In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Agatha All Along takes a special place. The mix of horror, fantasy and comedy brings together so many LGBTQ+ people and queer characters in front of the camera with refreshing naturalness.
Agatha All Along has a special place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The mix of horror, fantasy and comedy brings together more LGBTQ+ people and queer characters in front of the camera than any other MCU project before, with refreshing self-confidence.
Spoiler alert for Agatha All Along:
The representation celebrated by leading actress Kathryn Hahn has now produced a revolutionary Marvel moment in the finale released on Disney+ on October 31: we have just witnessed the MCU’s first-ever lesbian kiss, and numerous fans are celebrating this surprisingly passionate milestone.
Agatha All Along shows us the first (real) lesbian kiss in the MCU
The highlight of episode 8 is a passionate kiss between witch Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) and Rio or Lady Death (Aubrey Plaza). The sexual tension between them has been crackling through the entire Marvel series since episode 1, while their strong feelings for each other and their past (but unfortunately un-shown) relationship have been hinted at repeatedly. The kiss now removes all doubt.
The MCU has been around for 16 years, but the representation of queer characters and stories is still in short supply and rarely done justice. Although some queer characters from the Marvel comics have now made it into the MCU’s live-action universe, the portrayal of physical affection often falls by the wayside.
For the first time in Eternals, we got to see a same-sex (and fleeting) kiss between two men in the MCU. Even more cautiously, the first kiss between two women was staged in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Here, the relationship between two Dora Milaje fighters was only signaled with a gentle forehead kiss.
It is all the more surprising how openly Agatha All Along deals with a Marvel project with queer characters whose emotional world is essential to the story and character development. After a few episodes earlier this year had already depicted the teenage relationship between Billy (Joe Locke) and Eddie (Miles Gutierrez-Riley) with a kiss and an expression of love, the finale now eclipses almost all previous queer scenes from the Marvel cosmos.
Agatha All Along finale: Fans are overwhelmed by the kiss of Death
The kiss between Agatha Harkness and Rio/Death is as intense and passionate as a kiss can be. It is a kiss of maximum dramatic importance for the plot. Because with this kiss, Agatha not only gives in to her feelings for her ex-partner, but also seals her own fate. Because of her power to steal life, she literally takes on the power of death and dies – in order to save the young wizard Billy from death.
After the final two episodes aired, numerous fans shared their reactions to the story’s ending on X (formerly Twitter), with the kiss of death between Agatha and Lady Death in particular sparking euphoric outpourings of emotion:
“The first women to kiss in the MCU, like they fucking should!”
FIRST WOMEN TO KISS ON THE MCU AS THEY FUCKING SHOULD!!!!! AgathaAllAlong pic.twitter.com/J0UB8FcQ7p
— c’arol all along ✨ (@ohmissgill) October 31, 2024
“Jesus, that kiss was unreal. Despite everything, that is really such an epic kiss. These are two women who know how to kiss women.”
jesus that kiss was unreal though i mean despite everything that seriously is such an epic kiss that’s two women who know how to kiss women!!!! pic.twitter.com/9Z4T1N4JtB
— mich❀ | agatha era (@cinemichh) October 31, 2024
“The way they’re kissing so intensely because they know that once they’ve kissed it’s over. They know in this moment that this is their last time together. They let their hands linger as Agatha goes up to make the most of every last second.”
the way they’re kissing so intensely because they know that once they locked lips it was over, they know in this very moment this is their last time together, they let their hands linger as agatha goes up to make the most of every last secondpic.twitter.com/s3wNSMiRbe
— m (@lezzie0lsen) October 31, 2024
“We got an Agathario kiss. But at what cost?”
WE GOT AGATHARIO KISS BUT AT WHAT COST AgathaAllAlong pic.twitter. com/OcI6WmbnUY
— Trost|Agatha Spoilers (@VagitarianTrost) October 31, 2024
The final kiss between “Agathario” is followed immediately by Agatha’s emotionally staged demise, which touches not only Lady Death but also the fans:
“Can we talk about Rio’s expression when she has to take Agatha? How she made sure that she was transformed into a beautiful bed of flowers and plants.”
AgathaAllAlong SPOILERS
OK BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT RIOS FACE AT HAVING TO TAKE AGATHA? HOW SHE MADE SURE TO TURN HER INTO A BEAUTIFUL BED OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS AgathaRio pic.twitter.com/PwEJg2i0bi
— Jazz ⧗ All Along (@DerpSwan) October 31, 2024
However, there are also critical voices that see the problematic “bury your gays” trope in the tender kissing moment and Agatha’s subsequent death:
“Jac Schaeffer says, let’s bring back the Bury Your Gays trope! Why do lesbians always have the most heartbreaking endings! I’m fucking sick of it.”
jac schaeffer said bring back bury your gays trope!!!!!!!!!!! why do lesbians always have the most heartbreaking endings!!!!!! I’M FUCKING SICK OF IT.
— moon agatha SPOILERS (@agathaslesbian) October 31, 2024
In films and series, stories of queer characters often end in suffering and death. At first glance, Agatha All Along also falls into this cliché trap, despite the joy of representation. Fortunately, the Marvel series does not completely get rid of its deceased queer main character, but brings her back into the plot as a ghost a few scenes later.
