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Death's Hand in Mine

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"Death's Hand in Mine"
Agatha All Along episode
Promotional poster for Agatha All Along, highlighting elements seen in this episode
Episode no.Episode 7
Directed byJac Schaeffer
Written by
  • Gia King
  • Cameron Squires
Featured music"Time in a Bottle"
by Jim Croce
Cinematography by
  • Jon Chema
  • Caleb Heymann
Editing byDavid Egan
Original release dateOctober 23, 2024 (2024-10-23)
Running time35 minutes
Cast
  • Chloe Camp as young Lilia Calderu
  • Laura Boccaletti as Lilia's Maestra
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Familiar by Thy Side" 		Next →
"Follow Me My Friend / To Glory at the End"

"Death's Hand in Mine" is the seventh episode of the American television miniseries Agatha All Along, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character Agatha Harkness. It follows Harkness, who has been stripped of her identity after the events of the miniseries WandaVision (2021), and her coven as they continue their journey down the Witches' Road in search of power. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. It was written by Gia King and Cameron Squires and directed by Agatha All Along showrunner Jac Schaeffer.

The episode focuses on the trial of Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), the divination witch in the coven, who navigates life out of sequence because of her abilities, allowing her to glimpse the future while also experiencing the past and present. As she performs a potent tarot reading during her trial, she helps the coven evade the grasp of the Salem Seven. Apart from LuPone, Kathryn Hahn reprises her roles as Agatha from the WandaVision miniseries, with Joe Locke, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Debra Jo Rupp, and Aubrey Plaza also starring. Filming took place in the Atlanta metropolitan area and in Los Angeles.

"Death's Hand in Mine" was released on the streaming service Disney+ on October 23, 2024. Critics praised the episode for LuPone's performance, its writing, and for its progression of the series' storylines, with some calling its the series' best episode yet. Disney reported that the episode drove 4.2 million views globally after just one day of streaming.

Plot

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Agatha and Billy continue on the Witches' Road before coming across a castle. Upon entering, the two are garbed as the Wicked Witch of the West and Maleficent, respectively, and are presented with their next trial: At the heart of the room sits a tarot reading table. Billy attempts to read for Agatha, but each time he draws the wrong card, a sword falls from the ceiling. One of Agatha's cards suggests she is speaking the truth, yet the swords keep raining down. Agatha seizes the deck and draws cards at random, placing them on the table while allowing the swords to fall, convinced the supply will eventually dwindle. To her shock, the ceiling starts to lower instead.

Lilia and Jen navigate a dirt tunnel, following a path that Jen insists Lilia once suggested. Despite Lilia's lack of memory about the details, Jen confidently recounts all that she claims to have learned from her. As they converse, Lilia begins to shift through time. Flashbacks from her childhood lessons in divination reveal that she has been experiencing her life out of order, explaining her memory lapses, and that she lost her first coven to a fever—despite having warned them. Back in the present, Lilia explains to Jen that the flow of time is an illusion, causing her to experience events out of sequence. She worries that this disorientation is intensifying, pondering if it is a sign that she is coming to the end.

Lilia flashes forward to the castle with Billy, Agatha, and Jen—dressed as Glinda and the hag version of the Evil Queen, respectively. She reflects on the trial and admits she cast a sigil on Billy to give him time to discover his identity. As she starts the tarot reading, Lilia prompts Billy to ask if he is William Kaplan or Billy Maximoff. Swords keep cascading down around them. Suddenly, Lilia finds herself back with Jen at the beginning of their journey in the tunnel. They spot the Salem Seven but manage to evade their notice. Determined to continue through the tunnel, Lilia asks Jen to remain by her side and they set off together. In a flash of insight, Lilia realizes what she did wrong and finds herself back in the tarot trial, understanding that she needs to conduct the reading for herself. During the reading, she reveals that Rio is the personification of Death, who foretells that her time is coming.

Lilia places the cards in their proper order, saving them all from the lowering ceiling. With the reading complete, the trial is passed, and an iron maiden opens as an exit. Prompting everyone to flee through it, Lilia returns Billy's spell book which she had previously found in the tunnel and shoves Agatha, Jen and Billy into the iron maiden before closing behind them. As the Salem Seven approach, Lilia inverts the Tower card from her reading, turning the room upside-down and impaling the Seven on the swords in the ceiling. She clings to the table but eventually lets go and falls, transitioning back to young Lilia beginning her first lessons with her mentor.

Production

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Development

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In May 2021, Jac Schaeffer, the head writer of WandaVision, signed a three-year overall television deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television to create new projects for their Disney+ lineup.[1] In pitches for several different projects focused on various characters, Schaeffer consistently suggested including WandaVision character Agatha Harkness, a powerful witch from Marvel Comics, as part of those series.[2] This led to her and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige pursuing a series centered on that character instead.[2] By October 2021, a "dark comedy" spin-off from WandaVision centered on Kathryn Hahn as Agatha was in early development for Disney+ from Marvel Studios,[3] with Schaeffer returning as head writer and executive producer.[3][4]

During a Disney+ Day event in November 2021, the series was officially announced,[4] with Schaeffer revealed to be directing episodes of the series a year later.[5] By October 2023, Marvel Studios was changing its approach to television, hiring more traditional showrunners instead of head writers.[6] Schaeffer was being credited as the series' showrunner by July 2024.[7] Marvel Studios' Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Winderbaum, and Mary Livanos served as executive producers.[7] Released under Marvel Studios' Marvel Television label,[8] Agatha All Along was later announced to be second in a trilogy of series that includes WandaVision and Vision Quest (2026).[9]

Writing

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According to Schaeffer, it was an early idea to create an episode of Agatha All Along which would be told non-linearly, drawing inspiration from various films and television series such as Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), Memento (2000), Arrival (2016) and Lost (2004).[10] Recognizing that its subject matter would make the episode difficult to write, she chose two writers for the episode, including WandaVision screenwriter Cameron Squires and writer's assistant Gia King, whom she praised as a "gangbusters team."[10] With Lilia Calderu, the episode's central character, envisioned as a fortune teller capable of slipping in and out of different points within her own lifetime,[11] Squires and King were tasked with sprinkling bread crumbs in earlier episodes aside from outlining "Death's Hand in Mine."[11] Schaeffer would call these seemingly blurted out non sequiturs "Lilia's bops."[11] They pair wrote pieces separately along a linear timeline, which were subsequently combined and expanded upon in the writers' room.[11]

Casting

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The episode stars Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Joe Locke as Billy Maximoff, Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu, Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale, Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal, and Ali Ahn as Alice Wu-Gulliver.[12] Among all main cast members, LuPone was the last to be cast in December 2022.[13] Miriam Margolyes had previously turned down her role because she did not want to film in Georgia.[14] Chloe Camp appears in a supporting role as a younger version of Lilia Calderu, while Laura Boccaletti portrays Lilia's Maestra in several flashback sequences.[12] The Salem Seven are played by actresses Okwui Okpokwasili, Chau Naumova, Bethany Curry, Athena Perample, Alicia Vela-Bailey, Britta Grant, and Marina Mazepa.[12]

Filming

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While Agatha All Along creator and showrunner Jac Schaeffer was always set to helm "Seekest Thou the Road" and "Circle Sewn with Fate / Unlock Thy Hidden Gate," the first two episodes of the series,[11] the show was already well into pre-production, when a scheduling issue opened up the director's chair for "Death's Hand in Mine."[11] With a script that held deep personal significance for her, Schaeffer—initially intending to focus solely on the show's proper table-setting—ultimately chose to take on the directorial role.[10] Schaeffer, who called "Death's Hand in Mine" a "nearly impossible episode to put together,"[10] later noted that associate producer Ishi Metkar served as her "second brain" on set.[10] Metkar was responsible for documenting where all the transitions would occur and became instrumental in filming the flashback scenes used in the episode.[10]

LuPone asked for a script in correct order so she could understand what she was doing while shooting her non-linear scenes in linear order.[11] Filming Lilia's bops, where the character delivers fragments of a sentence to be connected later, required Schaeffer to step in to direct just the bop moment she needed for "Death's Hand in Mine" during the shooting of earlier episodes,[11] necessitating the crew to pause the setup to place a light behind LuPone and adjust a specific lens.[11] Lilia's fall from the tower, depicted in two distinct scenes at the beginning and close to the ending of the episode, were shot back to back and in slow motion, with LuPone hanging on wires.[10] They were one of the rare blue screen shots that the crew used in the show.[10] The swords that hang from the ceiling during the tarot trial were real, but they were also suspended by wires.[10] Schaeffer and her team developed a "sword map" and had to decide where every sword would fall down before the actors got into the space for rehearsal.[10]

Reception

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Viewership

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On October 25, 2024, Disney revealed that "Death's Hand in Mine" drove 4.2 million views globally after just one day of streaming, up 35% from the performance of the miniseries' premiere episode "Seekest Thou the Road."[15]

Critical response

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The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating based on eleven reviews.[16]

MSN critic Allyson Johnson called the episode "not just the best episode of the series to date but one of the best episodes of Marvel's television slate, period. Bridging past, present, and future together to reckon with the inevitability of time, "Death's Hand In Mine" is lucky enough to grant Patti LuPone the stage." While Johnson was critical with "some design and prop elements" used in the episode, she noted that "there's an abundance of confidence in the writing and the flow of time that makes for a startlingly emotional episode. We care about Lilia and her love for being a witch. We care about the idea of her being alone for so long. Even as we merely piece together the remnants of her stories, they form a complete and complicated picture."[17] Writing for Forbes, Erik Kain remarked that Agatha All Along "just went from good to great in episode seven," calling it "best episode of the bunch." He felt that "Jac Schaeffer, who also directed this episode, has done something really remarkable, tying up a lot of loose ends and weird moments from earlier in the series in a tremendously satisfying way as we enter the final act" of the series.[18]

IGN's Eric Goldman rated the episode 8 out of 10 and called it a "fitting send off for Lilia, who got a great spotlight here that allowed Patti LuPone to shine." He felt that "Death's Hand in Mine" did a "much better job than the fourth [episode "If I Can't Reach You / Let My Song Teach You"] did with Alice, during her trial, of investing us in Lilia on a deeper level. It managed to deftly feel both like a standalone anthology-type episode all about her, while also giving us a major reveal on another character."[19] Jen Lennon, writing for The A.V. Club, found that Agatha All Along was "finally striking the right balance" with "Death's Hand in Mine." She remarked that "the nonlinear structure cleverly jumps back and forth between the present and the past—sometimes centuries ago, sometimes just a few moments ago—to give Lilia the best sendoff we've seen so far on this show."[20] The Daily Beast's Kevin Fallon found that the episode was "superb" and described it as "a tour de force for Patti LuPone," calling her portrayal the "most impressive" and "best performance we'd get in a MCU television series."[21] Alan Sepinwall, writing for Rolling Stone found that "Death's Hand in Mine" was "both a terrific showcase for the great star of stage and screen and an excellent example of using sci-fi/fantasy to tell a nonlinear story."[22]

References

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  1. ^ Otterson, Joe (May 26, 2021). "'WandaVision' Head Writer Jac Schaeffer Sets Overall Deal With Marvel Studios, 20th Television". Variety. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Iannucci, Rebecca (November 27, 2023). "WandaVision Steelbook Release Includes First Glimpse at Agatha Spinoff Footage — Watch (Exclusive)". TVLine. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Otterson, Joe (October 7, 2021). "'WandaVision' Spinoff Starring Kathryn Hahn in the Works at Disney Plus (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Hipes, Patrick (November 12, 2021). "Disney+ Day: All The Streamer's Film & TV News From Premiere Dates To Series Orders". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  5. ^ Trainor, Daniel (November 10, 2022). "WandaVision's Emma Caulfield Teases What to Expect from Agatha: Coven of Chaos". E! News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  6. ^ Kit, Borys (October 11, 2023). "'Daredevil' Hits Reset Button as Marvel Overhauls Its TV Business". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Disney+ Debuts Trailer for Marvel Television's New Series 'Agatha All Along'". The Walt Disney Company. July 8, 2024. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  8. ^ Vary, Adam B. (May 21, 2024). "Why Marvel Is Rebranding Its Television Shows to Eliminate the 'Pressure' to 'Watch Absolutely Everything'". Variety. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  9. ^ Kit, Borys; Couch, Aaron (August 23, 2024). "James Spader Returning as Ultron for Marvel's Vision Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 23, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ortiz, Andi (October 25, 2024). "Agatha All Along' Showrunner Unpacks Time-Tripping Episode 7: Patti LuPone on Wires, Wanda and That Death Reveal". TheWrap.com. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i Vary, Adam B. (October 25, 2024). "Agatha All Along' Creator on Directing Patti LuPone's Mind-Bending Episode, Revealing [SPOILER]'s True Identity and Who Is Really Dead". Variety.com. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c "Death's Hand in Mine". Agatha All Along. Season 1. Episode 7. Disney+.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 21, 2022). "'Agatha: Coven Of Chaos': Patti LuPone Joins 'WandaVision' Marvel Spinoff For Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  14. ^ Kaloi, Stephanie (March 16, 2024). "Miriam Margolyes Turned Down Marvel 'Story About Witches' Over Shooting in Georgia: 'I Don't Like America'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  15. ^ Campione, Katie (October 25, 2024). "'Agatha All Along' Episode 7 Bewitches 4.2M Views After Just A Day Of Streaming". Deadline.com. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  16. ^ "Death's Hand in Mine". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  17. ^ Johnson, Allyson (October 24, 2024). "REVIEW: 'Agatha All Along' Episode 7 — "Death's Hand In Mine"". MSN. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  18. ^ Kain, Erik (October 25, 2024). "'Agatha All Along' Just Went From Good To Great In Episode 7 'Death's Hand In Mine'". Forbes. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Goldman, Eric (October 24, 2024). "Agatha All Along: Episode 7 Review". IGN. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Lennon, Jen (October 24, 2024). "Agatha All Along finally strikes the right balance". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Fallon, Kevin (October 26, 2024). "Patti LuPone Just Gave Marvel's Best Acting Performance in 'Agatha All Along'". The Daily Beast. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (November 1, 2024). "'Agatha All Along' Broke the Spell of MCU Misses". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
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