- “Who's been messing up everything?
It's been Agatha all along.” - ―Extract from "Agatha All Along"[src]
Agatha Harkness is the main antagonist of the Marvel Disney+ series, WandaVision. She is a magical witch, living in Westview, and manipulating Wanda Maximoff, but goes under the guise of a housewife named Agnes, a nosy neighbor, who gleefully inserts herself into Wanda and Vision's lives. As each episode passes, she adapts into a new time period. She makes her debut in the first episode. She is portrayed by starring cast member, Kathryn Hahn.
Agatha Harkness was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Background
Personality
As Agnes, Agatha acts as a very perky and spontaneous person, being talkative nearly every time. She is shown to love gossiping and giving advices to the couple, especially to Wanda. She is also nosy, always barging into Wanda and Vision's house at anytime, normally without being invited. She curiously and conveniently always brings with her an item that they are needing at the moment and is always willing to help them, which Wanda sees as her just trying to be a good neighbor, but this also makes Vision suspicious of her.
However, behind her friendly and charismatic behavior, she is actually a very manipulative witch who later reveals that she had been controlling Wanda and the residents of Westview. She is shown to be cruel, to the point she even admits to have killed the twins' dog, Sparky, and sadistically laughs about it.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Magic: Agatha has magical powers, which grant her the ability to perform a wide variety of feats. Her powers are projected, in the form of purple energy.
- Telepathy Immunity: Billy Maximoff was gifted with the power of reading others thoughts, which at times, became a burden. When in the vicinity of Agnes, his power however, was not active.
- Telekinesis: The power to move objects without physically touching them.
- Mental Manipulation: Agatha displayed the power to return Herb's original persona, John Collins, back. She also used her powers on Wanda Maximoff.
- Flight: The ability to defy gravity, and move, while remaining off the ground.
- Shapeshifiting: Agatha was able to change the physical aspect of her clothing.
Appearances
Marvel Cinematic Universe
WandaVision
Agatha Harkness arrives to Westview, New Jersey. She creates a fake persona named Agnes, and lives in a house, which comes to be, next door, to Wanda Maximoff and Vision.
Following the couples arrival, Agnes enters and introduces herself, with a housewarming gift, explaining that she would've visited earlier, had she been home, but her mother-in-law was in town, so she wasn't. She makes a remark on how fast Wanda has unpacked, and enquirers on her status, to which Wanda reveals, she is married. Wanda furthermore explains her husband will be return for a special occasion, and Agnes concludes it must be for an anniversary. When Agnes asks Wanda how long she and her husband have been together, Wanda explains that she's felt like they've always been together, and Agnes laments her own husband would only remember their anniversary, if it was named after a beer. She asks what Wanda's planned, for the occasion, and recalls a magazine article she read, which can help her, and leaves to retrieve it, so they can begin preparing. Having taken care of the music, decor and wardrobe, and Agnes then reads out a few pointers for seduction techniques. At that moment, Vision calls, and Wanda signals to Agnes, that her plans seem to be running smoothly. That following evening, Wanda calls Agnes, and confesses, that the actual occasion was a meeting, with Vision's boss, and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Hart. Agnes, who already had a gourmet meal for four, prepared, brings it over, complaining that her husband would rather eat baked beans. She accidentally drops a few pans on the floor, prompting Mr. and Mrs. Hart's attention, so Wanda quickly thanks her, and turns her to the exit. Agnes asks Wanda if she's sure, and before she leaves, she briefly gives instructions on how to prepare all the food. Agnes then remembers to give Wanda a pineapple, for her upside-down cake, and finds no response to her knocks on the backdoor, so knocks at the front. She hands Wanda the pineapple, and greets Mr. and Mrs. Hart, before she quickly has the door, shut in her face.
On the day of the planning committee meeting, Agnes heads over to Wanda's home, so she can hand over her pet rabbit, Señor Scratchy, for their magic act, and the pair walk to the home of the committee host, Dottie Jones. Before they enter, Agnes gives Wanda a warning on Dottie, and advises she stay on her good side, as she holds power in town. During the meeting, Dottie remarks about the devil being in the details, and Agnes sarcastically replies, that isn't the only place he is, before offering Bev, a fellow committee member chided by Dottie, a drink from her flannel. Once the meeting is over, Agnes wonders how anyone could be doing it sober. The time of the talent show arrives, and Agnes can be seen attending in the audience, sitting alongside Mrs. Hart. Throughout the perfomance, Agnes uses her magical abilities to wreak havoc on stage, causing various disasters in Wanda and Vision's performance. She makes a comment on the star quality of her rabbit, and when Vision announces he will make his wife disappear, Agnes remarks whether he's sure that he doesn't need her husband as a volunteer instead. Following their act, Dottie declares Wanda and Vision as the winners of the best comedy act, and Agnes can be seen clapping, alongside everyone else.
In the opening sequence of the third episode, Agnes is seen passing Wanda, and giving her a wave. When Agnes finds Herb, trimming his hedge, she uses her powers of mental manipulation on him, briefly unearthing his true persona. The pair discuss Geraldine entering the Vision Residence, and Monica's possible pregnancy. Vision arrives and greets the pair, and asks whether they also lost electricity. Agnes comments that they did, but her husband looks better in the dark, so she's not complaining. Before Vision heads back inside, Agnes asks if Geraldine is inside with Wanda. Herb mentions she's new to town, and Agnes notes she doesn't have a family or a home. When Vision asks them to further explain, Herb begins talking about the reason why Geraldine arrived, but before he can finish his sentence, Agnes tells him to stop it, with a fearful look in her eyes. She turns back to Vision, in a smiley demeanor, and tells him she needs to leave, so she can hitch her macramé.
Agnes arrives at the Vision residence, after hearing the twins crying, and offers to console them, for the stressed parents. Wanda thanks her, but before Agnes can take on her offer, Vision begins fretting about keeping the twins safe, and decides, maybe she shouldn't. Agnes glances at Wanda, and in serious tone, different from her usual upbeat demeanor, asks if she should take that again, as Wanda wants her to hold the babies. She offers to take it from the top, and Wanda quickly laughs this off, and tells Vision they should let Agnes try. Agnes then shifts away from the serious manner in which she last spoke, back to her original preppy form, and dares the babies to stay awake. She begins rocking the crib, while doing lunges, and then sprays lavender, which she tells Wanda and Vision, has a calming effect, and that Ralph sprays it on her, though there's not taming her. She then goes into their cabinet, and informs them, she's looking for dark liquor, for the twins. She then goes to backroom to check. While shes there, the twins age up five years, to Wanda and Visions shock, and Agnes sits on the counter, with a drink in hand, and makes a remark on how you cant control kids, no matter how hard you try. Agnes later sees Billy and Tommy have a new pet dog, though her window, and comes over, with a kennel for them. She asks if they've named him, and Billy suggests Sniffy, but at that moment, the dog, begins sniffing at a socket, causing sparky to fly, and Agnes suggests Sparky, which they settle on. She places a collar on, with them, and when Billy asks his parents if Sparky is their dog, she pleadingly poses, whilst holding him. Wanda tells the pair, they don't think the can be responsible for a pet, until they're at least ten, and so the boys age up another five years, reaching ten years old. Agnes comments, that they should hope the dog stays the same size, and jokingly woofs at Sparky. Later that day, Agnes finds Sparky dead, after eating leaves from her azalea bushes, on her front lawn. She proceeds to wrap him up in a blanket, when Billy, Tommy and Wanda pass her house. She breaks the news to them, and apologizes to the boys, for their loss. The boys begin grieving over their Sparky, and when Tommy asks Wanda to resurrect him, Agnes questions if Wanda can do that. Wanda explains to them she cant, and Agnes watches on, as Vision arrives, and consoles the boys. That evening, she summons someone to take the part of Wanda's deceased brother, Pietro Maximoff, while sitting with a picnic on her front lawn.
On Halloween, Agnes dresses up as a witch, and drives, until she reaches the intersection of Rolling Hill and Ellis Avenue. Her intentions is to be seen by Vision, and plant the idea that Wanda is responsible, for going-ons, in the town. Her car stops, with the headlights on, and she stares mindlessly, at the road ahead. Vision arrives, from the sky, and questions what she's doing there. Agnes keeps her gaze off him, and asks where Town Square Scare is. He replies that he expects that it's in Town Sure, and chuckles, and Agnes does so too, while her facial expressions remain unemotional, and she continues looking froward. She tells him she took a wrong turn and got lost. Vision asks if she's referring to the town she grew up in, but she remains unresponsive. He then proceeds to touche her temple, and Agnes gasps. She breaks her concentration ahead, and looks directly at Vision. She recognizes him as one of the Avengers, and hold his hands. She asks if he's there's to help them, and he confirms he is, but questions what an Avengers is. Agnes lets go of his hands, and wonders why he doesn't know. She appears in shock, places her hand over her heart, and asks if she's dead. He tells her no, and questions why she would even think that, and Agnes reveals he is dead. She begins to repeat the word "Dead", louder and louder. Vision informs her of his intentions, to reach those outside Westview, and make sense of their situation, but Agnes asks how, as no one leaves, and Wanda won't even let them think about it. She chortles, and remarks that all is lost, before manically laughing, while Vision tells her to calm down. He touches her temple again, and Agnes reverts to her former state. He promises he'll fix this, and she looks at him, tells him ok, in a happy manner, before driving back into town, with a smile on her face.
The following day, Agnes begins interviewing Wanda without her knowledge. She learns Wanda's thoughts, as she proceeds thoughout the day. Agnes later arrives to the Vision Residence, and finds Wanda in her pyjamas, while sitting on the couch. Agatha decides it may be a good idea, to take Billy and Tommy away, so Wanda can can have time alone, and she takes them to her home. The boys sit on her couch, and she settles in between them. She leans towards Billy, who is petting Señor Scratchy, and wonders what he is thinking. He tells her he likes it at her house, because it's quiet, and she is too, on the inside. Tommy asks if she thinks their mother is alright, and Agnes reassures them, claming they don't need to worry, and she's a super-mom. She confesses in an interview, that Ralph tells her, she sugarcoats things, but she is unable to tell a child his mother is unstable. Later on, Agnes peers outside her window, to see a confrontation between Wanda and Monica. She rushes to Wanda's side, tells Monica she's overstayed her welcome, and asks her to leave, guiding Wanda, back to her home. She sits her down, and heads to the kitchen to make her some tea. From the living room, Wanda asks where the twins are, and Agnes responds that they're likely playing in the basement. As Wanda heads in there to check on them, Agnes secretly follows her. They go through a passage with walls covered in vines, into a larger room. Agnes makes herself known, while petting Señor Scratchy, and reveals herself to also be a magic user. She flicks her hands, causing the doors to shut, and introduces herself by her true name; Agatha Harkness. Her eyes glow violet, and a flash of luminescencem, flows around Wanda, turning her eyes the same color.
Trivia
- Agnes' true identity was hinted at through the series:
- She was the only person on the board of the Westview's "cast members" in the fourth episode that Darcy Lewis, Jimmy Woo and the agents of S.W.O.R.D. were not able to identify.
- She wears a distinctively round pendant in every episode, just like the one that her comic book self wears on the collar of her dress.
- In Episode 2's opening, an advertisement for "Auntie A's" cat litter (which pictures a black cat) can be spotted in the background. This is a nod to Agatha's familiar in the comics, a black cat named Ebony.
- Out of all the "supporting characters" in Westview, she seems to be the most aware that they're living in a TV show, as exemplified when she briefly breaks character and asks to redo her line. This is because unlike the other characters, she's out of Wanda's control and is playing her role on her own accord.
- She dresses as a witch in the Halloween Episode, and lets out an eerily witch-like cackle when she declares that all hope is lost. It's also quite suspicious that she isn't completely frozen when Vision finds her at the town's outer limits, unlike the other residents living around that area.
- She claims that her wedding was on June 2nd, the same day that the Salem witch trials commenced.
- Billy tells her that she's "quiet on the inside", as in, he can't sense any of her inner thoughts. This implies that she's immune to both Wanda and Billy's mind powers.
- When Wanda froze all those around her, during her confrontation with Monica Rambeau in the seventh episode, she was not frozen.
- Her guise as "Agnes" was in reference to actress Agnes Moorehead, who portrayed Eudora (the witch mother of Samantha Stephens) on Bewitched.
