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Joe Locke is having a moment. Not even a full day after Marvel dropped the fifth episode of Agatha All Along on Disney+, Locke, sitting comfortably at his U.K. home, is all smiles—euphoric, even—as he reflects on his journey with the show.
For those who haven’t yet hit play (spoiler alert!), the big reveal is out: Locke’s character “Teen” is none other than the grown-up Billy Maximoff, aka Wiccan, the son of Wanda Maximoff.
Yes, that Wiccan—Marvel’s most significant LGBTQ+ character to date, finally stepping into the spotlight of the MCU.
If you’re already in the know about Marvel comics, this isn’t entirely a surprise.
Speculation was buzzing long before the show premiered, and fans had Locke pegged as Billy early on.
There were whispers, Reddit theories, and a few production leaks that fanned the flames.
Plus, we all know Marvel is never shy with its Easter eggs.
Locke mentions one in particular: Wanda’s crown stitched on the back of Billy’s sweater—a nod that most might have missed but that true fans probably latched onto.
But let’s talk about that scene in episode five, the “Darkest Hour / Wake Thy Power” moment, where Billy fully steps into his magical powers.
Locke’s face lit up as he recalled it, describing the sequence where Billy, magic at the ready, sends Agatha and a couple of other witches tumbling into a pit of mud.
Oh, and the best part? His fierce new crown, coupled with Billie Eilish’s song, “You Should See Me in a Crown,” blaring in the background.
It’s not just a moment; it’s the moment. As Locke himself puts it: “perfect.”
+Related: Who Is Teen and His Mysterious Boyfriend in Agatha All Along?
For Locke, the pressure of carrying such an iconic reveal was immense—two years of keeping the secret—and he admitted to Entertainment Weekly that when the episode finally aired, he needed a little help sleeping (four doses of melatonin, to be exact).
But now that the secret’s out, it seems like he’s breathing easy, excited to talk about where the character’s arc is headed. And what an arc it is.
Billy isn’t just another witch on the Witches’ Road—he’s now the most powerful.
“The show starts getting real,” Locke says. “He’s lied about his motivations. We thought he was after power, but that’s not his real goal.”
Locke’s enthusiasm for this role is palpable, and as a queer actor, he knows exactly how meaningful it is to see an LGBTQ+ superhero rise to such prominence in the Marvel Universe.
It’s representation, but it’s also so much more than that.
Billy’s journey is complex, and Locke isn’t interested in playing him as a typical good-guy hero.
There’s a lot of moral ambiguity here: Is Billy’s power dangerous? Is he, like his mother, capable of making choices that blur the line between good and evil?
“We’re playing with the gray area,” Locke says, nodding to showrunner Jac Schaeffer’s vision.
This isn’t Locke’s first time at the LGBTQ+ representation rodeo, though.
His breakout role in Heartstopper already cemented him as a beloved figure in queer media.
But Wiccan? That’s a whole different level of responsibility and excitement.
He’s part of a Marvel tradition now, one that’s pulling from comic book history (Locke’s got his own copy of the Young Avengers omnibus) while also blazing its own path.
He knows there’s more in store, teasing that the remaining episodes of the season—particularly episode 6, which explores Billy’s backstory—are going to have fans on the edge of their seats.
Locke may not have met Elizabeth Olsen yet (can you imagine the energy when these two powerhouses cross paths?), but the parallels between their characters are undeniable.
Both wield reality-warping magic, both have complicated relationships with power and morality, and now both are part of the MCU’s most intriguing family dynamic.
Is it too early to speculate about a future Young Avengers project?
Locke isn’t making any promises, but like all of us, he’s thinking about what could come next.
For now, though, he’s just reveling in the moment. And what a moment it is.
To see a gay character like Wiccan, fully realized and poised for future greatness, feels like a win for all of us.
So, whether you’re tuning in for the magical duels, the sharp wit of Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha, or simply to catch more of Joe Locke’s infectious grin, one thing is clear: the future of Marvel’s LGBTQ+ storytelling is bright, and Billy/Wiccan is ready to take center stage.
+Related: Joe Locke: Broadway Bound and Beyond