Countdown to WandaVision: Who is Agatha Harkness?
Kathryn Hahn is part of the star-studded cast of WandaVision as Agnes, and while her name may not sound familiar to casual fans, the more eagle-eyed believers are speculating that she’s actually the witch Agatha Harkness. With her long history in the comics and her undeniable connection to Scarlet Witch, it’s entirely possible.
If your first reaction to that name is “Agatha who?”, we’re here to give you the lowdown on this mystical character from the source material.
Agatha Harkness actually first served as the governess of Franklin, Reed and Sue Richards’ son. An ancient being and a New Salem witch, Agatha has always had a mysterious past, and it’s never entirely clear as to where her true loyalties lie. Sometimes she was kind, and sometimes she was sinister. Case in point: she had a familiar named Ebony—a cat that served as the witch’s eyes and ears. Ebony could also turn into a panther-sized force to be reckoned with, and Agatha could sic her feline familiar on unwitting enemies who crossed her. Still, despite this servant’s loyalty, Agatha eventually had to kill and eat Ebony in order to gain the power to see the future, so to say that she’s a little unstable is an understatement.
When it comes to Wanda herself, Agatha served as her mentor in true magic. She taught Wanda a lot of spells that came in handy when the witch’s enemies attacked her (how convenient). Wanda also learned how to control elements of the earth like wood and cloth. At one point, the Dread Dormammu possessed Wanda and turned her against Vision. It was when Wanda handled the ordeal herself that Agatha decided she had taught Wanda enough, and she eventually returned to the Fantastic Four.
Now, we’ve all seen how Wanda handled herself pretty well in the battle against Thanos, so she might not need an Agatha to train her—unless it’s to help her reset the warped reality she has somehow conjured up due to her fractured mind. On the other hand, Agatha may even be the main villain, as she was responsible for “instructing” Wanda to use magic to create her children (“Wanda! Don’t just channel the power; use it, darling girl! Use it!”). She was also responsible for eventually mind-wiping Wanda in the comics to remove her memories of her own children. After that, let’s just say that Wanda’s already fragile mind was never the same again.
So, will Agatha Harkness be benevolent, or malevolent? She’s currently being portrayed as the classic nosy neighbor in Wanda’s own little sitcom, but what exactly is the bigger picture here? Also, given Agatha’s heavy involvement with Marvel’s First Family, it’s entirely possible that WandaVision could connect to the introduction of the Fantastic Four (we’re desperate for any Easter Eggs here!). After all, WandaVision is said to connect to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and with the multiverse, anything is possible (X-Men, anyone?).
Can’t wait until WandaVision premieres on January 15th, Friday? You and us both!