Emily Pearce (she/her) discusses the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Following the hype and excitement caused by Avengers: Endgame in 2019, I was eager to see what else Marvel had in store for their audience. With so many unexplored characters and stories, as well as the opportunities for time travel opened up by Endgame, there seemed to be limitless possibilities for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to follow.

Unfortunately, my hopes were left unfulfilled. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed Wandavision, as well as Season 1 of Loki (both 2021), other projects left much to be desired, particularly the abysmal Antman and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023). With overstuffed, convoluted timelines, an abundance of uninteresting characters, and the lack of a solid, overarching villain like Thanos, it became palpable that this cinematic universe had no idea which direction to take post-Endgame. As was the case for many other fans, ‘Marvel fatigue’ kicked in and I resigned myself to the fact that this franchise I had once loved had grown stale.

However, a trailer for their new Disney Plus miniseries Agatha All Along popped up on my feed this summer and immediately piqued my interest. In contrast to the usual Marvel formula of interchangeable male heroes, irritating quips and poor CGI battle sequences, this series seemed ready to explore something different: the art of witchcraft! The stellar cast was also an incentive for me to check it out, with the comedic powerhouse Kathryn Hahn starring as Agatha, alongside Broadway icon Patti Lupone, and the hilariously sardonic Aubrey Plaza. Much to my surprise, it seemed that I was finding excitement in the MCU once again.

The series follows the eponymous Agatha Harkness, Wandavision’s duplicitous antagonist, as she sets off down ‘The Witches Road’ to reclaim her powers. She is accompanied by a diverse coven of other witches, as well as a mysterious young boy simply named ‘Teen’ (played by Heartstopper’s Joe Locke). They band together to complete a series of trials along the road, with all of them hoping to acquire what they most desire at the end. The series encompasses all aspects of witchcraft, including divination, potion-making, sigils, curses and of course, flying on broomsticks. It was refreshing to see Marvel of all franchises reshape notions of witchcraft, transforming this historically demeaning, misogynistic concept into something empowering for womankind. Moreover, there are some genuinely eerie moments in the show with each trial parodying a horror movie trope, making this the perfect watch during these spookier, colder months.

Not only does Marvel experiment with genre through this series, but they also offer us fleshed out, complex female characters, a rarity for such an androcentric franchise. Agatha’s villainous origins and motivations are explored at length, with Hahn’s superbly nuanced performance rendering her a simultaneously charming and despicable character. Others within the coven like Jen (Sasheer Zamata), a potions witch, and Alice (Ali Ahn), a protection witch, undergo incredibly poignant arcs and are arguably two of the most multi-faceted, likeable female characters in the MCU to date. Lilia, a divination witch portrayed by Patti Lupone, stands out among the coven as my favourite; with her character-centric episode currently boasting an 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it appears other fans feel the same.

Agatha also showcases Marvel’s first real attempt at queer representation. The cast has claimed the show was intended to be a ‘love letter’ to the LGBTQ+ community and this shines through in the writing and characterisation. Joe Locke’s character is an openly gay teenager, whose affinity for all things witchcraft leads him to Agatha and ‘The Road’. Agatha and Rio (Aubrey Plaza) make history as the first overtly sapphic characters in the MCU, with their intense past relationship fuelling the climactic finale. For the first time in the franchise, the character’s sexualities aren’t merely represented via throwaway lines and gags, but prove integral to the main plotline. Initially, this female-centric, unequivocally queer show was deemed ‘pointless’ by swarms of bigoted keyboard warriors; claims began to circulate that the series would attract lower audience ratings than any Marvel series prior. However, they could not have been more wrong, with the series amassing millions of viewers and boundless social media attention every week. Hopefully, Marvel takes this as a sign that queer representation is incredibly important to their viewers and they continue to create similar content in future.

Overall, I had a blast watching this show. It has restored my faith in the creative potential of the MCU and reignited my obsession with both Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza! So, grab some snacks, get cosy, and get ready to go down, down, down The Witches Road…