AGATHA ALL ALONG: Pop Culture Pairing Explored

In the seventh episode of Agatha All Along, fans finally witnessed a moment heavily teased in previews. The Westview coven dressed as iconic pop culture witches during the Witches’ Road trial, specifically for Patti LuPone’s divination witch, Lilia. This clever costume choice holds deeper meaning, with each witch being paired with a famous enchantress from folklore.

Agatha Harkness and the Wicked Witch of the West

Agatha Harkness, portrayed by Kathryn Hahn, steps into the trial, transforming into a version of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. With a smirk, she tells Billy, “She’s based on me, you know.” This remark suggests a possible encounter with Oz author L. Frank Baum, who may have drawn inspiration from her for his villain. Agatha seems pleased with having such an infamous witch based on herself. Moreover, her actions in WandaVision—including the death of Sparky, the dog—echo the iconic phrase, “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!” This portrayal adds complexity to Agatha’s character, similar to how Wicked humanizes the original Wicked Witch.

Billy Maximoff as Maleficent

William Kaplan, also known as Billy Maximoff, embraces the persona of Maleficent from Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. His bedroom reveals his affinity for classic Disney animations. Among the pop culture witches, Maleficent stands as the ultimate diva. It’s fitting for Billy, a gay teen played by Joe Locke, to idolize her in such a unique way. He brings a gender-bent twist to his Maleficent cosplay. A crucial clue is Maleficent’s second form as a dragon, paralleling Billy’s talent for concealing his true self in earlier episodes. Fortunately, he’s better at dodging life’s challenges than Maleficent was at avoiding swords.

Jennifer Kale and the Old Hag

Jennifer Kale takes on the identity of the Old Hag, a guise of the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This choice aligns perfectly with her character. The Evil Queen’s obsession with beauty mirrors Jennifer’s business of peddling dubious age-defying products. Magical potions, a staple of the Evil Queen, are also Jennifer’s forte. She avoids the queenly appearance, suggesting self-awareness of her true nature. Despite her youthful façade, she knows she harbors the insecurities of an older self within.

Lilia Calderu as Glinda the Good Witch

Lilia Calderu, played by Patti LuPone, detests witches’ pop culture depictions. Her first appearance in the show made this clear. Thus, her Tarot Trial revolves around these themes. She transforms into Glinda, the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. This stereotype likely offends her the least. In this episode’s context, it makes sense for her to embody Glinda. Just as Glinda revealed to Dorothy that she had the answers all along, Lilia discovered the key to her time leaps within herself throughout the journey. She just needed to learn how to unlock it.