Agatha All Along: Darkest Hour, Wake Thy Power
October 10, 2024 8:58 AM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe
With enemies closing in, the coven flees under the light of a blood moon to the next ghastly trial.
Is it possible that they failed that one?
posted by Mogur at 2:51 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]
posted by Mogur at 2:51 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]
I’m more interested in what the deal is with Agatha. Why her mom was the main person who wanted her dead, and why she can’t seem to control her power-and-life-sucking power (kind of like Rogue in the X-Men movies). It’s like she was born or formed into an anti-witch witch, and I’m guessing that Rio/Blackheart may have something to do with that. (She was missing at the end…)
Also found it interesting that Teen seemed to know exactly how to use his very Wanda-esqe powers so as not to trigger Agatha’s power siphon. Hmm.
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:06 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]
Also found it interesting that Teen seemed to know exactly how to use his very Wanda-esqe powers so as not to trigger Agatha’s power siphon. Hmm.
posted by Halloween Jack at 3:06 PM on October 10 [1 favorite]
Here’s a theory: that wasn’t Agatha’s trial. They assumed it was because of the blood moon, veil between the living and the dead is thin, Agatha’s a murderer, etc. But it could have been Teen’s trial—he was the one who stopped everyone from punishing Agatha, so he failed, and lost his friend Alice for it. After all, if Teen is who we think he is, he’s even more associated with the veil, since he shouldn’t be alive in this world at all. And as the son of a mother who murdered many to be with him, it’s parallelistic that his trial is to abandon Agatha to her own murderous mother.
posted by ejs at 3:52 PM on October 10 [4 favorites]
posted by ejs at 3:52 PM on October 10 [4 favorites]
I kind of assume everyone who is dead will return in the end.
The fox seemed to be some Lars Von Trier/Antichrist reference and I'm just like "let's go!" with a Disney+/MCU show.
Agatha seemed to be Freddy (in the Elm Street sense, although not in the child molester way). She's ... messy, let's say. I love her, but she's not a hero.
I love all the horror references and also, you don't need to know them for this to work. It's dark and fun and I'm happy to watch it during witchy season.
posted by edencosmic at 5:43 PM on October 10 [2 favorites]
The fox seemed to be some Lars Von Trier/Antichrist reference and I'm just like "let's go!" with a Disney+/MCU show.
Agatha seemed to be Freddy (in the Elm Street sense, although not in the child molester way). She's ... messy, let's say. I love her, but she's not a hero.
I love all the horror references and also, you don't need to know them for this to work. It's dark and fun and I'm happy to watch it during witchy season.
posted by edencosmic at 5:43 PM on October 10 [2 favorites]
Oh that switch that Katherine Hahn did at the end. From cynical and broken woman putting up a front, to someone would gladly knife you was absolutely terrifying and I loved it!
Everyone went into the mud, aka "down, down, down" so we'll probably see them. There's something deliciously witchy about the road going down, aka not in a traditional direction.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:23 AM on October 11 [4 favorites]
Everyone went into the mud, aka "down, down, down" so we'll probably see them. There's something deliciously witchy about the road going down, aka not in a traditional direction.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:23 AM on October 11 [4 favorites]
There’s some talk on Reddit about the lack of changing aspect ratios leading some to believe that actually wasn’t a trial at all.
Anyway, I’m glad the circus Nazgûl are back.
posted by hototogisu at 12:21 PM on October 11 [1 favorite]
Anyway, I’m glad the circus Nazgûl are back.
posted by hototogisu at 12:21 PM on October 11 [1 favorite]
Billy wanting to bring Wanda back makes sense. But what about his brother? Vision? Wouldn't he want to bring them all back? Or is someone controlling him?
Plus, wanting to bring family back is a stark contrast to Agatha's family background. Wait, who is Agatha's father, does it matter?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:54 PM on October 11
Plus, wanting to bring family back is a stark contrast to Agatha's family background. Wait, who is Agatha's father, does it matter?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:54 PM on October 11
Am I the only one who thought the ouija board was spelling out "Mr. Shart?"
posted by amarynth at 10:20 AM on October 12 [9 favorites]
posted by amarynth at 10:20 AM on October 12 [9 favorites]
(She was missing at the end…)
Yeah, I was wondering about that and my wife reminded me that Rio said in the Sound Booth that she's in this for the bodies, whatever that implies, so presumably she was back with Alice during that ending sequence.
If Teen is Billy (which is the only sensible interpretation I can make from that ending, though it certainly raises as many questions as it answers) it makes sense to me that this was actually his trial rather than Agatha's. Jennifer and Alice had to "solve" the previous two trials which were pretty clearly about them, and Teen is the one to "solve" this one. Plus, the 90s-style tappings of it fit Billy's "Malcolm-in-the-Middle"-pastiche of adolescence better than they'd fit Agatha, who was born in the 17th century.
I don't know nearly enough about the comics to make sense of how Nicholas Scratch fits into this version (seems like he's just Agatha's son that she gave up for the Darkhold, maybe? And no particular connection to the Salem Seven? I'm not sure) nor the significance of Teen's powers being blue-coded.
posted by Navelgazer at 9:01 PM on October 12 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I was wondering about that and my wife reminded me that Rio said in the Sound Booth that she's in this for the bodies, whatever that implies, so presumably she was back with Alice during that ending sequence.
If Teen is Billy (which is the only sensible interpretation I can make from that ending, though it certainly raises as many questions as it answers) it makes sense to me that this was actually his trial rather than Agatha's. Jennifer and Alice had to "solve" the previous two trials which were pretty clearly about them, and Teen is the one to "solve" this one. Plus, the 90s-style tappings of it fit Billy's "Malcolm-in-the-Middle"-pastiche of adolescence better than they'd fit Agatha, who was born in the 17th century.
I don't know nearly enough about the comics to make sense of how Nicholas Scratch fits into this version (seems like he's just Agatha's son that she gave up for the Darkhold, maybe? And no particular connection to the Salem Seven? I'm not sure) nor the significance of Teen's powers being blue-coded.
posted by Navelgazer at 9:01 PM on October 12 [2 favorites]
the significance of Teen's powers being blue-coded.
In the movies, the color is supposed to be the Infinity Stone the person draws power from, so in this case the Tesseract? Since they're all destroyed, no-one knows what it means now. Color coordination with the outfit?
posted by fiercekitten at 10:06 PM on October 12 [1 favorite]
In the movies, the color is supposed to be the Infinity Stone the person draws power from, so in this case the Tesseract? Since they're all destroyed, no-one knows what it means now. Color coordination with the outfit?
posted by fiercekitten at 10:06 PM on October 12 [1 favorite]
The powers don't correspond to the Infinity Stone. Wanda's power was red, but it came from the Mind Stone which was yellow; the Reality Stone (which figured in the second Thor movie before the Collector got it) was red. Agatha's original power was purple, which would be the Power Stone, which Peter Quill stole salvaged from a distant planet with the implication that it had been there for a long time.
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:40 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 5:40 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
Plus, the 90s-style tappings of it
The side ponytails indicated definitely 80s.
I have nothing else to add but these episodes are too short!
posted by ellieBOA at 8:23 AM on October 13 [2 favorites]
The side ponytails indicated definitely 80s.
I have nothing else to add but these episodes are too short!
posted by ellieBOA at 8:23 AM on October 13 [2 favorites]
The side ponytails indicated definitely 80s.
Yeah, while it definitely all read as 90s to me, everyone else seemed to see 80s, so I'll accept that that was the intention there. Still, the "Family Ties"-style 80s is when young Billy learned about death (via Agatha killing Sparky) so maybe there's still something there?
posted by Navelgazer at 9:39 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
Yeah, while it definitely all read as 90s to me, everyone else seemed to see 80s, so I'll accept that that was the intention there. Still, the "Family Ties"-style 80s is when young Billy learned about death (via Agatha killing Sparky) so maybe there's still something there?
posted by Navelgazer at 9:39 AM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I have nothing else to add but these episodes are too short!
I agree, and not just because I'd like to spend more time in this world with these characters. I feel like every episode could use a less frenetic pace. The story could use a little space to breathe.
posted by MrBadExample at 1:25 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
I agree, and not just because I'd like to spend more time in this world with these characters. I feel like every episode could use a less frenetic pace. The story could use a little space to breathe.
posted by MrBadExample at 1:25 PM on October 13 [1 favorite]
Enjoyed it. But reading this thread is giving me serious “must know Marvel lore” vibes, which is the bane of my viewing almost anything Marvel.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:23 AM on October 14
posted by Thorzdad at 4:23 AM on October 14
Thorzdad I know hardly any Marvel lore beyond what's been shown in the MCU series - I watched and enjoyed Wanda-vision with my Partner and they don't retain any MCU lore at all - and so far haven't been lost watching Agatha.
YMMV.
posted by Faintdreams at 8:16 AM on October 14
YMMV.
posted by Faintdreams at 8:16 AM on October 14
I must've missed the reveal: who is Teen? I saw that he has magic but I don't get who he is.
Based on comments here, you're saying he's one of Wanda's kids who doesn't exist in this world?
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:41 AM on October 15
Based on comments here, you're saying he's one of Wanda's kids who doesn't exist in this world?
posted by AzraelBrown at 6:41 AM on October 15
The midseason trailer plainly spells out what Teen’s real name is. I’m not going to spoil it here.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 7:12 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 7:12 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
I must've missed the reveal: who is Teen? I saw that he has magic but I don't get who he is.
Currently, it looks like Teen is one Wanda's kids, as he has an outlook similar to Wanda ("no, I'm not that kind of witch") and the very Scarlet Witch looking crown that appears on his head.
Agatha realized this at the end of the episode, when Teen said her son's name (which the sigil would have prevented if he was her son). That's explains her very real loath of Teen.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
Currently, it looks like Teen is one Wanda's kids, as he has an outlook similar to Wanda ("no, I'm not that kind of witch") and the very Scarlet Witch looking crown that appears on his head.
Agatha realized this at the end of the episode, when Teen said her son's name (which the sigil would have prevented if he was her son). That's explains her very real loath of Teen.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:17 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
Also, the next time I'm in a corporate meeting and someone says something very wrong, I just want to reply them with "Are you sure" in a manner similar to Agatha.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:19 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:19 AM on October 15 [1 favorite]
If you want to know lore and how it is or isn't being followed, the New Rockstars YouTube channel does pretty comprehensive breakdowns of each episode that goes into that. They also readily admit when comic book storylines were either less than consistent or just too fucking weird.
posted by emjaybee at 9:22 AM on October 15
posted by emjaybee at 9:22 AM on October 15
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posted by emjaybee at 9:13 AM on October 10 [1 favorite]