Agatha: Coven of Chaos is rumored to have inadvertently rendered another previously established Marvel Cinematic Universe property non-canon: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos is a spin-off of the MCU limited series WandaVision, which revolves around Wanda Maximoff and her reality-altering experience after the events of Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Kathryn Hahn (Kathryn Hahn) plays the Marvel Comics character Agatha Agatha Harkness is the main villain. The show, so beloved by fans, puts a special emphasis on one particular character, and it wasn’t a huge surprise when it was announced that Agatha Harkness would be getting her spin-off series.
Since its announcement, fans have been wondering how Agatha: Coven of Chaos connects to the rest of the MCU, and what new content the show will introduce when it launches. While the show isn’t out yet, recent rumors on social media suggest it might be ready to make subtle but significant changes to MCU canon. According to Twitter account Scarlet Witch News, the show will confirm that Agatha Harkness possessed the Darkhold a century before the events depicted in WandaVision. While this may seem like a small detail given Agatha’s relationship with the powerful artifact and her longevity, it has the unforeseen effect of rendering Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a critically acclaimed series that has aired on ABC since 2013 and thrilled former Disney audiences as the titular agent of the eponymous organization saves the world. The series ended in 2020 with the show’s Agent Coulson delivering a final message to fans that has been fondly remembered ever since. The show’s fourth season featured Darkhold, and WandaVision Matt Shakam confirmed that the Darkhold seen in his limited series is the same one seen in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. albeit with an obvious redesign.
Fans have long fondly considered Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be canon MCU material, even though the show predates the MCU’s TV shows and is somewhat irrelevant to the franchise as a whole. By contradicting the events of season four with this assertion, Agatha: Coven of Chaos will effectively use its superior position in the MCU timeline and canon to launch the old show, turning the wildly popular property into another hypothetical, Similar to Marvel Studios’ What If. series, many of whom wish to do something to achieve what if. Season 2 improves upon the first.
While issues of canon events and continuity are bound to arise in a franchise as sprawling and fragmented as the MCU, especially when considering the media produced outside of its now carefully planned interconnection of projects, this Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The ret-con will likely have more confirmation for those who think Agatha: Coven of Chaos is Marvel’s most unnecessary project. Whether the show deserves to lose the canon status of one of its predecessors remains to be seen.
Agatha: Coven of Chaos is scheduled to premiere on Disney Plus in late 2023 or early 2024