WandaVision Theory: Agatha's Rabbit Is Her Son, Nicholas Scratch
Is there more to WandaVision's Señor Scratchy than just magic acts and munching carrots? Since WandaVision's debut in the 1950s, Kathryn Hahn's Agnes has been a suspiciously constant presence, regularly stealing a guest spot to involve herself in Wanda's fake reality or shepherd the Scarlet Witch from one scene to the next. As soon as Hahn's Agnes first appeared, fans began speculating that the character's true identity might be Agatha Harkness from the Marvel comics, and that theory is proved correct by WandaVision's "Breaking The Fourth Wall" episode.
As revealed through the medium of song, it was Agatha all along, manipulating Westview by messing with Wanda's magic act, borrowing Evan Peters' Quicksilver from Fox's X-Men movies, and being generally Wicked. Agatha Harkness is a witch with abilities similar to Wanda's, and she's been pulling the strings from the shadows, but it's not yet clear to what end. Why does Agatha need Scarlet Witch? What's her endgame? And why is she so obsessed with sitcoms?
One recurring theme of the MCU's Agatha Harkness is her pet rabbit, Señor Scratchy, who has made several memorable appearances in WandaVision's first season. Although the critter looks to be a regular rabbit, the animal could actually be another character from the Marvel comics - Nicholas Scratch.
Despite Kathryn Hahn being utterly despicable, the original Agatha Harkness isn't really a villain; instead she's introduced as the governess of Reed Richards and Sue Storm's son, Franklin, and becomes a magical ally to the Fantastic Four. It was during an adventure with Marvel's "first family" that Nicholas Scratch was introduced as Agatha's troublesome son, with all six heroes transported to the town of Salem, where Agatha once presided over a coven of magic users. Scratch is obviously none too happy at his mother for leaving, and takes his frustrations out on Agatha and her Fantastic new friends, but Nicholas' anger gets the better of him, and he's sealed away when the townsfolk turn on their leader.
Nicholas Scratch makes several comebacks in the Marvel comics, each time being repelled by Agatha herself or some combination of superheroes. He even manages to possess Franklin Richards on one occasion. Scratch also aligns with powerful mystic beings such as Dormammu and Mephisto over the course of his supervillain career, hungry for power and revenge. Unsurprisingly, Agatha Harkness wants little to do with her mischievous son, but Nicholas also has 7 children. While they followed their father initially, some took after their grandmother and would later use their magical prowess for good.
While Agnes doesn't appear to have any family in WandaVision (even her husband is nowhere to be seen), she does have a pet rabbit to keep her company. Señor Scratchy makes a number of scene-stealing appearances in WandaVision, the first coming in the magic show storyline of "Don't Touch That Dial." Agatha hands scratchy over to Wanda, as the Visions' plan to use the animal in their magic act at the Westview Talent Show. While Wanda takes Señor Scratchy indoors, Agatha talks-up the rabbit's star power and reveals this isn't his first rodeo in showbiz - he was cast as baby Jesus in the town's Christmas pageant. During the show itself, a malfunctioning Vision (Paul Bettany drunk, essentially) tries to pull a "hat out of the rabbit" but Scratchy runs away, allowing Wanda to rescue him from a painful experience. Once again, Agatha remarks on Scratchy's "star quality."
Señor Scratchy makes a welcome return in WandaVision's Agatha Harkness reveal episode. He's first spotted being stroked and fed leaves by Billy Maximoff when Wanda's twins visit their neighbor's house, and is then in his cage when Wanda goes there herself. When Scarlet Witch descends into Agatha's creepy basement/villainous lair, however, Señor Scratchy is gently cradled in her arms.
The similarity between Señor Scratchy and Nicholas Scratch's names can't be coincidental, though it could be an Easter egg - WandaVision's nod to Agatha's comic book son. But what if the rabbit actually is Nicholas, and Agatha is to blame for his current furry form? Unlike Wanda, Agatha firmly occupies the classic wicked witch mold. She has black hair, a cackling laugh, and even dresses in a pointy hat for Halloween. Turning folks into animals is a stereotypical witch trope, and the ever-present Señor Scratchy feels too important to overlook.
Agatha's glowing pride in Señor Scratchy is weird, even for the most avid pet owner. The way she fawns over the rabbit's stage career is more like a pushy parent forcing their child into a beauty pageant than a grown woman showing off their animal, and the Jesus reference might explain why. Not only is Jesus the son of the Christmas story (a possible allusion to Agatha's son), but using a bunny to portray the Christian lord and savior is odd, even by Westview standards. Perhaps Nicholas played Jesus when he was an actual human child, before being transformed into Señor Scratchy by his mystical mother. Lastly, it's interesting how Scratchy runs away when Vision threatens to pull a hat out of him - almost as if he could understand what was being said and fled for his life...
"Breaking The Fourth Wall" continues to teases that there's more to Señor Scratchy than meets the eye. Agatha lets him play with Billy and Tommy (kids who might be around his age if he were human) and refers to the rabbit as a "good listener" as if she talks to him often. Seeing Agatha carry Señor Scratchy in her arms while confronting Scarlet Witch is an odd flex too, once again hinting towards a deeper significance for the creature.
But why would Agatha turn her own son into a rabbit? The answer may lie in the Marvel comics. In traditional lore, Nicholas Scratch is a villain, while Agatha helps the heroes defeat her own flesh and blood, cringing every time her son starts causing trouble. Since Agatha Harkness is the baddie of WandaVision , perhaps Nicholas was a good guy who tried steering his mother away from evil magic, for which she turned him into an obedient pet. Alternatively, Nicholas Scratch is just as villainous in the MCU as the Marvel comics, and being turned into a rabbit was a punishment from his mother for going too far... or not revealing his evil designs via a jaunty surf-rock theme tune.
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