The Marvel Cinematic Universe is only impressive because it manages to blend countless varied stories into one unique franchise. Grounded crime dramas share space with sweeping science-fantasy epics. Though the films have trouble keeping everything distinct, the scope remains engaging. There are, however, still countless corners of the source material that the MCU hasn’t really explored. Fans consistently anticipate a dip into the Marvel Comics conception of Hell and the demons that come from it. Agatha All Along might secretly be the gateway to Hell fans have been waiting for.
Consider the variety of semi-separate worlds in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They divided themselves by tone, genre, presentation, cast, and scope. Captain America’s movies tend to cover the spy side of things, while Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy explore space. Cities in the MCU can often feel like separate worlds. Doctor Strange is the primary representative of the mystical side of the MCU, which has consistently remained underrepresented. Agatha’s solo show might be the ideal way to deepen that exploration.
Agatha All Along is finally coming
Agatha Harkness became a breakout character after her landmark appearance in WandaVision. The character’s comic book counterpart has consistently been a minor figure, with a few fun showings in various stories. She’s been a hero, a villain, and an uninvolved observer in many scenarios. WandaVision imagined her as a subtle figure that ingratiates herself to Wanda in the Scarlet Witch’s sitcom world in order to seize her power. Her grand reveal comes with the song of the season, which donated its title to the new series. Agatha All Along went through several other potential names before it landed on the most obvious choice. The series will likely have little to do with WandaVision, one of the smartest and boldest shows Marvel has ever created. The plot will follow the titular Agatha as she struggles to reclaim the powers Wanda took from her in Westview. To accomplish that goal, she’ll track down several previous allies from her days in the witching world. This will tie her in tightly with Marvel’s mystical elements, but it will also open a new subset of characters and concepts that may expand the franchise.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Hasn’t Explored Hell
Marvel Comics has a functioning hell. There are loads of demons running around, all of them consistently connected to the bad place. It’s laid out a bit like the Nine Circles from The Divine Comedy, but with plenty of sub-hells organized by specific rulers. In the Earth-616 continuity, Satan openly empowered Adolf Hitler. He also empowered a young mystic named Claire Voyant to don the mantle of the Black Widow and claim Nazi souls. The MCU’s timeline is less open to the idea. Several characters who are canonically demons in the comics were reflavored as something else for the films. The MCU’s Dweller-in-Darkness is a dragon who once terrorized Ta Lo, but the same name applies to a demon lord from the comics. The only notable MCU take on Hell comes from the ill-fated Hulu series Helstrom. Helstrom was meant to launch a franchise of shows in the Defenders model called Adventure into Fear. It would have delved deeper into the demonic chapter of the MCU, but it never got the chance. Agatha All Along has the chance to pick up that torch.
What could the demonic MCU contain?
The go-to demonic Marvel project would be Ghost Rider. Fans have demanded a new version of Johnny Blaze or Robbie Reyes for more than a decade. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. introduced a version of Reyes, but he’s been dormant for far too long. The Ghost Rider is a superhero who wields the powers of Hell to fight a variety of demonic foes. His inclusion in the MCU would open the franchise to several new and interesting horror-tinged corners. Here are a few other characters that could join the MCU through the demonic corner:
- Mephisto: Fans have speculated about this mighty demon as a massive MCU villain for years. His duplicity forces many to imagine he’s secretly been in the franchise for years in one disguise or another. Mephisto is not officially involved, but fans clearly want him around.
- Chthon: The Elder God, who once ruled Earth, probably created Wanda Maximoff. His magic also created vampires, werewolves, and zombies. Chthon wrote the Darkhold, which comes up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. If anyone’s looking for a final boss in that plot thread, Chthon is a great choice.
- Blackheart: Mephisto’s son is another excellent demonic villain that can bring a new level of threat to the MCU. The first Ghost Rider movie delivered an awful version of the character, leaving almost infinite room to improve.
- Damion and Satana Hellstrom: This pair of satanic siblings barely got a chance before their show crashed and burned. Marvel could bring them back with new performers and deliver something a little more interesting.
Agatha All Along has all the makings of a minor entry in the MCU. Many fans have counted the series out. It’s fair to expect very little from a show that’s coming out years after its predecessor, but as the MCU expands, every new entry can be a portal to something new. Marvel may have been searching for an appropriate way to introduce Hell. Sure enough, it was Agatha All Along.
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