Without their powers, Agatha's newly assembled coven arrives on The Witches' Road. Each of them serves a practical purpose. They each have expertise in a certain type of witchcraft. All of their skills will be necessary for any of them to arrive at the end. Agatha has survived this plight before. She also feels burdened in having to explain to the other witches what this journey will entail. They will face trials and tribulations. It's literally laid out in the song they performed for the entrance to emerge. They must stick to the road. If they wander off, they will be pulled into the darkness of the environment. It's a very eerie and remarkable set. That then stands in sharp contrast to the coastal mansion where their first test is set. In fact, it's rewarding to discover the show's narrative drive as episodic pursuits with teases of some larger storyline simmering in the background. The latter is largely due to Teen's mysterious identity. The rest allows the ensemble to showcase their skills. It's a return to basics mode of storytelling. It's still informed by a rich history. The audiences knows some because of WandaVision. It's also just designed around the overall mystique and mythology of witches over the centuries. These stories are constantly being reinvented. Yet here, they exist in a world that seeks to go against any traditional stereotypes.
Each member of the coven was committed to this journey for personal reasons. Agatha exploits them to reach her own end result. This is the only way for her to regain her powers. She doesn't particularly care what happens to her fellow travelers. She only needs them to face the practical concerns of the road. She also has to explain that she has no idea why a sigil has been placed on Teen. She investigated that a little bit. She was intrigued. She never let on that she didn't know any personal information about him. When the other witches realize they are prevented from knowing him, they speak up. Teen is surprised too. He doesn't know why someone would want to keep him hidden from witches. He's obsessed with witches. He refuses to believe all the horrible stories about Agatha. He idolizes her especially. He's warned to tread carefully. Agatha will sacrifice anyone to get what she wants. The teases of Teen's identity just prompt rampant speculation though. Jen shares that Agatha sacrificed her son to obtain the Darkhold. As a result, she probably wouldn't recognize him even if he was standing in front of her. That could mean something. Teen also connects with Alice by saying he too had a lot happen when he was thirteen. These details could be important. They could also be massive red herrings.
Again, it's no fun to have a show built around a mystery. Things with Teen are important. They aren't an immediate concern. It's more necessary to develop the personalities of these characters. The witches were given their broad introductions in the previous episode. Now, the tests are meant to reveal who they actually are. Agatha doesn't want to participate. She wants to escape. Her self-preservation skills are always kicking in. She can't avoid the trials though. She is stuck with this coven. They are bonded now. The burden of one extends to them all. Teen technically isn't a member of the coven. He was simply invited onto the journey. That becomes a key development as Jen finds the solution to the first trial. Every member of the coven had to partake in the poison. They then had to assemble the ingredients for the antidote from common items found around the house. Everything is available to them to succeed. Jen panics when she fears a mistake was made. She just forgot about adding the blood of the untouched. Teen provides that. The exit emerges just as the home starts filling with water. Not everyone survives though. The road claims its first victim.
Sharon was too obvious as a first choice for death on this journey. She has no magical abilities whatsoever. She was invited to a party and essentially kidnapped. The Witches' Road doesn't align with her understanding of the world. She already suffered once. She lost her husband. She's still traumatized by the damage Wanda did. When the hallucinations start, she's the only character who doesn't receive the visual display for the audience to experience as well. Instead, it's all understood how Sharon felt powerless. She was at the complete mercy of a powerful witch. And now, that story has seemingly repeated itself. Agatha never even cared to learn her name. She was just a convenient body to fill a role. The coven went onto the road without a green witch. That skillset hasn't been required yet. They may all be doomed. Sharon has expertise in stationary. That's not helpful in solving this mystery. She is the first to drink. She's confused about witches. The coven frequently forgets about her. She is part of their coven. She's not included in the pivotal moments. That's sad. She didn't want any of this. Her death provides stakes to the mission. But again, it was the predictable outcome given the scales and stakes of storytelling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sharon was a normal person. She becomes collateral damage for those who deem themselves far more important and special.
Similarly, death is the obvious fear for witches. They have been hunted for centuries by those terrified of their powers. In modern society, they have to hide themselves away. They don't have the fame and success they once did. They seek that glory again. However, death still frames the various hallucinations the coven suffers. Agatha stands out. She reckons with the prior choice she made to achieve power. She goes towards a crib expecting her crying son. Instead, she's greeted by the Darkhold. That object corrupted her mind. She has always looked out for herself above all else. Motherhood offers a new perspective into who she is and what she wants in the world. Cracks of vulnerability start to show. She isn't willing to share them with the coven though. It's all about producing the antidote to the poison. The focus should be on the task at hand. Others get distracted too. Alice wants answers as to what happened to her mother. Her tattoo serves as a ward to protect her from curses. Clues suggest her family line has been cursed in some way that always leads to death. Alice doesn't understand it. She's been free of that burden. That hasn't produced a happy or fulfilling life. Elsewhere, Lilia is confronted by the faces of those she has lost along the way. Meanwhile, Jen is literally fighting for her life against someone who wants her dead. The stakes escalate quickly. They don't quite capture the uniqueness of each character though. They feel like a traditional tale of the plight of witches. That isn't necessarily bad. The show has to understand those conventions in order to subvert them later on. It just makes things a tad too predictable.
