Mephisto.
The Devil of Marvel and a villain desperately in need of a compelling on-screen adventure after multiple failed Ghost Rider movie appearances. For years, fans have wanted to see this character on screen, yet could that long wait already be over? Evidence is growing that Agnes, a recurring character in the first two WandaVision episodes, may actually be a disguise/form taken by the demon master himself. But if so, why? What is Mephisto trying to achieve? Is there even enough evidence to reasonably suspect this?
Let’s dive in!
WandaVision finds our intrepid heroes in a time-jumping sitcom, which appears to be broadcasting in-universe and to the audience, suggesting this is a pocket-dimension within the MCU. We know nothing about how or when this was created, yet the concept itself shows why: It is a way for Wanda to escape her grief. Her life has been defined by loss. Her parents, her brother, her freedom, and finally, Vision. The only being that truly understood her, that was willing to die for and by her own hand, to save lives, including her own. His loss enraged her to such a degree that Wanda came within a hair’s breadth of killing Thanos, and now that the battle has passed, Wanda, it seems, has suffered one loss too many. Escaping into this fantasy dream-world may have felt like the only way to cope. But evidence suggests she may not be alone.
Agnes is a ‘nosy neighbor’ sitcom stereotype character, always there to intervene, offer advice, and generally butt in. Sometimes helpfully, sometimes at an inopportune moment, always with a great line or two. Kathryn Hahn plays this type perfectly: Flamboyant, energetic, always the largest presence in the room. Yet something is off about her that suggests a darker nature to this fun-loving friend:
- She shows no signs of being impacted by or connected to the reality-breaking moments the rest of the supporting and main cast endure, nor shows any fear.
- She has turned up or preceded moments like these, such as interrupting Wanda examining the S.W.O.R.D. Helicopter and helps to provide the dinner for episode 1, which leads into the series first major ‘break’ from the sitcom format.
- She is constantly offering ‘advice’, seemingly innocent, yet could she be grooming Wanda to accept her manipulations? In episode 2, the town’s repeated chant of: ‘For the children’ ended with Wanda and Vision repeating the same words, only for Wanda to be pregnant moments later.
- She constantly mentions a husband ‘Ralph’, yet he has not been seen once, even at community events.
- She potentially refers to her true nature when a character says: ‘The devil’s in the details’ and she says: ‘That’s not the only place he is’ to Wanda.
- She broadly refers to the meta/situation, saying to Wanda: ‘It’s the star of the show!’.
Yet perhaps one of the most compelling pieces of evidence might be at first the most seemingly innocent. In the animated intro of episode 2, Wanda and Vision are shown on their sofa, the town’s people at the window to the right, yet where is Agnes? To their left, alone, with a grin that seems a little too happy, standing in front of a solid black door-frame. That could easily symbolize hell, and visually, it can be compared to when Loki emerged from behind a pillar in the original ‘Thor’ film, intent on manipulating his brother. He appeared like a Shakespeare villain, entering the stage, and here, Agnes is framed in a similar malevolent way.
Will all this turn out to be true? No one can know for sure, yet as far as I’m concerned, I don’t trust Agnes as far as I could throw her. Well, if she turns out to be Mephisto, attempt to throw before I’m burned alive slowly over a thousand years.
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Marley Eleven Bury is a twenty-one year old Film & TV writer who loves takeaway and the superhero genre far too much. His claims to fame are having listened to the entire 26-hour+ Fire and Blood audiobook multiple times and being able to sing the Periodic Table song from memory.
