Who were the surprise characters in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and how good were they? Spoilers ahead.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness gave fans all of the secret characters they could have wanted.
It appears like Marvel Studios learned their lesson from Spider-Man: No Way Home with Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire appearance’s being horribly kept secrets. This time, the major ones were kept hidden. We knew there’d be an Illuminati in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, we just didn’t know who most of them were.
Going forward, this writer is going to break down their performances and grade them
***WARNING! SPOILER FOR DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS AHEAD!***
6. Baron Mordo
Baron Mordo was shown in the Doctor Strange 2 previews but it wasn’t clear that he’d be part of the Illuminati. Nevertheless, he was the sixth member of the group and that realm’s Sorcerer Supreme.
In this writer’s opinion, Baron Mordo’s appearance was lackluster. He didn’t particularly add anything to the Illuminati that he didn’t add in the first Doctor Strange. Because of this, his appearance was okay at best.
Rating: 6
5. Captain Carter
This writer said after her appearance in Marvel’s What If…? that the world needed more Captain Carter. Hayley Atwell was fantastic in all her roles. First Captain America: The First Avenger, then in Agent Carter, and now in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Who would have thought the live-action version of Captain Carter would’ve been just as good as the animated version.
Hayley Atwell looked amazing in the Captain Carter costume. She carried herself just like you’d expect. With all of the grace, integrity, and skills that comes with being a super soldier. Dropping the “I can do this all day” line was a nice touch. Too bad her appearance was shorter than fans may have wanted.
Rating: 10
4. Charles Xavier
Charles Xavier was a character that was revealed in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailers. Fans heard his voice and saw the floating wheelchair he’s used in Marvel Comics and X-Men: The Animated Series. Seeing him wasn’t a surprise. His performance, however, showed what could have been if Marvel Studios had the X-Men properties sooner.
Patrick Stewart will always be a top five interpretation of a comic book character. Marvel Studios just added a little more to him. When he used his telepathy, it wasn’t just an invisible power. It was more cinematic. There were waves coming from his brain. A simple but nice touch.
Rating: 10
3. Black Bolt
Black Bolt received some much needed redemption in the MCU. Anson Mount was one of the few bright spots of Inhumans. People think that it’s easy to play a character who doesn’t talk. However, that’s far from the truth. In a short amount of time, Anson Mount showed what could have been and what can still be.
Black Bolt displayed his powers in a major way when he killed his earth’s Doctor Strange. This was an important moment for Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. A lot of people didn’t see Inhumans. Now, they may have an interest in him and the franchise going forward. Hopefully this leads to Anson Mount getting another shot at a role in the MCU.
Rating: 8
2. Captain Marvel (Maria Rambeau)
Maria Rambuea (played by Lashana Lynch) as the Captain Marvel of this universe was brilliant. It was proof of how slight the changes in the multiverse can be, as Maria obtained the powers of Captain Marvel instead of her best friend Carol. What made Maria different is her attitude. She seemed more ruthless and willing to make final decisions if they were needed. She also wasn’t taking any guff from anyone. She was the perfect person to be part of the Illuminati.
Her defeat to Wanda was disappointing. As viewers saw, they were evenly matched. Captain Marvel’s energy blasts were more than equal to Wanda’s hex powers. Dying from a statue falling on her was a cheap way out. Although, she may not have died. Her body is tough enough to survive that. She could just be knocked out. Here’s hoping.
Rating: 10
1. Reed Richards
John Krasinski was as perfect as Mr. Fantastic as fans had hoped. It wasn’t only the look. He sounds like you’d think Reed Richards would, too. It was calm with a small hint of arrogance. It’s the only reason that Reed would tell Wanda Maximoff where Black Bolt’s powers came from. He thought that there was nothing she could do to stop him. He found out how false that was with two words from Wanda: “What mouth?” The leader of the Illuminati should have known better.
Hopefully, this won’t be the only time John Krasinski plays Reed Richards. Fans wanted him in the role for years. A brief appearance isn’t enough. He should be the leader of the Fantastic Four in the MCU going forward. If not, it’s a wasted opportunity.
Krasinski could play Reed Richards for years to come. Maybe even longer.
Rating: 10
What do you think, readers? How would you review or grade the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? Let us know in the comments below.