Kathryn Hahn has proved to be an MCU trailblazer thanks to two major firsts in Agatha All Along, and I'm seriously impressed. Agatha All Along has been extremely well-received after concluding with a double-episode finale at the end of October. Praise has been leveled at its stellar cast, original storytelling, enchanting set design, and the beautiful way in which it handled motifs of trauma and ostracization. For me, it was also a reminder of how engaging Kathryn Hahn is as the titular redeemed villain - and I can't wait to see even more of her down the line.
It's safe to say that Hahn stole the show in many scenes, which stands to reason with it ostensibly being her solo series. Agatha's fraught relationship with her cobbled-together coven of witches was especially compelling to watch, thanks in no small part to the talent the cast shares. Her relationship with Rio Vidal, whose true identity as the MCU's Lady Death was finally confirmed in Agatha All Along episode 7, was an especially engaging premise in Agatha All Along - and it came to a head with a monumental first for the MCU in the penultimate episode.
Kathryn Hahn And Aubrey Plaza Had The First Same-Sex Female Kiss In The MCU
The Moment Follows A Handful Of Examples Of Same-Sex Kisses Between Men
Image via Disney+
Agatha All Along episode 8 was functionally the series finale, with episode 9 acting as more of an epilogue for the series. It featured a final showdown with the de facto big bad of the series, Death herself, as Rio Vidal resolved to claim her final soul by force. While it momentarily looked as though Agatha was happy to sacrifice Billy Maximoff to this end, she finally conceded to Death in the most poetic way possible: by sharing a kiss.
Same-sex kisses between men have occurred in the MCU, including Phastos and his husband in
Eternals
and, more recently, Billy and Eddie in
Agatha All Along
.
It may be surprising to learn that this is the first time that the MCU has depicted a same-sex kiss between women. Even better was the fact that the moment didn't feel even slightly shoehorned, as the sexual tension between Agatha and Rio had been building since episode 1. While it isn't surprising that this came in Agatha All Along, with the show containing at least three queer main characters dealing with themes such as self-acceptance, I do find it somewhat shocking that it took 16 years.
Agatha Harkness And Rio Vidal's Relationship Was A Big Win For Diversity In The MCU
Agatha And Rio's Relationship Was Central To The Narrative
It may have taken a while for a lesbian kiss to occur, but I'm not about to suggest that this isn't a big step forward for the MCU. Marvel is well-versed in queer representation, with the entirety of the X-Men being an allegory for LGBT+ issues - something that Fox's movies didn't shy away from. For its part, the MCU also houses several queer characters, including Korg, Valkyrie, Loki, Sylvie, and Phastos. Still, depictions of these characters and their sexualities have felt largely like lip service.
From kisses to flirting to casual references, the MCU is increasing its diversity (and comic accuracy) by including more LGBTQ+ characters.
Agatha All Along, meanwhile, made its queer relationships central to the plot. Agatha and Rio's centuries-long romance is rooted in the fact that Agatha is so murderous, providing Death herself with a cascade of bodies while Death gives Agatha special treatment thanks to her affections. The kiss they share at the end of Agatha All Along felt earned and matched perfectly with Agatha's MO as she may have been "attempting" to steal Death's power - which she established in an earlier episode would be guaranteed to kill her.
In Agatha All Along Episode 1, Kathryn Hahn Became The First MCU Actress With A Nude Scene
Agatha's Nude Scene Established Her Brazen Persona
What makes Kathryn Hahn's co-achievement with Aubrey Plaza even better is the fact that she can add it to another MCU first. In the space of the same show, Kathryn Hahn was also the first woman in the MCU to bare it all - within the confines of the standard PG-13 age rating, that is. This occurs in Agatha All Along episode 1, in which she marches across a Westview street nude, joining a modest list of examples otherwise exclusively occupied by male characters.
Examples of Nudity in the MCU
Movie
Character
Scene
Thor: The Dark World
Erik Selvig
Selvig is seen in a news report running naked around Stonehenge with his nether regions blurred out.
Thor: Ragnarok
Hulk
Hulk exits a hot tub nude, giving Thor an eyeful before looking out of a window with his backside on display.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor
Zeus restrains Thor and "Flicks" his clothes off, leaving Thor's backside and tattoo tapestry on display.
Agatha All Along
Agatha
Agatha marches out of her house to question John Collins completely nude.
In terms of representation, I would of course say the kiss was more important. Still, it goes to show just how trailblazing Agatha All Along was, proving that the MCU still has plenty of potential to deliver truly compelling products without being required to break the bank. Now that Billy Maximoff has been established as what will presumably be a core MCU character, it looks like the MCU isn't about to hit the brakes when it comes to representation - which I consider to be a great thing.
Agatha Harkness, after the events of "WandaVision," seeks to regain her magical powers. Joining forces with unexpected allies, including the son of an old adversary, she battles new mystical threats while uncovering hidden secrets in the magical realm.
CastKathryn Hahn , Joe Locke , Sasheer Zamata , Ali Ahn , Okwui Okpokwasili , Debra Jo Rupp , Patti LuPone , Aubrey Plaza , David Payton , Emma Caulfield Ford , David Lengel , Asif Ali , Amos Glick , Elaine Valdes , Paria Akbarshahi , Chau Naumova , Bethany Curry , Athena Perample , Alicia Vela-Bailey , Britta Grant , Marina Mazepa
Custom image by Ollie Bradley
Image via Disney+ 
English (US) ·