The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced so many characters, concepts, teams, and ideas that it would take far too long to give everyone their own day in the sun. As the studio drops another five-year plan for future releases, and the superhero fatigue discussion flares up again, it's worth wondering which pieces of the franchise should get the spotlight.

WandaVision was a massive topic of conversation when it dropped, and the fast-paced world of talking about superhero content may make it hard to bring it back to mind. Among the many truly brilliant aspects of the underrated series, the major standout was unquestionably its prospective main villain.

RELATED: MCU: 5 Projects The Scarlet Witch Could Return In

WandaVision was a great show which transcended the often formulaic Marvel model in many large and small ways. Scarlet Witch's reintegration into the larger MCU has been a mixed bag, but her series was a landmark in the genre that should stand out as a single story. It's a personal narrative about power that casts its protagonist as its central villain. Shockingly, it also manages to have a strong antagonist alongside Wanda's personal struggle. That villain is Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch who embeds herself as a charming nosy neighbor character in Wanda's sitcom delusion. While there, she subtly manipulates Wanda to gradually take over her power. Harkness is in disguise for most of the series, so viewers haven't gotten a chance to see much of her behavior firsthand. Her subterfuge and the big reveal are the main purposes of her character. She was meant to serve a purpose, lose a fight, then disappear. But, she's portrayed by Kathryn Hahn, and she has a catchy song, so she got way more popular than anticipated.

agatha reveals powers Cropped

One of the cool things about the cinematic universe model is that the studio can watch the fans' reactions to new projects and adjust accordingly. A savvy studio uses that opportunity to cancel or rework things that didn't get the reception they were hoping for or to capitalize on something that becomes a runaway hit. A less wise studio makes the same mistake over and over, but Marvel has proven that they can use the feedback wisely. So, when Agatha blew up and fans were describing her as the best villain of the franchise, Marvel's interest was turned in a slightly new direction. And, when "Agatha All Along" was nominated for a Grammy, an Agatha solo project became a near-guarantee.

The downside of the same model, however, is that these things take a very long time. Marvel couldn't just move all their previously promised projects around to accommodate something popular. Sure, Agatha was a breakthrough, but, as the SDCC reveals have now confirmed, countless other big names need to come back to the screen. Marvel makes promises to its shareholders and moving things around is scary, it invites risk, and risk is unacceptable to a massive studio. That means that when whichever producer greenlit the idea of an Agatha Harkness spin-off series did so knowing that fans of the show would need to keep their excitement alive for almost two years and many more Marvel projects.

There will be at least 25 Marvel projects between the end of WandaVision and the beginning of Agatha: Coven of Chaos. Among them will be countless new characters and the narrative conclusion for a ton of old ones. Most notably, in this case, was Doctor Strange in Multiverse of Madness, which wrapped up the story of Wanda Maximoff that began in Age of Ultron, but took shape in WandaVision. Agatha was brought into the MCU to serve as a secondary antagonist in the story of a character whose arc is complete. She shows up, walks Wanda through her trauma, attempts to defeat her in combat, loses, and is permanently enslaved. She interacts with three significant characters throughout the show, two of which are dead. So, unbound from any idea of her original purpose and free from interaction with any other aspect of the ever-growing multiverse, what possible point could further exploring Agatha Harkness serve?

agatha harkness Cropped

Agatha: Coven of Chaos will likely offer little in the way of overarching narrative advancement for the larger MCU. However, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be produced. In fact, it may be one of the best arguments for its existence. Agatha premiered in one of the most unique and transgressive entries in the larger franchise. She's a beloved piece of a puzzle that exists off to the side of the ongoing Avengers superhero story. Don't ruin her by bringing her into a franchise she was never meant to be a part of. Even if it adds nothing to the MCU, even if it's only an excuse to get Kathryn Hahn back into the all-powerful role that she easily dominates, Agatha: Coven of Chaos is worth doing. Let the franchise see what it can do when it has nothing but a beloved performer in a solid role and a blank canvas.

MORE: Potential Storylines For Marvel's Agatha Harkness Series