Agatha Harkness' WandaVision ending fuels a terrifying Avengers 5 theory

Agatha Harkness is not dead, and that’s a very good thing. Kathryn Hahn’s villainous witch was one of the highlights of the WandaVision experience from its very first episode, long before her real identity was even revealed in the series. And although the WandaVision finale says goodbye to Agatha, the show also makes it explicitly clear that Hahn and the character can, and probably will, return in the future — perhaps even in the next Avengers. Here's how it might happen.

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The Nosy Neighbor — Agatha Harkness isn’t dead… she’s just locked in Westview, forever. That’s where the WandaVision finale leaves her, at least. Indeed, Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda ends up sparing her life but still punishes Agatha by turning her back into Agnes, the “Nosy Neighbor” character she so exuberantly pretended to be in WandaVision’s earlier episodes.

“You have no idea what you’ve unleashed," says Agatha. "You’re gonna need me.”

“If I do," Wanda replies, "I know where to find you.”

So the set-up for Wanda and Agatha’s eventual reunion is there in the episode itself, but WandaVision stops just short of revealing what future Marvel film or TV show the delightfully evil witch could return in.

Fortunately, we’ve got a few ideas.

Agatha’s Future in the MCU

Looking at Marvel’s Phase 4 lineup, the first (and most obvious) candidate for Agatha’s return appearance is, unsurprisingly, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Sam Raimi-directed Marvel sequel is said to be the MCU’s direct follow-up to the events of WandaVision, with Elizabeth Olsen already confirmed to reprise her role as Wanda in the film.

Assuming the film does deal with the ramifications of Wanda reading the Darkhold (as seen in the WandaVision finale’s post-credits scene), it stands to reason that the Doctor Strange sequel will feature an appearance from Agatha. The character seems to have more knowledge of both the Darkhold and the Scarlet Witch prophecy than any other in the MCU, and that makes her a vital source for information moving forwards.

Depending on what role Wanda plays in Doctor Strange 2 (many fans believe she’s the film’s villain, intentionally or not), Agatha’s return could serve multiple functions. She could either be the person Wanda goes back to for help after realizing the danger the Darkhold poses, or she could be someone Strange himself goes to for help and advice. Agatha would also, no doubt, demand freedom from her Westview imprisonment in exchange for helping either character, which would just leave even more room for the character to appear in other, future MCU titles.

But Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness isn’t the only upcoming Marvel movie that Agatha could, theoretically, have a role in.

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Agatha's Avengers, Assemble!

One of the biggest growing rumors among Marvel fans is that the studio may be building towards a team-up of villains in the MCU. Several big villains are either rumored or confirmed to be part of Marvel’s Phase 4 plans, including Kang the Conqueror, Gorr the God Butcher, Chthon, and even Norman Osborn, and most of those names seem too notable to be confined to just one film or TV show.

The sheer number of rumored Phase 4 villains has led many fans to speculate that the MCU’s next Thanos won’t come in the form of one antagonist, but several. If that’s the case, Agatha would be a powerful addition to any villainous team that goes up against The Avengers, or becomes Earth's newest "mightiest heroes" themselves.

In the comics, Osborn leads the Dark Avengers, a sinister version of the classic superhero team. If something like that happens in the MCU's future, Agatha has to be on that line-up. Not many baddies can say they put up a fight against Scarlet Witch, after all.

Elsewhere, one of Agatha’s most memorable storylines in the Marvel comics also involves her becoming the governess of Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue Richards of the Fantastic Four. With the Jon Watts-directed Fantastic Four movie coming in Marvel’s Phase 4, it's certainly not out of the question for Agatha to return in a way that sees her crossing paths with Marvel’s First Family. Whether or not it’s to take care of and watch over Reed and Sue’s son, however? That's another matter altogether.

The Inverse Analysis — Even with WandaVision setting up some of what’s to come, there’s still a lot we don’t know about Marvel’s Phase 4 plans. However, what we do know is that the WandaVision finale left the door wide open for Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness to return, whether it be in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Fantastic Four, Avengers 5, or any of the other MCU titles coming our way over the next few years.

Agatha made a big enough impression among fans and casual viewers as well, that we have to believe Marvel will bring her back sooner rather than later. After all, you don’t just keep a character played by Kathryn Hahn alive with no plans for the future.

WandaVision is streaming now on Disney+.