Another week has passed, and a new trial begins. But how will the coven fare as cursed flames engulf them and a familiar face stirs guilt and betrayal within their ranks?
Episode 4 – “If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You”
“If I Can’t Reach You / Let My Song Teach You,” opens with the coven reeling from Sharon’s death, creating tension among the witches. Jen, who crafted Sharon’s antidote, and Alice, the coven’s protection witch, feel the loss most deeply. However, they must persist, but they’re in need of a green witch. In desperation, they perform an Invocation ritual to summon a replacement. Moments later, Rio rises from Sharon’s grave, twisted and mangled. Furious, Agatha storms off with Teen while the rest of the coven grows suspicious of Rio’s intentions.
The group then faces their next trial, transported to a 70s-style recording studio. As they explore, each witch confronts painful memories: Lillia is moved to tears by artwork of witch executions, and Alice reflects on a photo of her mother. Agatha and Rio share a moment that seems like a truce but is really a scheme to raise suspicions about Rio. Teen, looking for clues, plays a cursed record that sparks flames across the coven. Alice manages to save them, but they’re left with burns. In the chaos, Teen is thrown through a glass pane.
After Agatha confronts Alice, she reveals the generational curse that haunts her family. They realise they must perform The Ballad of The Witches’ Road, recorded by Alice’s mother, to break the curse. As they sing, the curse manifests as a demonic figure, and the group battles it in the flames, finally freeing Alice of her burden. But as Teen collapses from his injuries, Jen’s swift action saves him. Agatha tends to Teen, and the coven gathers by a campfire to share their pasts. When Teen awakes, he questions Agatha about his hidden identity and her son, causing Agatha to walk away. Rio then hints at a painful past with Agatha, following her to ominously say, “That boy is not yours.”
Hidden Details and Symbolism
Agatha All Along is once again rich with hidden details and intricate symbolism, providing depth to the plot and hinting at what lies ahead in the series:
- Moon Phases: Although only two trials have occurred, one detail remains consistent—before each trial, the coven encounters a door marked by a moon phase. First was the full moon (water), then the waxing moon (fire). During the ballad, elemental themes of fire, water, earth, and air are revealed, seemingly aligning with each witch’s speciality. However, these recurring moon phases might hold greater significance for trials to come.
- Colour Changes on The Witches’ Road: The trials are also echoed in the changing colours of The Witches’ Road itself. The glowing trees and leaves shift with each challenge: blue for water, red for fire. Although the nature of the next trial is unknown, these subtle colour cues hint at the upcoming challenges keen-eyed viewers might anticipate.
Character Development
This latest instalment builds on the breadcrumbs left by the previous episode. While it primarily focuses on Alice and her mother, it also reveals significant details about the other witches, giving the audience a deeper insight into who they truly are.
After confronting her darkest fears in the last episode—where a younger version of herself lured her to confront Death—Lillia explores the studio. There, she encounters images of witch executions, from drownings in dunking stools to burnings at the stake. This sight brings tears to her eyes, indicating that, throughout her long lifespan, she has lost friends to witch persecution and continues to harbour that guilt.
Another mystery revolves around how Jen lost her magic. In her previous hallucination, a ghostly doctor branded her as an “inconvenient woman” and attempted to drown her. Jen later shares that she was a midwife, tricked by the “Obstetrics Association of Greater Boston,” where someone stripped her powers—remarkably, without magic. Though this loss profoundly impacts her, Jen regains some confidence by healing Teen and impressing Lillia, who realises that Jen’s talents go beyond magic. As Agatha reminded her, “They can take your power…but they can’t take your knowledge.”
The biggest shift, however, is between Agatha and Teen. Agatha’s initial reluctance as a mentor begins to change; when Teen nearly dies, her genuine concern surfaces, even bringing her to tears. Teen, meanwhile, is torn—his admiration for Agatha clashes with doubts about her true motives, planted by Jen’s suspicions. Together, they finally address a long-standing fan theory: could Teen be the reincarnation of Agatha’s son, Nicholas Scratch? But Rio’s ominous statement, “That boy is not yours,” shakes this possibility. Despite her animosity with Rio, Agatha accepts her words. But how does Rio know for certain?
Funko Pop Leak (Potential Spoilers Ahead)
Taking things back to our world, a damning leak regarding the story’s plot has recently surfaced, revealing the identities of two mysterious figures. Fans have accused Funko Pop of allegedly spoiling the series’ main reveals by sharing the true identities of Rio and Teen.
Aubrey Plaza’s character, Rio, is an original addition to the series. Fans speculated she might be linked to Blackheart, but the leak reveals that she is actually Death, or Lady Death from Marvel Comics. This fits with hints dropped throughout the show. While Rio’s witchy attire reflects her nature-based magic, she is often seen wearing a black hood, most notably in episode one. In the latest episode, Rio reaclls oon the dead bodies she would collect, reinforcing the theory. During Teen’s near-death scene, Agatha’s desperate plea of “Don’t” could be interpreted as her begging Death not to take him. Rio’s fascination with the outcome, coupled with her brief disappointment when Teen is saved, adds to the mounting evidence of her true identity.
As for Teen, many speculated that he was Agatha’s reincarnated son, but the leak suggests otherwise. Joe Locke’s character will be revealed as Wiccan, or Billy Kaplan, the reincarnation of Scarlet Witch’s son, Billy Maximoff. However, this theory is nothing new, as fans quickly honed in on these details due to Agatha All Along’s significant relevance to Wandavision. It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first leak surrounding this character; international versions of the series trailer credited him as “Billy” in the subtitles.
Although the initial images of the Funko Pops have since been deleted, they have circulated widely on social media, influencing further theories about what may lie ahead.
Fan Reception and Predictions
Following the recent leak and the developments in the series thus far, the internet has been buzzing with theories and predictions:
- Rio’s Involvement in Nicholas’s Death: The relationship between Agatha and Rio seems deeply complicated, evolving from lovers to something darker. Fans speculate that Rio, as Lady Death, may have been forced to take Nicholas’s soul, fulfilling her duty despite personal regrets. Hints in the story suggest that Rio’s painful memories of “hurting someone” could refer to Agatha and this tragic role in Nicholas’s death.
- The Scarlet Witch’s Return: With Agatha All Along so strongly connected to Wandavision, fans are buzzing with theories of Wanda Maximoff’s return. Although she appeared to perish at Mount Wundagore, this leak hints at her potential resurrection, possibly reuniting her story with Agatha’s.
Final Thoughts
There’s no doubt this week has had an impact on viewers of Agatha All Along. With leaked spoilers, the evolving dynamics of the coven, and an explosion of fan theories, the anticipation for the next episode is undeniable. What ghastly trial will the coven face next?