The Witches Road

The major plot for Agatha All Along seems to be about Agatha and her new coven traveling the witches road. Some fans were, rightfully, upset by this realization because this is one of Scarlet Witch’s major storylines from one of her few solo titles. Those of us that have been in the trenches of the internet for the last few years have heard things like, “Wanda can’t carry her own movie” and “there isn’t enough to her character for a whole trilogy”. Now both of these statements are blatantly wrong and show a distinct lack of comic book knowledge and common sense. But the idea that there is a lack of substance to her character is present in the fandom. So to take one of her major storylines and give it to Agatha is wildly insulting. That said, I have faith in Jac Shaeffer as she is the only one to handle my Wanda with care and respect. So what exactly is the witches road storyline and what parts of it will we actually see in the show?

First things first: What is the Witches Road? The Witches Road is an alternate dimension that specifically chooses which magic users can enter it. It houses the Goddess of Witchcraft who acts as the source of all magical power for witches, and warlocks who use verbal spells or are the descendants of mystics. It's all very specific. Which is important because magic in the Marvel universe is widespread but there are lots of different disciplines and kinds. The Goddess of Witchcraft only rules over these specific kinds of magic. The road is also home to Chaos, a sort of companion for the Goddess that helps the confines of reality not affect her ability to use magic. The witches' road is unaffected by time, it exists outside of reality.

Her story kicks off because something is wrong with witchcraft itself. After leaving the Avengers, Wanda realizes that something about magic is wrong. Agatha’s ghost appears to Wanda as she also senses this disturbance. The two find themselves on the witches road during their investigation. It is here that Wanda meets her dead mother. Though her mother doesn’t realize who she is until just before she fades away. At this point in Wanda’s story (because comic book origins are retconned at an annoying pace) it is established that her mother was the previous Scarlet Witch and this is a title and power that she has inherited. Her mother’s spirit helps her on her journey to discover what has tainted magic. On this journey she ends up further down the witches road than anyone had ever traveled before and it aged her greatly. They realize that the Goddess of Witchcraft has been under attack by Chaos and that is what is harming magic. Armed with both the spirits of Agatha and her mother, Wanda saves the Goddess. Natalya’s spirit was sacrificed, restoring the Goddess to her full health, resurrecting Agatha and restoring Wanda to her youth.

Now if none of that sounds like it would fit in the current version of the witches road in the MCU, you would be 100% correct. I think that really the only part of this that they are going to use is that the witches road is a source of magic and power. And perhaps they will use it to resurrect Wanda. But considering that the comic book storyline is so tied to Wanda and her growth as a person and the people that she is emotionally tied to, I don't think that this is a true adaptation. I really think that they probably just liked the name and the vague concept. So I am not extremely worried about it.