Agatha All Along has just confirmed a rule about the rules of witchcraft in the MCU. Magic is no new concept to the MCU, ranging from Asgardian magic used by Frigga and Loki to the mystic arts learned by Doctor Strange. WandaVision introduced chaos magic, and Wanda's use of it helped her fulfill her Scarlet Witch prophecy. With how many powerful heroes and villains the franchise has, it’s no surprise that most of the MCU’s magic wielders are portrayed as extraordinary, enhanced individuals.
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However, the introduction of the witch Agatha Harkness to the MCU unveiled a type of magic that is more commonly known among general audiences. There have been many interpretations of witchcraft in the media over the decades, so audiences are already familiar with the idea of a witch and her coven. Agatha All Along has been playing into the stereotypical images of witchcraft while also pushing the boundaries of what makes a witch. In fact, Agatha All Along episode three has just confirmed one witchcraft rule that changes magic in the MCU.
Agatha All Along Confirms Anyone Can Be A Witch
In episode three of Agatha All Along, Agatha and her coven begin their journey down the Witches’ Road. When the other witches try to question Teen and Sharon’s presence on the journey, Teen replies “Anyone can be a witch with proper training.” When the other witches wonder how they’ll pass any of the Road’s trials without magic, Teen brings up the concept of analog magic, which is manual magic that even those without powers can train to perform. Teen’s comment might not seem like much, but it’s important confirmation that anyone in the MCU can be a witch.
“Well, there's always analog magic. You know, labor-intensive manual acts of magic. Witchcraft, emphasis on the craft.” - Teen in Agatha All Along , episode 3
The episode later puts this theory into practice during the first trial. Jennifer Kale agrees to travel the Witches' Road with Agatha because her powers are currently bound. However, she can still brew the potion needed to reverse the effects of the poison. Although Jennifer doubts herself at first, the success of the first trial shows that she can brew a potion from just knowledge alone. Despite being powerless, she was able to perform witchcraft without being a specifically special individual.
Doctor Strange Previously Implied That Magic Can Be Learned
The MCU has already previously implied that anyone can learn magic as long as they put in the training. Stephen Strange was just an ordinary human, and he became a powerful sorcerer after some intense training under the watchful eye of the Ancient One. Learning magic in the MCU is not an easy feat by any means, but even an ordinary human can learn to wield magic with enough time and practice.
Doctor Strange’s journey heavily implied that anyone could learn magic, but it was never outright confirmed until now. With Teen’s statement about wielding magic as well as Jennifer’s display of powerless witchcraft, episode three of Agatha All Along has shown that magic can in fact be learned by anyone. This means the possibilities are endless for which MCU characters can pick up magic, and Agatha All Along is setting up Teen to wield magic of his own by the season finale.
