The 11th TV series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Agatha All Along," premiered this week on Disney Plus, and this witchy "Wandavision" spin-off has audiences and critics split. But one big question that's on everyone's mind is the identity of the teenage witch wannabe who kicks off the show's events.
(Note: Minor spoilers ahead!)
Played by "Heartstopper’s" Joe Locke, this goth teen breaks Agatha (Kathryn Hahn) free from Wanda's spell and helps her form a new coven of witches (Debra Jo Rupp, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn and Patti LuPone) so they can face the trials of the legendary Witches' Road and restore her powers.
Though featured heavily in the "Agatha All Along" trailer and the first episode, this character's name has not yet been revealed, and he's referred to simply as "teen" in the show and credits. Even more intriguing, there’s a clear magic effect keeping him from revealing his name and past to Agatha in the first episode that's yet to be explained.
The official synopsis for "Agatha All Along" also teases the mysterious nature and importance of Locke's role in the show:
"In “Agatha All Along,” the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…"
The most likely suspect for his identity is Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Wiccan. In the comics, Billy is a reincarnated version of one of Scarlet Witch's sons who has inherited magical powers and frequently fights alongside the rest of the Young Avengers crew.
Prophesy foretells that someday he'll grow so powerful he'll become an entity known as the Demiurge capable of rewriting the very laws of magic in every universe. Considering "Agatha All Along" is a "Wandavision" spin-off, it would make sense for Agatha's co-star to have some kind of strong tie to Wanda. Adding to this theory is a brief shot in the trailer of Locke wearing a red shirt and blue headband, which is reminiscent of Kaplan's costume in the comics.
This week's first episode only threw more fuel on the fire. The character mentions that his mother is dead, and we've yet to learn how he was able to break the spell Scarlet Witch cast on Agatha at the end of "Wandavision." While he certainly seems to have a solid magical knowledge, he doesn't appear to possess any magical abilities. Whatever magic is keeping Agatha from hearing Billy's name or his past when he talks about either would also support this theory, as it would mean his connection to Wanda is intentionally being kept secret from her.
With all that in mind, it's possible "Agatha All Along" could act as an origin story for the MCU's version of Billy Kaplan. Perhaps Agatha becomes a mentor-like character as he begins his own magical journey. We’ll have to tune in for the rest of "Agatha All Along" to learn more, but if Joe Locke's character isn't Billy Kaplan, then the MCU's done a solid job misdirecting fans.
