The following contains spoilers fromAgatha All Along Episode 4, "If I Can't Reach You, Let My Song Teach You," which premiered Wednesday, Oct. 2 on Disney+.
Disney and Marvel continue to make progress in their films and shows by featuring more queer characters as either heroic or villainous characters.Agatha All Along makes its characters' sexuality a natural part of their lives that they're not afraid to hide, nor is it the focus of their individual journeys.One example is Agatha Harkness herself, who in Episode 4, almost nearly confirms is queer, most likely bisexual.
Agatha's queerness has been widely speculated by fans since even before the series arrived. But in the premiere episode, "Seekest Thou the Road," it was her intense dynamic with the flirtatious Rio Vidal that suggested the two of them might have been lovers in a past life. A few episodes later,"If I Can't Reach You, Let My Song Teach You," reunites the witches to make Alice Wu-Gulliver's test on the Witches' Road the most arousing one yet.
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There were only hints in the first couple of episodes that Agatha and Rio were lovers in the past. Even in Agatha'sfantasy world of true crime, her and Rio are work adversaries with clear sexual tension -- a classic romance trope. In the first episode, the two witches engage in a fight when Agatha snaps out of her spell that Wanda Maximoff put her in. Rio tells Agatha that her heart is "black, and it beats for you," when Agatha offends her by saying she doesn't have a heart. Later, when Agatha and Teen are forming a coven to travel down the Witches' Road, Lilia Calduru doesn't give the name of a Green Witch.
All that appears on her list is a black heart. Agatha tries to hide the heart, knowing it means Rio, and instead recruits Sharon Davis (aka Mrs. Hart) as a stand-in. Rio returns in Episode 4 as a thorn in Agatha's side. Agatha takes every chance to try to avoid Rio, but at the same time, she can't help but be drawn to her. The chemistry is off the charts with these two. Rio attractswomenin a way that incites confusing feelings of terror and temptation. All these feelings that Agatha has for Rio line up with thecast's past comments about the show's queerness:
Ali Ahn: "It is the gayest show on Marvel."
Aubrey Plaza: "It will be a gay explosion by the end of it."
Sasheer Zamata: "I would agree with that. You'll see when you watch. Witches are queer, inherently, just because we are outcasts and set aside for many reasons."
Joe Locke: "Teen is a queer guy on the show, but it's not the driving force, which I think is really great. It's really nice to just have these positive queer characters."
Kathryn Hahn:"What is the most exciting thing about it is, is that's not exactly what it’s about. It's so normalized."
Finally, Episode 4 confirms the validity of these comments and that Agatha is queer.After Teen's near-death experience that disturbs Agatha, she puts aside her dispute with Rio by intimately hugging her (much more than a platonic hug would've been) and attempting to kiss her. But Rio stops her, because four little words are holding her back: "That boy isn't yours."
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Jac Schaeffer says fans have been looking for looks in the wrong places.
Agatha and Rio don't have to say it, but there is a romantic history there. Despite how much they hate each other, they're still comfortable in each other's presence. Rio is the only person Agatha lets her guard down in front of, not even Teen, whom she's grown significantly close to. ButTeen may also be the reason why there's a rift between Agatha and Rio in the first place.
One theory for Teen's true identity suggests that he's Agatha's son, Nicholas Scratch, whom she traded for the Darkhold. Episode 4 seemingly denies this theory when Rio tells Agatha that "the boy isn't hers," meaning he's not Nicholas.Rio would probably know it's Nicholas if her true identity isDeath (another fan theory),lining up with her implication that Agatha is her scar because she "did her job" and took Nicholas' body when he died.
Agatha All Along hasn't explicitly explained why Rio harbors such animosity toward Agatha. It could just be a lover's quarrel, but it could also be vengeance for what Agatha did to Nicholas.Since Agatha and Rio were most certainly lovers in the past, Rio could've grown close to Nicholas-- either as a stepson, or an actual son she and Agatha raised together.
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Rio had no choice but to take Nicholas away, but that doesn't mean she isn't angry about Agatha sacrificing him. At the same time, Agatha would be furious at Rio for not breaking the rules and letting Nicholas live. If this theory holds true, Agatha and Rio's shared love for Nicholas would only reiterate the queerness ofAgatha All Along by adding a queer family dynamic into the mix, which is something the MCU needs more of.
Agatha All Along debuts new episodes Wednesdays at 9 PM ET on Disney+.
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Jac Schaeffer
- Directors
- Jac Schaeffer, Gandja Monteiro, Rachel Goldberg
- Writers
- Jac Schaeffer
- Franchise(s)
- Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cast
Kathryn HahnAgnes O'Connor / Agatha Harkness
Joe LockeTeen
After losing her powers due to Wanda Maximoff's spell, Agatha Harkness encounters a mysterious goth teen who helps her escape her distorted reality. The teen persuades her to embark on the treacherous Witches' Road, where the duo must assemble a coven and face magical trials with dangerous stakes to reclaim what they’ve lost.
