In the glamorous backdrop of 1930s Hollywood, "What If…? Season 3 Episode 2: What If…Agatha Went to Hollywood?" weaves a tale where the enchanting Agatha Harkness crosses paths with the celestial guardians, the Eternals, in a bid to harness the power of Tiamut, the nascent Celestial at Earth's core. This episode, a blend of magic, might, and movie-making, explores the lengths to which Agatha will go to achieve her ultimate ambition—to become a goddess in her own right.
The episode opens with Agatha Harkness, not just a practitioner of the dark arts, but a rising starlet in the world of cinema. Her thirst for power, however, is far from quenched by the adoration of her fans. Agatha has set her sights on Tiamut, intending to absorb its energy and ascend to godhood. To do this, she requires a grand stage, and Hollywood, with its grand sets and unsuspecting populace, provides the perfect canvas for her dark magic.
Agatha manipulates Howard Stark, a young industrialist with dreams of cinematic grandeur, into making her a star. With the help of Stark's assistant director, Edwin Jarvis, Agatha infiltrates the heart of Hollywood, embedding her hexes and markings into the very sets of Stark's productions. Unbeknownst to Stark, Agatha's true intent is to use the grand stage of Hollywood to perform a ritual of unimaginable scale, one that will allow her to drain the power of Tiamut.
In a twist of fate, Agatha requires the assistance of Kingo, a Bollywood sensation and Eternal, to complete her plan. Kingo, unaware of Agatha's true nature, is lured into Hollywood under the guise of stardom. As the dance numbers and film shoots unfold, Kingo discovers Agatha's ruse and the imprisoned Eternals, each stripped of their powers by Agatha's insatiable hunger for magic.
The stage is set for a confrontation between Agatha and Kingo, with the fate of Tiamut hanging in the balance. Agatha, now wielding the combined powers of the Eternals, stands as a formidable foe. Kingo, however, sees through her deception and offers a Faustian bargain—betray Arishem, the Prime Eternal, and join Agatha in her quest for power, with the promise of stardom and adoration as the carrot.
As the episode progresses, Agatha's plan is thrown into chaos with the arrival of Arishem, who seeks to bring forth Tiamut's birth and reshape the Earth. Agatha, now a being of immense power, confronts Arishem in a battle that shakes the foundations of reality. She traps the Celestial in her inverted pentagram hex, draining his power and obliterating him from existence.
With Arishem defeated, Agatha stands on the brink of remaking the world in her image. However, Kingo, with the wisdom of Jarvis, appeals to Agatha's desire for love and adoration, reminding her of the power she wields not just as a being of immense power, but as a star capable of inspiring millions. Agatha, swayed by the prospect of eternal fame, agrees to join forces with Kingo and Stark to release a film based on their otherworldly adventure, titled "Cosmic Queen."
The episode concludes with the premiere of "Cosmic Queen" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a box-office sensation that alters the course of Howard Stark's destiny and sets the stage for a sequel where the Eternals will face off against the Celestials, now alerted to Arishem's demise. Agatha, with the power of two Celestials within her, and Kingo, ready to embrace his role as her collaborator, prepare for a showdown that will determine the fate of the cosmos.
"What If…? Season 3 Episode 2: What If…Agatha Went to Hollywood?" is a dazzling display of magic and might, where the line between fiction and reality blurs, and the quest for power takes center stage. It is a tale that explores the depths of ambition and the allure of stardom, set against the glittering backdrop of Hollywood and the vast expanse of the Marvel multiverse.