Up to now,Agatha All Alonghasn’t been holding any punches. For three weeks in a row, theKathryn Hahn-led show has been giving a lot to talk about. From faithfully taking up its mantle as aWandaVisionspin-off, through the heartbreaking death of Mrs. Hart (Debra Jo Rupp), and now with the official confirmation ofthe couple we were all shipping for. Agatha and Rio’s (Aubrey Plaza) tension since the start of the series was not only the audience’s wishful thinking, forEpisode 4 yet again hints they used to be lovers.
This is a huge step forward for the franchises that fall under the Disney umbrella –especially the MCU– given the PG-13 rating target that they all generally have. For some unspecified reason, sexual orientation has still been a taboo subject which the company has typically shied away from. And though some films and shows have had queer roles included in their narrative,this marks the first time the main character identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community– and the first time it’s truly relevant to the storyline.
Disney Franchises Have Teased and Underdelivered Representative Characters
Queer characters in Disney productions have seen toxic cycles that start with headlines announcing said characters will be in a film or TV show. Then,bigoted detractors denounce the actionand boycott the product –oftentimesreview-bombing projects they don’t even watch, which prove their bad-faith intentions. Supporters show up expecting representation but – spoiler alert – it doesn’t pay back. One example isStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; a queer character was said to be part of the film in the form of Commander Larma D’Acy (Amanda Lawrence). But the extent of the participation was limited toa background celebration kiss between Larma and her wife.
On the animated side of things, withAva Kai Hauser’s Lake Ripple,Elementalboasted having the first non-binary character in a Pixar film. But, aside from using their correct pronouns, nothing much happens with them story-wise.The Other Twosmartlypokes fun at PR strategies like thesethat lack depth. More recently,The Acolyteembraced its queerness with the introduction of Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva), the witches who created, gave birth, and raised Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg). The intention was there, but the message got muddled between the rage of the toxic fandom. This makesAgatha All Along’s revelation more groundbreaking for two main reasons – because it’s not just a PR strategy and because it’snot a supporting or background character who is openly queer, but the main protagonist(likely along withPlaza’s antagonist/anti-hero/former lover).
Disney+ Has Been Reserved for “Family-Friendly Content” in the Past
Two infamous moves by Disney have shown the company’s fear of touching subjects like sexuality, such as theLizzie McGuirerevival series. WithHilary Duffand the original cast returning, along with creatorTerri Minsky, the show had already filmed two episodes by January 2020. But, following creative differences,Minsky departed the project. And though the intention was to continue with the revival’s production, ultimately,Duff and Disney didn’t see eye-to-eyeon the direction the show should take – with the former aiming for the grown-up version of Lizzie and the latter wanting a Disney-fied version of a 30-year-old.
The other case is that of a show that faced a better fate.Love, Victor– the TV spin-off ofLove, Simon– was originally set to be a Disney+ original. Before its release, it was decided that the show would air on Hulu instead. Why? Because, even with the show being pretty much PG-13, the exploration of the titular Victor’s (Michael Cimino) sexual orientationwasn’t considered family-friendly enough. Disney could have easily opted for this strategy withAgatha All Alongbut, fortunately, it stood its ground on the path of right representation.
This ‘Agatha All Along’ Character Is Actually the Coven’s Strongest Member
Strength and power aren’t always equivalent!
‘Agatha All Along’ Is Ripe With Queer Representation
Since we first seeRio interact with Agatha in Episode 1, palpable tension can be sensed between both of them. At the time,it made us wonder if it was just Hahn and Plaza with their innate sex appeal, or if there was something more going on. Agatha’s reluctance to recruit Rio in the second episode gave indication of their status as frenemies. But withEpisode 4, “If I Can’t Reach You/Let My Song Teach You,” there is a tease of them formerly being a couple. When the coven sits by the bonfire, Rio recounts how she loved someone a long time ago, but she ended up hurting her against her will. Agatha hastily walks away after this confession.
Rio goes behind her, and they hold each other with an off-the-charts passion. Although it’s clear they want to kiss, Rio feels an obligation to speak about the emotional void Agatha is trying to fill – for she understands both her pain and her hopes. She clarifies thatJoe Locke’s Teen isn’t Agatha’s son.This way,Agatha All Alongembraces the queerness of its main characters full-on. It’s not developed for secondary characters or as a bait-and-switch strategy (that we know of), nor is it inserted for laughs. And though it still remains to be seen if they don’t back away from this revelation, should Disney stand firm with this narrative choice, it’d mark a first for the Marvel franchise. Having a queer main character is a huge move for the MCU and Disney as a whole. It sends a message that this vast fictional universe is indeed filled with real people – with diverse desires and sexual orientations, and allowing the franchise to take this step with liberty and without censorship is something that should permeate the rest of the company’s productions.
Agatha All Alongis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
Agatha All Along
Agatha Harkness, following the events of “WandaVision,” embarks on a quest to reclaim her lost powers. Teaming up with unlikely allies, including the son of her former enemy, she faces new mystical threats while navigating a complex world of magic and intrigue.
WATCH ON DISNEY+
