Much like The Witch’s Road in the show, the two-episode series finale of “Agatha All Along” had its own ups and downs. Marvels’ latest limited series had the lowest budget to date, but it still excelled in storytelling, costume design, characterization and cinematography.
Yet, the finale had some unsatisfying endings and lingering questions that made me think it needed another episode.
The “WandaVision” spinoff series has been a smashing success with fans, including myself. As a longtime Marvel fan, the series made me love the MCU again.
This show was a great example of how fans value creative storytelling and dynamic characters rather than fancy special effects and CGI.
This is particularly seen in episode seven, “Death’s Hand in Mine”’ which is now the second highest rated TV episode in MCU history. The episode followed the chaotic, jumbled storyline of Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone) and was amazingly heartfelt and cinematically beautiful.
Perhaps these high expectations are why the finale fell a little flat in comparison. The two-episode finale felt like classic Marvel, with plot twists and teases, but lacked the emotional characterizations that have made this series great so far.
Episode 8, the first in the two-episode finale, wrapped up the journey on The Witch’s Road with a final trial that gave Jen (Sasheer Zamata) her powers back.
Once Jen leaves, Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) helps Billy (Joe Locke) locate his brother’s soul and put it in a body, so that Billy’s goal is fulfilled and he is released from The Road.
Agatha is left alone in the trial but successfully escapes where she returns outside her home in Westview to the welcoming cackle of Rio Vidal, aka Death (Aubrey Plaza).
Rio almost succeeds at killing Agatha before Billy shows up in his comic-style Wiccan costume, saving her. Giving Agatha some of his power, Billy helps her fight Rio until she proclaims that it is a losing battle, you can’t fight Death.
This begins an emotional sequence where Agatha eventually sacrifices herself for Billy by kissing Rio. The Kiss of Death made MCU history as the first lesbian kiss on screen.
Although, at first, it follows the Hollywood “Bury Your Gays” trope, a widespread storytelling cliché where shows kill off homosexual couples at the peak of their relationship, this is quickly reversed when episode 9 reveals Agatha has come back as a ghost.
While this passionate kiss made MCU history, the remaining hour of the finale gave no backstory of the couple, which was teased throughout the season.
The series should have spent the time and money developing a proper story between the doomed lovers, so that the Kiss of Death felt more tragic than it already was.
By spending more time on this complex relationship, it would have made for a more satisfying finale that answered questions that were asked in earlier episodes.
The return of Agatha as a ghost was a classic Marvel trick of reversing character deaths. While I love Agatha’s character and would love to see her in more MCU projects, her ghostly return diminished the character development she had died for.
Agatha made a beautiful sacrifice, changing her selfish ways to save her enemy’s child. In a series where Death is the central theme, it would have been a more meaningful ending for Agatha to finally face Death and reunite with her lost son.
Episode 9 is an emotionally charged episode that follows the anticipated backstory of Agatha’s son, Nicholas. We learn that he was cursed from birth when Rio shows up, ready to take him away, as Agatha is giving birth.
Agatha begs her lover for more time with her son, which Rio grants her. Agatha spends the next six years using Nicholas to help her go from town to town killing witches. The one day Nicholas is too sick to help in his mothers con, Rio returns and takes him away from his mother.
Agatha grieves for her son and sings the song they made together called “The Witch’s Road.” A passerby hears her singing this and asks if she knows how to get to The Road. This is where the legend of The Witch’s Road was born and Agatha starts her multi-century long con of killing covens who want to travel the legendary path.
This plot twist is one of the strengths of the finale. After episode 8 reveals that The Road was just an illusion created by Billy, the episode 9 twist successfully explains the start of the legend that Billy unknowingly made a reality.
The dynamic between Agatha and Billy is a strength of the series that I am interested to see develop after it was teased they are teaming up to look for Billy’s brother, Tommy. This is especially interesting with the 2026 “WandaVision” spinoff, “VisionQuest” that is rumored to show Tommy’s return.
Despite a typical Marvel finale disappointment,“Agatha All Along” did an excellent job of portraying the brilliant characters and artistry that has been lacking in the MCU.
From the intricate costume design of Daniel Selon to the creative direction from showrunner Jac Schaeffer, the series felt like a breath of fresh air compared to recent cookie-cutter Marvel projects.