Agatha Harkness’ history with the Darkhold and her connection to Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch in the MCU changes drastically in a shocking new Agatha All Along theory. While her debut as Agnes and Agatha Harkness in WandaVision was hugely popular, 2024’s Agatha All Along series has developed Kathryn Hahn’s original Salem witch in much more detail. While much of Agatha Harkness’ history in the MCU is still a mystery, huge events have been alluded to, including the birth and apparent death of her son, Nicholas Scratch.

Agatha All Along’s premiere revealed that Agatha Harkness had a son, Nicholas Scratch, but this elusive character is yet to appear in the Phase 5 series. In Marvel Comics, Scratch turns against his mother when she leaves the magical community of New Salem to nanny for the Fantastic Four, and this familial animosity may have also been explained in the MCU thanks to a revelation in Agatha All Along episode 3. However, a new MCU theory suggests Agatha’s history with Nicholas Scratch is more unexpected, which also changes the Scarlet Witch’s own MCU history.

Agatha Harkness Was Fascinated With Wanda Maximoff’s Resurrection Ability In WandaVision

Wanda Maximoff Actually Didn’t Bring Anyone Back To Life In WandaVision

This new MCU theory relies on Agatha Harkness and Wanda Maximoff’s connection in 2021’s WandaVision, which first introduced Kathryn Hahn to the MCU as Wanda and Vision’s nosy neighbor, Agnes. Prior to revealing herself to be a formidable witch, Agnes became a close family friend to the Maximoffs, and one moment sticks out as being particularly interesting. When Agnes reveals that Sparky, the Maximoff family’s new pet dog, had unfortunately passed away in WandaVision episode 5, “On a Very Special Episode…,” Wanda’s kids urge her to “fix dead,” much to Agnes’ fascination.

Agatha Harkness later urged Wanda Maximoff to reveal how she had brought Vision back to life and established her Hex around Westview, New Jersey. She does mention necromancy, but Agatha seems more interested not in playing with the dead, but actually reversing death altogether. While it was revealed that the Scarlet Witch hadn’t actually resurrected anybody in WandaVision, Agatha Harkness’ interest and fascination with the idea of this being possible perfectly set the stage for Agatha All Along to explore her own history.

Theory: Agatha Harkness Did Not Sacrifice Nicholas Scratch

Rumor Has It Agatha Harkness Sacrificed Her Son For The Darkhold

A new theory shared by Reddit user johndelvec3 completely changes how viewers look at Agatha Harkness’ history prior to WandaVision, and explains her fascination with reversing death. The theory suggests that Agatha Harkness did not sacrifice Nicholas Scratch in exchange for the Darkhold, as Jennifer Kale hinted at during the Witches’ Road’s first trial in Agatha All Along episode 3. Instead, the theory implies that Agatha may have walked the Witches’ Road to acquire the Darkhold in an effort to save her son from a life-threatening illness.

The details Agatha Harkness’ last journey down the Witches’ Road haven’t been revealed, though it has been suggested that she walked the Road in an effort to gain more power. However, given Agatha’s tendency to steal power from other witches, this mission doesn’t really make sense. It’s far more likely that Agatha Harkness walked the Witches’ Road in the hopes of acquiring the MCU’s Book of the Damned, and an ailing son would be fantastic motivation. This theory drastically changes what audiences know about Agatha Harkness in the MCU.

Agatha All Along Theory Explains Agatha’s Hatred For Rio Vidal

Agatha Harkness & Rio Vidal’s Relationship Is Very Complicated

Despite dabbling in the dark magic of the Darkhold, it seems as though Agatha Harkness was not successful in saving her son from his illness. According to a popular new theory concerning Aubrey Plaza’s Agatha All Along character, this also explains Agatha Harkness’ animosity towards the Green Witch. While Plaza’s MCU character is currently known as the witch Rio Vidal, a popular theory suggests she is actually the MCU’s depiction of Lady Death, which means she would have been the one to take the deceased Nicholas Scratch from Agatha.

There have been many hints that Aubrey Plaza is playing Lady Death in the MCU. She looked at home in the morgue in Agatha All Along’s premiere, was “in the neighborhood” following Sharon Davis’ burial in episode 4, was impatient to get her “bodies,” and was urged not to go near “Teen” after he became injured by Alice Wu-Gulliver’s generational curse.

Agatha Harkness and Lady Death’s relationship would have been strong prior to this, with Agatha stealing the power from other witches and leaving them for Death to collect, almost like romantic gifts. Rio Vidal explained in Agatha All Along episode 4 that she had betrayed Agatha Harkness by simply doing her job, giving weight to the idea that she took Nicholas Scratch following his death. This clearly explains why Agatha Harkness hates her in Agatha All Along, and brings Kathryn Hahn’s witch closer to Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.

MCU Theory Makes Agatha Harkness’ History Even More Tragic

Agatha Harkness & The Scarlet Witch Are The Same In This Dark MCU Theory

This theory means that everyone’s perception of Agatha Harkness is wrong. Yes, she has spent centuries stealing power from other witches, leaving them dead, but this could have been in an effort to give Lady Death new bodies, hoping that she would return her own son. Jennifer Kale also revealed in Agatha All Along episode 3 that “everyone says”Agatha traded her son for the Darkhold. This has become a well-known and much-believed rumor, painting Agatha in a heartless and selfish light, when this may not actually be the case.

This also massively changes Agatha Harkness’ actions in WandaVision and her connection to the Scarlet Witch in the MCU. This theory turns Agatha Harkness into a desperate mother seeking a way to resurrect her son, just like Wanda Maximoff’s Scarlet Witch. Neither Agatha nor Wanda are really villains, and both have the same purpose and mission, with the same twisted methods, too, as both use the Darkhold in hopes of finding their children. These similarities between Agatha Harkness and Wanda Maximoff may be confirmed in Agatha All Along​​​​​​​.