The Watcher from What If...? (2021-2024) next to a blurred image of Agatha Harkness from Agatha All Along (2024)

The final release of the MCU in 2024, What If…? season 3, has proven that one character has claimed the year for themselves despite not appearing in a single feature film. As the Marvel projects of 2025 come into view, audiences are viewing 2024 in retrospect. Admittedly, the year was a strange one concerning Marvel Studios’ 2024 movie slate, with only Deadpool & Wolverine being released theatrically. That said, Marvel still pumped out four TV shows in 2024.

The first was Echo, with the story setting up upcoming Marvel TV shows like Daredevil: Born Again. Then there was X-Men ’97, a continuation of the animated series from the 90s. Later, Agatha All Along, a spin-off of WandaVision, subverted expectations by being an overly enjoyable entry into the franchise’s supernatural sect. What If…? season 3’s story concluded the animated multiversal series in December 2024, providing many stories and characters with fun twists on the MCU. Via What If…? season 3, one character was solidified as the focus of 2024.

Marvel’s Year Was About Big-Name Returns

The Movies & Shows Of 2024 Focused On Returns To The MCU Franchise

Kingpin confused at Maya Lopez in Echo X-Men team in X-Men '97 Blade grimacing in Deadpool & Wolverine X-23, Wolverine, Gambit, Blade, Deadpool and Elektra banding together in Deadpool & Wolverine Ten Rings and Hawkeye on Horseback in What If...? Season 3 Episode 6 Kingpin confused at Maya Lopez in Echo X-Men team in X-Men '97 Blade grimacing in Deadpool & Wolverine X-23, Wolverine, Gambit, Blade, Deadpool and Elektra banding together in Deadpool & Wolverine Ten Rings and Hawkeye on Horseback in What If...? Season 3 Episode 6

Although Marvel Studios’ 2024 slate was a change of pace for the MCU, the slate was about big names returning to the franchise. Echo gave the first proper MCU story to Wilson Fisk/Kingpin after Hawkeye, with X-Men ’97 bringing back the iconic animated versions of the titular team’s members. The return of mutants continued with Deadpool & Wolverine, as the former character appeared in the MCU for the first time and the latter saw the return of Hugh Jackman by the time of the film’s ending.

Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Marvel cameos also focused on returning characters, from Dafne Keen’s X23 and Wesley Snipes’ Blade to Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Channing Tatum’s Gambit. Agatha All Along provided a return for Billy Maximoff after his apparent death in WandaVision, and What If…? season 3 consisted of several multiversal cameos. Evidently, 2024 was not only a reset year for Marvel Studios before 2025’s huge slate, but also one that ushered in massive returns for huge characters.

Agatha Harkness Was A Surprisingly Big Part Of 2024’s MCU Slate

Agatha Harkness with purple magic in Agatha All Along Agatha Harkness with Celestial power in What If...? season 3 Agatha Harkness alone in the last trial in Agatha All Along Kingo and Agatha at the end of What If Season 3 Episode 2 Agatha Harkness telling Billy Maximoff he's just like his mother in Agatha All Along Agatha Harkness with purple magic in Agatha All Along Agatha Harkness with Celestial power in What If...? season 3 Agatha Harkness alone in the last trial in Agatha All Along Kingo and Agatha at the end of What If Season 3 Episode 2 Agatha Harkness telling Billy Maximoff he's just like his mother in Agatha All Along

Despite these many big-name returns, Agatha Harkness proved to be a big part of the MCU’s 2024 slate. The character appeared in her own solo series, which was critically acclaimed and proved to be one of the higher-ranked Marvel TV shows among fans. Then, Agatha received another big focus in What If…? season 3, episode 2 in which she clashed with Eternals‘ Celestials. In this episode, Agatha briefly became a Celestial, proving how important she was to the show.

Regardless of the reduced release schedule, Agatha appeared in a big way in 2024. The MCU placed a big focus on the character and even set up the character to appear again in either Agatha All Along season 2 or a Young Avengers project. In light of massive returns, Agatha stood tall as one of the MCU’s biggest 2024 characters, as proven by her own show and What If…? season 3.