Disney+ has premiered their newest Marvel series, Agatha All Along, starring Kathryn Hahn, who plays Agatha Harkness, and Joe Locke, whose character’s name is kept secret. Agatha was previously known on WandaVision with Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlett Witch, and Paul Bettany as Vision.
In WandaVision, we find out that Agatha, Wanda’s neighbor, has been causing trouble for her all along. She’s actually a powerful witch manipulating things behind the scenes to figure out how Wanda created an alternate reality. Now, in Agatha All Along, she has to work with others to get her powers back after meeting a mysterious teenage boy.
The episode begins with Agatha driving while it’s raining. She pulls over as she sees a crime scene. As she exits the car, we see a police badge hanging around her neck. There’s a dead body found in the woods, cause of death by blunt force. As Agatha walks around the area, she finds a mysterious broach and hides it in her pocket. Viewers find out she doesn’t go by Agatha, but Agnes, which means she has a new identity now.
Agatha gets handed a library card, the only evidence found on the body. She goes to the library to ask about the card. She doesn’t get any information until she makes the librarian look it up on the computer. Agatha learns that the book was stolen three years ago. As she looks for the copies, she sees that half of the shelf was set on fire, so she would need to find the book elsewhere, if possible.
Agatha goes back to the police station. Her Chief, Harold Proctor (David Lengel) welcomes her from her break. Harold puts Agent Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza) on the case with her. As the two discuss the case, Rio hints that she may know Agatha’s past. Something is going on between them, something from the past.
She goes home for the night and Rio stops by with pizza. Rio asks if Agatha remembers why she hates her, to which she responds no. She hears something upstairs and finds someone grabbing something from her bedroom. She catches the teenage boy and arrests him.
Agatha questions the boy, asking him what he’s after. She gets aggressive and asks him about his whereabouts late last night, alluding he may have something to do with the murder victim. Agatha shows him pictures of the crime scene, but they turn into pictures of flowers.
Afterward, she goes to Westview Coroner looking for the body. She doesn’t see any bodies in the room. She closes her eyes and opens them again, seeing a body. She notices a tag hanging and when she reads it, it appears to have Wanda’s signature on the last date, October 13th. Rio points out that Wanda is dead and gone forever.
Agatha begins to feel hot and undresses herself. As she does so, different outfits from different decades appear, until she falls and gets up, showing her true self from when she was on WandaVision. Rio asks what her true name is and she says it, remembering everything.
Agatha wakes up, standing naked in her living room, confused by what happened. She learns that she’s been there for three years. She tries to use her powers, but they don’t work. She doesn’t remember the life she had in Westview as Agnes.
She hears banging in her closet and sees the teenager trapped inside. Someone then comes bursting into her home and it’s Rio. The two of them begin to fight. Agatha tells Rio she can’t kill her because it’s “not allowed.”
Agatha reveals to Rio she is powerless and convinces the witch she’d rather fight her at full strength. The Salem Seven is coming to kill her when the time comes. Agatha decides to reclaim her power, she must walk Witches Road.
Overall, the first episode of Agatha All Along is an intriguing start as it’s another expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This series has brought more excitement for fans of the MCU. As the series begins to unfold, it will be interesting to see how Agatha’s past actions continue to impact the events of WandaVision and how her rivalry with Wanda will play out in future episodes. What is The Salem Seven? How will Agatha get her powers back? Who’s the teenage boy and what does he have to do with all of this?
Rating: 8/10