Agatha All Along, but what kind of witch is the protagonist of the Marvel series really?

The clues about the true nature of Kathryn Hahn's character are carefully scattered throughout the narrative

Image Credit: Disney+

Agatha All Along explores the mysterious universe of witches in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, focusing in particular on the character of Agatha Harkness, played by Kathryn Hahn. Although the public has known the nature of the protagonist since WandaWision, the Marvel show never really delves into what type of witch Agatha is. From the beginning, the character stands out for an aura of death that seems to follow her everywhere and for the power of her unmistakable "purple", so named by her son Nicholas Scratch. Although in WandaVision Agatha has approached chaos magic, this does not represent her true essence. 

The creator of the series, Jac Schaeffer, has in fact scattered clues throughout the narrative to allow the public to gradually discover her nature. According to what was revealed by the same, Agatha is a “spirit witch”, a witch of the spirit, a rare and decidedly uncommon type in the magical panorama of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This characterization emerges in particular in the fifth episode, during her trial on the Witches’ Road, a magical road that represents a test for every member of the coven. The episode, entitled Black Nights / But Increase My Power, includes a thrilling challenge under the blood moon, a moment in which the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead is thinner. 

Here, Agatha proves capable of communicating with the deceased using an Ouija board, an ability that reflects her connection with death and spirits. The series also links her power to a dark backstory: Agatha has spent much of her life using magic to steal life force from other witches, causing their deaths. This detail could explain why her mother perceived an evil nature in her since birth. Even in the comics, the type of magic possessed by Agatha Harkness is not clearly defined, but some elements suggest a similarity with what we see in the series. 

According to Marvel Comics tradition, Agatha can absorb the magic around her, project her astral form, and even resurrect from the dead, abilities that further bring her closer to the figure of a spirit witch. The series Agatha All Along confirms this interpretation, with the final episodes that further highlight her connection to the spirits. In particular, the protagonist sacrifices her life to save Tommy Maximoff, transforming into a ghost and thus closing the circle of her identity as a spirit witch. This final twist raises intriguing questions about the future of the character: will Agatha retain her powers as a witch even in her spectral form, or were these lost with her death?

Source: CBR