In recent years, many films and shows have impressed us with their amazing editing and storytelling. One standout example is “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” which featured Oscar-winning scenes that beautifully portrayed the vastness of the multiverse.
This year, “Strange Darling” also played with our expectations by changing the order of events and how we perceive time. Now, we can add “Agatha All Along,” especially Episode 7, to this list of great projects. This episode gives us a wonderful cinematic experience, and it is not just because of the references to pop culture witches.
It allows us to step into Lilia’s (played by Patti LuPone) mind and see life as she experiences it, out of order, due to her special powers of divination. The episode begins with a striking scene where Lilia wakes up dressed as Glinda the Good Witch and falls down, down, down into a black emptiness.
Is Wanda Really Dead in ‘Agatha All Along’ Episode 7?
The episode raises an important question: Is Wanda dead? As the story unfolds, we follow Billy (played by Joe Locke) and Agatha as they walk and talk down the Witches’ Road in a style reminiscent of Aaron Sorkin’s writing.
Their conversation is a mix of humor and tension, especially when Agatha thinks Billy is trying to read her mind. She tells him that he can ask her anything except one question—where Rio (played by Aubrey Plaza) is. This topic is off-limits because Agatha has a complicated history with Wanda, who is Billy’s mother.
Billy insists that he is not there to talk about Wanda. Instead, he wants to know what he can gain from their journey down the Road.
He is clear that he already has a mother, and it is not Wanda. Agatha, feeling a bit irritated, admits she is not sure if Wanda is really dead. She saw Wanda’s body, but she is unsure if anyone else did. If Billy wants clear answers, she jokes that he should ask a straight lady.
As they walk, they approach a castle. This castle serves as a setting for a costume change. In a playful twist, Agatha dresses up as the Wicked Witch of the West, a character she apparently inspired, while Billy transforms into Maleficent, confident and aware of his slaying appearance.
Inside the castle, they find a tarot table. When a timer flips, it signals that a test has begun. Agatha and Billy must show their lives, likened to sands slipping through an hourglass.
Billy believes he can read Agatha’s tarot cards, but it quickly becomes clear that he lacks experience. He places a card in the center, causing a sword to fall from the ceiling, which is covered in swords. Agatha calls tarot a scam like any other, but she decides to try her hand at it.
She randomly tosses cards down, but the swords continue to rain down, creating a sense of hopelessness as the ceiling lowers. Frustrated, Billy wishes that Lilia were with them.
Lilia’s Separate Journey
Meanwhile, Lilia is not with them. Instead, she is in a cave with Jen (played by Sasheer Zamata). Lilia got there by following a disgusting tunnel because she claimed they needed to look for shelving. However, she now doesn’t remember saying that.
Confusingly, Lilia also doesn’t recall that Teen is the son of the Scarlet Witch, even though she had previously told Jen about it. Jen notices that Lilia seems more forgetful and quirky than usual and points out that just five minutes ago, they had a heartfelt conversation.
The narrative flashes back to Lilia’s earlier outbursts. We see her trying to warn Alice not to save Agatha. We then travel even further back in time to see young Lilia in Sicily, learning from Maestra before transforming into the present-day Lilia. It has been a long time since her first lesson on tea leaves, a skill Lilia always believed she struggled with.
Back in the cave, Lilia insists to Jen that she is not confused. Instead, she feels frustrated that Jen only sees her as a quirky person. Jen asks what else she should see. Lilia explains that time is an illusion for her. As a child, she experienced life out of sequence, receiving flashes and gaps of moments.
She fears it is happening again, and it is getting worse. Jen, filled with compassion, acknowledges that this sounds terrifying. Lilia suspects that this distortion of time might be occurring because she is nearing the end of her journey, and she is uncertain if she wants her powers back.
Lilia’s Tarot Trial
Later, Lilia and Jen find themselves in the castle, and Lilia appears ready to confront Billy, causing confusion. Billy thought they were on friendly terms! However, he apologizes, explaining that his powers surprised him as well. He clarifies that he would have used his abilities to save Alice. Lilia realizes that Billy has been reading her mind, reminding her of a past event, the bar mitzvah.
Jen acts as a peacemaker, urging Lilia to remember that time is not fixed and to trust her feelings. She tells Lilia that she is not angry with Billy anymore. Lilia is upset that everyone is wearing witch costumes but manages to focus.
She remembers she was doing a reading for Billy before her confusion began. Unsure of what went wrong, she notes that everything she said seemed correct. When Billy presses her about a sigil she cast, she admits to it. She had foreseen who he would become and understood he needed time.
As the story progresses, we see more flashbacks of Lilia’s previous outbursts. Everything Lilia says starts to align, and we continue to see her interactions with Maestra. Lilia admits to Maestra that she does not feel connected to nature, skilled in her craft, or part of a coven.
This disappoints Maestra, who had high expectations for her. Lilia expresses that she believes it is better to be a fraud and a hermit than to endure the pain of loss. Maestra, however, explains to Lilia that her task is not to control her powers but to see beyond them.
In the cave, Lilia discovers Billy’s spellbook and confides in Jen that she put her gift away because all she saw was death. Their conversation is interrupted when they overhear Billy and Agatha arguing and suddenly fall into the tarot room from a bookshelf. Lilia takes control of the tarot reading and tells Billy he must ask a question essential to his journey.
Agatha suggests that he should ask if they will make it out alive, but instead, Billy chooses to ask whether he is William or Billy. As he does this, the falling swords suddenly stop, and Lilia responds that it is a good question.
The Tarot Reading Unfolds
Lilia begins a safe passage tarot spread. This spread covers who the Teen is, the path behind him, his future path, the obstacles he faces, and a possible windfall.
As she reads the cards, Agatha and Jen watch in silence, their previous snarky comments gone. Lilia tells Billy that he is the Magician, full of potential. However, she notices that joy and reunion are missing from his life. Still, the swords keep falling, leaving Lilia puzzled about what is lacking.
Lilia reflects on her earlier conversation with Maestra. She explains that her reason for coming on this journey was not to regain her powers but to understand her place as a forgotten woman.
She wonders what is worth remembering—her knowledge of Maestra’s death, or the loss of her entire coven to a fever that she could not prevent. Maestra reminds Lilia that death is a common fate for everyone, and it is uncertain when it will come for her. Lilia starts to piece things together and realizes she is going to fall.
Back in the cave, Lilia wakes up and tells Jen everything about Billy, the trial, and the search for the shelf. She knows she will forget soon. Jen notices a path off the Witches’ Road, but the Salem Seven appear before they can leave.
After they pass, Lilia decides to choose the trial path and hopes Jen will accompany her, calling her a sister in the craft. Jen looks at the exit with longing but ultimately chooses to stay with Lilia.
Back at the trial, Lilia finally realizes what went wrong. She was reading for the wrong person; she needs to read for herself. She is the traveler, the Queen of Cups, who is empathetic and has an inner voice that can be trusted. In the flashbacks, Maestra encourages her, and in the present, the falling swords suddenly stop. However, the ceiling continues to descend. Lilia keeps reading, trying to understand what is missing.
She identifies the Three of Pentacles as what is lacking—community. The path behind her is the Knight of Wands, who represents a brave fighter. Ahead of her is the High Priestess, who possesses spiritual power but is reluctant to use it (which could refer to Jen).
The obstacles reveal the Three of Swords, representing heartbreak, sorrow, and grief. The windfall shows the Tower Reversed, signifying miraculous transformation. The final destination is Death. Suddenly, Lilia sees Rio approaching her in the cave. Does she not recognize her? Rio is Death.
The Trial Concludes
At this moment, the ceiling of swords stops falling and starts to rise. They have passed the trial. Lilia explains to everyone that Rio is Death, the original Green Witch, and they will finally find their way home. She proclaims that they should be proud to be witches and not fear death, as it is not the end of their journey.
After their empowering conversation, the scene changes again to Agatha and Billy arriving at the rooftop of the castle. The sky shines with stars, and everything seems calm. They begin to talk about their plans, and Agatha admits that her past actions have caused issues with Wanda. She recalls moments that seem dark and emotional, alluding to her fear of facing Wanda.
Billy encourages her to be honest with herself. He wants her to be upfront about her feelings, reminding her that it is not too late to be who she is meant to be. Agatha begins to accept her feelings for Wanda and her role as a mentor. This conversation leads her to the realization that the two women need to work together to solve the looming chaos.
In a surprising twist, Agatha offers a powerful spell for the witches to escape the castle. As the spell unfolds, the energy crackles around them. She hands a glowing orb to Lilia and tells her it will guide them through the shadows back home. Lilia glows with confidence and takes the orb in her hands, reassuring the group that they can overcome any obstacle together.
As they go on their journey home, Lilia experiences another vision of the future, one where they stand together as a coven, powerful and united against dark forces. They will face threats together as a family. This newfound bond and sense of purpose allow Lilia to embrace her powers and accept the memories of her past.
Conclusion
“Agatha All Along” Episode 7 brilliantly combines editing and storytelling, showing us the power of friendship, acceptance, and the importance of community. The characters grow and evolve, facing their pasts and realizing they are not alone. Through flashbacks, conversations, and powerful visuals, we see how these witches show their identities and destinies.
The episode encourages us to think about our own lives and the bonds we share with others. It reminds us that while the journey may be filled with uncertainty, love, and friendship can lead us through the darkness. Just as Lilia learns to trust her intuition and embrace her true self, we too can find strength in our communities and the people we love.
In the end, “Agatha All Along” leaves us with a sense of hope, showing that even in the face of challenges and heartache, there is always a way forward. This episode, like its predecessors, keeps us engaged and excited about the future of the series and the journeys of its characters.
