Doctor Strange dies in Death of Doctor Strange No. 1, but makes a surprising return at the end of the issue.
It was a typical day for Marvel‘s Sorcerer Supreme in The Death of Doctor Strange. For Stephen Stephen Strange, a typical day starts with his talking ghost dog waking him up for a walk, surgery, then a ton of mystical battles to protect the world. But for some reason, today seemed different.
Strange’s night ends with him trying to rest after a long day. Then, there’s a knock at the door. After that, a mysterious person attacks and kills him. Soon after, mystical events come in from all over the world. The veil of protection the Sorcerer Supreme provides was now gone.
It doesn’t just end there. Friends (and even an enemy in Baron Mordo) come to the Sanctum Santorum to mourn Stephen Strange. But before they could discuss what happened, Doctor Strange from the past appears, telling them that they have to act quickly before he asks what year it was. It seems that Stephen had a contingency plan in case he died. Now, he has to get his bearings and figure out what’s going on in the world and how his future self was killed.
Mystical beings attempt to kill Stephen Strange all the time. Somehow, this being succeeded. Whoever or whatever tried to kill the Sorcerer Supreme knows him well enough for him to let his guard down. That being said, who was behind the deed?
Who killed Doctor Strange?
We know that Stephen recognized the person responsible for his apparent slaying and that he was shocked they were at his door. Not because they were alive, just that they showed up to the Sanctum Sanctorum. He seemed more annoyed than anything. However, In Doctor Strange’s line of work, being dead doesn’t mean anything. Especially in the world of mysticism where the dead can kill the living.
The list of people who want Doctor Strange dead is longer than we know. Baron Mordo says he didn’t do it, but we know him to be a liar. Agamotto (as in the Eye of) once tried to take over the world and take his artifact back. Doctor Voodoo’s Brother Daniel hates Strange for letting his brother die (see New Avengers for this and the Agamotto story). We can also add The Hood to this list as well. He certainly has a grudge against Doctor Strange.
Then there’s Clea. It can’t be a coincidence that her picture was focused on more than a couple of times in this issue. Strange loves her, but that doesn’t mean she feels the same way. Clea could’ve been the one to kill him. She may have enough resentment for things that happened that we aren’t aware of.
What to expect from The Death of Doctor Strange
This crossover will involve a lot of magic all over the world and beyond. We’re likely going to see beings we recognize and some that we don’t. This writer also expects an appearance from Doctor Doom. After his magical upgrade at the end of The Last Annihilation, it would be weird for him to not flaunt his new power. Especially with the world now lacking a Sorcerer Supreme. Who knows? Maybe Loki, Thor, and other Asgardians will show up as well. Their entire being is tied to mysticism.
According to the list of Death of Doctor Strange crossovers, the X-Men, Black Knight, the Strange Academy, White Fox, Blade, and Spider-Man will all be involved. With the X-Men, Magik will obviously be the focus. She has a special relationship with Strange so she’ll definitely take this hard. Strange’s disappearance will disturb the supernatural world, meaning that Blade may be overrun with vampire violence. Spider-Man’s relationship with Doctor Strange spans decades. His story may be more about him hurting than fighting.
Go into this Marvel Comics crossover expecting some very weird things. You’ll see some creatively drawn beings from multiple realms, interesting fights, and possibly the birth of a new Sorcerer Supreme. It may be Doctor Strange from the past, Doctor Doom, or maybe even Magik. A mutant Sorcerer Supreme would shake the world. Whatever happens, this series will undoubtedly affect the Marvel Universe for the foreseeable future.
What do you think? Who’s skilled enough to kill Doctor Strange? Let us know in the comments below.