- NOTE: This article is about the mainstream version of Agatha Harkness from the Marvel comics. The incarnation of Harkness from the Marvel Cinematic film series can be found here: Agatha Harkness (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
| “ | We must leave the past behind us... and focus on the future. A future that i, Agatha Harkness will make. | „ |
| ~ Agatha Harkness |
| “ | I've been young all along, my dear. But now the flesh matches the spirit. | „ |
| ~ Agatha Harkness |
Agatha Harkness is a major character in Marvel Comics, originally appearing as a mentor to Scarlet Witch and an ally of the Fantastic Four, until she became the main antagonist of the Contest of Chaos storyline when she regained her youth and tried to recreate the Darkhold. She is a powerful centuries old Witch, the mother of the supervillain Nicholas Scratch, and a member of the Witches of New Salem, the Daughters of Liberty, and the Strange Academy.
She was voiced by Elizabeth Shepherd in The Avengers: United They Stand and Pauline Newstone in X-Men: Evolution.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Agatha after WWII
Agatha Harkness is a witch of unrevealed age; she claims to be many centuries old. In the 17th century she governed the witches of Salem, Massachusetts, and attermpted to lead them to fight against their persecution, believing that they could only grow by standing up to their lppressors. However, the interference of a time-traveling Angelica Jones and the dissent of her own people helped to convince Agatha that warfare was not the proper path, and she acquiesced to their desires for isolation and led them to the mountains of the western USA. Not all of the witches followed her, however, as Agatha's young relative Abigail Harkness chose to flee with her beau, Obadiah Shaw.
Old Agatha
Agatha's witches built their own secluded city, New Salem, high in the mountains of what would eventually become the state of Colorado. Shielded from the world by magic, several centuries passed. Agatha married and gave birth to a son, Nicholas Scratch, but she eventually decided to leave the witch city and reconnect with the world outside, feeling that a society that hid itself was doomed to a slow death. She acquired an aging home known as Whisper Hil, in the Adirondacks of upstate New York, and trained talented and powertul children such as Jack Holyoak in the use of their abilities.
Franklin Richards[]
Agatha eventually retired, but sensing the potential power level of Franklin Richards, son of the Fantastic Four's Susan and Reed Richards, deliberately drew the Richards' attention and they hired her to be nanny to young Franklin. She protected Franklin during his infant years, and eventually revealed her abilities to the team when she used her magic to save Reed after he became trapped in the Negative Zone, though she still kept her origins a secret. She would aid the team repeatedly, employing her sorcery to seek knowledge of the Over-Mind from the Watcher, to enable Reed to speak simultaneously to every human on Earth in their native tongues, and to transport the team back to Earth after Annihilus forced her to aid in kidnapping Susan and young Franklin into the Negative Zone.
Scarlet Witch[]
Agatha with her cat familiar; Ebony
When Franklin was briefly left comatose she was his primary caretaker, but once he awoke she resigned her position and jmmediately began tutoring the Scarlet Witch, who needed training to manage her unstable powers. Wanda had been raised in the shadow of the demon Chthon, and her mutant powers were in part Chthonic magic which she had little to no control. Over; Agatha hoped training her in magic would helped stabilize Wanda, though she hid the origin of Wanda's powers from her. She trained Wanda until Wanda married the android Vision, at which point Agatha realized that the young mutant had accepted al the training that she would at that time. Back in New Salem, Agatha's son Nicholas Scratch had in turn fathered seven children, who would become the super-powered Salem's Seven. With his children's help, Scratch led New Salem's population to believe that Harkness' presence in the outside world was a danger to the city and ordered Agatha's capture, abducting young Franklin Richards as well when they took her.
The Fantastic Four came the rescue and eventually convinced the town that it was Scratch's kidnapping of Franklin that had endangered their secrecy and drawn the Four there, not Agatha's actions. Scratch was banished to another dimension by the townspeople but soon returned and briefly possessed the Fantastic Four and much of New York before Franklin stopped him; Agatha would cast a spell to alter the memories of the entire city to cover this up. After her son returned yet again and possessed young Franklin, Agatha decided that she was a threat to the child, and chose to remain permanently in New Salem. However, Salem's Seven apparently managed to remove Agatha's access to her powers and she was burned at the stake by her grandchildren. An astral Agatha reappeared immediately thereafter to her former pupil Wanda, leading her and the Vision to defeat Salem's Seven and then counseling Wanda on how to conceive children.
Agatha told Wanda that she had indeed died, and then aided her when the demonic Samhain attempted to influence the unborn children. However, not long after the children were born Wanda went though a series of emotional trials, losing her husband and falling under the control of that Which Endures, a collective that tried to use her to bond with all mutantkind. Worried about Wanda, Agatha reappeared, alive, and began caring for Wanda's newborn twins. When the children were apparently revealed to be merely demonic fragments of the Hell-lord Mephisto, Agatha intervened and altered Wanda's memories to allow her cope with her loss. Agatha remained with Wanda for the next several weeks during which time the already fragile Wanda was kidnapped first by her father Magneto and then by the time-master Immortus; Agatha's magic revealed Immortus' ongoing plan to imbue Wanda with power he wished to manipulate. Agatha was able to restore Wanda's memories of herself, her friends, and her lost husband and children.
Contest of Chaos[]
Agatha returns
During "Midnight Suns" series, Agatha was still in her old form. When she stabbed Korrosion with her magical dagger, they both disappear. However, Agatha did not die. Instead, she absorbed some demonic power and was reborn with her youth restored so she can enact her evil plan. Later, she battled Scarlet Witch and ripped Chthon's heart out.
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Agatha wanted to use the Darkhold boy for his darkness and to help her hide from her pursuers.
Ultimate Universe[]
Agatha in the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610)
In the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610), Agatha Harkness was a member of an ancient race of creatures known as the Tan-Ed-Drul, posing as a psychiatrist for S.H.I.E.L.D.. The Ed-Drul race inspired the Greek legends of the seven-headed Hydra, and they were also responsible for the fall of Atlantis.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
- Dark Magic: Agatha is known for being one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. She has great knowledge about dark and forbidden magic, and has a large arsenal of spells, curses and magical traps.
- Telekinesis: As witch, Agatha can move objects with her mind.
- Telepathy: Due to Agatha's magic, she can manipulate the minds of other individuals and get them to do what she wants them to do.
- Sleep inducement: Agatha can cause instant unconsciousness in living beings.
- Reality Warping: Agatha has the ability to shape, warp, defy and bend reality itself.
- Teleportation: Agatha can teleport herself and others over great distances with ease.
- Longevity: Agatha had been alive since before the fall of Atlantis (which took place in 18,000 BC). She has an infinite lifespan and has the potential to live forever.
- Transmutation: Agatha was able to transmute Sandman (Flint Marko) into stone.
- Magic Negation: Agatha was able to use a spell to negate Salem Seven's magic and revert everything they had changed back to normal.
- Elemental Control: Agatha can control and manipulate the elemental forces of the universe, like air, fire, and water.
- Astral Projection: Agatha is capable of projecting her astral form/spirit out of her physical body to another location.
- Energy Projection: Agatha was capable to release and project powerful energy blasts from her hands.
- Necromancy: Agatha possesses the ability to summon and raise the dead. She can resurrect them in their bodies or to raise corpses.
- Immobilization: Agatha is able to immobilize her victims.
- Force Field: Agatha has shown to be capable of projecting powerful fields and shields of mystical energy.
Abilities[]
- Occult knowledge: Agatha has acquired extensive knowledge of the supernatural during her long life.
Other Media[]
Television[]
- Main article: Agatha Harkness (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Agatha Harkness in WandaVision
- Agatha Harkness appears in The Avengers: United They Stand episode "The Sorceress's Apprentice", voiced by Elizabeth Shepherd.
- Agatha Harkness appears in X-Men: Evolution, voiced by Pauline Newstone. She was the mentor of Wanda recruited by Mystique.
- Agatha Harkness / Agnes appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by Kathryn Hahn. She first appears in the 2021 miniseries WandaVision as the main antagonist, later appearing in her own spin-off series Agatha, as the main protagonist.
Video games[]
- Agatha Harkness appears as a playable card in Marvel Snap.
- Agatha Harkness appears in Marvel's Midnight Suns, voiced by Courtenay Taylor.
- A member of the Scarlet Witches named "Agatha" appeared in Marvel Realm of Champions.
Trivia[]
- Her physical appearance and design in the comics were changed due to the popularity of her MCU counterpart, introduced in the miniseries WandaVision.
Gallery[]
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External Links[]
- Agatha Harkness on the Marvel Wiki
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