REVIEW: Disney+'s "Agatha All Along" - Episode 1.09 "Maiden Mother Crone"

The truth of Agatha Harkness and The Witches' Road.

"Maiden Mother Crone" was written by Jac Schaeffer & Laura Donney and directed by Gandja Monteiro

"The Ballad of the Witches' Road" provided the show with its narrative spine. Each episode of the season was titled after a lyric. They served as instructions for what the coven had to do on the Witches' Road. All of that takes on new personal meaning with the discovery that it was all a lie created by Agatha. She wrote the song with her son Nicholas Scratch. It was a way for them to bond as they traveled. They never stayed in one place for too long. Agatha was always hunting witches and absorbing their powers. She had to kill them before they could kill her. Nicky saw the value in leading with kindness. They didn't have to be distrustful of everyone they met. That's how Agatha survived though. Her son was the only thing that mattered to her. She pleaded with Death when her son was destined to die during childbirth. Rio could only offer more time. That's what everyone wants when they realize life is coming to an end. It was actually granted to Agatha. It was informed by the love she shared with Death. It was viewed as a kindness. Rules were broken. Agatha enjoyed years with her son. She gathered power in the hopes of keeping him safe. And yet, death is inevitable. She could never save him.

Agatha isn't ready to die. That would require her to face her son. Every horrible story shared about what happened to him isn't true. She didn't trade her son's life in exchange for the Darkhold. No one knows what happened to Nicky. In fact, no one knows what happens after death. It's part of life. That provides balance. Everything remains in order through this basic principle. Witches can defy the inevitability for awhile. Their time eventually runs out. Billy is given his freedom. That turns out to be a curse too. He becomes aware of the damage he caused. He is exactly like Agatha. She laughs upon the realization. She has become a ghost. She still lurks. For centuries, she used the song as a way to lure witches into trusting her. She was seen as the only known survivor of the Witches' Road because she projected confidence in how to access it. No one survived to share the story of what happened. Agatha's reign was infamous. People continually sought her out believing things would go differently this time. Everything always ends the same. The song doesn't work. It was never meant to. The Road wasn't real. It was a con when Nicky was alive. After his death, Agatha still used it to achieve her goal. She engaged in that routine for centuries. It was impossible to move on. That's true even in death.

Agatha's backstory arrives in the finale largely as a way to provide greater context to everything that happened this season. The climactic action all occurred in the penultimate episode. Billy doesn't have to strike a deal with Death. She presented a choice to Agatha and Billy. She was satisfied with Agatha dying. That's all she wanted from this endeavor. She doesn't have to engage any further. This conflict could only be avoided for so long. Agatha wanted to go down fighting. She wanted to battle Rio at her absolute best. Even taking from powerful witches wasn't enough. Agatha realized that. Billy still has a future ahead of him. He's angry over what happened. He created the Road. He formed his own reality through chaos magic just like Wanda did. Agatha was actually intrigued. She saw a witch doing something incredible. She was bored by Wanda's reality even though she was ultimately bested by the Scarlet Witch. Billy broke Agatha from that spell. He has the power to banish her as well. She only avoids that fate by offering true vulnerability. These witches are killers. Yet their humanity shines through too. Agatha delights in all that she has accomplished. Her story isn't over. She now seeks to guide Billy on his path. He just has to be willing to accept that.

Billy saved a life. That's one of the positive spins that can be given to this journey. Sharon, Alice and Lilia died. That fate would have occurred to all of them if Agatha had her way in the beginning. She kept Billy from that ceremony. There was nothing he could do to keep the Salem Seven from entering the house. Agatha didn't want to drain his power. Even from afar, his magic entered the basement and created this adventure. Billy was the first to step onto the Road. He didn't question it. The fantasy Agatha created centuries ago to entertain her son suddenly became real. She lived long enough to see her influence spread far and wide. People recorded covers. It lived in its own infamy. People took it seriously. And now, it seals Agatha's fate once more. She bought into the dream that she could regain her power through this journey. Instead, the focus remained squarely on Billy. He did a kind deed to Jen. The unbinding spell worked. She was free to use her powers without limitations once more. She escapes for her own journey in the world. Meanwhile, Billy and Agatha are still tied together. They are kindred spirits who kill the members of their covens. That unity doesn't work for them. Yet they might work together.

The overall narrative is about finding that power within. It's useless hiding from it. Billy believed he couldn't remember anything from his time in Westview. He pushed those memories away. They haunted him. Connecting with his brother's final moments allowed him to step into his power. The Road delivered what Billy wanted. It proved how powerful he is. That makes him a daunting new figure in the Marvel universe. He remains on a quest. He and Agatha set out to find Tommy. They know where he is. Billy knows the circumstances of the body he placed his brother in. He hopes to offer an easier transition than the life he experienced over the last three years. He has a loving family and boyfriend. They worry about him. They may no longer fit in his world. That's a devastating realization too. Sacrifices are made in the name of love. That informed Agatha back in the 18th century. She was hardened by the loss she suffered. Billy reminds her of Nicky. Acknowledging that makes for a better dynamic. It's hard for Agatha to ever be that vulnerable. If she ever reaches acceptance, then she will be willing to reunite with her son. Right now, it's easier to be a ghost. Billy still needs her. His journey is just getting started. The narrative provides that optimism as it looks toward the future. It doesn't exactly provide the audience with the satisfaction of a family reunion. That's delayed as the actor playing Tommy probably hasn't been cast yet. That doesn't detract too much from the overall experience. It highlights the personal dynamics within the characters the show was actually about. Their stories matter more than the larger concerns of this universe. That isn't lost despite the threads being obvious for how things connect to the larger Marvel world.

Grade: B