If you haven’t seen it yet Agatha has always On Disney+, you’re missing out on some of the best TV shows of the season. The series tells the story of Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn), the antagonist of the critically acclaimed Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). Wanda Visionshe and her newly formed coven set out on a quest to regain her former powers and uncover the secrets of the Dark Fortress.
hit similar notes Wanda Visionper episode Agatha has always brings The Witch into a different genre of horror, combining pieces from the first season with the “monster of the week” approach favored by many favorite horror franchises buffy the vampire slayer and Charmed Used. The best part about the series is that it’s actually pretty scary at times, proving that showrunner Jacques Schaeffer can bring the superhero genre back to life.
You may have noticed the lack of superhero movies this year. This is because the genre has underperformed at the box office in recent years. but why is Agatha has always The best Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project of the year? From antihero to genre-bending, the spinoff creates a complex character who’s compelling whether she becomes a hero or a villain.
Embrace Agatha from the beginning
The Marvel Cinematic Universe rarely embraces its villains without turning them into heroes. From Loki to Nebula, these villains later became the heroes of the series. But Agatha is a witch who specializes in taking other people’s powers as her own. She is both selfish and selfish, and Agatha has always Not afraid to embrace what makes the titular character so interesting.
Schaefer and her writers never considered making the villain more sympathetic because they understood what was driving Agatha through the narrative.
“[Agatha is] Interested in two things: She’s interested in things that serve her, and she’s interested in witchcraft – specifically, very powerful witchcraft. It makes sense to me,” Schaefer told Script magazine. “So for me, this thread into her psyche opened up a whole world of her as a sympathetic character that I could relate to. So we added equally flawed people to the show who were equally selfish, Selfish, self-sabotaging, always having their own way, and then they clash.
Agatha isn’t the show’s only antihero. While she may seem the most evil, especially after her actions in episode five, “Darkest Hour/Awaken Your Power,” the coven as a whole is also antiheroic at heart. Each member agrees to join Agatha and Teenager (played by Joe Locke) on their journey as witches for their own selfish desires.
Read more: 200 Heroic and Evil Character Traits
“Agatha Always” (2024)
Looking for types of witches
It’s easier to accept antiheroes when witchcraft is involved. That’s not to say that witches are inherently scary—there are plenty of witches in media that lean toward a Halloween aesthetic without horror elements—but the horror genre lends itself well to storytelling.
Schaefer deliberately chose to fuse the superhero genre with horror to define the witches in the Marvel Universe, a decision that seems to have influenced Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While the film drew mixed reactions, Schaeffer and her team of writers were able to be more flexible with genre and not have to consider the continuity of a complicated multi-film narrative.
“Once I accepted that, I was like, ‘Okay, what is horror, and how many shades of horror can we put in this box?’ Because that’s what I’m passionate about. Wanda Vision— How many sitcom TV tropes and tones can we incorporate into this show and represent it accurately and authentically while still being resonant within our show and emotional arc? Shafer told script magazine.
She continued, “My touchstone for the show is The Wizard of Oz, maze, dark crystal, never ending storyand princess bride. That’s the heart of it. And then the real horror stuff is more like a clump here, a clump there, and we get really scary.
Each episode focuses on a different witch from the coven and their nightmare scenarios. Agatha’s nightmares are full of ’80s camp horror, while fire witch Alice (Arrianne) steps into ’70s psychedelic horror. The Witches’ horror aesthetic shapes each trial, allowing the team to draw on their favorite tropes from decades of horror media.
although Agatha has always It never gets too scary, and the real threats that challenge the characters and their moral compass are deeply engaging. Plus, we know that threat is important because characters can actually die! Is it crazy to think that character death would be revolutionary? No, but for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the superhero genre as a whole, it’s all about us wondering who will survive the Path of the Witch.
“Agatha Always” (2024)
The promise of a satisfying ending
In most Western media, audiences appreciate a satisfying ending. That doesn’t mean it needs to have a happy ending, or have a generic lesson like “True strength is the friends we make along the way.” Sorry, Agatha isn’t interested in friends. There was something waiting for her at the end of the road, something she really wanted—but what was it?
“One of the big questions on the show is whether this is a redemption arc. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to answer that question until the show airs,” Schaeffer hinted to Script Magazine.
The promise of answering what drives Agatha beyond her lust for power forces the audience to engage with the story and understand why Agatha and her coven get along so well. Sometimes she prompts witches to try to destroy her, but this is a tactic to steal their power – something other witches will consider carefully before attacking her.
The story unfolds, giving viewers puzzle after puzzle, the constant threat and promise of what awaits at the end of the witch’s path, plus random hints about the future through Lilia’s (Patty LuPone) divination skills . They tune in every week, hoping to piece together a clearer picture. This is great TV storytelling because it sets up the ending intentionally. All that’s left to do now is to make sure the return is worth the audience’s investment.
“Agatha Always” (2024)
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Agatha has always is the best MCU project to date Wanda Visionmuch of its success comes from the writers’ ability to understand genre storytelling in a world where superheroes exist. While the scares and stories are enough to captivate viewers, Agatha has always It’s great because it explores a complex antihero who embraces her own evil. Who doesn’t like rooting for a bad guy from time to time?
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