Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a female comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
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Biography
Agatha Harkness
In the early 15th century, Harkness was stationed in Transia located near Wundagore Mountain. At the time, she was part of coven that also included Corina, Jacquette Laveau, Minoru, and Zoric. One day, the group gathered to try to put an end to the witch hunts happening across Europe. This saw Jacquette sacrificing Corina who she deemed the weakest of their number in order to invoke the powers of Valtorr, much to the shock of everyone else. (Midnight Suns v1 #2)
For years, Harkness tried to rescue Corina from the Dominion of Valtorr, but was never powerful enough to do it. (Midnight Suns v1 #4)
By the late 17th century, Harkness had settled in the English colony of Salem, Massachusetts. She formed her own coven of witches hoping to freely practice magic in the New World, but her group was persecuted during what became known as the Salem Witch Trials. In 1692, she encountered the mutant hero Firestar after she was accidentally sent back in time. Believing Firestar to be a witch, the people of Salem tried to burn her at the stake, however, she fought back and was later contacted by Harkness via telepathy. Harkness revealed that she approved of the trials, believing them necessary for the magical people to grow stronger and be prepared for a war against mankind; she even sent some of her coven to cull the weak. (Nova v2 #6) She asked Firestar to join her but she refused, and a fight ensued. After Firestar showed she was more than a match to Harkness, she freed some of Harkness's own people and begged Harkness to let them live away from mankind. She would come to finally admit that warfare was not the only solution. (Nova v2 #7)
During the American Revolutionary War, Harkness came to join the secretive Daughters of Liberty at the end of the 18th century. This was a group of women that fought for justice in the new world where Agatha used her centuries of knowledge to help train them. (Captain America v9 #19)
During World War II, she claimed that she had done her bit in the fight. After the war's end, she was recruited by U.S. Army Major Alan Dakor to be part of a new mystical division known as the Department of the Uncanny. She was joined alongside The Ghost Dancer and the Emerald Warlock to help stop the threat of former Nazi S.S. officer Hilda von Hate' who had used her magical powers to take over a small island. (Uncanny Avengers Annual v2 #1) At some point, she knew of Natalya Maximoff who operated as a mystical hero known as the Scarlet Witch. (Scarlet Witch v2 #4)
She later claimed that she had gone into retirement and began living at her manor on Whisper Hill. (Fantastic Four v1 #94)
After the birth of Franklin Richards, the boy's parents approached Agatha Harkness about helping care for their son. (Fantastic Four v1 #94)
Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. came to find he slain body of Agatha Harkness after she was murdered in cold blood by the Scarlet Witch. (Avengers v1 #503)
The ghost of Agatha would later appear and offer guidance to the Scarlet Witch after a force began to affect the magic of witchcraft. (Scarlet Witch v2 #1)
Natalya Maximoff sacrificed her life in order to bring about the rebirth of the Goddess of Witchcraft leading to the resurrection of Agatha Harkness. (Scarlet Witch v2 #14)
Overview
Personality and attributes
Miss Harkness was said to have a world famous reputation. (Fantastic Four v1 #94)
She was known to make yearly sojourns to the hidden town of New Salem. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #14)
At some point, she was noted to had given birth to a son with this being Nicholas Scratch who she could never hate. (Fantastic Four v1 #186)
Powers and abilities
Agatha had been practicing sorcery for countless centuries that gave her a range of spells such as being able to call mystical shields to protect herself. (Silver Surfer v3 #135)
As one of the most powerful witch on the planet, Harkness could see things beyond what normal humans can such as the aimless ones. (Scarlet Witch v2 #14)
Using her magic, she was able to bind her targets to prevent them from moving. (Scarlet Witch v1 #3)
She was knowledgeable and was able to travel down the Witches Road that were mystical pathways that magic wielders could tread. It was a plane of existence that contained forks in the road some of which led to light and others to darkness with it transcending time. (Scarlet Witch v2 #4)
Following the death of her physical body, she began to serve as a ghost and was able to interact with others. (Scarlet Witch v2 #1)
Harkness was able to fire mystical blasts to attack her enemies. (Scarlet Witch v2 #14)
By her side was a black cat by the name of Ebony who could transform into a panther in times of danger allowing the familiar fight enemies. (Fantastic Four v1 #94)
She had a manor on Whisper Hill with it being located in a secluded and serene locale. (Fantastic Four v1 #94)
Harkness was a member of a community of magic users that resided in the hidden village of New Salem. It served as a refuge for the strange and powerful that had fled from Old Salem hundreds of years ago when the hunting of witches was considered a sport with the eradication of warlocks being considered a duty in that era. The route to her homeland of New Salem was disguised to prevent people from finding it. Her people were always said to had been suspicious of outsiders and never encouraged mingling between them and humans. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #14)
Notes
- Agatha Harkness was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where she made her first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #94 (January, 1970).
- During an interview with John Barrowman, it was revealed to Jonathan Ross the character of Captain Jack Harkness of Doctor Who and Torchwood was named after Agatha Harkness.
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In Avengers: United They Stand, Agatha Harkness appeared in the animated television series episode "The Sorceress' Apprentice" where she was voiced by actress Elizabeth Shepherd. She was shown as being a magic user who was persecuted for being a witch and lived in a mystical community called New Salem situated in Colorado. At some point, he had a son who was named Nicholas Scratch who grew into adulthood. Agatha later served as a mentor and teacher or the Scarlet Witch in her own abilities. Her son Nicholas in time began to resent his mother for her teaching of the Scarlet Witch and involvement in the outside world. This caused him to attack her and bring her to New Salem judgment though he was opposed by the Scarlet Witch and Vision. In order to defeat Nicholas, Agatha transferred her magic to the Scarlet Witch who imprisoned Scratch and his minions. To ensure they remained in their prison, Harkness decided to stay behind in order to prevent them from escaping.
- In X-Men: Evolution, Agatha Harness appeared in the setting of the animated television series where she was voiced by actress Pauline Newstone.
- In WandaVision, Agatha Harkness appeared in the live-action television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where she was portrayed by actress Kathryn Hahn.
Video games
- In Marvel Heroes, Agatha Harkness was referenced in the setting of the MMORPG video game where she provided the description for the item Wundagore Clay.
Appearances
- Fantastic Four v1: (1970)
- Marvel's Greatest Comics v1:
- Avengers v1:
- Vision v2:
- Uncanny Avengers Annual:
- Scarlet Witch v2:
- Captain America v9:
External Links
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