Walks a Familiar Road and Conjures Up a Potential Hit for Marvel Television in ‘Agatha All Along’

    As it turns out, Marvel Studios did learn something from WandaVision. Debuting at a time when the world was starving for new content of any kind, WandaVision helped a fanbase find a way to forget about a still terrifying and uncertain reality. As Marvel Studios’ first streaming series, WandaVision blazed a trail and set a high bar for each series that followed. While it’s easy to look back with disdain at the wild weekly theories that never worked out, there’s no debating that no other Marvel Studios’ D+ series has impacted pop culture the way WandaVision did. And if we’re being honest, there’s not been a realistic contender for the crown. So, at a time when the studio seeks to return to its former glory, one must appreciate the coincidence of some measure of that return resting on the shoulders of a WandaVision spinoff that focuses on a once powerful witch seeking to return to her former glory.

    While it would be easy to believe that Agatha All Along exists solely to showcase the bewitching talents of its star, Kathryn Hahn, the series creator, Jac Schaeffer, made no bones about her true intention: “to recapture the fun of WandaVision.” To that end, the first four episodes of Agatha All Along indubitably lean heavily into the spirit of the predecessor, tossing all the right ingredients into the cauldron. Strong acting, smart writing and a devil-may-care affect to the negativity that has surrounded some of the studio’s more recent fare are likely to produce a witch’s brew that results in an entranced audience finding itself trapped in a spell similar to the one cast by WandaVision. For better or for worse, expect plenty of theories and arguments about who Joe Locke‘s “Teen” actually is, the true nature of Agatha’s past with Aubrey Plaza‘s wonderfully wicked Rio and, of course, what role Mephisto plays in it all!

    Whatever Schaeffer‘s intentions for Agatha All Along may have been, no reasonable human being would argue that the series could possibly have been given the green light had Hahn not so thoroughly slayed the role of the dark witch in WandaVision. There’s no need for protracted pretense here in an evaluation of Hahn‘s return to the role in Agatha All Along. From the moment her still spellbound Agnes hits the screen in Episode 1 until the unbound Agatha takes on the trials of the Witches’ Road throughout the screening package viewed by the media, Hahn cleverly recaptures the campy nature of the character’s MCU debut while adeptly transitioning to a far more sinister and unhinged version of Agatha which, as we learn, is the truest version of herself.

    Detective Agnes O’Connor (Kathryn Hahn) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    That change in demeanor happens when Hahn’s Agatha, who remains trapped as Agnes in the spell placed on her by Wanda in the WandaVision finale, meets two very interesting interlopers: Aubrey Plaza‘s Rio Vidal and Joe Locke‘s Teen. Following the death of the Scarlet Witch and the destruction of the Darkhold as seen in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Rio and Teen shake the foundation of Agatha’s dreamworld enough to allow her to come to her senses and be reborn, stark naked, in the town of Westview. By the end of Episode 2, Agatha is headed down, down, down the Witches’ Road to reclaim her power and since the road cannot be accessed alone, she must head down the path coven in tow. And so, despite Agatha All Along working first and foremost as a vehicle to let Hahn cook, a strong supporting cast is an absolute must and the impromptu coven is stellar.

    Locke’s Teen, whose true identity is kept hidden by a sigil that’s been placed on him, provides the impetus for the trip down the Witches’ Road and is one of the best additions to the MCU since Hahn joined in 2021. Plaza is as Plaza does, bringing her dark, sardonic sarcasm to Vidal, who clearly has far more tricks and treats up her sleeves. While very different from the chemistry between Agatha and Teen which seems to evolve into something bordering motherly, the enchanting interplay between Agatha and Rio holds the promise of something far greater than what is revealed in the screening package. It’s devilish and delicious and something that will certainly garner significant attention. It isn’t just the triple threat of Agatha, Billy Teen and Rio who travel the road, however, and Hahn’s catalytic charisma with the other members of the coven ensures there’s no real drop off when Teen and Rio are off-screen. Patti Lupone, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn and (kind of) Debra Jo Rupp round out the roster of Agatha’s coven and all have their own charms. Each witch represents a different skill set required to survive the trials of the Witches’ Road and comes with her backstory. However, if there’s one potential problem facing the series it is that it may lose some of the generous positive momentum gained by the end of Episode 2 if the pattern laid out in Episodes 3 and 4–each of which serves as a showcase for one of the witches–continues in Episodes 5, 6 and 7. Whether or not that comes to fruition is impossible to divine as long as Disney continues to dole out only partial seasons for review.

    (L-R): Teen (Joe Locke), Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata) in Marvel Television’s AGATHA ALL ALONG, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Chuck Zlotnick. © 2024 MARVEL.

    Though Agatha All Along will lure audiences in with the promise of something familiar, the true strength of the series is in its alchemical quest to transform into something better. Come for the WandaVision but stay for the shift into true Spooky Season horror. Schaeffer has created something truly unique among Marvel Studios’ fare in Agatha All Along which at times seems to share more DNA with Werewolf By Night than WandaVision. From The Ring-esque group of weirdos known as the Salem’s Seven to the haunted house horror to the demon literally on the back of one of the coven members, Agatha All Along is downright scary at times and, before long, finds itself very far afield from the campy True Detective-inspired opening episode.

    Through four episodes, Agatha All Along looks to be on the road to becoming just what the doctor ordered for Marvel Television. The combination of some incredibly crafty creative work behind the scenes and a talent like Hahn at its center provide plenty of reasons to keep fans entranced while also keeping them guessing. Despite there being plenty of reason to believe you already know what’s going on, Agatha All Along has mysteries aplenty and with Schaeffer’s willingness to go back to throwing WandaVision-ish curveballs in the mix, this trip down the Witches’ Road is going to be a blast!