Marvel Studios' WandaVision did a fantastic job at launching Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and also continuing Disney Plus’ weekly-release format, which fans have come to love. One of the biggest mysteries, when the show began, was who would be the big villain. Many fan theories showed up online, with the leading theory being about Mephisto, but in the end, it was revealed that Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness was the main antagonist.
However, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, showrunner Jac Schaeffer revealed that the powerful witch was initially meant to be an ally for Wanda, mentoring her through her journey to becoming the Scarlet Witch. Seems like it wasn’t Agatha all along, after all, as the initial concept for the series cast Agatha in a more “mentor and magic-expert” role.
In the comics, Agatha is an extremely powerful sorceress who lives for centuries and is seen as a mentor to both humans and mutants. She is seen helping Wanda with learning to control her unstable powers. Upon discovering that Wanda’s twins were fragments of the demon Mephisto, Agatha altered Wanda’s memories and helped her cope with her loss. It seems like the initial plans for WandaVision were a more faithful adaptation of the storyline in the comics. But, Schaeffer revealed in the interview that a more “villainous force” was needed for the series and as things progressed, the decision to change Agatha’s role to that of an antagonist was taken.
Agatha, who was brilliantly portrayed in the WandaVision by Hahn, first shows up in the world of Westview as Wanda’s quirky neighbor Agnes. She immediately became a fan-favorite character, with many appreciating Hahn’s acting and spinning theories about the extent of her role in Wanda’s alternate reality. Fitting into the sitcom world, Agatha was actually undercover the whole time, after becoming obsessed with Wanda’s chaos magic.
WandaVision offered a glimpse into Agatha’s background when she was accused of practicing dark magic during the Salem Witch Trials. Fast forward to 300 years later, she posed as Ralph Bohner’s wife, only to keep an eye on her neighbor's idyllic reality. In the end, however, she reveals her true nature and goes up against the Scarlet Witch, only to be defeated and stripped of her magical abilities. Fans last saw her living in Westview as Agnes, completely brainwashed by Wanda.
Had the original plans of sticking to the plot from the comics remained, WandaVision would have been a completely different show. Fans would not have gotten the extremely popular song “Agatha All Along” and Hahn would not have won the MTV Movie and TV Award for Best Villain. Fans have not seen the last of WandaVision's Agatha, though, and there is a possibility that she could return in the future. Could Marvel have kept her on board to bring out her mentor role in the future? That is something fans can theorize over moving forward.
WandaVision is now streaming on Disney Plus.
Source: Rolling Stone