Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Agatha All Along episode 1
I never thought theMCUwould break the one rule that it just destroyed in the first episode ofAgatha All Along. TheMCU’s latest installmenthas landed on Disney+, withAgatha All Alongbeing the last production that is MCU canon untilCaptain America: Brave New Worldis released in February 2025. After two episodes, it’s already apparent that the show is following in the footsteps ofDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessby capitalizing on the horror inherent in the occult, while trailer footage suggests there is much more where that came from.
These horror elements do not go so far as to preclude ayounger MCU audience, however, opting for jump-scares from scary witches instead of delving into gore or body horror. While this helps to ensure thatAgatha All Alongmaintains the TV equivalent of a PG-13 rating inherent in most MCU productions (save forDeadpool & Wolverineand a smattering of shows), it also pushes boundaries in other ways. While this particular example has shocked me, I’m at least optimistic about the fact that it is making a brazen effort to break with convention.
The MCU Has Only Shown Male Nudity Before Its Latest Release
Oddly Enough, Every Instance Has Exclusively Occurred In Thor Films
Nudity in the MCU is exceptionally rare - not to mention mostly unwarranted - and has only popped up on a handful of occasions. Incidentally,all three of these examples have happened in Thor movies. Furthermore, every instance of nudity in the MCU thus far has included male characters exclusively. This is likely due to a somewhat problematic convention thatmale nudity is seen as less “Adult” than female nudity- and by recalling each example in the Thor movies, it’s plain to see that these were all played for laughs.
Examples of Nudity in the MCU
Thor: The Dark World
Erik Selvig
Selvig is seen in a news report running naked around Stonehenge with his nether regions blurred out.
Thor: Ragnarok
Hulk
Hulk exits a hot tub nude, giving Thor an eyeful before looking out of a window with his backside on display.
Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor
Zeus restrains Thor and “Flicks” his clothes off, leaving Thor’s backside and tattoo tapestry on display.
Eternalsis the first and only MCU movie to include a sex scene, between Ikaris and Sersi, but the same parameters meant that nudity (beyond Ikaris' bare back) was absent.
These examples all fall within the parameters of PG-13 restrictions, which specifically state that any nudity cannot be sexualized. Given these scenes were all played for laughs - with Selvig’s scene being a standout moment of levity in an otherwise relatively bleak movie - they were permissible under the guidelines.Agatha All Alonghas now added to this list,but has become the first to do so inthe MCU’s 16-year historywith a woman.
Agatha All Along Very Much Breaks The MCU’s Female Nudity Rule
Agatha Brazenly Breaks Established Conventions Around Female Nudity
The first example of female nudity in the MCU came in the veryfirst episode ofAgatha All Along. It occurred immediately after Agatha was freed from Wanda’s hex by Teen and stripped off the various guises she sported throughoutWandaVision. Back in reality,Agatha marches across the street towards John Collins - known as Herb within the Westview Hex - while stark naked, prompting shocked reactions from John and other Westview residents. Agatha, meanwhile, is unabashed in her nudity and shrugs off Herb’s attempts to cover her up.
Nudity inAgatha All Alongmay be a reference to the practice of performing rituals “Skyclad” - AKA in the nude - within Neopagan religions.
Agatha’s hair and the scenery help to cover her modesty, though her march back to her house officially adds to the list of bare-butt scenes within the MCU.The scene was hilarious but also a prime demonstration of Agatha’s strength of character, portraying how little she cares for societal expectations and their notions of modesty. It was also a thematically relevant image, as witches throughout history are often portrayed as nude in the artists' attempt to portray their mania and unconventional practices.
Agatha All Along’s Rule Break Is A Great Way To Show How Different It Will Be
Agatha All Along Is Trailblazing A New Approach In The MCU
This is a telling sign of what to expect fromAgatha All Along. In the space of a single episode, it shows its hand with a brand of comedy that will be no-holds-barred (within the confines of its PG-13 rating) with a trailblazing approach. I’m not suggesting that any inclusion of nudity in the MCU is something that should be automatically lauded, butAgatha All Alongbreaking with conventions by showing that female nudity can be tasteful, humorous, and not inherently sexual is at least worthy of note.
I’m confident that Agatha’s brazen attitude and humor will soon cement her as one of the MCU’s unexpected fan-favorite characters.
Between that and its horror scenes,Agatha All Alongis already shaping up to be a breath of fresh air in the MCU. Earlyreviews forAgatha All Alonghave been mostly positive, though detractors task it with justifying its existence, given it focuses on a coven of lesser-known characters in a climate that sees the MCU being criticized for being overstuffed. If the first two episodes ofAgatha All Alongare any sign, however, I’m confident that Agatha’s brazen attitude and humor will soon cement her as one of theMCU’s unexpected fan-favorite characters.
Agatha All Along
Cast
Agatha Harkness, after the events of “WandaVision,” seeks to regain her magical powers. Joining forces with unexpected allies, including the son of an old adversary, she battles new mystical threats while uncovering hidden secrets in the magical realm.
